Hello!
Our family's beloved old mutt shepherd mix died after 13 happy years, and we went to the local shelter to find a new friend for our family. We ended up with two sweet females that were kennel-mates and seemed to get along reasonably well (the had been kenneled together for a few weeks). One we knew for certain was a Jack Russell-spaniel mix (Sammy), the other was a little brown, tan and white cutie, but a mystery to me. I grew up with a mom dog groomer, so I know a lot of breeds, but I could not figure out what kind of mix she was.
In looking at pictures in a dog encyclopedia - and chasing her through the neighborhood half a dozen times in a week - there is no doubt - Kandy is a Basenji mix! :eek:
We love her to pieces, but need to have information to train her properly and make sure she has a happy life with us, and we don't die from exhaustion and heart failure trying to chase her across the highway.
So far the two dogs get along mostly (although there have been some tussles for dominance, Kandy is 3 years old and Sammy is 6 months) Kandy hasn't shown any signs of needing to chew (even giving Sammy her chew toy and abandoning her food bowl if Sammy wants to root through it)
But she is 'sassy', will run just out of reach when anyone tries to catch her, she jumps and has a wide range of incredibly loud and diverse noises she makes (with a kind of bark between them) She's like my shadow, and even now is making herself quite comfy in my lap.
Thanks for any help you can give us as we adjust to this latest venture in family life!
MamaofMany
http://www.dogforme.com/pages/roadkill.html
Try that website. It has some great instructions for a strong recall. You have to really reinforce recalls (comes) for a long time, before you can expect the dog to trust you enough to leave what they are enjoying to "come".
Welcome to the forum 
Thanks for the help! It looks like an excellent place to begin! I've already got a number of broken dog treats in my pocket - and advising my kids & husband to do the same….she's already learning there's something in it for her when she comes to her name!
Good heavens this dog is quick! -MamaofMany
Welcome momaofmany …. I too have a basenji mix..Dont let the mix fool you... whatever Sandie's mix is, it sure isnt in the obediant,nor the pleaser, yet again not in the calm, nor the lay on the sofa and not tear it up, Im not sure what her mix is ??? I just know she isnt to be trusted for very long at a time... But i love her all the same... Love to see pics of both your new babies...
welcome!….I came from the pound too!
Thanks for the welcome!
Its been one week now since 'the little girls' have been adopted, so their own personalities are opening up more. We really love them both!
We think one of Kandy's parent musts have been a full 'senji, the other must have been a small mutt with some German shepherd as the fur on Kandy's back is very shepherd-like in texture and color. She's tan and white, with a somewhat black brindled back and her back fur resembles the coloring of hedgehog quills. She's got the white legs/feet but one leg is nearly all tan with just a white patch on her foot and she has the curly white tipped tail and a definate 'senji head. But her ears are small and aren't straight up - they kind of resemble the 'Flying Nun' (if anyone remembers that old show) and they give her a comical look.
She does seem to have a calmer nature than what I've read is typical of the basenji, but she is never going to be able to be let out untied for a quick piddle on a rainy day. But this morning while she was out on her dog run, she surprised me by coming to her name the first time I called her (think those dog-treats in my pockets are working!)
We're a home schooling family with 8 children. I'm working out a schedule with the teens so we can begin, as a family, an effort to get some obedience training in her using the website that Quercus recommended. If we rotate efforts, and all take part (especially once she learns the basic commands) we may be able to get her to at least stop running long enough to save her life if we can't get her to strictly obey (yesterday we had company over. She escaped just as their car pulled onto our street and my brother in law nearly ran her over)
I'll try to get my oldest daughter to use her inky-dinky $20 digital camera to get some pictures. It takes pretty awful pictures :o but they'll have to do for now! Its a beautiful day here, so maybe we can do it later this afternoon.
Mamaofmany
Welcome to the forum Mamaofmany. My basenji is also a mix - she has whippet in her (double sighthound and quite fast) and she too came from the animal shelter. Bless you for rescuing not one but TWO furbabys! Can't wait to see pics of both your dogs.
Jenwilson -
I've posted two pictures already!
They really are sweeties. I'm so glad both of them have fit in with our clan so well!
MamaofMany
Andrea -
I want to thank you for recommending the obedience website. We have all begun a program of dog training - fun for the kids especially. We have her (and the Jack Russell mix) sitting before they are allowed out, and they must "stay!" sitting even when the door opens until they are given a command to "go!" Even if the cat is just outside the door taunting them with his wicked yellow eyes to chase him - they must sit and stay until told to go. And now, after a month of constant training from all of us - they do it. In fact, both now sit at the door before it even opens anticipating the command. We also have hand gestures for the verbal commands - probably not the conventional ones, but they work for us and the pooches.
We've started working on "come" now - Kandy definately doesn't like it, but she is beginning to obey "come-sit" for her treats. No treat without obeying.
She's smart and quick to learn, and so is Sammy, so we're having a good time with them. Well, we did until Sammy went into heat and began making us all nutty with her constant whining and alternate aggressive behavior (she and Kandy had some real loud and nasty tussles) I had little time for the internet, for all the extra work it caused and the lack of sleep! But she's nearly done with that, and both are returning to whatever poses for normal and are getting along again.
We're so happy with the two of them, and Kandy is so unique and special. What a treasure - wierd noises that she makes and all!
MamaofMany
