Need your opinions

[Cherylwordweaver]

I have recently adopted a red and white male dog that is about one year old and I think he is a Basenji and Jack Russell Terrier mix. I am attaching some photos and would like to get some feedback on what you think.

Thanks

Cheryl

[lvoss]

He could be Rat Terrier. Some Rat Terrier lines have a heavy dose of basenji through a pair of tri colored basenjis. It looks like they may be splitting them off into their own breed called Decker Terriers.

[tlbuddy]

I would agree with Ivoss, maybe Rat Terrier. Cali is also a Basenji/Terrier mix and after a lot of research and due to her markings, I believe she is mixed with Jack Russell or Fox Terrier.

[Duke]

Hi Cheryl - Your boy is a very handsome and very strong looking basenji-mix. I also have a black/white basenji-terrier mix. Curious - is his tail naturally short or was it docked? I believe the Jack Russells and Fox tails are naturally short. I'll have to lookup the Rat Terrier. Duke's tail was cut so it makes it a bit harder to determine which kind of terrier he's mixed with. He just turned 1 yr old. All I know for sure is he is Basenji with all the quirks. I just love that about him. Contrats and bravo for adopting a way cool and entertaining type dog. What is his name? Your photos are real nice. Post some more in the Member's Gallery.

[Cherylwordweaver]

Thanks everyone. I will do some checking on the other terriers listed. I have no idea if his tail was artificially docked or not. He is beginning to show more of his real personality. The first few days, I think he just wasn't sure of himself but now, he is more relaxed.

He has comandeered the couch as his special place, and my bed as his afternoon spot while I am on the computer. He loves his crate at night and doesn't fuss about sleeping there.

In the morning when we wake up and I let him out, he does some cat like stretches and then belly flops and lets his back legs trail out behind him as he pulls himself along. We call it his belly srubs! A couple of good sneezes and then he is ready to watch me eat and he may or may not nibble his breakfast.

We then go for a long walk and while he is not trained to heel, he doesn't pull on the lead at all. He just trots along with me sniffing as we go. Just today, he actually began to play with some toys. He took a rope bone and tossed it up in the air and then leaped on it and tossed it again.

We have fenced in the yard so he has a nice big place to run and he loves it! He goes down the steps, looks back at me as if to say "watch this" and then takes off like the speed of light. He isn't supposed to get too excited or get his heart rate up too fast due to taking a cure for heartworm, but I can't slow him down. Fortunately, he tested very early positive so I don't think he had many if any adult worms yet. So far so good.

After a blast run, he then has to jog the perimeter of the fence to make sure no one has been there and then he is content to sniff around, chase anything that moves like leaves or birds and then he stretches out in the sunshine and does his belly scrub.

On very cold days, he goes out and then immediately turns around and heads back in.

Last night he decided that he wanted to sit with me so he came barrelling over to the recliner, hopped up on my lap and proceeded to flop over on his back and kick his legs. In just a few seconds he was hard and fast asleep drapped across me.

Can you tell I am smitten? he is a lot of fun!

[Quercus]

Hi Cheryl,

I see both Basenji and terrier, which means he probably is a Rat Terrier. Some of the lines of Rat Terrier actually used Basenji as one of the foundations. If you google Decker Rat Terrier, you will find some good info. His head/face cleary say Basenji to me…but his ear shape/set is much more terrier, as is his tail set, and hint at a shape. I am pretty sure his tail was docked, but it is long enough that it doesn't *look like it would have curled much.

Whatever he is, he is really cute! Thanks for rescuing him

[Quercus]

@Quercus:

you google Decker Rat Terrier, you will find some good info.

Oops, I just saw that Lisa posted the same info