I'm pretty sure there is lots of terrier in my dog. She is so goofy looking with those too-long legs and too-long body, but she is the ideal size and shape to be a jogging dog. I am still a runner in my advanced age and I can't go far enough to actually get her tired, although once we ran enough miles to get her panting some. She has excellent sight, can see a cat at the other end of our street, and as I mentioned before, can watch airplanes and hawks and other flying creatures.

She barks. She howls. She whines. She makes all sorts of unusual "talking" noises.

She travels very well on our trips but has somehow established herself in my lap or wife's lap as we drive. Not safe, I know, but hard to resist.

Well, it has been awhile and Mika has grown up. She's over two years old now, still holding in at 30lbs, and we still don't know what kind of dog she is. But she has turned out to be a pretty good frisbee-catching dog, a good travel-dog, and a great jogging partner. Two pictures attached: one is a pic of dog and me in the Arizona desert somewhere and the other is the dog looking worried as we crossed Wolf Creek Pass Colorado in snow and ice.

I guess I should make a formal introduction, since I am apparently the owner of a partial Basenji, maybe 25 or 30%, and some husky and shep mix maybe. Who knows? Anyway, I have owned 2 other dogs in my adult life, both rescue animals and each lived more than 12 years. So Mika is pup number three, and I hope she is with us for as long.

I am the Chief of Staff of a mid-size Sheriff's Office here in north louisiana, and six months ago I got a call from the City Animal Shelter about a teen trying to give away a very young and very sick puppy. I drove over to her location, took one look at the pup and figured she wasn't long for this world as sick as she was, so I took her right then. Without even consulting my very patient wife. So here we are with this fine canine, and in my own 60th year trying to discourage this little dog from chewing everything is sight.

I am looking forward to learning about Basenji dogs, and will try to see Basenji traits in my own pooch, if for no other reason than to claim some sort of exotic connection to these remarkable canines.

Attached is a picture of Mika the very day we got her.

"To me she looks like a B in the face and the body size and eyes are that of a Siberian….........."

That's about the way I see it too. My guess is that she is about 90% full-grown so she should top out at about 30 lbs. No matter what she "is" we are really happy she is part of our family now, and appears to be healthy and happy.

OK, just a couple more pics. These were taken about 15 minutes ago. Without scale it is hard to see just exactly what her dimensions are, but after looking thru the forums at the pictures of "real" basenji dogs I am convinced that I do have a puppy with some kind of Basenji-ness in her immediate ancestry. Probably mixed with some Siberian (blue eyes) and maybe GSD.

"I see the tail relaxed. Does it curl up normally?"

Sometimes. Not like a true Basenji tho. More of a single arch back toward her spine. She likes to "prance" or trot and that's when the tail comes up. I've also seen her do that sprint where all four feet are airborne, both curled under her and stretched out like she's flying. I've never seen that before, but I now know it is common to the Basenji breed. She likes looking at airplanes, also something I've not seen before. Not intimidated by thunderstorms, but hates the waterhose. Doesn't like to get her paws wet. Can jump 5 feet straight up. Sits very still like a cat statue (I'm still not used to that).

Her legs look too long for her body, and her body is too long for her width. Most people think she is under-nourished, but she is just all muscle and a running machine.

For the first 3 months we had her she would attack her food when we put it down. Then one day she bacame completely indifferent to food, sometime she eats and sometime she doesn't.

A very strange puppy.

Not sure if she is…......? That's the problem, we just do not know what she is. She's 26 pounds now about 9 months (we think) and 21 inches high at the shoulder. Her profile looks just like a Basenji, long legs, narrow head, extreme speed, and she acts like one, based on what I've read so far. Her tail isn't right, and she knows how to bark. But she has lots of behaviors like the Basenji "norm" if there is such a thing.

We know nothing about her background, other than she had probably been removed from her litter mates too early, since she was only 2 pounds when we got her, and maybe 4 or 5 weeks old. But we aren't even sure of that.

Eight months ago I took a 2-pound pup from a young lady walking around trying to give her away…...as it turned out the little dog had the usual symptoms of an animal not properly cared-for. Worms, dehydration, improper nutrition, etc. We made two visits to the vet and one emergency clinic visit in the first three days we had her. I am pleased to report that she survived and is doing well.

Mika is a tri-color mix, probably with a Siberian as she has ice-blue eyes. She has a long slightly curved tail. To me she looks "Basenji", a term I had never heard before a week ago.

She may be a mix, but she certainly acts like a Basenji, based on what I've read so far. She does bark. She has rocket sprint speed, can catch a frisbee like a border collie, likes to climb high, will roll over for a belly-rub, chews everything in sight. Is great on a leash. Very Very Perceptive, sight and sound.

It is safe to say that I am new to this breed, but expect to learn a lot from this forum and from our newest family member.

Do I have a Basenji??