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What reactions do you get?

Basenji Talk
  • Buana is a Jack Hussel (that's how we Dutch people call a non-pure bred Jack Russel)
    Even a mix Jack Russel x Shar pei, is asked a lot..

    Chafuko, is a pitbull mix… or a (american or English) Stafford puppy
    We hear that way too often.. It's because of his colour (many staffs are Brindle) with the combination of his mascular cheek..

    Look for yourselfe: We set them up for a photo shoot :D


    Woof!


    Is this really happening?!?! I'm not a Jack Hussel!!!!


    Staff puppy?


    You're crazy… really...


    Sigh:(

  • Once the window cleaner told me that they thought i had a fox in the house when they saw Benji.
    I have to confess that i like to stick my finger through the middle of their curled tails, but only once we're friends, lol.

  • Shelley,
    Tell me you don't mean the window cleaner????

    Alan

  • I don't get a lot of people thinking they know what breed Tosca is, but if people do attempt a guess it's usually some kind of terrier. They are definitely conversation starters, however, I've been asked about her many times! It's funny, though, cause even though she is 4 yrs old, everyone think she is a puppy, and don't believe it when I tell them otherwise. They are like, "Are you sure she is full grown?" I've had her for over two years, I think I am pretty certain :P
    I live in a small town of only about 4000 people, though, so I am impressed that two people have actually stopped me and known she was a basenji. That was funny, too, cause they didn't even really stop me…they kinda ran out of their houses freaking out asking "IS THAT A BASENJI!!?!?" They were so excited to see one :P One person had one whe he was younger, the other one had a late sister/friend/someone (I forgot) that used to breed them around here years ago. Either way, it's fun to watch people's reactions!

  • Well Alan, we do have very friendly window cleaners around here :D

  • The only time Shaye's tail is uncurled is when she's asleep and when she's scared. I don't play with it, and don't encourage others to do it - I know they won't "break" it, but I just feel like it shouldn't be messed with. No reason, just a feeling.

  • Like anything if your dog is not used to having their tail uncurled then they will think it is something "odd" when it is done. If the first time it is done by a stranger and the dog overreacts it can end up being a bad situation. I don't encourage people to do it but people seem compelled to do it. I don't mean just people we meet on the street, I mean vets, vet techs, and even AKC judges have all uncurled my dogs tails. So I uncurl tails as part of their socialization so when it happens they think "whatever, people are weird." So it is no big deal.

  • My bs tail will go straight when she runs the faster she goes the straighter her tail is. it funny to watch.:)

  • I work at a dog bakery so I am surrounded by "dog people" as customers and very rarely will any of them know that Shango is a basenji.

    I've heard every guess in the book. The other day a man even tried to convince me that Shango was a Fox Terrier by comparing him to a dog one of his friend's had! I told him to hang out with Shango and then hang out with that Fox Terrier and he'd certainly know the difference!

  • It always takes me at least 3 times as long to do anything when I'm out with the pack! People on the street just have to stop, talk and ask questions. Most people haven't got a clue what they are. The most frequently asked question (apart from 'What is it??') from the people who have a little knowledge of them is if it's true that they don't bark. I tell them that they make up for it in other ways!
    I sometimes find people as a child have had an aunt or neighbour etc with one.

    Sometimes I laugh and tell people that they are Jack Russell's with novelty tails. :D
    And if I'm in a hurry, I DON'T take the dogs!

  • People around here have a lot of hunting dogs (labs, retrievers, spaniels, etc.) so generally I get the "what kind of dog is that" question rather than guesses. Occasionally I'll come across someone who knows; not too often though.

  • @wizard:

    People around here have a lot of hunting dogs (labs, retrievers, spaniels, etc.) so generally I get the "what kind of dog is that" question rather than guesses. Occasionally I'll come across someone who knows; not too often though.

    That or when you do tell them the breed, they have the most puzzled look on their face.

  • With my two I play tail games, we have "Give that curly" where I grab the tail and then let it slide out my hand as they dash away.

    Then there's "Get your Tail" where we uncurl the tail and I hand them the tip and they hold on to it for a few seconds or if they are standing up might do a few circles or chase for a sec

  • I still get alot of people who ask what breed zoe is. At least at 8 months no one asks if she is a chi anymore. Some start out asking what kind of mix she is. Every once in awhile someone recognizes that she is a basenji. Just yesterday we were waiting outside a sheetz gas station when a woman looked up and saw zoe at the window with me and had to come over to ask if she was a B.

    I get people who uncurl her tail all the time luckily she doesnt mind in the least you can touch her all over no problem. And most of the time she loves the attention. I swear if someone passes by her without petting and adoring her she will look at them like they are idiots.

