Basenjis come from a hot climate but Abbey hates the heat. We live in Alabama where summer could give Africa a run for its money in the sweltering heat department. She'll go with me as far as the mailbox then if I suggest going further she plants all 4 feet and ducks her head and says, Nope, too hot out here. And if it's raining or rain is in the forecast or you mention the word rain she'll go no further than the porch. She's a winter kind of girl who enjoys trotting down the street looking silly in her little plaid coat.
I assume the dogs in Africa aren't out running around in the sweltering heat. My guess is that they hunt in the early morning and evening when it is somewhat cooler.
And our dogs have never been to Africa, so they are acclimated to the temps of wherever they currently live.
Jazzy loves to lay out in the full sun, but don't ask her to move around in it.
{Kills her at shows in the summer afternoons}
My three will go out in the Florida heat but don't want to be out long. My friend's basenjis go a few feet and stop, she has to walk them individually as she often has to pick them up and carry them home! I'm sure that in their native Africa they aren't out chasing antelope at high noon, probably curled up in a cool cave waiting for evening.
As for rain, mine can't be dragged out into the rain! They will eventually go potty in the back yard (dog door) when they can't hold it any longer.
They are royalty, and prefer going out only in the perfect conditions!
Anne (MacPack)
Funny you should say that your friend has to carry hers home. I'm just glad basenjis are portable! Abbey's been carried home many a day under my arm when she's not in a cooperative mood.
Yes, I always tell people that Jazzy is an African Princess and cannot be permitted to get her feet wet….in her opinion.
And if you think about it, in a lot of the photos of Basenjis in Africa, aren't the African men CARRYING them? LOL Even they know their place. LOL
I'm glad mine doesn't expect to be carried around my neck! I think one reason b's don't like rain is it gets in their ears which are natural funnels.
I think my Bs would do ok in Africa. I live in Phoenix which is about has hot as you can find in the US and they love the summer. They like to layout in the sun when its 105 outside. I make them come in and cool down. In the winter they start shivering if we're out on a walk and its in the 50s. I think they also enjoy our drought conditions, since they have to deal with rain so infrequently. I've actually thought about how the Bs will be the only ones to miss the Arizona heat when or if we ever move.
Jazzy doesn't seem to mind if her head gets a few raindrops on it, but boy! does she HATE wet feet! When she was younger, I had to carry her out to a dry spot under some trees for her to potty.
Then I had to guard the porch from her – she'd go out into the rain, and immediately circle back to the porch if she thought I'd stepped back inside.
Now when it rains I still have to stand on the porch until she goes out and does her business.
They're so quirkey! Duke won't "go" out in the rain either, not even if it's sprinkling. It was raining pretty good this morning. We new he had to "go", so we opened the garage doors so he could maybe try it under the eaves where it was dry. Low and behold he finally went - on an old welcome mat in the garage next to the trash cans! Well atleast he felt better. Out went the welcome mat for a good rain wash. We should keep the old mat for his next rain emergency.
We have a "boat port" attached to our house – no boat anymore, but still ..... When it's raining and no one watches her, she goes in there to "pee". Fortunately that is all she does there, or Darren would have a fit. LOL
I live in North Carolina, right on the coast and we have hot, hot, humid summers. Sahara loves to sit on the back steps and lay in the sun, but only after I have frozen her with AC, haha! She hates the cold, when I got her it was still cool nights here and I had a time getting her potty trained b/c she just hated the cold weather. I could not find any dog sweaters to fit her, she was only 8 wks. old, the stores were out of them, so I got smart one night and made her one from the arm of one of my husbands hunting thermal underware. She was much happier then once I got it on her, she hated me putting that thing around her neck and legs. I have her sweaters now, got them 75% off this summer. She hates the rain also, but she has on great ocassion gone on her own to potty while it was downpouring, wonders of wonders, most of the time I have to put a leash on her and pull her outside when it is raining, she will go, but not unless I keep saying, "Go Potty, Sahara". She runs like a mad dog back through her doggie door. Can't wait to see what she does if we have snow this winter, should be interesting.
