Recommendations

1. Basenjis are not an off-lead dog. Basenjis have very strong prey drive. The average age of basenjis is approximately eight (8) years. I often wonder why many live to be in their teens. This is because their owners understood they were not off-lead dogs and they were kept in a fenced area. The life span of most basenjis is shortened when careless owners inadvertently turn them loose. You need a substantial yard with room to run to accommodate a basenji and keep him healthy.

2. Basenjis are pack animals. Two unneutered males and ofttimes two unneutered females will not get along, will fight and increase your veterinary bills six fold. Generally only breeders keep more than one of each sex of an unneutered dog. However, one neutered dog and one unneutered dog of the same sex will get along relatively well if the dog was neutered between one (1) and two (2) years of age.

3. Never corner or force a basenji to do anything. Always convince him it was his idea.

4. Whenever you have a behavior problem with a dog, first have a thorough checkup at a veterinarian to make sure that it is not caused by an underlying health problem. Many behavior problems are really not that at all but are the result of underlying eye, hearing or other health problems.

5. Owning a basenji requires a substantial commitment in time and love. These dogs will share their life with you and expect you to do the same. Basenjis generally get along well with dogs of other breeds – cats are iffy.

6. No child should ever be left unsupervised with any dog. If your basenji is socialized around children, a basenji will do well with children. A basenji not socialized around children can be afraid or concerned about them and you must take special care to introduce them.

7. Basenjis don’t shed – don’t believe that! They do shed. Old coat will come out – in fact sometimes needs to be removed. That is the use of a stripping stone, a type of pumas stone used on horse coats. If you do this once a month, and maybe more often with female, after the breeding season, you will never have a shedding problem.

Photo Key- no1&2- Siete