• Dexter is going to be eleven weeks in three days. I weighed him on our house scale (first weighed myself and then myself holding him), and I'm not sure how accurate it is, but it said that he was only 5.8 pounds. That is definitely smaller than everyone else's pups that I've read about so far. He isn't all rollypolly like they are…No forehead wrinkles either 😞 darn...His whole head looks smaller than the others even...hm..
    But I still love him tons. ❤ And think he is adorable.
    (We are taking him to the vet as soon as my fiance gets home, which is Tuesday, so we can get a surely accurate weight there)

    Two of him, and one with his BIG cousin Lola. 🙂
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    attachment_t_10962_1_0311111130-01.jpg
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  • He is soooo cute!

    Paco was pretty light as a pup, and is now almost a year and a half years old and is only 17 lbs. He's a small basenji, but he's still healthy, happy, and totally awesome.

    As someone on these boards told me; if he winds up being small, it just means he'll always look cute as a puppy!


  • Haha, yeah, I saw the same comment that you are talking about! I also saw someone else saying that as long as I can't see his ribs, but can feel them when I rub my hands over him, that he is fine. Which that is the case, so I suppose his weight is fine?
    And thanks 🙂


  • awww… he's a little cutie! i would just make sure you get him checked out at the vet to be sure there is no health reason that he is so small. if your scale is right, that's quite a bit smaller than the other pups, but as long he is healthy, that's all that should matter. i think when you get a dog from a less-than-reputable breeder, you can't know what to expect like you could when you get a dog from a breeder that is working toward a breed standard. my suki is also from a bad breeder, and she's a little on the small side (about 18.5 lbs. at 9 months). anyway, i'd just try to ascertain that there isn't an underlying health issue. and give him lots and lots of love.
    (also, can you be sure the breeder gave you the right age/birth date? maybe he was even younger than thought when you brought him home?)


  • In his pictures, his weight looks OK, so I would just say (pending Vet check up) that he is just going to be small. My girls at 11 to 13 wks were right around 9 to 10lbs

    As far as wrinkles, they need proper ear set, proper head shape, so you might never really have much wrinkle


  • Yeah, I didn't think he looked unhealthy either. I'm interested to see how much he weighs when we bring him to the vet. I'm not sure of any way to know if the breeder told me an incorrect age.
    Also…when the day comes that I get my next Basenji I will hopefully get my forehead wrinkles... 🙂


  • yeah, suki has a few forehead wrinkles, but now that i've seen all those butt wrinkles, i want some of them, too!


  • @DexterDex:

    Yeah, I didn't think he looked unhealthy either. I'm interested to see how much he weighs when we bring him to the vet. I'm not sure of any way to know if the breeder told me an incorrect age.
    Also…when the day comes that I get my next Basenji I will hopefully get my forehead wrinkles... 🙂

    When you are ready for your next pup, go to a responsible breeder and you will get a pup that is to the Basenji Standard in conformation, hence…. wrinkles.. that said, remember that as adults, on Tris, Blacks, and Brindles, wrinkles are many times harder to see due to the color.

    Your Vet should be able to tell if he is about the age that your breeder says, but I would say most likely the age is correct.


  • He looks so cute just want to hold him and love him. Small is not bad as long as vet says all is well. I love that little face.

    Rita Jean


  • Yep, I know to go to a responsible breeder next time, and, about the color, I think red and white is the only color for me 🙂 ❤


  • Thanks so much 🙂 He's my little baby


  • Dex is quite a bit undersized. I took my litter to the vet at 10 weeks old for a puppy wellness exam. Four of them weighed between 9 and 9 1/2 pounds. The smaller female weighed 6.5 pounds and she is still what I consider to be undersized at 3 1/3 months now.

    And I am sorry about this but the amount of wrinkle is reduced (to varying degrees) as the puppy grows up. If Dex doesn't have any wrinkles right now then he won't have any as an adult.


  • Yeah, I figured that if he didn't have any now that he wouldn't get any later. 😞
    Oh well, next time.
    He's still a cutie pie.


  • Dexter is very cute, and if he is small, well, so what as long as he is healthy. He looks young to me, some pups mature slower than others, like people. If he's getting high quality food, and has a good appetite and his poop looks normal, he's just growing at his own pace. All that said, assuming that the vet gives him a clean bill of health.

  • Houston

    He is so darn cute…I bet all is good, and chances are that he is fine and just on the small size..


  • @DexterDex:

    I'm interested to see how much he weighs when we bring him to the vet.

    If you have a scale, weigh yourself and then pick up Dexter and weigh the both of you. The difference will be Dexter's weight. This is what I do weekly to check Kipawa's weight.


  • Kipawa, that is how I weighed him. I just was wondering if my scale is accurate to begin with…
    And thanks everyone 🙂


  • Didn't the vet weigh him?


  • He is a super super super cute pup, you should be a proud parent. 🙂 I love his expressive eyes. Round two will just be a more informed decision, but you shouldn't value Dex any less.


  • Thanks 🙂 I definitely do not value him any less whatsoever. The thought of him being any less perfect to me never even crossed my mind, no matter where he came from. He is still a little piece of precious life.
    And, DebraDownSouth, I mentioned that we hadn't brought him yet; we are bringing him when my fiance gets home.

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