What do you love most about your basenji(s)?

[Kipawa]

Kipawa is a love magnet, always near me. He is my little growth!

[Janneke]

I think I love everything about Tillo.. I love how he can sleep forever in the morning, I love how he sighs when he has to go out in the cold and the rain, I love how he 'gets over himself' and still goes out in the cold and the rain I love how he can suddenly stop our walk at a sunny spot and just enjoy the sun, I love the fact that he can walk every stair, except the one at home, so mommy has to carry him. I love the fact that he waits on top of the stairs for me until he's sure we are all going to bed and he got his final treat.. I love how he peeks around the door of the bathroom, only to run away when I look at him while brushing my teeth, hoping I will chase him around. I love how he can yodel and look happy when I do chase him around. I love to see him walk off leash and being a good boy. I love his nicely muscled butt.. I love how he proudly walks in front of my bicycle for an hour without panting.. I love the way he lays his head on my lap when I drive the car, I love the way he sleeps on all those weird places in the house, just to catch a sunray… I love his attention for me and enthousiasm at the agility course... I can go on forever.. haha..

At the moment I love the fact that he's curled up in a small ball laying behind my back on the chair while I'm doing my homework and typing this

[Quercus]

I love all of the above I love it when they cuddle right into your tummy while you are lying on your side. I love it when they give you the "eyes"…using their power to make you do as they wish

[Benkura]

I love absolutely everything about all my Bs.
I especially love the wonderful extra special bond I have with Chance. He is such a diva! He loves showing, agility, training and most of all he loves his cuddles and kisses with me. He is ever so eager to please.
I love the fact Trouper is the total opposite to Chance. He loves to climb up on people's knees for a cuddle. Hates showing and agility but is just a sweet puppy at heart. He likes to lie in front of the fire all day and keep cozy.
I love Nakura because she is such a madam. She will smack you in the face to get more attention and is sooo lazy.
I love Benji because he was our first B. He loves the girls and even though he is now 9, he still runs round like a loon with Belle our youngest.
I love Belle because she is so petite and cute. She is ever so sweet and just loves cuddles.
I just love them all and wouldn't be without them and their unique quirky personalities

[DebraDownSouth]

Arwen I am sorry to say it.. I love her but it isn't bonded. She has always been sort of a distant dog, coming for petting and food but if you don't have those, no thanks. Until THIS YEAR if you touched her at night, she moved further. I am very happy to say the last 6 mos she has been changing a LOT and I actually am growing fond of her… not just love and responsible for her. She has actually started sleeping closer and coming to sit next to me or my daughter without food or petting being involved. That it has taken 8 yrs.. I don't know, just glad it is happening.

Cara... omg, I adore every molecule of her. It would be easier to say what I don't love.... thinking..... Okay waking me up at 8:17 no matter what. That I could do without.

[Basenjimamma]

What a great thread…..I adore reading your personal loves.
So far, I love Pippin's baroo, his tiny wrinkled face and his never ending spunk...I adore how he likes to sleep in our bed for those 30 or so minutes in the morning before I have to get up and wake the kiddos ....I love his breath....i know, maybe it is shortlived, but for now it is lovely.......

Sent from my rockin' Samsung Vibrate via Tapatalk.

[Kananga]

I love the fact that Kananga will now let out a grumble/sigh when I make him sit, to get him to stop jumping up (something we're working on). Then he'll sit down and turn his back to me. Such a personality.

[curlytails]

Love … the MOST? How do I decide?!

Here's one, though it's hard to decide "the most" -- I love Bowpi's smell. Coming up on ten months since she's been in our home now, she hasn't had a single bath, and she still smells so sweet and clean every time I press my nose to her forehead and huff.

[Kananga]

@curlytails:

Love … the MOST? How do I decide?!

Here's one, though it's hard to decide "the most" -- I love Bowpi's smell. Coming up on ten months since she's been in our home now, she hasn't had a single bath, and she still smells so sweet and clean every time I press my nose to her forehead and huff.

I almost love the corn-chip smell that comes from their paws, because after they have been napping, you can smell it on the side of their face (depending how they nap ).

A nice change from literally no scent that comes from their coat.

