The Basenji Coloring Vs Personality?

[Kipawa]

@DebraDownSouth:

I know they did some color/behavior research with horses long ago. As far as I can remember, … I think it had to do with stockings. Anyway it was in Quarterhorses and after all was said and done, some stud 4 generations back was a real shall we say pistol and they attributed this horse with the stockings (don't ask me if it was front legs or back, but I recall not all 4), a popular sire, as the only maybe link. I really have never found any research about colors and personality with dogs, but I do know there are coat color/temperament research validating it with other animals.

I have never liked riding white horses. Way too jittery and highly unpredictable.

[DebraDownSouth]

@YodelDogs:

No, coat color does not affect personality. Each dog is an individual and you will find all ranges of personalities in every color.

Temperament, on the other hand, is developed through both genetics and life experiences. Color is passed along genetically but it has no bearing on temperament.

While in general I tend to agree, I don't think you can absolutely declare it doesn't as research on other animals has shown a linkage. But in general, really… 2 reds here were totally different. Cara is a sweetie.. wild but a soft gentle creature. And if you trust the breeder with puppy evaluations, I wouldn't see a reason to even consider coat color relationships to temperament as it has to be only a small factor if any.

[Shannanigan]

Paco's my one and only ever Basenji, but he is a tri and I have to say…as long as he's exercised and not bored out of his mind, he is the sweetest little thing, and I never would have expected him to be so cuddly and friendly, even with strangers, based on the research I did on Basenjis.

Of course, today I wasn't paying attention to him when he clearly wanted it, and he tore a small hole in the couch. :rolleyes:

All it took was picking him up and putting him on the computer chair with me for him to curl up and go to sleep, though.

[nkjvcjs]

This is a strong rumor in cats as well. When I worked as a vet tech, we always feared the calicos, because they were meaner when you took them away from their person.

My tri is as laid back as a basenji can be. She gets silly sometimes, but never naughty.

-Nicole

[Patty]

I agree that tris aren't more naughty but I've always found that my tris have a very cheeky temperament much more so than the red/whites and can be rather more of a handful although they have all been reared in exactly the same way.

The other difference I've found is that they have been much less wary about playing in water than the red/whites. Not to say that the red/whites haven't had some of the same traits but they've varied in behaviour - my tris haven't. May be a coincidence as obviously can't be linked to coat colour and of course I've had many more red/whites than tricolours.

I'd be very interested in what other breeders who've had Basenjis for some time have found?

[tlish]

are tris generally smaller than others? when i look at most people's pics on here, their dogs look so much bigger than suki. and then i saw some people with tris and r/w, and their tris look smaller. maybe it's that the black is so slimming??? i don't know but the dogs on here look bigger than my darling. granted, she's only 7 months (tomorrow!), but still… just curious!

[BaiBee]

I was on the dogshow in Sweden today and the Tri looked bigger than the other dogs so I don't think the color matter with size?

[DebraDownSouth]

Dear spirits, I don't think color and size all that related but I know many BIG tris.

[wallyblue]

The pup I'm getting next week is a red and white female. Well, not exactly red. Sort of a tan color, but darker than fawn. Should I be looking for certain inherent traits in her? Seems a bit silly to assume that the color of the dog will give it certain behaviors. Is this actually something to be concerned about?

[Barklessdog]

They're not naughtier, it's just you don't entertain them as well.

My tri is the devil himself. Our red is a little angel. Love the tri to death, though.

Should be called "trying", as with your patience. Still love mine to death, as does everyone else who meets little lucifer. Funny thing he is perfectly behaved when left alone at home, uncrated. He usually acts out for attention when he are home. He has demands & need that need attention, then he can settle down.

No general statement about anything is completely true.