I have had the pleasure of owning both breeds. There is another forum member here who also has a basenji and a Shiba. Lol, they are both very stubborn breeds. Depending on what you want they are very different though. Shibas need a lot of care for grooming, they blow a lot of coat and can get matted fur, on the other hand they make a very good watch dog. Basenjis don't bark but make a multitude of other noises. Their coat is nice and short for less grooming, though they too blow coat, just not as bad as a Shiba. They both maintain puppy characteristics their whole lives and live long lives. I think our Shiba was 16 when we lost her. Both need a lot of socialization, with both people and dogs. This is a must. Good luck with whatever breed you choose. Look at parents for temperament and do your reading on health problems and make sure you adopt from a reputable breeder.
New to Forum/New to Basenjis
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Hi, we are adopting our first Basenji on Saturday. She is a rescue from BRAT and is 2 years old. Any advice on the transition that lies ahead?
Also, we live in Tennessee…wondering if anyone else on here might live close to us in Knoxville. Would love for her to have another Basenji to have a play date with.Thanks,
Kristin -
Hi Kristin…. welcome! What is going to be the name of your new basenji? You'll have to post a picture of her so we can see your new pride and joy! Lots of great info on this forum. Ask any questions you like. There are dedicated breeders on this forum, those that show, and those that have basenjis as our companion dogs. This is a great forum to get a lot of different perspectives on how to live/interact with this delightful breed.
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Congratulations on welcoming a little basenji to your home. Keep checking in with the forum - there are lots of very knowledgeable people here and everyone will be more than happy to help you with questions you may have and/or problems that occur. You will find your little wonder to be extremely clever and quite a handful - that is NORMAL for basenjis. The best thing you can do early on is form as close a bond as you possibly can with your pup so she will follow you around and want to please you. Interacting with a basenji is not a lot like interaction with other types of dogs. Welcome again - good luck and please do post pictures!
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We are naming her Saavik…. We like Star Trek and a Vulcan name seems appropriate with those pointed little ears
We're super excited, but a little anxious that she may outsmart us... I will upload more pictures once we bring her home...for now here is a one from her foster mom.Thanks for the kind welcome and info….I will look around the forum and I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions in the weeks to come.
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Welcome and congratulations on your first basenji… If you are like most of us you will end up hooked on this breed. They are something special.
Get ready to laugh at yourselves and her, and yes you will find yourself outsmarted on occasion. A good sense of humor is essential when living with these guys
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Saavik… love the name! And she looks lovely - nice strong chest. You will have years of love, fun and laughter with her.
And oh yes, they are smart. Don't listen to anyone who tells you that they are close to the bottom of the 100 smartest dogs. That is not the case! Basenjis just seem to decide for themselves WHEN the smartness should occur.
You will have many situations where you are watching them do something naughty, you go to correct them, but you have to turn your head away because you don't want them to see you smiling/laughing! -
Awesome name! And she is a lovely brindle. I spotted her on the BRAT page too and thought she sounded lovely. Glad she's going home to a forum member. Welcome!
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Welcome and congratulations! I have two BRATS myself, and a third basenji as well. So beware, they ARE like potato chips (You can't have just one)
I love her name, she is gorgeous. Can't wait to hear all about her Homecoming!
