Basenji Mix ?
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wrote on 16 Feb 2010, 19:10 last edited by
My girlfriend and I adopted a ~ 9 month old pup on Sunday.. He was 45 lbs a week ago is very well mannered. The shelter told us he was a hound mix, but then later referred to him as a terrier mix. They said he wasn't housetrained but has yet to have any accidents in the house, knows how to sit, seems to be quite smart, and is very curious. He has to inspect everything everyone has or is doing. He loves to play, but can settle down quickly, or get riled up fast. He loves to play tug of war. Our only concern , although not a large one, so far is his aggression. He tends to growl and bark when he sees some specific strangers - many he does not growl at but some he does… he also likes to run to the door and growl/bark some whenever there is a stranger at the door but he does not tend to growl when we are at the door. He has been a very good guard dog but we don't want him to be TOO aggressive.
We think he is a Basenji/Bull Terrier mix.. his markings look much like a basenji and his head has the slight egg shape and triangular eyes of a Bull Terrier. He has a pretty strong build and is pretty lean and athletic. He could definitely be a mix of more than 2 breeds and we think he might could some Pit bull in him but we're leaning more towards bull terrier. I would appreciate your thoughts on what kind of mix he might be and if he is definitely part Basenji! Thanks! Feel free to ask any questions.
Sorry for the poor quality photos
Oh yeah, this is his favorite pose
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wrote on 16 Feb 2010, 19:16 last edited by
Also, when he does get aggressive at first when he meets a stranger, he calms down very quickly when he finds out they are nice. He is very sweet to those he knows.
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wrote on 17 Feb 2010, 01:51 last edited by
Your pup is very cute! He's got basenji white socks on all fours - My first thought was he looks mixed with yellow lab and looks a bit like a Basenji with the white blaze on his muzzle. Maybe others will offer thoughts. His growling at strangers might be a guarding behavior. Hopefully, as he is more and more socialized that the behavior will taper off. At 9 months, it would be a perfect time to enroll him in Obedience Training. (I went to Pet Smart for both of my dogs) This weekly activity helps you both to bond, have fun together and learn how to approach negative behavior with positive methods.
Congrats on having a new family member! Lucky you the potty training is going well. ;)
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wrote on 17 Feb 2010, 01:58 last edited by
He is very attractive. I will let the others tell you what they think..but he is very lucky to have you as his new family.
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wrote on 17 Feb 2010, 11:11 last edited by
Welcome to the forum, your Pup is lovely. He looks a little like he may have some Basenji in him, it's difficult to say. Read up on Basenji traits that may tell you more.
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Welcome to the forrum.
He sure is pretty, does look to have some b traits, like the white socks, and his face remind me a little too of B's. What does his tail look like? -
wrote on 17 Feb 2010, 14:04 last edited by
Welcome. In some of the pictures, his eyes and the area around them look basenji - slight wrinkling between his years, and the white on all his feet, the white chest, the blaze on his face, all are basenji traits, but it's hard to really say - his tail doesn't curl and doesn't have a white tip, that I could see. Do check out the basenji traits online - you will have a better idea of whether he acts basenji. In any event, he is a nice looking dog and love all your pictures.
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wrote on 17 Feb 2010, 14:05 last edited by
OOps - that was EARS, not years. Duh.
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wrote on 17 Feb 2010, 19:36 last edited by
Although you can't see it in the photos, he does indeed have a white tip on his tail. It is slightly curled but not nearly as much as a typical basenji tail.
He is very intelligent, and he is also sneaky. He does bark some, but he also makes some interesting noises. He will whine quite a bit, but also make different noises. I haven't heard him howl consistently like on some of the youtube videos. He loves to jump in bed and cuddle, and he is affectionate. Those are some of the characteristic traits that stood out to us.
I'm a little torn on the independence trait.. he seems to have a mind of his own, but he is rather attached to me and my girlfriend already. I guess that doesn't mean he isn't independent, especially at 9 months. Thanks for the replies!! We appreciate the responses!
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wrote on 17 Feb 2010, 20:03 last edited by
My first thought, from the first pic was bull-terrier…but in a couple of the profile angle pics I see more possiblity of Basenji...the chisling below his eye/cheek is particularly UN-bull terrier like. I think, as you suspect, he might be more than one generation of mix...but I think it is definitely possible that he has a Basenji as an ancestor!
Either way, he is adorable, and you are welcome to join us and share stories about him :)
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wrote on 17 Feb 2010, 20:27 last edited by
I sometimes think that multi-generational mixes take on very basenji like characteristics, because basenjis and other pariah/primitive types are ideally suited for the ecological niche of living off of/near humans without humans making their breeding decisions. They may have even never been any true "breed" as we think of them.
Very basenji-like characteristics may be actually the products of generations of natural selection in many environments, not just Africa. Prick ears, pointed muzzles, curled tails, wrinkles, even the strange voices seem to appear in many pariah type dogs.
-Nicole
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, even the strange voices seem to appear in many pariah type dogs.
I can so see that, Moses, our almost 9 month old portuguese podengo grande sounds just like a howlling, yodeling basenji at times, then he breaks into this excruciatingly loud bark..
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