Skip to content

How Cold is Too Cold for a Basenji?

Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  • There are a number of sites online with either heated dog beds alone, or heated pads for Igloo's or crates. The one that I think has the best and least expensive beds or pads is TheUncommonDog.com. They have a warmer pad that fits inside the current crate and simply heats up to the normal temperature for a dog, so she would probable be happy, warm and comfortable.

  • I'm kind of late joining in here, but I live in South Dakota and I keep my thermostat between 50 and 60 in the winter because I prefer it that way. I might bump it up to 65 if it's bitterly cold (sub zero) and windy, but otherwise I'm happy as a clam at 50-60 indoors. The dogs truly don't seem to be bothered, they adapt same as anything else.

    There are throw blankets everywhere, and extra blankets in the dog crates for when I'm not home to be snuggled with. I do have space heaters which I may bump on in the mornings to take the chill out of the air, so the Basenjis aren't shocked when they ooze out from under the warm bedcovers. And if anyone gets sick or has an upset tummy or something, I'll go ahead and put a heater on near the crate or something, as even I don't like to be cold when I'm sick…...but otherwise my dogs seem just fine with how I keep it in here.

    But if your dogs don't seem to adapt or you don't feel comfortable keeping them at that temp, the aforementioned suggestions of heating pads, etc are great ideas :)

  • @Woofless:

    The dogs truly don't seem to be bothered, they adapt same as anything else.

    I think that's true of any animal, but the trade off is they will generally grow more winter coat. Certainly the girl I had when I lived in North Bay had an impressive amount of fur for a Basenji! ;)

  • Oh, I never think about that. I'm the one getting cold, not the basenji. He curls up in blankets in the couch by himself, while I sit by the closest heater. :p

  • I live in Arazona, US, now it is too cold for me but Basenji feels good enough to bear such cold, so this is fine to Basenji below normal temperature.

Suggested Topics

  • IBS in basenji

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    15
    3 Votes
    15 Posts
    8k Views
    ZandeZ
    @jengosmonkey That is a very interesting link. My girl suffered none of the possible side effects. No lethargy, listlessness, weight gain and her shape remained immaculate till the day she died. But she no longer suffered from IBS.
  • Carsick Basenji

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    4
    0 Votes
    4 Posts
    3k Views
    eeeefarmE
    My first girl got carsick. I used Dramamine (Gravol) for her. Luckily she outgrew the problem, because every time I had to pill her the neighbours thought I was killing her. She screamed her head off! (and of course spit out the pill). She did best riding loose in the back seat. That was in the '60s, and we didn't worry about such things…...
  • Basenji in Alaska

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    22
    0 Votes
    22 Posts
    11k Views
    wizardW
    I saw that you have a sewing machine – its not hard to make your own coat. I made one for my previous beasties with fleece and wool. I made it with a high colar (for the backside of the neck) and an indentation for the tail and a big belly and chest band (I used snaps at first but then switched to velcro). It worked pretty good for our single digit temps (and the occasional below zero walks to the corner). My current beastie refuses to go out the door with a coat on, however. When the outside temps are below 10F she won't stay outside any longer than necessary to go potty - the squirrels can run around all they want then! With respect to booties, mine will at least tolerate them when we go for walks but it's more for the road salt. However, the good pair I bought this year leak somehow (maybe through the stitching?) and she doesn't like them with they get wet inside. Nevertheless be sure you get the best you can find.
  • Itching Basenji!

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    15
    0 Votes
    15 Posts
    10k Views
    nobarkusN
    It's most likely a yeast infection. They get it in the ears quite often. Buddy has a yeast infection right now on his stomach.
  • Basenjis are popular..

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    14
    0 Votes
    14 Posts
    6k Views
    JannekeJ
    @ibi_n_sane: the ears of the basenji of the pictures you show look like their is really something wrong, but it is not right to think that a basenji with a bit thin fur on his ears also has a condition/ disease that causes this. Of course, this dog is diagnosed with pattern baldness. And no, you can't say that every basenji/dog with less fur on the ears has this condition. Like Tanza said: it could be flies, or maybe cold, malnutrition.. I do think that Tillo's bald blackish ear rims are more than just 'loosing hair because it's winter/spring/summer..' And I would love to know what's causing it. That's why I wanted to ask it at the University and that's why I was suprised to see the B-ears on the screen and to hear about this 'pattern baldness' :)
  • Is it a Basenji???

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    13
    0 Votes
    13 Posts
    9k Views
    MandyM
    I have gotten the comment of min doberman. lol…. could have been her spiked Harley collar.