[tlish]

i love that suki is soooo lazy and loves to sleep in. i love it when she sits "meditation style." i love that she sits leaning against me when i'm doing the dishes. i love that she never lets me out of her sight. i love when she crows like like a rooster. i love that she doesn't smell like a dog and leave hair everywhere. i love when her little curly tail changes sides of her body. i love when she sleeps with her legs straight out. i love how she can curl up into the tiniest vacant, or not-so-vacant, spot to take a warm and cozy nap. (i don't love that she chews on furniture and carpet, and i don't love when tries to claw me and bite me when she wants something. but trade-offs, right?)

[Quercus]

@curlytails:

Love … the MOST? How do I decide?!

Here's one, though it's hard to decide "the most" -- I love Bowpi's smell. Coming up on ten months since she's been in our home now, she hasn't had a single bath, and she still smells so sweet and clean every time I press my nose to her forehead and huff.

I love this too…I always tell them how good they smell

[sonnyboy]

What do I love most about Sonny…its hard to put into words & it's a little personal (hope that's ok) :)...when Sonny 1st came to live with me I had just gotten divorced and was on my own for the 1st time. It was a very sad point in my life...But Sonny made me smile & laugh no matter how bad I was feeling. And when I needed to cry he came & laid on the couch with his head on my lap (his way of holding my hand).....He became my shadow and followed me everywhere...hard to feel lonely when there's a basenji glued to your butt :p
He became my four legged best friend who loved me unconditionally when I needed it the most. I love that he's crazy and silly and demanding (will paw you to death if you don't pet him on his command)....I love that he has to sleep touching me and when I roll-over he moves too....I love that when I get home from work he brings me every toy he has one by one and piles them on the kitchen floor....I love that I am lucky enough to get to be HIS human

[MacPack]

I especially love how Nicky and Eddie love each other.

I love all about them, their wonderful smell, the way Nicky will lick my feet dry when I am finished showering, the way Eddie cuddles with me at night. The way they help me diet by eating all the leftovers. I love how Nicky keeps me stylish by chewing my shoes and purses, so I have to buy current fashions. The way they make me smile when I get home from work and they run to greet me, wiping away all my cares.

[Kipawa]

@sonnyboy:

What do I love most about Sonny…its hard to put into words & it's a little personal (hope that's ok) :)...when Sonny 1st came to live with me I had just gotten divorced and was on my own for the 1st time. It was a very sad point in my life...But Sonny made me smile & laugh no matter how bad I was feeling. And when I needed to cry he came & laid on the couch with his head on my lap (his way of holding my hand).....He became my shadow and followed me everywhere...hard to feel lonely when there's a basenji glued to your butt :p
He became my four legged best friend who loved me unconditionally when I needed it the most. I love that he's crazy and silly and demanding (will paw you to death if you don't pet him on his command)....I love that he has to sleep touching me and when I roll-over he moves too....I love that when I get home from work he brings me every toy he has one by one and piles them on the kitchen floor....I love that I am lucky enough to get to be HIS human

What heartfelt words, thank you for sharing them. Starting anew on anything is always better with a 'best friend'.

[renaultf1]

What do I love most about my basenjis? They are all so different!

Ruby is amazing. I love that she is extremely independent, yet extremely loving. I love that she taught Brando how to sing (yodel). I love that she is sweet - but not a pushover. I love her wild dances for dinner and songs when Brando and I are playing and she feels like she is being ignored and wants us to play with her as well. I love the dark red of her coat and love how soft it is (feels like mink). I love how Ruby moves. I love her whippet ears and pawing at me for attention when I come home.

Brando is a softie. I love that he really is a momma's boy - he is so bonded to me now since he broke his leg and he was babied back to health. I love that he tries to annoy and trick Ruby - all done with mischief in his eye and his tightly curled tail wildly flipping back and forth. I love that he will leave the warmth of lying in front of the fire to lie in the crook of my knees on the couch. I love his deep deep yodel for dinner - and love that he does it on command.

Aaliyah is the court jester. I love how funny Aaliyah is. Lots of laughter in our house as result of Li-Li…she is too much. I love that she is so smart and clever...you can just see the wheels turning trying to figure something out. I love her markings and I love her size - she is slightly smaller than my other basenjis - but she is wired for sound! I love how she talks to Ozzy when they are playing and I love that she loves Ozzy so much. It is common to find her lying on top of Ozzy when they are resting. I love that when she wants to come in the house and Ozzy doesn't, she will get Ozzy to chase her so that he follows her up on the steps. I love that she will completely wash my face with her kisses. She is too darn cute!

