my baby boy almost looks disgusted when i lean in and try to give him a kiss and he pulls back… i'm the only one that can rough and tumble with him but as soon as i try and be cozy and kiss his face he curls is his lips as if to go "ewww mom, you're embarrassing me"
All five of the Basenjis I have owned have not been a fan of kisses, either giving them or getting them. I taught my girls to "give a kiss" if asked, but it was reluctant on their part. My boys have not been kissers at all. If I kiss them, they "endure" it, without any indication of enjoyment, and often a look of disgust. Somewhat the way a teenager puts up with kisses from an aging aunt. 
Funny topic bc I always wondered how Oakley can be so attached to me but hate kisses…he too pulls away and rarely give kisses (never with a look of enjoyment)....I did however meet a basenji named Kissy who was so loveable and affectionate..it was so nice to see
Our little girl, Miika, is all full of kisses, loves to give and receive them, Mowgli our boy on the other hand gives kisses when he feels like it but I get the same eewww mom reponse when I kiss him lol
Neymar who I believe to be Basenji mix also doesn't enjoy my kisses, he likes liking the side of my face and my ears but if I face towards him he also pulls back ! I can't even get him to take a treat from my mouth eheh
Kaiser doesn't pull away he just has a puzzled look on his face, so I don't push it and smooch in other ways he's comfortable with, haven't really had many pets that enjoyed kisses except maybe birds.
Jolanda and Kaiser
I hope that the next basenji I get is like Kissy in that she's a sweet, ears back so excited…jumps on the back of the couch just to be able to reach your face to kiss you all day long..I know it won't be easy but now that I've meet a basenji with that disposition I know it exists and it'll be the perfect compliment to Oakleys aloofness
Most dogs dislike seeing a big human face suddenly loom so close to their face… My girl just about tolerates it.
What she does love however when she's in a cuddly mood is to rub her face against mine, and against my neck. Go figure...
Leki was a very kissy girl. Butu never used to be, but he kisses me since she went. Not often….but it's nice.
my baby boy almost looks disgusted when i lean in and try to give him a kiss and he pulls back… i'm the only one that can rough and tumble with him but as soon as i try and be cozy and kiss his face he curls is his lips as if to go "ewww mom, you're embarrassing me"
I'm not sure how to put this to you, but its your breath. Basenjis have a keen sense of smell and nothing offends us more than bad human breath. It's not you personally, just back away after that onion soup.
Sincerely
Your basenji
Kaia loves to get and give kisses. She will kiss you all day long if you let her and the more attention she gets, the better. Loki goes through random periods where he loves to give kisses. He tolerates getting kisses, generally doesn't love them, but when he's feeling "needy" (i.e. I get gently tapped or he just lays on the laptop until I stop and give him non-stop attention) he adores kisses. Since he was a puppy I've made a little game of kissing his face just so he gets used to it….his "grandma" loves to smother him in kisses when we visit so I thought it best he be prepared
Comment on the last two posts…...yes, sometimes it's your breath! My guy doesn't care for my breath when I have been drinking wine. He curls his lip and looks disgusted if I kiss him after a glass of wine. I also have gotten all my Basenjis used to me sticking my face in theirs, with and without kisses, just so I know they will tolerate it. Well, from a stranger it would probably be a different story, but at least they know not to consider it an attack of some kind.
The exception to the kissing revulsion was my one girl, who when the mood struck her would wash my entire face, nose, eyes, ears, in a very industrious manner, the same way she would wash her companion's face. I never knew whether to be flattered or disgusted, but I indulged her whim. Usually a request for a kiss from her would be viewed with disdain and a less than enthusiastic compliance,
Isn't a face in face thing a bit of an aggression thing in dogs? Maybe this is why he is pulling back. Becca is ok with giving kisses, but Tucker usually never does, but he likes to be in your face after you eat so he can smell your breath!
Maca and Laika smell my face and breath everytime i land at home if they notice i eat something on the street.. everytime checking what i was eating and they did not.
Also both get on the stairs to my face directly and let me salute them, Maca wagging tail.. Laika just there looking my face, but they dont lick me, just left me put my face on her face and give some kisses on top of their heads.. then thats all! they run and im not allowed to be that again.. at least no with their asistance.. when they try to fight each other i punished them kissing hahahaha and getting their heads grabing theirs ears and i tell, dont fight, behave good and then they run away again.. sure they wont came if i call them and they know well when i call them for kisses, they dont came. lol.. but since they were puppies I try to have them use it to my touch..
the basenjis have such nice coat, i love to grab them and kiss and smell ..lol i cant resist.. everytime i see them i tell you are so pretty! they think their second name is doll.. lol or precious..
they are used to let kids touch and put hands, i wont do that for adults.. but i teach both girls to seat or command if the kids are toddlers..
i dont want that bite some kid because for sure the dads will kick and try to kill my girls, so for their security i dont allow any rude game with kids.. Laika never do the tail thing for me. And Maca on few times do that for adults, she really need to like the people to be interested and sweet.. a pair of nice ladys get the wagging tail and begging for Maca one day, i was surprise but they were so sweet and talk so nice to Maca that she was enchanted. lol
Oakley is super used to me in his face, nose to nose- pulling his lips, poking his head..messing with his ears. He doesn't seem intimidated by the closeness; just upset over the affection..as if he thinks it's so not necessary
Kobi loves to kiss and get kisses. She would kiss us all day too if we let her. If my husband is laying in bed she pins him down and kisses him to death It is hysterical she literally wraps her arms around his neck or puts her paws on both shoulders and pins him. If he tries to get up she pushes him back down, and continues to drown him with kisses. She is such a fun little girl.
Spencer and Ava have both been kissers. Ava will let you kiss her almost any time, but now that she's a teenager, she comes up to give kisses a little less often. Sometimes, she's very affectionate; sometimes, she wants her space. Ah, adolescence…
Watson does not give kisses, but he does not mind a smooch on the top of his little head. A kiss on the muzzle is met with disgust, however
He also likes to lean in close and push his body against people when he is feeling cuddly.
Pharaoh loves to get kisses but rarely gives them - except for our 4 year old. He will kiss him to death!
We taught Arwen to give kisses early on. For years, she only did it on command, but the last few years she will just come up and give and kiss and sit for attention or go lie back down. So not long ago I kissed her on the head. I am sorry to say that I don't remember ever kissing her so it has been years, probably puppyhood. She nearly stood on her HEAD wiping it off on the bed. Yeah, I got served. So I kept doing it. Now she leaves it (or wipes off when I am not looking.. wouldn't surprise me at all!), but you can tell she is rolling her eyes mentally.
Cara, on the other hand, LOVES kisses. You can kiss all over her face and head and she just leans into you and loves it. She really does recognize that kiss equals some strange human love ritual and she's all for it.
