Description:
George is a 18 month old Basenji/Jack Russell mix, or at least we think he is! :) He was adopted out by us a year ago and just returned. His family took the time to give us a good description of his personality. He loves to play with toys, balls, and will fetch. He is very smart and very loyal. He is housebroken, loves cats and some dogs, initially cautious with strangers and calms down quickly. George loves his crate although he slept on the family beds and is a horrible begger! He is good with children over the age of 8 but will nip at those younger than 6. For this reason we will not adopt him into a home frequented by little ones.
According to www.dogbreedinfo.com, the first traces of a dog similar to the Basenji are found in Egyptian tombs and wall drawings of five thousand years ago. Also called the Congo Dog, it was brought to Europe in 1934. English breeders refined it and exported it all over the world. In Africa, it is used as a guide in the forests, to warn against the approach of dangerous animals, and as a very active pack-hunting dog of small game.
The Basenji is alert, affectionate, demanding, energetic and curious. It loves to play and makes a good pet, as long as it is handled regularly from an early age. It is very intelligent, responds well to training with a strong desire to please. They can be reserved with strangers. The Basenji is somewhat aloof, but can also form strong bonds with people. It should not be trusted with non-canine pets. They are usually patient, but do best with older considerate children. The Basenji dislike wet weather. They like to chew, so giving them lots of toys of their own would be a good idea. The breed likes to climb and can easily get over chain wire fences. Basenji are very clever at getting their own way, they succeed less by obstinacy than by charm. It has the unique properties of not barking (it makes a low, liquid ululation instead) and of cleaning itself like a cat. It can be described as speedy, frisky, tireless at play and teasing the owner into play. Their strong desire to play can lead to behavior problems if left alone. Most Basenji problems usually involve a mismatch between owner and pet. The owners mistake the adjective "quiet' to mean inactive instead of noiseless; thus, they become harassed by an active, though relatively silent , dog. They have a life expectancy of 10-12 years.