Basenjis—not a dog for you

Many people meet my dog and are charmed but soon sad. The Basenji is a natural breed. That means “mankind” did not create this dog, nature did. There are only a handful of natural breeds around. Not being created by man to serve man the Basenji could give a crap less about your biologically driven hominid drive to be “liked” or worse yet “loved unconditionally” Basenjis have conditions my friend. My partner and I like to joke about “the contract” but some days it doesn’t feel like a joke.

People think the “barkless dog” is mute. It is not. It makes sounds. It has “a charming yodel” yes, sometimes. It also has a charming growl, snarl, hiss and something that sounds like a demonic possession. It has a whimper and a yelp of boredom. It is not silent.

Basenjis are “aloof with strangers” Let me tell you they can be aloof with friends too. What does aloof mean? It means they look away as you stand there saying in your high pitched whiny voice “oh look at the pretty doggy!” They may even move off a bit. Please do not insist that they meet you it will only result in disappointment at best and downright trouble at worst. IF a Basenji wants to meet you it will come to you otherwise forget about it.

Basenjis are bossy and need a strong leader otherwise you are in serious trouble. You’ve seen the various dog shows like Dog Whisperer. Usually he’s working with a Rottweiler or Pit Bull. Basenjis are just like that only smaller and faster—like a shark. Do not take their small size for granted. Dogs don’t understand democracy. This is where most people fail their animals seriously. Of course we love them and adore them but if you ever start believing they are “just little furry people” you are in big trouble regardless of the dog's breed. Dogs are dogs. They think and feel—yes—but they think and feel LIKE DOGS. Primitive, basic, raw. Dogs live in packs with ONE leader and every other dog has its rank and the privileges that go with it. You need to be a leader and this will be a major issue for you if you think of your dog as a litte person. IMHO, this is why many children are bitten by dogs. NOT because the dog is “bad” but because in DOG WORLD a child is lower status and needs to be reminded of its place in the pack. Dogs need to be trained to understand that a child is higher ranking. In some breeds, like the basenji, this can be a challenge. Please, if you have a child TRAIN YOUR CHILD to ASK permission to approach a dog—EVEN IF you know the dog really well. It gets them in the habit for when you aren’t around or supervising closely. And if a dog owner tells you NO—please do not continue to insist on meeting/petting/inching up close to the dog anyway. People out with their dogs are not the free walking petting zoo.

I read a while ago about some genetic tests on dogs and wolves. Most domesticated dogs are several generations from wild wolves and other wild canids. Basenjis and other natural breeds are only one generation away. The Basenji acts like a wild dog because for the most part it IS a wild dog.

I am totally in love with this breed. From my first “mixed” dog Sparky (Basenji-Husky), to my boy Titan who lived with Fanconi syndrome and later developed a brain tumor and had to be put down due to uncontrollable seizures, to my current girl and former companion to Titan, Loki. I love their “attitude” I love that they make you work to earn their respect. I love that they DON’T fawn over strangers and beg for attention. I love that it is me providing the unconditional love not the other way around. Loki has been and remains a challenge to train. She test the boundaries very often. At home with me, my partner and our 3 cats she is the most adorable dog ever. Sure everyone says that about their dog. She really is very well behaved at home or with close supervision by us. She is, in my opinion, one of Satan’s spawn when in the company of others. She tests how much she can get away with –like table surfing or sticking her nose in people’s belongings like coat pockets or hand bags. She does not want to be petted or to meet most people and she is not at all good with other people’s dogs or children.

This was not always the case. Loki is 7 now and it has been 3 years (?) since Titan died. She was bossy with Titan but she was lower ranked than him. When he died her world was upturned. We’ve been working on re-socializing her to other animals and people but it is a challenge and one we may never really overcome.

Just know that while on paper the Basenji may seem like a good option for you do some research. Spend the weekend with someone who owns one. Talk to several breeders about them. You will need all your patience, determination and strength of character to own a Basenji. The rewards are directly proportional to the effort. I can’t imagine my life without one of these crazy little dogs, but if you are searching for a fantasy TV dog like Lassie this is NOT the dog for you.