my mum, is getting a dog for her 40th birthday in october... after going through the breeds she likes, basenji seems to fit the bill better than the others. she wanted a french bulldog, but wants a dog she can take on long walks, so she ruled the frenchie out. she has liked basenjis for years and years, and is now finally in the position when she can have a pedigree she wants. i just wondered if people on here could give me some information to pass to her. what they are like, what are you experiences of them? what health tests should they have done? i do know of one breeder that goes to macclesfield ring craft and his dogs are lovely but just thought it would be good for her to have some more info on them.
Although Poppy is a Basenji cross from what I've heard/been told about their behaviour etc she's seems about 95% Basenji She hates the cold Is just as happy curling up in front of the fire on cold/wet days than going on walkies She has bags of energy when out and about She doesn't have any doggy smell even when wet She has bags of personality, can be very naughty but is sooo cute with it Is very independant She's very headstrong and needs quite a firm hand, if you give her an inch she'll definatley take a mile and a half Recall can be an issue if she's already interested in the chase, if you catch her before she sets off she's ok but once she's moving - no chance She does have kind of a bark though, more of a quack actually True Basenji's don't bark they yodel - quite a thing to hear coming out of a dog I love em Think there is someone on here who has full Basenji's so I'm sure they'll give you some info too
I have 6 Basenji's, they are not a dog for everyone, they are more than a dog with an easy coat and no bark! They are generally very intelligent, can be destructive, they have a very high prey drive, they hate the cold. I would suggest she reads Sally Wallis's web site and her Put off which is very informative, if she still wants one after that then good luck to her. I hope it isn't against the rules to put the web address, Sally doesn't breed anymore but she is passionate about the breed and her husband has had basenjis since the 1950's with many champions, mostly in America but in the UK also. www.zandebasenjis.com
I love them to bits, there is never a dull moment in our house. They steal tissues from your pocket, chew up your washing, most are very food driven but if someone thinks they will have a nice quiet biddable dog then they should think again. They are also very inquisitive. Mine are all very affectionate. Temperament used to be a problem but is greatly improved these days. I had my first Basenji when my daughter was 4, she is 28 now! Some Basenjis are very good at climbing so fencing needs to be good. They can live with cats etc but only when they have grown up with them around. Fanconi is a big issue in the breed at the moment, we had a marker test which just about all breeders were using successfully, the definitive test was announced earlier this year but it is having problems at the moment and has been withdrawn. Eyes should be tested, some breeders test hips but it isn't known to be a problem in the breed. Sally's website is worth looking at, there is a lot of information on there.
Thanks for the reply moetmum I will pass on the website to her. She has liked them for a long long time, and isn't a novice dog owner, she lived with my grandma and her afghan hound and deerhound, and she worked in a kennels for years do has good experience with dogs. She won't be worried by the high prey drive, as she isn't bothered if she has a dog that can't be let offlead, she just wants one that she can walk a fair way with, a healthy dog that doesn't have too many problems.
There aren't many being bred and our entries at shows has dropped, last year there were about 8 litters born which is very unusual, there are only normally two or three. Litters are typically 3 or 4 pups but some bitches have produced 7. there was a litter born a couple of years ago that had 9! They only come into season once a year, usually September to October (although Fiji and Taz were born in the summer)! I hope your mum enjoys the website, you can see my first basenji on there Zande Parapanda. Moet was Zande Waziri and Fiji is Zande Feleji, her brother Jengo is there too!
I have three now, Maya and her two babies, and I cant imagine not having a basenji! I think they're an acquired taste - you either love or hate them. My mum does NOT like the breed, though she does like my three They are incredibly loyal and loving with their people and are very outgoing as pups. Maya (now 3) is friendly with everyone, never aggressive, but she can take or leave most people. She loves me and only me but she always welcomes new people to the house and makes a fuss of them. They're very "busy" dogs and love to have all the focus on them!! They can be a bit difficult with other dogs they dont know and dont often like strange dogs approaching their bed/crate but they are very loyal to their "packs". Maya has helped me hand rear a chihuahua pup (still looks after it like its her baby and Evie's now 15 months!!!) and she plays very well with the tiniest of chi pups to the largest of labradors
HI! I'm so interested in a basenji, but unfortunately there are none local for me to actually meet. Does anyone have an adult or child that has allergies or suffers from asthma "rarely" that can let me know how they react to a basenji?
Hi Jesenia, I don't know where you are posting from, but would it be possible to visit a Basenji Club show and see how your daughter reacts to them? Show dates and locations can usually be found on national kennel club sites - KC, AKC or whatever, or by looking on a national Basenji Club site.
