Help! Is my boy a Basenji?
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Short legs are a dominant trait so at least one of his parents had to have had them. Based on how heavy-boned the legs are, the body shape, and the coat texture, I would say one of his parents was possibly a Cardigan Welsh Corgi. The ears are too small and erect for a Cardigan and they also tend to carry their tails down. Corgis are herding dogs, by the way. I see no Dachshund or Border Collie in this dog. Could one parent be a Basenji? Maybe, maybe not. Both Cardigans and Basenjis come in black/tan but both have white "irish" markings. The lack of white markings on this dog throws me off a bit. If there is Basenji in this dog I don't think it was a purebred one. Either that or the possible Cardigan parent was a mix.
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He could also be a rat-terrier/jrt mix. That could account for all of the traits, short legs, basenji-look, etc.
Yes, google "Decker Rat Terriers." They look very basenji-like, but are a bit shorter and heavier.
It's possible there's some basenji in your boy, but no way to tell for certain. He's a cutie!
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For what it's worth, if you don't mind spending a bit of money, you could have one of the mixed breed DNA tests done. I had my old shepherd mix tested and the results, although not without a bit of a surprise, all made sense. One of my vets and one of our clients also tested their dogs with similar results. The company we used is here: http://www.dnamydog.com/ They do include basenji in their breed list.
I know there are skeptics out there (I was one until I got Sassy's result), but it's a simple cheek swab and $60 and I don't regret doing it. I only wish that the test had been around when my (presumed to be) basenji X border collie mix was still alive! -
Google 'lancashire heeler' and I think you might find your dog. :O)
It certainly resembles one but those are extremely rare.
From the AKC website:
"The Lancashire Heeler is a rare breed, numbering only around 5,000 worldwide."Yes, google "Decker Rat Terriers." They look very basenji-like, but are a bit shorter and heavier.
Deckers do not have thick, stumpy legs and a low-slung body like this dog has. There is a short-legged, long-bodied version of Rat Terriers called Teddy Roosevelt Terrier. I could see one of those as a parent of this dog.
*Disclaimer: This message was written B.C. (Before Coffee) and the author cannot be responsible for lack of clarity caused by cobwebs being interwoven through brain cells.
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It certainly resembles one but those are extremely rare.
From the AKC website:
"The Lancashire Heeler is a rare breed, numbering only around 5,000 worldwide."Deckers do not have thick, stumpy legs and a low-slung body like this dog has. There is a short-legged, long-bodied version of Rat Terriers called Teddy Roosevelt Terrier. I could see one of those as a parent of this dog.
*Disclaimer: This message was written B.C. (Before Coffee) and the author cannot be responsible for lack of clarity caused by cobwebs being interwoven through brain cells.
I was envisioning some sort of terrier mix, that at some point involved a short legged JRT
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His coloring is a lot like a tri basenji, but whatever he is, he is a really nice looking dog. I have a mix also, mostly basenji in her traits, but lots of extra skin around her neck, much thicker than a true basenji weighing 33 lbs. If her legs were shorter I'd definitely say corgi - yours probably has corgi in him.
