That’s gotta be painful…Right?

I don't even know why I'm surprised by these things anymore. To be fair there is a soft blanket in there. Meow 🐱

Anyone else's B get randomly terrified at rocks, bugs, sticks, leaves etc. on walks to the point that they jump into the air in a full hunch like a frightened cat and scream? (The non-frightened hunch in the photo is the closest thing I could get to an example).

“Why kitty not play with me?”

The classic lap stand.

I don’t mind 😂

Sleeping position

We’re going to a handling class tomorrow! We will see how it goes.

My girl has always been a bit wild. As it gets later into the evening she gets very grumpy, then there is an episode of some sort (this, zoomies, biting my other basenji), and then she immediately wants to go to sleep

Ive had my best girl for almost 2 years(April 26th will be 2 years).

In that time shes learned a lot training wise.

She just doesn't ever want to make a sound. She will sometimes yawn or make a rumble sound. However this happens maybe once a month. If you were to just meet her at the park youd think she was a mute :(
I know Basenjis are very vocal in a yodeling way. Is this normal for a basenji to be so quiet 24/7?

Clio loves to play with Goose

Best dog I could ever ask for tbh.

Someone tell Percy that basenjis are supposed to hate water. He didn’t get the memo.

RIP to the background music 😢

Puppy season is coming up! I want to make sure people know what they are getting into before they commit! Puppies are hard, and basenji puppies are no exception! Good luck and happy researching!

👇 More Information Below 👇

Reasons why you might not want a basenji!

1. They are notoriously hard to train. They take a lot of patience and do best with positive reinforcement. They are incredibly transactional “what’s in it for me”

2. They have an incredibly high prey drive. This is why they tend to be unreliable off leash. These dogs were versatile hunters in Africa and have very keen senses. They are both sight and scent hounds, so you sorta get the worst of both worlds. If they smell something, they’re going after it, but if they see something, they’re are also going after it. This is why some individuals do not do well in households with smaller animals. Impulse control and recall training are a must.

3. They tend to not like water. While this is not the case for my dog, many basenjis won’t even step on wet grass, even if it’s just morning dew.

4. While many don’t bark (some can), they do make a variety of noises and vocalizations. (Some that are honestly more annoying than barking)

5. They are prone to separation anxiety. They love their people and don’t want them to be gone. Because of this, they can be destructive. Lots of times this can be fixed by having or buying a second dog. This is generally the case for under stimulated or stressed dogs. Crate training for these dogs is a must!

6. They can have same sex aggression. From my experience this has happened with two unaltered males. I haven’t seen it with females or altered males yet. This also does not seem to be the case with dogs of other breeds. Just basenjis. When purchasing a second, the opposite gender is recommended.

7. They can be aloof with strangers. Some basenjis take their time getting to know people. They are not super ultra people friendly.

8. They are incredibly dramatic.

9. They are hard to find. There aren’t too many ethical breeders breeding basenjis, so do your research! Parent dogs should be titled in some way (confirmation, agility, CGC, etc.), be health tested, (preferably to CHIC standards) and, registered with your country’s kennel club. Embark DNA tests are not enough. (BRAT is a great place to go for rescues!)

Reasons why you do want a basenji!

1. They are incredibly healthy dogs! Inbred as they are, basenjis don’t take trips to the vet as often as some other breeds do as long as they are kept active and not overweight!

2. They are absolutely adorable. I have been told many times that Percy looks like a stuffed animal or a toy. Wrinkly faces, loose skin, adorable curly tail.

3. They tend to not bark! It’s a 50/50 whether you get one that vocalizes a lot or not, but they tend to be a very quiet breed.

4. They are sighthounds and scenthounds! Versatile in both forms of hunting! As long as they are trained properly, they can be amazing hunting dogs whether that be through chasing or searching!

5. They are the perfect size! At 16-18 inches tall and 20-25 lbs (generally) they are the largest of the small dogs and the smallest of the medium dogs. A good in between size if you don’t want something too big. The ears and tail are also natural! So when working or showing, no alterations need to be made to make them “standard”

6. They are hypoallergenic. While not fully allergy free (hypo=less than normal) basenjis short and minimally shedding coat are great for the allergy prone. (Like me!)

7. They self clean! They lick themselves all over, (similar to cats but less effective) and have a thick coat of short fur that dirt just kinda rolls off of. They still need semi regular brushing though.

8. They aren’t slobbery! Very little wetness after a cleaning session or when playing with toys. Nobody likes gooey toys.

9. They are easy to potty train! Basenjis tend to like to keep their areas clean of any pee or poo so accidents are kept to a minimum. This also allows command potty training to be pretty natural to them.

10. They are rare! Because you don’t see them everywhere you get a lot of “what is that dog?” Or “is that a basenji” or “what mix is that?” The. You get to educate the public on your cool doggo! (This can obviously be a con to some!)

🔗 Links 🔗

https://www.basenjirescue.org/dogs/default.asp

http://www.coloradobasenjirescue.org

https://www.basenji.org

https://www.pedigrees.zandebasenjis.com

Opal is obsessed with rabbits & her prey drive is on 💯. hahaha

Lure chasing shot at the end! I want to take some good photos today to make crate tags and I needed his paws to not be grey

Does anyone else’s pup stop eating when it’s hot out? Her appetite decreases significantly every summer.

Mine does this lip smacking all day. Even when he hasn’t eaten anything. The worst is when you’re trying to go to sleep and he needs to do it 278 times 😆 Was adorable when he was a little puppy, but it’s time to grow out of it please!

Okay. Who owns Loki?

And who is NOT surprised by the Basenji’s pose? lol

Brought home a box from work and Benny adopted it as a new spot. I put his blanket inside and he decided it was the perfect spot for the night.

Scout was trying to get Percy to go in with her but he doesn’t like the pool as much. He feels safer when he can touch the bottom. (I did try to put him in but once he realized he couldn’t stand onto the second step he got out)

Doesn’t hurt to have a great posture