Besenji owners?

Lycanthropic

Lycanthropic

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Jun 29, 2009
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Alberta
I was wondering if there are any basenji or basenji cross owners here on this forum. Im super interested in getting one, but Ive heard of lots of problems with the purebred dog. I was thinking of trying to find a mix, like a benji ( beagle X Basenji) or another smaller breed bred with a basenji. Im rather dead set on this particular dog, not just because of its size, but its temperament towards children, and many other factors.
If you, or someone you know has one, can you post any personal experiences with the dogs?
p.s I have LOADS of time to spend with the dog. We are talking about from 1 am in the morning to 4 pm at night then from 8-9 pm till 1 am..... Im not a busy person :P
 
We have a mutt that our best guess is a basenji/aussie cattledog cross. He acts like a cattledog and has the coloration, but his morphology is very close to that of a basenji. He is also a very vocal dog. He does bark, but also howls and makes a lot of other strange noises, something that basenjis are known for. He is also a rediculously energetic dog, which could come from either side. I've had him on 10 mile runs with me and it didn't phase him. We have about an acre of yard fenced in and two other dogs so that is usually enough to keep him busy. They also have a dog door into the yard so they all can come and go in/out of the house as they please. The only real problems we've had with him were not breeding-induced, but owner induced...he was a rescue adoption and his original owners were very abusive. He has recovered wonderfully though and he's a great little dog.
 
I can't answer you question specifically, but when I was looking for a dog for my children, I went around to dozens of shelters and adoptions and paid very close attention to the dogs temperement and chose a dog that ahd been in a foster home with children. A foster parent can give you very good info on the dog and they genrally tell the truth. Personality varies greatly within a breed.

It is good that you have time now to train the dog, etc. But just have a plan in place in case you get busy later. Good luck!
 
The plan will be a babysitter of something of that sort.most likely family but it maty be a room mate or something or other. I dont plan on getting busy for another year or so, but even then after school I will have lots of time for dog play!
 
I had one, she pooped all over my house the second she would come in from a walk, I dunno what her trip was. She also had very bad separation anxiety and would louse it if I wasn't right next to her. I have been told they wont poop in their own yard, (Mine would not) But once again, I dunno....
 
Although I've never owned a basenji, I've heard they can be very difficult. They are pariah dogs, a term that refers to semi-feral breeds that developed and survived on the outskirts of human societies. Pariah dogs were selected (bred) for their ability to run down prey and nothing else. For this reason, they tend to be hard to contain. If you get a basenji (or any other pariah dog), you'll need a fence-in yard. And the fence should be at least 6' tall.

Also, while basenjis don't bark, they do yodel... constantly. (Or so I've been told.)

I hope this helps.
 
Currently our fence is at 7+ ", so im not worried about that. The yard is huge and I donty mind picking up poop... lol. as long as he/she doesnt eat it. My old teacher had a basenji that she brought into school lots and I loved the yodel. I think its adorable!
The only problem she said she had was that the bas liked to jump so much, that she jumped really high one time and broke her leg by jumping back down.
 
I've known a few in my many years as a professional pet groomer and dog trainer. They are near the bottom of my list of dogs generally inclined to be suitable with children, somewhere down there with Rhodesian ridgebacks, chow chows, akitas...you get the picture.

The ones I've known were extremely aloof and lacked a willingness to please. They were not developed as service dogs or selected for their companionship habits.
 
Hmm interesting. A child friendly dog is a must due to our living situations. our room mate has a kid. any other breeds you can suggest then PF?
We were thinking earlier a pug, but heard they had really bad breathing problems and were inclined to get overly obese causing lots of problems.
 
What size range are you looking for?

I think you need to figure out why you want a dog then find the dog that fits that instead of going for something you like visually.

Do you want it for companionship or protection/alert?
Are you active? Like to run or walk?
Do you mind having to deal with professional grooming?
Just some starter questions.
 
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