Royal Basenji Hybrids
Unique, Regal, No / Rare Bark, No / Low Shed, Hypoallergenic
Respectful, Intelligent, Trainable Family Members
First, About Basenjis
The Basenji is one of (if not THE) oldest breeds in the world. They originate from the wild dogs of the African jungle, known as Congo Dogs. However, they have been domesticated for over 2000 years. There are pictures of Basenji-like dogs from ancient Egypt!
They are an extremely unique breed, and not common in the United States.
This is partly because, unlike other domestic dog breeds, Basenji females usually only have 1 litter a year, always around October-December (similar to wild dogs like coyotes).
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Basenjis are very regal and proper in how they carry themselves. They are fun-loving and entertaining goof balls, sometimes, as well. They literally can't bark, and while they do make some extremely fun noises like howls and purrs, they are quiet-natured and only "talk" when they have a good reason to. They are clean and tidy naturally, with very little to no doggy odor. They clean themselves like a cat - and try to avoid getting dirty in the first place. They are easy to potty train.
While they are extremely keen & intelligent, they are often "above" performing pointless tricks... unless there is a treat involved! They tend to ask, "what's in it for me?" before choosing to obey. Also, while they love their family and know who "their pack" is, they also love to run and explore, and will follow their nose & sight to go inspect things they are curious about, and they are a very curious breed! This causes them to "play deaf" when you're calling them back to you. Thus, they are a breed that should always either be on a leash or have a well-trained recall enforced with an electric collar.
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They can make excellent apartment dogs because of their cleanliness, no bark & small size (about 20 lbs). While they are considered a high energy breed, that title can be deceiving. They do have energy to run and play outside or go for long hikes... however it's not a wiggly, in your face kind of energy. It is more of an intense, forward moving energy. However, once they are at home, they know when it's time to be chill, and can be total couch potatoes indoors!
They are a very low shedding breed and are considered hypoallergenic. They do shed for a few weeks in the spring and fall, though it's mild. While Basenjis love their family and can definitely be affectionate, they are more cat-like and picky about where and when they feel like cuddling.
This lends to why they are so respectful of your personal space, which I love - but sometimes I am in a cuddlier mood than they are.
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Why Basenji Hybrids?
We have set out to produce our personal "perfect dogs" after years of experiencing many different breeds. While we have an appreciation for so many of the breeds and know that everyone will have different opinions on what makes a perfect dog, there are some qualities we've learned are important to us.
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1. Quiet demeanor - I prefer a dog who only pants when they are hot, not as a method of communication. When I'm outside enjoying nature, I appreciate a dog who sits quietly next to me, taking in the scenery in silence. I am also mildy allergic to dog slobber, so a dog who doesn't pant much reduces my exposure to doggie spit!
Also, as another aspect of this quiet demeanor is how the dog interacts with me and expresses their energy. I like a dog with energy, don't get me wrong, as our dogs need to be athletic and have endurance to keep up with us on our fast horse rides. However, when that energy is not needed (like the rest of the day when we're quiet at home), I need a dog who can lay at my feet all day, or sit calmly beside me cuddling. I don't like a dog whose energy is expressed by lots of up-in-my-space wiggly-ness! I appreciate dogs with a dignified demeanor.
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Additionally, a quiet demeanor means a dog who is slow to bark or carry on noisily for no good reason. While I value a dog who will alert me to a visitor or strange occurrence on the property, I want a dog who is generally very quiet. That said, I LOVE a dog who "talks" to me with those cute whimpers, wines and howls that Basenjis are known for!
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2. Size - I've found that my preferred size in a dog is about 20-40 lbs. They are small enough that I can bring them with me everywhere, fitting easily at my feet or on my lap when traveling. Also, I can easily fit multiple dogs in the car with me when traveling! However, they are also big enough to do anything a big dog can!
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3. Easy Maintenance Coat - Since my dogs spend a lot of time with me out in the wilderness, running through dirt, mud, stickers and burrs - I greatly value a shorter coat that repels burs and is easy to clean up. Also, I don't want to have to deal with long coats that matt easily and require extensive grooming. (However I need it thick enough to increase cold hardiness during these Utah winters!)
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4. Good Off-Leash - Since my outdoor activities mainly include horse and ATV trail riding, I need dogs that can run along with me off leash and will not run off. I like my dogs to be loyal, wanting to stay near me. While they'll have the desire to run off after deer or other wildlife, they are easily trained to immediately discontinue the chase when I call them back. Naturally, they only want to stray a short distance away.
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5. Intelligence - I love an alert, keen, observant, intelligent dog! The intelligence I'm referring to is the kind that allows dogs to problem solve, notice family patterns and pick up on subtle cues in human behavior to figure out where their place in the family is and what their proper behavior should be. They can often figure out what they should be doing even without being told what to do. That said, I also appreciate a dog that is trainable and obedient.
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6. Regal, Royal Appearance - We like a dog that is beautiful to look at. We like pointy ears and tails curled up over the back, with a variety of colors. I've noticed with my Basenji Hybrids, that I'm always snapping pictures because it seems they are always posing. They stand alert and sit so proper. This aspect is part of the inspiration for the name "Royal" Basenji Hybrids. I want my dogs to have a stunning, sleek, athletic conformation and a dignified, regal way of carrying themselves -
canine royalty!
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7. Health - Firstly, we test our breeding dogs for over 200 genetic health problems via EMBARK dna. Secondly, by mixing breeds together, we are creating a healthier, varied gene pool that takes advantage of the enormous health benefits of hybrid vigor!
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8. Family-friendly - Since we have a large family with young children and grandchildren, it is crucial for us that our dogs have a temperament that gets along well with the whole family!
Definitely kid-friendly!
