Seriously Considering a Basenji … BUT:

[agilebasenji]

I'm not really sure what you're looking for in a dog, but if you've enjoyed labs but want something a little smaller, I'd start with the spaniels. Cavaliers are wonderful little dogs as are the larger spaniels found in the sporting group. Am ****ers (rhymes with Rocker if it gets bleeped out) can be delightful if you find a good breeder. The hair is purely optional. As are English (ocker spaniels and Field spaniels. I was seriously impressed with an American Water Spaniel I saw do some rally/obedience work once. Boykins look interesting, but i haven't actually seen one in the flesh. I also really like Brittanys (Brittanies?), but they are a little larger than the others I believe. Either way, I think most of those breeds are in the 18 inches or less height catagory.

Herding group in general, tends to be a bit pushy, but if you're looking for that 18 inch or less size, you may want to try the Sheltie, corgi, valhund, Pyrenean shepherd or maybe a mini Aussie (some of those mini aussies are neat little-ish dogs, some, not so much). Herding dogs are smart and born to work with their owners, but can be neurotic.

Terries, probably not what you're looking for in a dog as they have some of the same issues that basenjis do, but I think the Staffie bulls are seriously UNDER-rated as a breed. True Staffies can be hard to find and you may have breed-ban issues with them, but the several I've met are way cool little dogs.

The Toy group has been bred to be companions and they may also fit you needs, but most are considerably smaller size-wise. You would also want to look into the roots of the breed as the Group is so varied with this respect. Pug-people are just crazy about their breed, but you do have special concerns with a brachycephilic breed.

Good luck in your quest! and please let us know what you decide.

[MacPack]

Flight of ideas: Wonder why no one has ever 'bred down' labs? They are so popular, imagine the popularity of one that is about 30 lbs? Same personality but more convenient size as a city pet-dog. Just thinking…...

[agilebasenji]

well, i've seen some labra-doodles using a mini poodle and a lab. But Anne, you're right, perhaps you're onto the next million dollar idea. :p

Boston Terriers are also neat dogs. Small, short hair, active, bright dogs. I know several that are superior agility dogs.

[agilebasenji]

duplicate post

[MacPack]

You are right Kim, now that you mention it I have seen one small labradoodle. Darling dog, nice size. I just thought it was a 'runt' but probably bred from the mini-poodle.

And honestly, I know a lot of folks who have labra- or golden-doodles and they all LOVE them; no shedding, biddable, active but not crazy-wild.

I will happily sell my "mini-lab" franchise, haha, but I am a basenji person, I wouldn't know how to handle a dog who wanted to please ME.

[BART]

Where's "Lateral G" in all this discusion? I was going to say that I have had 2 "pet" Basenji's, one at a time, and they have been great. I've left them out in the house/ apartment, and neither one has chosen to eat the furniture, carpet or any other thing while I've been at work.

[Schouiffy]

Hungarian Vizsla???? Very biddable, little shedding, no smell LOVES it's people, and females are extremely compact..

[DebraDownSouth]

LOL please let us not encourage buying or supporting the labradoodle or other mix breed designer pets. From an idea to help with service dogs, it is a huge money making venture now.

On Brittanys. Sorry, I really disagree. I know 5 show breeders, many dogs… they are not my cup of tea. I'd really rather live with a Crack Russel. No joke. I find them rather squirrely

[agilebasenji]

@DebraDownSouth:

LOL please let us not encourage buying or supporting the labradoodle or other mix breed designer pets. From an idea to help with service dogs, it is a huge money making venture now.

On Brittanys. Sorry, I really disagree. I know 5 show breeders, many dogs… they are not my cup of tea. I'd really rather live with a Crack Russel. No joke. I find them rather squirrely

well, that's why i didn't mention doodles in my first other breed post. However, i'm confident our top poster can find a nice doodle through rescue if he decides to go that way. I was actually very hesitant to mention mini Aussies for the same reason.

