Help! Is my boy a Basenji?

[Britwhit]

Here are some pictures of my boy. I adopted him a little over a year ago and was told he is a corgi mix, but I'm starting to wonder if that's true. Here's some of the reasons why I think so. He's about 25 lbs, short little legs, a tail that curls up in the air and he holds high most of the time (not curly-q like a basenji though) and has a ton of loose skin around his neck. He hunts by sight, and will stalk his prey. He does bark, but he also "aroos" or talks to me. He's very elegant and deer like (good posture and doe-y almond shaped eyes). He's very independent (refuses to sleep in bed with me) and loves being around kids and being outside. I suspect that he might be a dachshund, basenji, and border collie mix since he is most definitely a herding dog (he chases all the bigger dogs at the dog park), and he's longer than he is tall like a dachshund. Since no one knows basenjis more than their owners, I thought I would take a poll on here and see what people think. Please help, he's a great dog and I would love to get another one like him to keep him company!

[tanza]

Based on that picture, I would say Corgi mix is correct.

[YodelDogs]

Do you have more pictures of him? Some that show his whole body?

[Britwhit]

I tried to post other photos earlier but they were all either too large or not an accepted format. This is attempt number two!

[Quercus]

ummm…is he standing in water in that first pic? If so, NOT a basenji. Just kidding! The subsequent pics of him look more Basenji-like than the first one. He may have some Basenji in him, most likely you will never know But regardless, he is super cute!

[YodelDogs]

Short legs are a dominant trait so at least one of his parents had to have had them. Based on how heavy-boned the legs are, the body shape, and the coat texture, I would say one of his parents was possibly a Cardigan Welsh Corgi. The ears are too small and erect for a Cardigan and they also tend to carry their tails down. Corgis are herding dogs, by the way. I see no Dachshund or Border Collie in this dog. Could one parent be a Basenji? Maybe, maybe not. Both Cardigans and Basenjis come in black/tan but both have white "irish" markings. The lack of white markings on this dog throws me off a bit. If there is Basenji in this dog I don't think it was a purebred one. Either that or the possible Cardigan parent was a mix.

[Quercus]

He could also be a rat-terrier/jrt mix. That could account for all of the traits, short legs, basenji-look, etc.

[Kirsten]

@Quercus:

He could also be a rat-terrier/jrt mix. That could account for all of the traits, short legs, basenji-look, etc.

Yes, google "Decker Rat Terriers." They look very basenji-like, but are a bit shorter and heavier.

It's possible there's some basenji in your boy, but no way to tell for certain. He's a cutie!

[tlish]

no idea… but just wanted to say he's cute!

[Patty]

He could possibly have Basenji in him but i would say unlikely as the other mixes would cover what I can see in the pictures. However welcome to the forum - he's a lovely boy whatever.

[sinbaje]

Google 'lancashire heeler' and I think you might find your dog. :O)

[Marie Heidebrecht]

For what it's worth, if you don't mind spending a bit of money, you could have one of the mixed breed DNA tests done. I had my old shepherd mix tested and the results, although not without a bit of a surprise, all made sense. One of my vets and one of our clients also tested their dogs with similar results. The company we used is here: http://www.dnamydog.com/ They do include basenji in their breed list.
I know there are skeptics out there (I was one until I got Sassy's result), but it's a simple cheek swab and $60 and I don't regret doing it. I only wish that the test had been around when my (presumed to be) basenji X border collie mix was still alive!

[YodelDogs]

@sinbaje:

Google 'lancashire heeler' and I think you might find your dog. :O)

It certainly resembles one but those are extremely rare.

From the AKC website:
"The Lancashire Heeler is a rare breed, numbering only around 5,000 worldwide."

@Kirsten:

Yes, google "Decker Rat Terriers." They look very basenji-like, but are a bit shorter and heavier.

Deckers do not have thick, stumpy legs and a low-slung body like this dog has. There is a short-legged, long-bodied version of Rat Terriers called Teddy Roosevelt Terrier. I could see one of those as a parent of this dog.

*Disclaimer: This message was written B.C. (Before Coffee) and the author cannot be responsible for lack of clarity caused by cobwebs being interwoven through brain cells.

[Quercus]

@YodelDogs:

It certainly resembles one but those are extremely rare.

From the AKC website:
"The Lancashire Heeler is a rare breed, numbering only around 5,000 worldwide."

Deckers do not have thick, stumpy legs and a low-slung body like this dog has. There is a short-legged, long-bodied version of Rat Terriers called Teddy Roosevelt Terrier. I could see one of those as a parent of this dog.

*Disclaimer: This message was written B.C. (Before Coffee) and the author cannot be responsible for lack of clarity caused by cobwebs being interwoven through brain cells.

I was envisioning some sort of terrier mix, that at some point involved a short legged JRT

[Shaye's Mom]

His coloring is a lot like a tri basenji, but whatever he is, he is a really nice looking dog. I have a mix also, mostly basenji in her traits, but lots of extra skin around her neck, much thicker than a true basenji weighing 33 lbs. If her legs were shorter I'd definitely say corgi - yours probably has corgi in him.