• Hi i have 3 basenji's sasha is 8 female nicki is 4 male and kandi is 2 female. I started with frankie female who i lost at age 7 to fanconi. She never weighed over 17 lbs and could rip a rabbit apart before i could get to the back yard. She also could clim a 5 ' chain link fence and escape from . Sasha was her half sister and never ran away, never killed a rabbit and is so laid back. She weighs 29 lbs and is very tall. Nicki is 32 lbs and always has food on his mind. Kandi weighs 21 lbs and is so high strung that she never shuts down. She is my rescue basenji. She was born in july which is unusual . Kandi and sasha have started fighting and the fights are becoming so bad that now we live day to day . Some times they are best friends and in the blink of an eye there is a blood bath going on. All my dogs are red and white. When i had frankie she walked well with a choke chain. I can't get nicki to walk at all. He just keeps pulling and jumpiing until he almost passes out. Sasha is just about as bad. Any suggestions on the right collar ? I tried a gentle leader but he can pull it off in a second. I raised german shepherds for 35 years prior to this and the were the most obedient dogs you ever saw. These basenji's can really try your patience. Anyway, they won my heart and i have learned what worked for all my 9 german shepherds does not apply to these little darlings. I must be nuts to be living with three of them.


  • Welcome to the forum. Yes, Basenji's are definately a breed of their own and they definately have minds of their own. But they do dig themselves into your heart and once in hard to let go.


  • welcome. and yes, GSD's to basenjis is quite a change!


  • Hello and Welcome from Canada!


  • Welcome 🙂

    My first dog growing up was a GSD as well. Then I had spaniels for around 20 years before ending up with my current crew of a basenji boy and a little shar pei girl 🙂 Gotta love those quirky basenjis 😉


  • If you think GSDs and Basenjis are opposites, try Border Collie vs Basenji. Absolutely night and day! 🙂 Of course, GSDs want to please you; although certainly some can have "attitude", most are happy to work for your praise. Basenjis, OTOH, please themselves first and foremost. Whether you approve or not is irrelevant to most of them. The trick is to make them think it is their idea. Or failing that, that it will "pay off" in some way for them. Think cat in dog's clothing and you've pretty much nailed the attitude. 🙂


  • I am new to the site as well, brand new in fact, but I wanted to welcome you and your furkids. I look forward to learning so much from those of you who share your lives and homes with these awesome dogs.


  • Lovely to have you and your pack here with us. Pictures? We LOVE them! 🙂


  • Welcome-Basenji's=two year olds (I want, I will get what I want, you can't make me, phthhht on you, did I do that?) Yeah, it's never THEIR fault, it's always yours. Unfortunately, I've been in your situation until it didn't work anymore and placed the one girl with my son and his girlfriend.

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