| Basenjis: the most honest dog breed review you'll ever find. Information about Basenji personality and behavior. |
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My book, Your Purebred Puppy: A Buyer's Guide (published by Henry Holt & Co.), includes a full-page profile of the Basenji, including these excerpts:
"The AKC Standard says, "Elegant and graceful, his whole demeanor is one of poise and inquiring alertness."
High-spirited and endlessly curious, the dapper, light-footed Basenji demands to be in on everything.
Without enough physical and mental activity, he will become bored and then he may chew up your home or scale fences (sometimes trees) in search of a more interesting life.
This dog is too busy and inquisitive to be left loose and unsupervised in your house or yard.
Don't let him off the leash, for he is a swift, agile chaser who is impossible to catch.
You must stay one step ahead of this thinking breed, for he uses his keen intelligence in clever, sometimes manipulative ways that suit his own purposes. Consistent leadership is a must.
Basenjis are intriguing in that they are physically unable to bark. Yet their wariness of strangers, inherent distrust of anything new or different, territorial instincts, acute senses, and canny intuition all combine to make them vigilant watchdogs. And they do whine, growl, chortle, yodel, and scream, so they are far from soundless."
History
Once called the Congo Dog, the Basenji dashed through the woods of Africa driving small game into the tribal huntsmen's nets.
Size
16-17 inches and 20-25 lbs |
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Basenjis
What's good about 'em
What's bad about 'em
- Is conveniently-sized
- Combines sturdiness with litheness and elegance
- Moves with a graceful, light-footed gait
- Has a soft easy-care coat in striking colors
- Doesn't shed much
- Is extremely alert and makes a keen watchdog
- Is easy to housebreak
A Basenji may be right for you.
| If you don't want to deal with... |
- High activity level
- Providing enough exercise and activities to keep him busy
- Massive destructiveness when bored or left alone too much
- Suspiciousness toward strangers
- Aggression toward other animals -- strong chasing instincts
- Escape attempts and running away
- Strong-willed mind of his own, requiring a confident owner who can take charge
- Serious health problems
A Basenji may not be right for you.
| If I were considering a Basenji... |
My major concerns would be:
- Providing enough exercise and mental stimulation. Basenjis are active go-getters who were bred to hunt. They MUST have regular opportunities to vent their energy and to use their busy minds to do interesting things. Otherwise they will become rambunctious and bored -- which they usually express by destructive chewing. Bored Basenjis are famous for chewing through drywall, ripping the stuffing out of sofas, and turning your yard into a moonscape of craters.
| I strongly recommend that you get your Basenji involved in obedience classes at the intermediate or advanced level, in agility (an obstacle course for dogs) or in lure coursing (chasing a mechanized lure around a track or across an open field). |
- Suspiciousness toward strangers. Standoffish by nature, Basenjis need extensive exposure to people and to unusual sights and sounds. Otherwise their natural caution can become suspiciousness, which is difficult to live with and could even lead to biting.
| If you have small children, I do not recommend a Basenji. There are just too many Basenjis who won't tolerate any nonsense. |
- Animal aggression. Many Basenjis are dominant or aggressive toward other dogs of the same sex. Many have strong instincts to chase and seize small fleeing creatures. This can make for conflict if you own a cat. It may be much worse than that if you own a pet rabbit or hamster!
| Basenjis cannot be trusted off-leash. They will take off -- oblivious to your frantic shouts -- after anything that runs. |
- Fence security. Many Basenjis are clever escape artists who will go over or under fences in search of adventure. To keep your Basenji in, you may need higher fences than you might imagine for their small size. You may also need to sink wire into the ground along the fence line to thwart digging. Gates should have the highest quality locks.
- The strong temperament. Basenjis are not Golden Retrievers. They have an independent mind of their own and are not pushovers to raise and train. They can be manipulative, and many are willful, obstinate, and dominant (they want to be the boss) and will make you prove that you can make them do things. You must show them, through absolute consistency, that you mean what you say.
| To teach your Basenji to listen to you, "Respect Training" is mandatory. My Basenji Training Page discusses the program you need. |
- Health problems. You need to be aware of such health problems as eye diseases and a serious kidney disease called Fanconi.
| To keep this breed healthy, I strongly recommend following all of the advice on my Basenji Health Page. |
| Not all Basenjis are alike! |
- There are energetic Basenjis, and placid Basenjis.
- Hard-headed Basenjis, and sweet-natured Basenjis.
- Serious Basenjis, and good-natured goofballs.
- Introverted Basenjis, and Basenjis who love everyone.
| If you acquire a Basenji puppy, you can't know for sure what he or she will grow up to be like. Because a good number of purebred puppies do NOT grow up to conform to the "norm." |
| If you're considering an adult Basenji... |
There are plenty of adult Basenjis who have already proven themselves NOT to have negative characteristics. If you find such an adult, don't let "typical breed negatives" worry you.
When you acquire a puppy, you're acquiring potential -- what he one day will be. So "typical breed characteristics" are very important. But when you acquire an adult, you're acquiring what he already IS.
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Copyright © 2000-2008 by Michele Welton. All rights reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced without the permission of the author. |
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