Basenji…. not stupid
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One thing to keep in mind is that their are multiple ways of measuring canine intelligence. The list that I saw where Bs were listed as 2nd most stupid breed listed trainability intelligence as their measurement for the breeds. So a dog that blindly obeys would be listed as highly intelligent, whereas a dog that did not immediately respond to commands would be of lower intelligence.
The bigger issue is that people think of intelligence as it relates to being subservient. I wonder how we would feel if human intelligence was measured by how obedient we are. (I don't think alot of folks would be too happy with there level of intelligence) :D
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There is another thread on this…. and my personal opinion.. I think it is GREAT that they are ranked low... keeps them from being popular...
And when you think about it, as far as training, which is what they are considering... they are... because they are a thinking dog.
I hope the continue to put them at the bottom of the list... and if you look at the list and where the "sighthounds" rank, they are all pretty low
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There is another thread on this…. and my personal opinion.. I think it is GREAT that they are ranked low... keeps them from being popular...
And when you think about it, as far as training, which is what they are considering... they are... because they are a thinking dog.
I hope the continue to put them at the bottom of the list... and if you look at the list and where the "sighthounds" rank, they are all pretty low
Amen Pat!!!!…...it does helps keep the people away who don't have the temperment themselves to deal with a thinking dog.
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Haha. They should own a basenji. I've never met such an intelligent dog. They constantly AMAZE me at how smart they are!!! That's part of why we love them so much…. we never want to own a lab or golden or any of the other dogs that just do what you tell them & don't think. They're beautiful but a little boring to me (no offense to anybody who owns other dogs... all we had growing up were black lab/retriever mixes & I loved every last one of them as much as I love my current basenjis). And I do agree... I don't ever want them to become popular!
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I also think they have the best sense of humor of any animal I have ever owned.
They often do something to "get" you going…then look at you, play bow and smile.
GOT to love them.
Yes, please, lets keep this wonderful breed a secret! -
You bet their smart. Kaycee hid one of my six year old daughters favourite stuffed toys on the weekend. I spent most of the day tearing the house apart with Tylah in tow sobbing. Just before dinner time i let Kaycee inside and straight away she went and got the toy. She definately outsmarted me. Little terror…
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The think what Tucker does that most impresses me (and others) is his leash knowledge. I have a long retractable leash I walk him with so he can run around a bit (in a 29Ft radius around me). Therefore, he's always going around trees and whatnot but he ALWAYS comes back the way he came if he feels resistance on the leash. In other words, if we're walking parallel to each other and a tree comes between us, he'll scoot closer to me as we pass the tree and then scoot back to his original line….BEFORE we even get to the tree. He obviously KNOWS the tree is to be avoided or else he'll get tangled. He even bolts into the woods along the sidewalk sometimes after a squirrel or whatnot and weaves in and out of the undergrowth and between the trees. When he's done doin' what he's doin' in the woods, he always follows the leash line back to me, again, never getting tangled. People walking with me and observe this and their like ''does he do that on his own??'' A lot of times the lead has to hit the tree before he changes direction, but there's no pulling or anything. He just senses the direction change and runs along the leash until the obstruction is cleared. If I'm walking through an area dense with trees, he tries to explore further out, but keeps running around the trees (in the right direction) never getting tangled or twisted. I think in the two years I've had him, he's been tangled twice and I know one of those times was my fault because, even without formal training, I assumed he could navigate a series of bollards that I weaved the lead in and out of. :)
Every other dog I've seen just wraps their dumb-ass around the tree and gets stuck and needs to be untangled.
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One thing to keep in mind is that their are multiple ways of measuring canine intelligence. The list that I saw where Bs were listed as 2nd most stupid breed listed trainability intelligence as their measurement for the breeds. So a dog that blindly obeys would be listed as highly intelligent, whereas a dog that did not immediately respond to commands would be of lower intelligence.
The bigger issue is that people think of intelligence as it relates to being subservient. I wonder how we would feel if human intelligence was measured by how obedient we are. (I don't think alot of folks would be too happy with there level of intelligence) :D
Yep, I've often said that using this criteria, Michael Vick is smarter that Stephen Hawking.
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Sidebar, one of the fighting pits that were taken from Vicks home is not a certified service dog.
I will try to find that info.
I so hope folk have learned from Vick's downfall. -
The think what Tucker does that most impresses me (and others) is his leash knowledge. I have a long retractable leash I walk him with so he can run around a bit (in a 29Ft radius around me). Therefore, he's always going around trees and whatnot but he ALWAYS comes back the way he came if he feels resistance on the leash. In other words, if we're walking parallel to each other and a tree comes between us, he'll scoot closer to me as we pass the tree and then scoot back to his original line….BEFORE we even get to the tree. He obviously KNOWS the tree is to be avoided or else he'll get tangled. He even bolts into the woods along the sidewalk sometimes after a squirrel or whatnot and weaves in and out of the undergrowth and between the trees. When he's done doin' what he's doin' in the woods, he always follows the leash line back to me, again, never getting tangled. People walking with me and observe this and their like ''does he do that on his own??'' A lot of times the lead has to hit the tree before he changes direction, but there's no pulling or anything. He just senses the direction change and runs along the leash until the obstruction is cleared. If I'm walking through an area dense with trees, he tries to explore further out, but keeps running around the trees (in the right direction) never getting tangled or twisted. I think in the two years I've had him, he's been tangled twice and I know one of those times was my fault because, even without formal training, I assumed he could navigate a series of bollards that I weaved the lead in and out of. :)
Every other dog I've seen just wraps their dumb-ass around the tree and gets stuck and needs to be untangled.
That is funny! My dog is certainly that dumb-ass…its so annoying when she is out tied up on the deck with the lawn furniture, I often have to go out and "Rescue" her cause she gets stuck and doesn't know how to get out. :)
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Surely I'm not the only one who frequently looks at her Basenis, shakes her head and says, "Idiot". LOL:rolleyes:
NOPE!!!! :D Isn't that part of their names?
