My Rosa wrote the "How To Be a Basenji DIVA" manuscript - as many rules there were, it was so worthy of a 'script' at the end! She, and all her offspring, had spring and fall heats, but I only bred her once in the spring. That produced one puppy, my Captain. She always ruled over her pups, except when Captain came along - she did what HE said when he was about 2 weeks old!
What reactions do you get?
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People can't help but unwind the tails. I unwind tail starting as pups because I know people will do it and I tell all my puppy buyers to do it so they get used to being touched that way. Nicky's reaction is the best though. When some unwinds his tail he just drops it like he is saying, "Oh look, your toy broke. Now you can leave me alone."
Such good advice. I remember you writing this a while ago (before I had Liyah), and since I brought Liyah home as a baby I've been unrolling her tail. Both Ruby and Brando turn around and look right at you if you as much as touch their tails…they let you unroll them, but they look at you as if to say, "really, must you?"
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Cody doesn't mind people uncurling his tail, mostly because he just likes to be petted by people he knows, but after a few minutes he gets grumbly.
He was so cute yesterday, though. I took him for a walk to the river, and there was a man with two kids there. The little boy had to be about 2 years old and the girl was about 6, and since I've had Cody, he hasn't been around kids, so I wasn't sure how he'd react to them, and I was a little worried. After his initial sniff, he let the little boy pet him, hug him, and play with his tail, and he did the same with the little girl. He didn't even grmuble once. They were very gentle with him though. When it was time for them to leave, he wanted to follow the little girl into their car, lol.
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Mine have some permanent kinks in them but people don't try to force those they just unwind the majority of the curl.
What is really funny is what people will believe if you can tell it with a straight face about why their tails are curly. My husband convinced one lady that Nicky was a genetically engineered dog with a pig gene inserted to curl his tail. Usually he just tells people we have to use curlers every morning to make sure they stay curly all day.
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i hate it when people try to uncurl the tail!! and my basenjis dont like it either, I always have to watch out when strangers touch my basenjis and ask them stricktly not to touch the tail!
about the african stories: we had this refugee camp here in our village and there were some refugees from africa, I only had my oldest basenji and my oldest ibizan at that time, and these africans recognized my basenji!! and they were so exited about it!
that was something different then the people here thinking it is a boerenfox ( by now you know what that is hahahaha ), but actually when I think about it the basenji IS the boerenfox from africa….. -
I've noticed a lot of people uncurl Maya's tail as well.. to be honest, its never bothered me as Maya doesnt mind in the slightest, i never even thought about it being an issue. I LOVE curly tails, and just like i do with my pugs, if we're on the sofa watching a movie in the evening with Maya on my lap i do tend to sit there uncurling her tail, i must be weird… I find it very relaxing lol!!
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We like to "play" with Otis' tail as well, it just strikes me as weird when strangers go up and uncurl it before they even accknowledged Otis with a pat..I too, find uncurling the tail or scratching him above the tail very relaxing..
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We like to "play" with Otis' tail as well, it just strikes me as weird when strangers go up and uncurl it before they even accknowledged Otis with a pat..I too, find uncurling the tail or scratching him above the tail very relaxing..
Oh, yeah, i wouldnt like someone just coming up and doing that, would probably scare Maya
But most people in the course of making a fuss of her do uncurl the tail, usually if they're stroking her back or something and i dont mind that 
Glad im not the only weird tail uncurler :o :p
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Usually people ask me "What kind of dog is that?" but more often people think that they are sibs :), it is really funny when I go for a walk with Geasy and Masai (Geasy over 8yrs and Masai 8mon) and someone stay and ask me "Are they brothers?". They didnt mind that every one of dogs were differently old and large
But this folks are nonspecialist and I comprehend them :).PS: At this situation you can see how good Geasy looks at his age
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I have to admit, the tail curl is one of the very many things I love about basenjis…it is so cool.
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Buana is a Jack Hussel (that's how we Dutch people call a non-pure bred Jack Russel)
Even a mix Jack Russel x Shar pei, is asked a lot..Chafuko, is a pitbull mix… or a (american or English) Stafford puppy
We hear that way too often.. It's because of his colour (many staffs are Brindle) with the combination of his mascular cheek..Look for yourselfe: We set them up for a photo shoot
Woof!
Is this really happening?!?! I'm not a Jack Hussel!!!!
Staff puppy?
You're crazy… really...
Sigh:( -
Once the window cleaner told me that they thought i had a fox in the house when they saw Benji.
I have to confess that i like to stick my finger through the middle of their curled tails, but only once we're friends, lol. -
Shelley,
Tell me you don't mean the window cleaner????Alan
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I don't get a lot of people thinking they know what breed Tosca is, but if people do attempt a guess it's usually some kind of terrier. They are definitely conversation starters, however, I've been asked about her many times! It's funny, though, cause even though she is 4 yrs old, everyone think she is a puppy, and don't believe it when I tell them otherwise. They are like, "Are you sure she is full grown?" I've had her for over two years, I think I am pretty certain
I live in a small town of only about 4000 people, though, so I am impressed that two people have actually stopped me and known she was a basenji. That was funny, too, cause they didn't even really stop me…they kinda ran out of their houses freaking out asking "IS THAT A BASENJI!!?!?" They were so excited to see one One person had one whe he was younger, the other one had a late sister/friend/someone (I forgot) that used to breed them around here years ago. Either way, it's fun to watch people's reactions! -
Well Alan, we do have very friendly window cleaners around here
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The only time Shaye's tail is uncurled is when she's asleep and when she's scared. I don't play with it, and don't encourage others to do it - I know they won't "break" it, but I just feel like it shouldn't be messed with. No reason, just a feeling.
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Like anything if your dog is not used to having their tail uncurled then they will think it is something "odd" when it is done. If the first time it is done by a stranger and the dog overreacts it can end up being a bad situation. I don't encourage people to do it but people seem compelled to do it. I don't mean just people we meet on the street, I mean vets, vet techs, and even AKC judges have all uncurled my dogs tails. So I uncurl tails as part of their socialization so when it happens they think "whatever, people are weird." So it is no big deal.
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My bs tail will go straight when she runs the faster she goes the straighter her tail is. it funny to watch.:)
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I work at a dog bakery so I am surrounded by "dog people" as customers and very rarely will any of them know that Shango is a basenji.
I've heard every guess in the book. The other day a man even tried to convince me that Shango was a Fox Terrier by comparing him to a dog one of his friend's had! I told him to hang out with Shango and then hang out with that Fox Terrier and he'd certainly know the difference!
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It always takes me at least 3 times as long to do anything when I'm out with the pack! People on the street just have to stop, talk and ask questions. Most people haven't got a clue what they are. The most frequently asked question (apart from 'What is it??') from the people who have a little knowledge of them is if it's true that they don't bark. I tell them that they make up for it in other ways!
I sometimes find people as a child have had an aunt or neighbour etc with one.Sometimes I laugh and tell people that they are Jack Russell's with novelty tails.
And if I'm in a hurry, I DON'T take the dogs! -
People around here have a lot of hunting dogs (labs, retrievers, spaniels, etc.) so generally I get the "what kind of dog is that" question rather than guesses. Occasionally I'll come across someone who knows; not too often though.
