Brindle Basenji: Top Things You Need to Know!

The Brindle Basenji can be recognized by their short coat, curled tail, and wrinkly forehead.

Although Basenjis are small dogs, they’re often described as “catlike” from their behavior to the way they groom and clean themselves. These dogs will use their paws to wash — just like a cat!

Their calm demeanor paired with the fact that they shed very little makes them ideal dogs to have indoors.

Are Brindle Basenjis Purebred?

Brindle Basenjis are purebred, with brindle being one of their traditional coat patterns.

Purebred Basenjis will average around $1,000 to buy as puppies, but the price will range depending on the lineage or bloodline of your Brindle Basenji. These dogs are majestic and graceful, and a full-blood Basenji trotting or running or hunting is a sight to behold!

Named as one of the best Brindle dog breeds, the Basenji is a truly unique and sleek dog.

Are They Good with Children?

The Brindle Basenji is a good dog to raise with children. Although this dog is extremely energetic, it’s known to be good with kids.

It’s also known to be:

• Fun
• Playful
• Intelligent
• Silent (which is a must for any already-noisy family)

Although these dogs sometimes have a difficult personality to deal with and require attention and training, that doesn’t mean you should give up on your dog. With the correct procedures and precautions taken while raising your Basenji, it can be an awesome, loyal, energetic, and playful family dog.

How Much Exercise Do They Need?

The Brindle Basenji is a very high-energy dog, which probably stems from the dog’s ancestry of hunting and stalking prey in Central Africa.

Because of the Basenji’s physique and energy levels, you should take these dogs for several walks a day, or provide an area where the dog can get plenty of exercise. It’s always important to keep your Basenji on a leash when in public, though, because the Basenji has strong predatory instincts.

Chasing after an occasional squirrel is fine, but you have to make sure it doesn’t start chasing your neighbor’s cat. Because of this, these dogs thrive in a fenced-in area in which they can play, exercise, and run.

Are Basenjis Good Starter Dogs?

The Brindle Basenji is a good starter dog if you’re prepared to give it plenty of activity and train it.

These dogs are extremely active, and notorious for chewing up furniture if they’re left untrained or unattended. Because of this, you have to be ready for the task of training and giving your Basenji love and attention!

If you can take on that challenge, though, the Basenji is a great dog for you or your family to own! These dogs have relatively few health problems compared to other breeds.

Experts recommend that you still get your dog tested for specific ailments before buying it, though. It’s important to watch your Basenji for issues specific to the breed. Many of these dogs are prone to eye problems.

Another common health problem with the Basenji is Fanconi Syndrome, which affects up to 7% of all Basenjis. This health problem is fatal when untreated, though with the proper care a dog with this affliction will have close to a normal lifespan.

How to Groom and Care for a Basenji

The Brindle Basenji has an extremely short and shiny coat and has the habit of cleaning itself. Due to this, this dog can oftentimes go a week or longer without needing a brush.

The grooming usually required by a Basenji is a good rubdown or a simple, quick brush since the Basenji sheds so little. According to the AKC, brushing makes the Basenji’s coat look glossy and healthy as it distributes skin oils throughout the coat.

Another unique thing about the Basenji is that these dogs usually don’t have the traditional “dog smell” that other breeds have.

This isn’t to say that the Brindle Basenji doesn’t require grooming or care, though. The Basenji does still require nail upkeep and trimming along with occasional baths and brushing.

Buying a Brindle Basenji

These dogs are sold by specialty breeders in-person or online. Although it’s always important to watch out for scams and other problems with buying a Basenji online, this is an option that can come in handy depending on where you live and how many breeders are in your area.

One reputable location where you can buy a Brindle Basenji is through the official AKC listings. It’s important to make sure the breeder you buy from takes the proper procedures in health screening for your dog. Because of the hereditary diseases that some Basenjis have, it’s important to know where your Basenji comes from.

How Much Does a Brindle Basenji Cost?

The price for a Brindle Basenji can vary depending on the breeder, lineage, age, gender, and several other factors. As a general rule of thumb, though, a Basenji will cost anywhere from $800 to $2,000 on average.

Although the prices vary greatly, it’s possible to find a Basenji on the lower end of the spectrum with a bit of research and patience – and with patience comes the purchase of the Basenji, with its distinct coloring, wrinkles, and yodel.

How to Train a Brindle Basenji

Basenjis are particularly notorious for being slightly more difficult to train than other breeds. This doesn’t mean, though, that the breed is impossible to train.

With proper techniques and training, the Brindle Basenji can be a loyal, playful, and fantastic dog to have around the house. These dogs are known to be playful and affectionate, but without proper training, their energy and hunter instincts can be negative attributes.

These dogs are incredibly intelligent, which means that implementing rewards and signals into your training system will be beneficial. They pick up on what their owner wants quickly, so it’s important to keep this in mind.

Because of the Basenji’s ability to get into trouble and be mischievous, socializing with your dog is a requirement. Although they’re often described as catlike, these dogs are surprisingly fast learners and are often willing to please their owners.

Brindle Basenji Pros

Brindle Basenjis are known as one of the most beautiful Brindle dog breeds around. They’re energetic, playful, and extremely affectionate. Although these dogs can get into trouble occasionally, they’re great pets for beginners and more advanced dog lovers alike with the proper training.

They’re smaller in stature, and therefore easier to handle than a bigger dog (which is certainly a benefit, given their activity levels). These dogs are also comparatively healthy when compared to other common dog breeds.

Brindle Basenji Cons

Basenjis are known for their hunter instinct, which means that these dogs have to be trained well and oftentimes can fall prey to their desire to hunt.

These dogs can require a lot of exercise, as well, which means that you have to be willing to be active and pay plenty of attention to your dog when needed.

Lifespan and Basenjis at a glance

The average lifespan of the Basenji is 10 to 12 years, which is relatively normal for a dog their size.

Basenjis can be extremely loyal and active for their lifespan, including as they grow older. This means that even in old age, the Basenji will still resemble its puppy self — playful, mischievous, and active — albeit a bit slower.