Advice please if a Basenji might be a good match.

[DebraDownSouth]

I am sorry. Maybe they will put you on a waiting list in case it doesnt work out.

[Reddie]

I don’t know, it’s not like they are getting a lot of Basenji mixes. We’ll see how it goes. Just want to have a short summer vacation without any troubles at home.

[MorseSA]

Then a basenji will fit right in. Hope yoour fence is 6 ft tall and not chainlink kind.

[removed email address]

[elbrant]

Local Animal Shelters do not post on Petfinder, they post on PetHarbor. You can set up email alerts to let you know when a Basenji pops up. And they are pretty reliable with updating availability.

That said, I've found that many of the people involved have little to no knowledge about dog breeds. Example: I think this dog looks closer to a Jack Russell mix, as opposed to a Basenji mix. Maybe it has some B in it... but it wouldn't be my first thought.

Another option might be to become a foster family with BRAT.

[DebraDownSouth]

@elbrant said in Advice please if a Basenji might be a good match.:

Local Animal Shelters do not post on Petfinder, they post on PetHarbor. You can set up email alerts to let you know when a Basenji pops up. And they are pretty reliable with updating availability.

Where is "here"? Petfinders is very used by most shelters I know of;

Is petfinder a good site?
Petfinder is the world's largest database of adoptable pets, and breeders are not permitted to list purposely-bred pets. Plus, Petfinder is free for shelters and rescue groups to use. Almost all shelters and rescue groups across North America use Petfinder, so if a group doesn't, it's a good idea to ask why.<<

From Wiki: Petfinder is a for-profit internet company that operates the largest online pet adoption website serving all of North America. The company reports that it currently lists “more than 315,000 adoptable pets from nearly 14,000 animal shelters and rescue groups.” Wikipedia

[Zande]

@morsesa said in Advice please if a Basenji might be a good match.:

Then a basenji will fit right in. Hope yoour fence is 6 ft tall and not chainlink kind.

Morse.stafford@gmail.com

Chain link is perfectly OK provided it is loose. Basenjis won't have confidence to climb a loose fence. I have a mere 4 foot c/l fence all around my vegetable patch and no Basenji has ever tried to climb it, despite the edible delights on the other side.

[DebraDownSouth]

Have you tried the roller tops?

[elbrant]

@debradownsouth I'm referring to Shelters, not Rescue Groups. Local government shelters (according to the Animal Control Officers in my corner of the world) consider Petfinder to be an unreliable, often outdated, source. They recommend using PetHarbor.

Wikipedia, btw, does not guarantee accuracy on any subject. Furthermore, I would consider 14,000 (combined shelters and rescue groups) to be a drop in the bucket. The biggest problem with Petfinder as a resource would be that it's only as accurate as the person posting the information. Some things might be spot on, others... not.

[DebraDownSouth]

@elbrant said in Advice please if a Basenji might be a good match.:

@debradownsouth I'm referring to Shelters, not Rescue Groups. Local government shelters (according to the Animal Control Officers in my corner of the world) consider Petfinder to be an unreliable, often outdated, source. They recommend using PetHarbor.

Wikipedia, btw, does not guarantee accuracy on any subject. Furthermore, I would consider 14,000 (combined shelters and rescue groups) to be a drop in the bucket. The biggest problem with Petfinder as a resource would be that it's only as accurate as the person posting the information. Some things might be spot on, others... not.

Not sure why this seems a hot button...but you said:
"Local Animal Shelters do not post on Petfinder, they post on PetHarbor. "

Not sure where it went from local to just "your corner ".. but sadly I find both large and small shelters and rescues aren't totally relIable...and I'd be surprised to find any group, wiki, petfinder, etc promising accuracy. (" PetHarbor make no assertions about the availability, behavior or condition of any animal.")

The way they have over 300,000 adoptable pets listed is precisely by having each source upload. According to the ASPCA, around 3.4 million dogs and cats are adopted each year from shelters. I don't find listing 315,000 pets to be a drop in the bucket. Not that any of the data is all that accurate...most is self reported and some studies have exposed high rates of false positive reporting. Petharbor, btw, says they also list shelter, SPCA, Humane Society, county or city Animal Control, and many private animal-welfare organizations."

To me, it isn't a contest ...list everywhere you can. My friend began a county by county rescue volunteer organization a few years ago. They have done incredibly well, but the time needed is staggering. I'm just happy for everyone who helps. Hopefully Petharbor can share ways to have more accuracy. It's all good.

[MorseSA]

You did not mention how high your fence was or what kind. Hope it is not chainlink. Basenji's can climb chainlink.

And left alone, will yodo that can be heard for a mile....

[elbrant]

@debradownsouth It's like you don't think about what you write.... I state that my "Local Animal Shelters do not post on Petfinder, they post on PetHarbor"... and you twist it around trying to claim -- wait, what is your point here? You're all over the place. Little of what you say makes any sense at all, except your attempts to appear educated. Exactly what was it about a link to PetHarbor that got you so excited in the first place?

[eeeefarm]

Is it time to make popcorn?

[Reddie]

Really!) it kind of getting into an argument and is kind of discouraging to even try to look further...
I had dogs for 35 years of my life, 16 years with Shar Pei, now Border Collie- not the easiests breeds to handle, just to mention a few... but so far we were doing just fine. I’ll keep looking and we are opened to some different breeds as well.

[Dagodingo]

@reddie It seems to be the way of the world these days, even affecting the Basenji forum lol. Basenjis are very strong willed and they do say owners resemble their dogs! So a clash of opinions is inevitable.