Ozzy is my angel dog. What I love most about Oz is how attuned he is to me. I love his whippet ears when he is happy to see me. I love that he absolutely adores Liyah...he is her shadow. I love that he and Aaliyah are a perfect match. I love how he looks...I love that he has only a tiny bit of white on his face and his dark dark eyes. I love that he moves like his father. I love that he will have a full on conversation with me when I ask if he has any stories to tell me - he is quite the talker. I love that he is quietly self assured - everything just rolls off his back. He is the sweetest dog.

[DebraDownSouth]

@sonnyboy:

What do I love most about Sonny…its hard to put into words & it's a little personal ....I love that I am lucky enough to get to be HIS human

I so understand. When I lost Sayblee 9/9/2008 I felt like my heart was ripped out. I cried daily, buckets. I found myself sometimes in bed holding her ashes container wailing. It got better, but she left a Sayblee shaped hole in my heart that was nearly unbearable. I had promised my husband no new dogs til the massive vet bills on our credit cards were paid off. In 2009 I found not one but 2 rescues I wanted and he threw a fit, reminding me of our agreement.

Then the Wimauma pack happened and I asked again. Whether it was the decreasing amts or his tiring of my crying, I don't know, but he agreed. Just a note, normally I would NEVER allow him to make a decision about dogs, but since it was our joint credit I used, I had made a deal and I felt bound to it.

And here is Cara, who is still a puppy, still not quite the adult mature bonding I had with Sayblee. But she has carved her own Cara place in my heart. And while it doesn't fill the Sayblee hole, the heart expansion makes the hole relatively smaller. She gives me joy. When I get up at night, like Sayblee, she has to poke her head out til I get back in bed. Last night she was actually laying on my pillow when I came back. It is a sacrifice of their beloved warmth, since my room is well under 60 at night with the heat shut out of my room and my bedroom window open.

I am sorry for people who don't love or know the love of dogs.

[Shaye's Mom]

I love how my girls run up to greet me when I get home, and sit expectantly in front of the cabinet for their treat when I leave home. I love that they always smell clean and get in really funny positions to keep themselves that way. I love that Gemma has taught herself to hold a kong in her mouth when things upset her so she won't bark (she is a mix) because she knows it annoys us. I love the way Shaye curls up behind us wherever we sit. I love when we go to the dog park and Shaye keeps after all the big dogs until they will chase her because she loves to run so much and Gemma will not keep up with her. I love their faces - how can you look at a basenji face and not melt when they are gazing back at you? I love that my arms have not fallen out of the sockets yet even though I think they should have been pulled out by now. I love how we wind up doing all they demand, and don't even mind it. I think I finally love being owned by a basenji…..and a half.

[Barklessdog]

rwen I am sorry to say it.. I love her but it isn't bonded. She has always been sort of a distant dog, coming for petting and food but if you don't have those, no thanks. Until THIS YEAR if you touched her at night, she moved further. I am very happy to say the last 6 mos she has been changing a LOT and I actually am growing fond of her… not just love and responsible for her. She has actually started sleeping closer and coming to sit next to me or my daughter without food or petting being involved. That it has taken 8 yrs.. I don't know, just glad it is happening.

You should move to Chicago. Winter makes them heat seeking missiles. I always look forward to the cold, a warm basenji & football!

They become so cuddly in the winter.

[nobarkus]

Everything! All of them have been and are little troopers! I always wonder how many total miles I've walked with them all over 35 years. I wouldn't trade those years I've had with them for anything!

[dmey]

It's really nice to read everyones comments!! I love a lot of things in common. In general I love about basenjis that they are so peculiar, and beautiful, and funny.
I love it when Ayo smacks me for attention, he gets this look on his face that is too much, not so much when he nips for attention, we are working on that. I love the way he moves, The way his tail wags with the curl is really funny, his poses, his smell, the proud way he walks with me on the sidewalk on our walks. I love how he'll pick up something from the sidewalk and walk in front of me while looking up to me so that I give him a treat when he leaves it on command, he is so smart!! I love, that although he sometimes get too excited and has been known to nip ( we are still working on that), he is really good with people, especially children, in their presence he is extremely well behaved, and great with other dogs!!!