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  • When to get another Basenji

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    ?
    Wow! Somehow, I never got emails letting me know I had responses to this thread and just assumed there weren't any. But now that I'm back in the loop, I did want to thank everyone for their feedback and provide some thoughts of my own. That makes me laugh about the rescue person who wouldn't let young families or lawyers adopt her dogs. :-D I can understand her rationale from both perspectives. It's a compelling argument on her part about lawyers, but not all lawyers are the same, of course. I know a lot of extremely busy lawyers in large firms who struggle to hit their billable hour requirement each month. They're machines instead of people, and I wouldn't even let them dogsit my babies for fear of neglect. That's not my situation, fortunately. The young family part will be, but I've been thinking really carefully on how I'll balance this when the time comes. My dogs are my first children, and I would hire as many trainers as needed and try as many alternatives as I could before I would give them up. Unfortunately, I don't think a lot of people have that mindset about their dogs. :( I would absolutely be open to the idea of having the breeder choose a puppy for us based on their experience and prediction as to personality. All basenjis are gorgeous to me, and as long as the markings aren't completely off-base and I can get a tightly-curled tail (I've seen that the Avongaras can be lacking in this area, and I need a cinnamon bun in my life), personality is the most important thing. I wouldn't nitpick it to death. I'll have to decide on a breeder at some point, and I'd love one who's relatively local so I could visit. The man I got Penny from had great pet Basenjis that he bred… I'd like to go with a more reputable breeder this time around. At the very least, he tested for Fanconi. I can be grateful for that, as all is well so far and I more than likely dodged a bullet when I ended up with such a fantastic dog. My plan would be to decide and get on a waiting list far enough in advance that if there were a couple litters that just didn't produce what my family and I were looking for, we wouldn't be waiting forever. In short, what I'm banking on is that the right pup with the right personality will fit in pretty flawlessly. I know what sets my basenji off in other dogs, and I'm hopeful that I could find one that would suit her and suit our home. Daisy certainly worked out well for her, and I'd love to have that same success again. I've done three puppies in my lifetime, and all of them have grown up to be well-adjusted adults. I know what it takes, and I know it's hard work. I would never go the route of having an infant and a puppy at the same time (isn't THAT actually the definition of insanity?? ;) ), but I am still trying to shoot somewhere in the next 3-4 year range so my two aren't past ten and too old to handle a puppy.
  • Mistake getting a Basenji?

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    PearlsMomP
    Hello! I wish to comment on my dog Pearl. She is Very quiet, hardly a sound. I try to encourage her to speak. She does a lot of nonverbal communication. About the child issue. Pearl came to us as a puppy. My kids (12 & 13 at the time) spent time with her, the neighbor kids played with her, and she loves kids. No problems socializing with young people. I guess the point is, your pup will love anyone who treats it well and cares for it. At 5 , I'm sure your child understands the importance of being gentle with dogs. Pearl has done her fair share of chewing. Interesting what she likes. She will be 2 in October, and is better, but she has lots of bones! I love Pearl, however, I am easy going, and enjoy taking her on walks, playing with her, and having her as a family member. Its up to you what you want from a dog. Pearl is pretty free, and thats what I like!
  • Considering getting a Basenji

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    lvossL
    Yes, early socialization and positive experiences is the best way to go. I think the most important thing about puppy kindergarten is that it is positive based and focuses on socialization with both people and dogs. Some basenji don't necessarily do well with the small dogs and other love them. Sophie was always the best with the new pups of any size in her puppy class, she just had phenomenal dog language and would make herself as small as possible and go at their speed. What you want to be careful about is people who have already formed a preconceived notion of basenji behavior. My mom's first puppy class instructor always expected her boy to be aggressive even though he never showed any aggression and was always very appropriate in his interactions. I crate puppies next to the bed while housebreaking and it works fine. I have always used a large stuffed toy in the crate and this year used SnugglePuppies, they were wonderful. The pup snuggled right up to warmth and fell asleep, provided we did a good job of tiring him out for the night. I got my first basenji while I was in Grad school and lived in an apartment. It is doable as long as you are willing to make sure they get enough exercise and mental stimulation.
  • Got to get that bunny!

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    Ninabeana26N
    @EskiLovr: Don't forget that the most favorite game to play for most Basenji's is, guess what? Chase games! They love to chase other dogs, and BE chased too. That's the favorite activity for our boy at the dog park. If he can find another dog that understands how to play the 'chase game' he's in heaven! And heaven help you if want to get ahold of him around the house. If I step after him, he immediately darts away and looks back as if to say "come-n-get me" tail wagging the whole time! That sounds just like my boy! He will grab something he knows he isn't supposed to have [i.e. a sock] & make sure that I see him then just start running through the house. If I don't chase him, he will drop it after he notices I am not chasing him. Haha. It cracks me up!
  • Getting depressed

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    kristinkK
    There could be a thread on the things we do to registered names– Sol's is 'Solid Gold' but I call him 'Solomon' because he's a deep thinker, or 'Solace' because he is a solace to me-- I like the 'Ruby' adaptation! Kris
  • How to get ink off?

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    T
    Hello, I have some ideas for your stains. Everything these ladies have been saying is correct. Hairspray definately works for ink stains, it has been tried and tested many times by myself. It works on all fabric types from synthetics to vinyls and all polycotton and cotton blends. Just spray your carpet (I like to over spray usually) and take some carpet cleaner and it should wash out. The Tide pen is a miracle in it's self, I too have recently discovered. Spot shot works really good on most stains, it used to be a household necessity until we got our Hoover Steam Cleaner. No pet owner should be without one!:D As far as the Basenji, good ol soap and water does the trick with some elbow grease! I am disgusted to say that my boyfriend one day decided he was going to give Tang a tatoo using a black sharpie marker. I got mad at him and took Metinga upstairs and washed her head until it came off. It did not take that long maybe about 10-15 min of washing and the white was good as new. I used a bit of dog shampoo as well.:D