Cody is such a handsome boy.
Awkward Family Photos
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It's been about 13 weeks now since we got our basenji. We just love her. She's so sweet, and very different from our first dog-baby. It hasn't been easy taking a good portrait of both together since Bowpi is usually very deferential to our shiba. If their muzzles meet, she turns or crouches or slinks away. I think she's still a little scared of Bowdu from a couple eruptions he had during their first while together, when they were still really unsure as to what was going on. They still haven't really bonded to each other – they don't cuddle together or seek each other out for anything, though they're content to nap on the same futon or sun themselves in close proximity in the backyard.
One thing they do that's terrifically cute… Bowdu is very effusive when he greets us at the door. Both of them now come to greet whomever returns home, and Bowdu is so happy, he will start licking HER instead of us, as is his custom. When he shoves his nose into her face and his tongue into her ear, she just freezes with her head down, like she's uncertain if he's going to suddenly try to bite her (I interpret this from her posture and her ears). But if he turns away, she'll lean closer to him again, as if she's asking for more tenderness.
The other day, for some strange reason (perhaps because I just got out of the shower and smelled too fresh), Bowdu rushed up onto the futon and hunkered down right against Bowpi when I entered the room. It was almost a protective/guarding maneuver, but I'm really not sure what he was doing. Bowpi certainly thought it was weird (airplane ears!). It was a rare moment where I was able to get them together and still long enough to take a few portraits… even if both dogs look slightly... stiff... and then wilted. Reminds me a bit of those awkward, highly composed Victorian portraits from back in the day.
"It's tiring work looking pretty and posing for the camera!"
So one last tidbit… and question. Does anybody else have a basenji that sleeps in this position?! Her head is basically folded into her chest. I haven't seen a dog sleep like this before, and I didn't know if this was another basenji specialty or some quirk of hers she developed from sleeping in a crate that was too short for her to fully stand up in before.
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Great Pictures!
Our Chafuko sleeps exactly the same some times, he also snores because his nose is against a pillow or someting..
When he snores I will change his head so his nose becomes free again..
He like this position, really don?t know why
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what a nice couple of dogs!! here in the netherlands people often think that my basenjis are shortcoated Shiba's >LOL<
about not cuddling together, do not worry about that, I have 6 dogs and only 3 of them love to cuddle together ( that is my basenji male, and my 2 youngest ibizans ) the oldest ibizan and basenji do it sometimes and our galgo prefers to have more space around him.
and when my oldest basenji is cleaning the ears of the other dogs , they ALL react the same way like your basenji, she really want to clean their ears and when they do not sit still she growls at them
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I love the pics of your sheba and basenji together. I get asked quite frequently if my basenjis are shebas, lol.
Oh, and 2 of my basenjis, Ruby and Brando both sleep like that.
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thanks for sharing
yes, Zest sleeps like that. -
These b's sleep in all sorts of positions. Glad you were able to share these photos.
Lovely b's. -
Great pictures.. I love the one of them laying so nicely together.
My dogs rarely snuggle with each other as well, unless it is cold outside, then any body heat is better then none.. -
And at shows, Sheba and Basenji people always say to each other…. Look it is a Sheba without hair or Look it is a Basenji with hair!
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I love the pics of the two Dogs together and hearing about how they get along .
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And at shows, Sheba and Basenji people always say to each other…. Look it is a Sheba without hair or Look it is a Basenji with hair!
LOL, sooo true!!
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Great pictures! They are really beautiful dogs, and I'm sure will bond moreso as time goes on. As to the sleeping position - Basenjis have some of the strangest sleeping positions I've ever seen. Mine has been in the same as your picture many times. They especially like to hide their faces to sleep. Quite often if you have throw pillows on a couch they will stick their whole head behind them to sleep, sometimes when they are upside down. Funny little creatures, all in all!
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People used to misidentify Bowdu as a basenji all the time. I also got asked if he was a Finnish Spitz once, which makes more sense, since he obviously has way too much fur for a basenji! Now that they're side-by-side on our walks and whatnot, I think there's less confusion. I don't really have a feel for which breed people are able to identify more readily though.
Interesting to hear that many B's sleep in that position. I tried to imagine it for myself, and it just didn't feel comfortable. Then again, I'm a biped with a short neck… what do I know?!
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Great pics! Cody and our mix are somewhat the same way, except that Cody loves to cuddle, but Moe will have none of it. I agree, they will probably get closer over the years. While Cody and Moe are close now, they still don't seek each other out while they are inside unless one wants to play or Cody is cold and wants to cuddle (to which Moe almost always gets up and finds a new place to sleep). Even when they are outside, they will play for a while and then go find something else to do by themselves.
Cody sleeps in that position too, as well as many other awkward ones. Sometimes it looks like he has an extra leg!
