I think he is a basenji dachshund mix. What do you all think?


  • My friend found this dog on the side of the road and I took him in. I have had him over two years now and have always told people he was some sort of terrier mix. Now I am starting to think differently since I have done some research and found basenji's. I was ecstatic when I first saw the basenji picture because I had never seen a dog so similar to mine. I've always thought he was a unique dog, so I was very interested in finding out what his genetics were made up of.
    His tail has a white tip but does not curl, instead it curves up. He is tri colored with a black glossy (saddle?) coat. He has white chest and white legs with black and tan specks on his chest and front legs. His ears are not always set back the way they are in the picture I will be attaching, but when he is alert they perk up the way basenji's ears look.
    The curiosity has finally gotten to me so I thought I would get some basenji owner's opinions.

    p.s. The white/blonde dog in some of the pictures is a corgi lab mix.
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  • He certainly has Basenji colouration, and the third picture does make me think possible part Basenji.
    Kind of hard to tell without a good standing side shot; what kind of vocalizations does he make?


  • He whines when he wants your attention. The only time he will bark is when he is alerting us that there is someone at the door. His bark is short and sharp, sometimes ending in a low rounded growl. I've never heard him howl or do the yodeling I've read that basenji's do.

    He is a very fast dog, I've honestly never seen one so fast. He also points with his front leg when he finds a squirrel in a tree or something . Are basenji's known to do that?


  • I think rat terrier is more likely


  • There is an idiot breeding basenjis just like this in florida, and we suspect dachshunds created the "low riders". Contact Pam at flbasenji@earthlink.net as she is likely to be able to tell from where you got him if it is one.


  • @lvoss:

    I think rat terrier is more likely

    I agree with lvoss. I think he might be a type of Rat Terrier called a Teddy Roosevelt Terrier. Scroll down on this page to the dog in the last 4 photos. http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/teddyrooseveltterrier.htm It reminds me of your dog. Google images for Teddy Roosevelt Terrier to see more of the variations in the breed.


  • Robyn, I think he looks very similar to the Teddy!


  • Some Rat Terriers, like Deckers, look very much like short tailed basenjis, they are the same size and coloring. Dexter is very cute, may well be good part basenji. The DNA test seems fairly accurate, if you want to spend the $70.


  • Just wondering if he barks or does he make basenji noises? I have to agree he looks more terrier than basenji though.

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