BASENJI QUIRKS
 Basenjis do some very peculiar things that may seem
unremarkable at first blush, especially if you have had some experience
with other sighthounds. When you see all these quirks together in one
dog, however, you discover the uniquely lovable personality of the
Basenji!
 They lean. If they were human children, their school teacher would
continually holler at them to straighten up and stop slouching! They
lean against furniture, and they lean particularly hard against their
humans. It is a very endearing quality if you don't mind 22 pounds
pushing against some part of your anatomy. It's rather like supporting a
little drunk so he won't fall down again. And the ears back? That can be
a Basenji saying, I'm not happy about something. Would you please figure
it out and fix it?
They often sit way back on their tail with their hind feet in the
air. It looks much like the classic position dogs assume when they
"scoot" due to anal gland problems, but Basenjis, I am convinced, sit
like this just to amuse their humans. This is a variation of "the lean".
Basenjis are very casual creatures, you see.
They try to rotate their head 360°. It saves them having to
change the position of their feet when they want to see behind
themselves. One basenji breeder I know calls it "the Exorcist routine".
If you saw the movie, you know what I'm talking about. It's Linda Blair
without the green stuff and bad language.
 They have regular fits of extreme excitability. This is known by
Basenji owners as the B-500. The dog may be leaning against you (rotating
his head, perhaps) when he gets a sudden urge to run like hell. He
launches himself as if there's a bottle rocket in his little butt, and
flies through the house with wild eyes and a crazy grin on his face.
When he returns to the starting point, he body-slams into the back of
the couch, propels himself onto a chair and then begins the circuit
anew. The B500 is most thrilling if there's another Basenji to race
with, but the cat will do in a pinch.
Basenjis are inveterate thieves. Why? We don't know. Maybe Basenjis
hoard purloined objects against a time of scarcity; similar
psychological tendencies in humans have been blamed on the Great
Depression, so why not in dogs? More likely, they just don't understand
the concept of Yours and Mine. All I know is that when something comes
up missing, there's a good chance I'll find it in Ruby's crate.
Incidentally, my first introduction to Ruby's sire culminated in his
stealing my glasses from my purse when no one was looking.
 Basenjis sport a "Mohawk" or "ridgie". This is a strip of
fur that
runs down the back and is presumably raised to make the animal appear
more imposing—though that 1-inch bristle is far less intimidating to
me than those 3/4-inch teeth! It is not necessarily a sign of
aggression, however. Basenjis put up their 'hawks whenever they
encounter something new, and sometimes even in play. Of course it also
comes up when meeting a potentially lethal dog for the first time. Think
of it as "high alert" or "we're in danger". (It always makes me think of Mr. T from the 80s
TV show. A gold necklace and black leather vest would complete the
image.)
Basenjis do not like to get wet. If it's raining outside, the Basenji
can "hold it" until the cows come home! Ever wonder about 40 days on the
Biblical ark? No problem for that pair of Basenjis! The only time this
caution is discarded is if there's a possibility of chasing the evil
squirrels in the back yard, and then a monsoon wouldn't matter.
Basenjis insist on licking objects until they are dry. Another
mystery: Is this a throw-back to periodic droughts in their ancestral
homeland, or are they perennially thirsty? Whatever the cause, if you
make the mistake of letting a basenji in the bathroom when you shower,
you will be relentlessly licked when you step out of the tub. Ruby even
dries the cat when he comes in from the rain!
They love fruits and vegetables. Every Basenji is different, of
course, and not all Basenjis are hearty eaters. As a general rule,
though, Basenjis are apt to raid the vegetable garden if they have
access. Kids will be delighted to discover that the dog just happens to
like all the things they do NOT, including yucky cauliflower and
broccoli! Ruby is especially fond of sliced beets (see picture at right) and green beans. She
also favors peaches. Actually, there are very few foods that she does
not like: olives, lettuce, celery, apples and bananas, for example. She
is an inveterate little beggar. We thought we were safe snacking on
peanuts, until - yep! - she decided she likes them, too!
Basenjis like to sleep with the pack. It seems somewhat
contradictory, given their reputation as an "independent" breed. Be that
as it may, when it's bedtime, they want to be with you, their pack...as
"with you" as they can be...not even a hair's breadth away from you!
It's as though some hot, furry, malleable substance has oozed against
the contours of your body and stuck there all night. Or, as Karen, slave
of True, of Woodstock, NY puts it, "It's almost as if you are by
yourself, except that you feel all warm and fuzzy. Especially in
shedding season." As if that isn't charming enough, they also sleep as
though in a state of rigor mortis, with their stiff little legs stuck
straight out...into your partner's back or front...or yours, if the
bugger is sleeping against your partner...and oh, but those nails can be
cruel! I guess the bigger question is not "Why do they?", but "Why do WE
allow it?"! Would any alienists care to speculate?
 A basenji washes its face in a cat-like manner. They are fastidious
groomers. An especially messy treat, or a Bones and Raw Food diet, might
warrant immediate wiping of the lips on the couch or carpet, but
eventually there will be a more thorough clean-up with washcloth paws.
It can usually wait until after a nap, however.
Basenjis dig furniture. Literally! A sure sign of a Basenji household
is covers on the couch and chairs to hide the holes. Why do they dig?
Compassion for humanity, my friend. They aren't intent on destuffing the
couch and strewing foam "guts" all over the room, no, no, no! they are
trying to liberate the poor souls in Communist China! Hey, it's not
THEIR fault they have to dig through a stupid couch to get there!
 They are compulsive sky watchers. Basenjis are unusually interested in
what is happening above their heads. They notice birds, bees,
butterflies and airplanes. Do they have a dim genetic memory of the
Jurassic Period when their evolutionary ancestors had wings? Do they
dream of flying? No, they dream of chasing. Remember the Basenji motto:
Semper captare! (Ghandi, 6 months old, observes some blackbirds
overhead. He lives with Tim Miejan
in Woodbury, Minnesota.)
 Finally,
Basenjis do a thing where they'll dig at your furniture and/or bed
sheets—and I mean frantically—while at the same time doing a Basenji
headstand spin. It's the strangest thing to watch. It's like the same
burst of energy you see when they decide to do the Basenji-500 all over
your house. (And we thought the Three Stooges were so inventive!
I wonder . . . did Curly have a Basenji? (What are you, a wise guy?!)
Go Back |