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So how do we accomplish this? For the most part, we accomplish this goal via crossing the Basenji on the most trainable breeds. Our Basenji Hybrid litters are all at least 50% Basenji. Out of the 100's of dog breeds recognized by the AKC, Border Collies are ranked as the #1 most trainable dog breed, Poodles #2, and Shetland Sheepdogs are #6.
Thus, we have found that these breeds compliment the Basenji's independence very well - yet maintain the positive regal, alert, quiet & clean Basenji traits.
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BaSheltie
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The Shetland Sheepdog (aka Sheltie), complements the Basenji's dominant, independent nature very well, as they have extremely soft, gentle, submissive temperaments (often too timid, really). They also LOVE cuddling in the most endearing, gentle way! Like Border Collies and Poodles, Shelties are one of the most trainable breeds! They are agile and athletic, and often excel in agility competitions due to their speed! It was actually my childhood Sheltie who began my love affair with dogs and dog training. Thus, I have a special place in my heart for the breed! We chose our Shelties because of their upright ears and small size, at 20 lbs or less, for those wanting a smaller dog. The Sheltie can be a nuisance barker, which makes the quiet natured, barkless, confident Basenji an ideal mate. Owners of our BaSheltie pups so far have been thrilled with their pups! They rarely bark and are intelligent, endearing and look like foxes!
Sheltland Basenjis (aka BaShelties) are beautiful, fox-like, loving, more submissive, and small!
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Basenji-Poo
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Honestly, I never thought I would be a Poodle person!! I often joked about how people will breed anything to a poodle these days :P It had never crossed my mind to cross a Basenji on a Poodle, and I certainly didn't do it just to jump on the doodle bandwagon! However, I had a friend who was dealing with some life struggles and had a 9 week old litter of Standard Poodles she hadn't been able to sell. So, I took on the whole litter and found them homes just to help her out. In the process I was astonished to discover that Standard Poodles are awesome! Not only awesome in and of themselves, but I was extremely surprised to discover that they share many qualities with the Basenji... including (and I never would have guessed) how they "talk" to me! They make the same yawn squeaks and various others noises to communicate as a Basenji! They are very intelligent, and share the same regal, dignified, royal demeanor. They sit proper, cuddle respectfully, are thoughtful and intuitive. I've even seen my Poodles clean themselves like a cat! Under all that hair, they are a very lean, agile and athletic dog (similar to a sighthound, like a whippet actually). It is fun to watch how fast they run, and how easily they hop and bounce around so effortlessly! (Yet they aren't all wiggly and in your space, but more calm natured). As a compliment to the Basenji, Poodles are the #2 most trainable breed. They train easily and are very eager to please their person. Extremely loving. The only fault I could give them is a tendency, like the Shetlie, to be too timid. (And the need to shave/groom them every couple months!) I realized how wonderfully the Basenji and Poodle complement each other! The icing on the cake is the combination of both breeds' hypoallergenic qualities, with the Basenji's lack of doggie odor, and the Poodles non-shedding hair coat. Basenji-Poo puppies end up with a non-shedding coat that is short and shaggy, and much lower maintenance than a Poodle.
Basenji-Poos are adorable, scruffy coated, non-shedding, ultra-hypoallergenic, loving,
more submissive & trainable.
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Bella Basenji
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Before I owned my first Basenji, I owned Bella! Everyone who meets Bella falls in love with her, as she is VERY sweet, loving and gentle natured! She is half Border Collie, half Husky (with a touch of Malamute and Heeler)! I tried owning other Borskies (and even some Aussie / Huskies), but none of them were quite like Bella. Like a Basenji, she has a quiet demeanor. She rarely barks, but she does "talk" to me when she's excited to see me! She'll also howl like a wolf sometimes. She is trainable and obedient and does great off-leash with great endurance. She is one of my best trail riding companions! Bella is the Grandma & Great Grandma of our Bella Basenjis, and is where the blue eye gene was introduced to our bloodline. Our Bella Basenji mamas include two of her daughters and two of her granddaughters, who have all the positive Basenji traits (for example I've never heard them bark), but a bit more bashful / submissive in temperament and better in the cold.
The Blue eyes that many of them have are the icing on the cake!
While more obedient-natured than a purebred Basenji, they will tend to be a little less so than our lower basenji-content hybrids, but full of loving personality and beautiful elegance!
Our Bella Basenjis are the most like purebred Basenjis, but a little bit bigger and more cold-hardy. Some have blue eyes, and they "talk" the most!
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Mini BaSchnaussie
When my son was around 8 years old, a friend came riding with us and brought her Mini Schnaussie (Mini Schnauzer / Mini Aussie) with her. After the horse ride, she drove away and a few minutes later I noticed my son crying. I asked him why, and he replied, "The dog left"! For the next two years, he didn't stop saying how much he wanted a Schnauzer like that dog. Thus, when I saw a 75% Mini Schnauzer, 25% Mini Aussie litter available from that dog's sister, I couldn't help but surprise him with a pup! Meet Biscuit!! She is an adorable, little blue merle parti Mini Schnaussie! She is my son's dog, and he did all the work raising her. She LIVES for that boy! She is a feisty, playful, confident, smart, trainable dog! She inherited the Schnauzer's non-shedding coat, with the Mini Aussie softness.
Her trainability and desire to please compliments the Basenji well, although she is a bit more independent-natured than the Sheltie, Poodle and Border Collie.
Biscuit brings her small size, non-shedding coat, and beautiful blue merle color to the table...
and her half Basenji (ie, Mini BaSchnaussie) pups are freaking adorable!
Our Mini BaSchnaussie pups are Cute, Small, Scruffy, Confident, Spunky, Non-Shedding and Ultra-Hypoallergenic!
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