My wife and I are going to look at a basenji - chihuahua mix puppy at the shelter tonight. She is nine months old and about 15 lbs. I've been reading a lot about both breeds and have had some hesitations about the basenji. This will be our first dog together. Being that she chihuahua in her, which I've read to be a more calm type of dog, and basenji, which seems to be pretty hyper and stubbourn, is there any way I can tell from our 30 minutes together how she will end up? What should I be looking for with the dog tonight that might help me predict the future as she grows up? My wife and I are more into the cuddley lap type of dog like the chihuahua, but I like that this dog is going to be a little bigger than 5-7lbs.
When dog breeds mix, do both traits come through mixed or do they tend to take some from both?
Answers:
I would suggest agility training.
A dog can take any characteristic. Even one that is completely uncommon for either breed standard. You also have to realize in most cases the shelters don't know the exact mix its just a guess with our own experience. Often we find that once they are in our homes as foster and we sit around and watch them we see something that wasn't as common or as visible on first intake.
Its quite possible she will be lazy ??? You never really know. However; the last pure basenji we had we took pictures of her on top of the detached garage at the animal control officers house. Only dog to ever get there??
Traits come from both parents. If you think chihuahuas are calm type dogs, you might want to get to know some. There's an awful lot of chihuahuas out there who like to snap and are really yappy. Basenjis, like all hounds, tend to be more independent thinkers, euphasmism for stubborn, but they're smart as well. By spending half an hour with a dog in a shelter, where their real personality does not show, you're not going to have a real idea of what she'll be like. But if you like this dog, remember that a lot of her personality is going to come from how she's treated and trained and exercised. Plus you have no idea whatsoever what either of the parents of this puppy were like.
It will be a smart dog to say the least I have had both types of these dogs and they both tend to be smart . I would just say get to really know the dog before you bring her home . I wish you luck and that is a wonderfull thing you are doing saving her from a shelter life . good luck .
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