Adopted Very Basenji-looking dog from Africa!

[AfricanMutt]

Hello! I have returned from living in Ethiopia with a dog that looks very much like a Basenji to me. She has the sweetest personality and is honestly better than any dog I could ever imagine, and she came from the streets! I rescued her from a town called Debark where all the dogs have their ears cut off and fed to them as puppies because it is supposed to make them "smarter". Even through her harsh upbringing she is the most trusting and loving dog I have ever met! SO I introduce to you "Laliti" which means Midnight in her native tongue : )

Please give me your feedback on to what extent she looks like a Basenji… Shes not as stocky as a purebred but has the basic head shape and a slightly curled tail. I think she really looks like one and it would make sense because they come from the same stock, the most ancient dogs of all.

[agilebasenji]

She has a very sweet look to her. She certainly looks like she's related to basenjis

[Chealsie508]

She looks basenji like to me….very cute! How is she adapting to the change in country?

[AfricanMutt]

Thanks! She is a pretty girl.

She has adapted better than me! Shes %100 trustworthy with kids and people but still a bit iffy about some dogs. Currently shes gazing very dissaprovingly at my mom's 2 chihuahuas. They've had some growly and tense moments but hopefully well work through that. Shes just got spayed on Tuesday (shes had 3 litters in 2 years poor girl). But she walks BEAUTIFULLY on a leash and has had ZERO accidents in the house… apparently she figured out the housetraining thing without my help!
She may never be one of those dogs that likes all dogs... but of course thats not necessary! So far I've never heard her bark she just whines and does like singing howls. CUTE! Maybe I'll get her a basenji puppy in a few years, she'd be a great role model dog... shes incredibly calm, some people ask me if shes sedated... nope, shes just seen it ALL!

Thanks for the comments, keep them coming!

[MacPack]

She is darling, and I see a lot of basenji in her. Welcome!

[Jacquieoutwest]

A dog that doesn't like all dogs-definitely a Basenji characteristic. Just ask Guppy how he feels about Shibas, Shephers and Huskys.

[AfricanMutt]

Hehe… Guppy is such a cute name! And my last dog didn't like ANY dogs so Laliti tolerating MOST dogs is a treat!
Ive known quite a few Basenjis and I'd say she fits the bill except she is totally NOT aloof around strangers... in fact shes quite the opposite and assumes that every person she meets was put on this earth to pet her. But she approaches people with the silent grace and calm of a basenji : )

[curlytails]

She's very, very interesting looking indeed. And what a backstory! Her head and proportions are very Basenji-esque to me. But I would think that whether or not there's a breed name you can put on her, she's true to her African roots.

Welcome!

[DebraDownSouth]

She looks basenji to me. Can you tape her noises/howl? The cutting of the ears is horrifying to me. Bless their hearts. Thank you for giving her a home.

[AfricanMutt]

I will try to tape her howl… I actually heard her BARK this morning.. a rare event that was brought on by a plastic duck floating in our pool... a very suspicious plastic duck no doubt. So yeah, she can BARK although its only when shes REALLY agitated...

I looked at some videos of howling basenjis and its exactly the noises that she makes... this one in particular reminded me of her and also its just really cute. Laliti does more singing where her voice travels up and down.. this dog is more howling. The other videos have humans being SO annoying to try to get their dogs to sing I can barely watch them... this one just has nice piano music.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ika3Gvhgho&feature=related

[AfricanMutt]

Oh ALSO she uses her paws a lot to communicate. She puts her paw on me when she wants to be petted and if she REALLY wants to be petted she will put both her paws on me and just sit with her head tilted down giving me those PUPPY DOG eyes….. Do your basenjis paw at you?

[crystalncody]

She's beautiful. She has such a sweet, trusting look about her.
Cody will bark when he's really agitated and definitely uses his paws to communicate that he wants some love…. or that he wants whatever we are eating

[Chealsie508]

Oakley always uses his "hands" as I call them…it's especially funny if I'm eating and he sits in from of me, just trying over and over again to give me his paw as if to say, look mom..LOOK!! He also uses his hands to get me to play...I used to think he got it from me as I'm always communicating with my hands!!

[Moth]

She is lovely…I do see basenji there in the head and face for sure

She sounds like a wonderful and amazing companion.

[AfricanMutt]

Sounds like shes totally a "basenji".

My mind has been going around in circles trying to figure out of shes a Basenji or if Basenjis are HER. Basically someone brought some of these african dogs to america and just decided what the standard should be and now they have been bred to be true to these strict standards… but of course in Africa there is so much more variation because nobody has been selectively breeding them to the fixed standard...they just evolved to be like that because it suits their environment.... but basically she IS a basenji just not one that has been bred to the guidlines... but on the other hand basenjis are just strictly bred "african village dogs" which is precisely what she IS... so are Basenjis her or is SHE a Basenji??? whoaaaa

I read an article recently in National Geographic about African Village dogs that says that after genetic testing it was revealed that they are just as closely related to wolves as they are to domestic dogs in developed countries... They ALSO said almost the same thing about Basenjis... that MOST "ancient breeds" are not ancient at all only bred to LOOK ancient... with the exception of Basenjis. Basenjis are closer to wolves than almost any other dog "breed" showing that they truly ARE carrying around ancient DNA... only African Village dogs beat them because they have not been polluted with "dog" DNA along the way.

Anyways... I know you guys are like actual "basenji" owners and might have known all of that already... but SHEESH i really love Basenjis even more now.... they truly are an amazing specimen of canine evolution retaining all the traits that early dogs needed to survive in the ourskirts of human civilization! : )

(did i mention im a biologist : o )

YAY Basenjis!! YAY my dog : )

[Patty]

She looks a lovely girl. It's doubtful whether she's a Basenji but she's certainly Basenji-like. There are many dogs throughout the world that are of the same type as a Basenji - not just in Africa. She certainly has many common Basenji traits. How big is she?

You are certainly right about the evolution of African land-races as to the latest information.
.
How wonderful that you've given her a forever home - it sounds as though previously she was very maltreated.

[AfricanMutt]

Yeah, i think it would be impossible to label her as a Basenji… but its cool to think that they are very closely related. She is 40 pounds... almost twice the weight of basenjis right?

[eeeefarm]

@AfricanMutt:

Yeah, i think it would be impossible to label her as a Basenji… but its cool to think that they are very closely related. She is 40 pounds... almost twice the weight of basenjis right?

Forty pounds would be an awfully large Basenji! To me, she has Basenji characteristics, but she isn't "square" enough…...her body looks too long in relation to her leg length......or maybe it's just the camera angle?

[AfricanMutt]

Yeah eeefarm, she isn't boxy enough… its not the camera angle.. shes has a long body and long legs.

[agilebasenji]

I think she's probably related to basenjis. Either an ancestor to the basenjis, or a cousin to the basenjis, but not a basenji. I think the closest recognized breed that I know of for your girl would be a basenji. Either way, she's a lovely dog and I hope you two have many, many years together.