Basenjis are hard to explain, I had a border collie years ago but he was a lot more dog like than a basenji. Generally, Basenjis are a love hate thing, either people think you must be crazy to own one, or they wouldn’t own anything else. They are incredibly intelligent and will outsmart you even when you are aware they are outsmarting you lol. Hence the saying that to live with a basenjis, you need to be at least half as smart as the dog. Sometimes you read what they are going to do next, so you head it off. Only for the dog to figure out that you figured them out and change their tactics, only to outsmart you again lol. Some people get mad at that and others laugh and admire the intelligence.

My girl passed away last November, I have only one boy now and it’s tough to adjust. I considered at first getting a shelter dog. After much thought, I realized that it just wouldn’t be the same. Once you’ve “gone basenji” I think it’s hard to go back. For me it’s impossible. Even as they drive you crazy, they burrow deeper and deeper into your mind and heart. Good luck if you decide to join the crazy club lol!

[eeeefarm]

I had a Border Collie for 15 years. He was a farm dog, not a house dog. I had Basenjis in the house. These breeds are polar opposites. A good Border Collie (and there are a lot of not so good ones out there) will do anything for you if they can figure out what you want. No treats required. My boy would work his heart out for me and be ecstatic if I praised him. He wasn't the slightest bit interested in food if there was work to be done. OTOH, my Basenjis were all about "what's in it for me?" If whatever I wanted wasn't interesting or rewarding to them they would ignore me if they could. They are endearing little charmers (and they know it!), but their attitude is more cat than dog. Smart, hell yes! Obedient, not so much. They are, however, up for a challenge, and if you can engage their minds they will surprise you with what they can learn.

[Reddie]

Well my BC was raised with Shar Pei so I don’t think there’s much left of a BC in her, she is useful now as far as running around the yard and scaring all the birds like hawks and such and the duck hangs out with her, other than that she is a couch potato even more than my Shar Pei used to be, at 14 y.o I have a video of my Shar Pei hearding the ducks!)

[DebraDownSouth]

@elbrant said in Advice please if a Basenji might be a good match.:

@debradownsouth It's like you don't think about what you write.... I state that my "Local Animal Shelters do not post on Petfinder, they post on PetHarbor"... and you twist it around trying to claim -- wait, what is your point here? You're all over the place. Little of what you say makes any sense at all, except your attempts to appear educated. Exactly what was it about a link to PetHarbor that got you so excited in the first place?

I twisted nothing. I took all your misinformation and provided more accurate info. My point was to help anyone who took your post as factual from writing off Petfinder and possibly missing the perfect dog. To that, as usual, you become unhinged at me disagreeing and turn it into a personal attack. The only excited person has been you. It gets old.

You don’t know what every local animal shelter thinks. You claim that they
::consider Petfinder to be an unreliable, often outdated, source. ::
Except the things you mention, only as good as the person inputting, etc seems a bit silly when PetHarbor takes listings from "shelter, SPCA, Humane Society, county or city Animal Control, and many private animal-welfare organizations" and individuals.. and honestly states “PetHarbor make no assertions about the availability, behavior or condition of any animal.”
Your demeaning comment about Petfinder helps "a drop in the bucket" when they list 315,000 pets.
I didn't attack you. I didn't attack PetHarbor. I simply tried to show that your negativity about Petfinder is more about your personal views than actual facts. That a company listing 315,000 pets a year is a valid source. That people should use all available sources.

[elbrant]

@debradownsouth you are so exhausting. I did not attack Petfinder. I relayed what I was told by my local Animal Shelter. There was no "misinformation" requiring your clarification. There was no "negativity". Nor were there any perceived assumptions that websites are legally responsible for information contributed by the public. Get a grip, you are the only one spitting venom. I"m done with you.

[DebraDownSouth]

@elbrant said in Advice please if a Basenji might be a good match.:

@debradownsouth you are so exhausting. I did not attack Petfinder. I relayed what I was told by my local Animal Shelter. There was no "misinformation" requiring your clarification. There was no "negativity". Nor were there any perceived assumptions that websites are legally responsible for information contributed by the public. Get a grip, you are the only one spitting venom. I"m done with you.

Anyone wanting to scroll up can read your comments. As well as your misinformation and my clarification. You are the one saying Petfinders is outdated and unreliable, so I suspect even you comprehend my pointing out the same is true with Safeharbor. I have a grip. And I do it without "spitting venom" and personal attacks.

[DebraDownSouth]

@reddie said in Advice please if a Basenji might be a good match.:

Really!) it kind of getting into an argument and is kind of discouraging to even try to look further...
I had dogs for 35 years of my life, 16 years with Shar Pei, now Border Collie- not the easiests breeds to handle, just to mention a few... but so far we were doing just fine. I’ll keep looking and we are opened to some different breeds as well.

I never imagined myself with anything but BIG dogs, specifically Rottweilers and Chows. Then I got my first basenji for my daughter and I was hooked. THEN because of our very dog aggressive basenji, we ended up with a Samoyed. Totally hooked also. Every breed has it's gifts. I've found breeds I couldn't live with, but some that enchant me. I'm too old to start with a new breed, but I hope if there's reincarnation I get to own another 6 or so breeds.

LOL on Shar Pei. I'm so old I remember before DNA proved they were a distinct breed and Chow and Pei folk fought which breed the other came from... I was at Un. Penn vet hospital and a woman was there with a young Shar Pei. I asked her if they were as bad as I'd heard. She looked at my chow and said "Yes, about the same as Chows." And we both nodded knowingly and began to compare traits, look at each other's dogs' tongues. Dog people are a strange group.

If you can handle Border Collies and Shar Peis, you'll be fine with basenjis.