New Member from Louisiana
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Not sure if she is…......? That's the problem, we just do not know what she is. She's 26 pounds now about 9 months (we think) and 21 inches high at the shoulder. Her profile looks just like a Basenji, long legs, narrow head, extreme speed, and she acts like one, based on what I've read so far. Her tail isn't right, and she knows how to bark. But she has lots of behaviors like the Basenji "norm" if there is such a thing.
We know nothing about her background, other than she had probably been removed from her litter mates too early, since she was only 2 pounds when we got her, and maybe 4 or 5 weeks old. But we aren't even sure of that.
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"I see the tail relaxed. Does it curl up normally?"
Sometimes. Not like a true Basenji tho. More of a single arch back toward her spine. She likes to "prance" or trot and that's when the tail comes up. I've also seen her do that sprint where all four feet are airborne, both curled under her and stretched out like she's flying. I've never seen that before, but I now know it is common to the Basenji breed. She likes looking at airplanes, also something I've not seen before. Not intimidated by thunderstorms, but hates the waterhose. Doesn't like to get her paws wet. Can jump 5 feet straight up. Sits very still like a cat statue (I'm still not used to that).
Her legs look too long for her body, and her body is too long for her width. Most people think she is under-nourished, but she is just all muscle and a running machine.
For the first 3 months we had her she would attack her food when we put it down. Then one day she bacame completely indifferent to food, sometime she eats and sometime she doesn't.
A very strange puppy.
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OK, just a couple more pics. These were taken about 15 minutes ago. Without scale it is hard to see just exactly what her dimensions are, but after looking thru the forums at the pictures of "real" basenji dogs I am convinced that I do have a puppy with some kind of Basenji-ness in her immediate ancestry. Probably mixed with some Siberian (blue eyes) and maybe GSD.
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"To me she looks like a B in the face and the body size and eyes are that of a Siberian….........."
That's about the way I see it too. My guess is that she is about 90% full-grown so she should top out at about 30 lbs. No matter what she "is" we are really happy she is part of our family now, and appears to be healthy and happy.
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Welcome! She is very beautiful!
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I guess I should make a formal introduction, since I am apparently the owner of a partial Basenji, maybe 25 or 30%, and some husky and shep mix maybe. Who knows? Anyway, I have owned 2 other dogs in my adult life, both rescue animals and each lived more than 12 years. So Mika is pup number three, and I hope she is with us for as long.
I am the Chief of Staff of a mid-size Sheriff's Office here in north louisiana, and six months ago I got a call from the City Animal Shelter about a teen trying to give away a very young and very sick puppy. I drove over to her location, took one look at the pup and figured she wasn't long for this world as sick as she was, so I took her right then. Without even consulting my very patient wife. So here we are with this fine canine, and in my own 60th year trying to discourage this little dog from chewing everything is sight.
I am looking forward to learning about Basenji dogs, and will try to see Basenji traits in my own pooch, if for no other reason than to claim some sort of exotic connection to these remarkable canines.
Attached is a picture of Mika the very day we got her.
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Years ago we had a husky they can be a handful sometimes also. We ended up with 1/4 husky, 1/4 akita and 1/2 shiba Inu try that shoe on for size. Your puppy is beautiful and the blue eyes really hit home here. Your great for having taken the pup and giving it such great care.
Rita Jean
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Welcome! And you are wonderful for taking in a wayward pup. And all are welcome on the forum, doesn't matter if your dog is part basenji or not. There are DNA tests that supposedly can give an idea of what type of mix you have. Although, I read a review of them in Whole Dog Journal which said you can get different results from different companies as they all apparently use different markers for breed differentiation.
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Welcome to both of you. She is a very striking dog..I love her blue eyes.
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Well, it has been awhile and Mika has grown up. She's over two years old now, still holding in at 30lbs, and we still don't know what kind of dog she is. But she has turned out to be a pretty good frisbee-catching dog, a good travel-dog, and a great jogging partner. Two pictures attached: one is a pic of dog and me in the Arizona desert somewhere and the other is the dog looking worried as we crossed Wolf Creek Pass Colorado in snow and ice.