Interesting about the brittanys. i find sometimes regions of the country have a lot to do with breeds. The brit's i've met have been very nice dogs (some show dogs, some not, one a rescue with a large burn scar that was an excellent therapy dog). But all of the brit's i've met were kept as pets. perhaps that's the difference?? I didn't suggest a Vizsla b/c those I've met have off the chart energy. But maybe in other parts of the country they are less so?

[Buana]

Great that you are searching so well for a new breed!

1. Dislikes being alone so much that it will trash the house unless crated.
   Our boys sleep in their crate when we aren't home, BUT we own two cats and with all four of them on the loose it WILL be a disaster
   When we are outsite on our ship (We live on a ship) we let then run free and nothing happened (YET)

2. NEVER allow off the leash if there's risk of dog sensing some critter nearby.
   When there is a chace for cars, other traffic or danger for our boys we don't let them off the leash.
   But if we are walking far away from traffic, our boys run off the leash.
   They will listen to us, but not always. If our voice is really serious they immediately stand still.
   We once walked at an small alley to my parents house and Buana was off the leash about a 100 ft away from us, then there was a little dashhund they really hate :eek: I scared and while Buana was running towards him I screamed his name and he stood still! Well in this case, we must have had a little angel by our site and we never NEVER do this again!

3. An escape artist. A) Can/will climb chain link fence. Will bolt out open/ajar door.
   Ow Yes, our are real artists, they climb upon the cat tree and squeeze themselfe in the dryer (don't ask why and how do they do it)
   sometimes they are in a second on the dinner table without climbing the chairs…

4. Doesn't play well with other dogs. Not likely to be popular at a dog park.
   On the leash they have a certain ammount of stressfactor because they want to smell the dog, see "what" kind of caracter he/she is.
   When they can't go to the dog or aren't allowed for a reason to sniff the dog they can be really upset and don't behave very nice.
   When they are at a dogpark off the leash the stressfactor isn't around and they will behave better most of the times. Sure there will sometimes be a growl because they have to find our whitch dog is higher.
   We used to walked sometimes with our two intact males, and two friends with both an intact male to a dogpark with all sort of dogs and they loved it! (they even became a team :D)

5. Training is not easy at all. Actually, basenji has a lot of in common with a cat - nature and behavior
   (we also train our cats ) Our boys love to train with us every day.
   With Chaffie we train "apport" he loves it and when we train it off the leash he totally ignores other animals because he loves to do his job
   Buana is a service dog, he helpt children that are afraid of dogs, so he must be trained very well to be that trustfull.
   We do need more time than we needed with our Frysian Stabijhoun but what is more fun than work with your dog!

But remember, Basenji's aren't just dogs, they live in their own little world and make up their own day.
They have a big manual

[Kananga]

@Buana:

But remember, Basenji's aren't just dogs, they live in their own little world and make up their own day.
They have a big manual

That's a good way of putting it. They really are in their own little world. Although for some reason I seem to enjoy that characteristic.

[DebraDownSouth]

@Buana:

But remember, Basenji's aren't just dogs, they live in their own little world and make up their own day.
They have a big manual

ROFLMAO, very funny and true. I should add that they also revise it any time you begin to THINK you understand it.

[Vintinck]

If you are interested in Toys, I would highly recommended a Papillon. They are extremely intelligent and easily trained. They are also quite athletic/agile for a toy breed. They do well in agility and I've even seen some large Paps in flyball. My pap was never super "yippy" but I have met a few who are. They are in the toy group but are from the spaniel family.

[Shaye's Mom]

@Vintinck:

If you are interested in Toys, I would highly recommended a Papillon. They are extremely intelligent and easily trained. They are also quite athletic/agile for a toy breed. They do well in agility and I've even seen some large Paps in flyball. My pap was never super "yippy" but I have met a few who are. They are in the toy group but are from the spaniel family.

Yes, the Papillon is is a great little dog - my sister had one once and he was the joy of her life. They are loyal, and intelligent, and the right size for somebody looking for a toy, but not a tiny dog. Her dog was not yappy - he barked if someone was coming into the house, but as soon as she "sshhh'd" him, he quited right down. That's not a bad thing, he was protecting his house and his people until he was given the sign it was all okay.