Let us look at a rare cross breed – Basenji Pit bull mix.
Basenji Pitbull mix is a designer breed developed by crossbreeding of Basenji with Pitbull. He is a medium-sized dog also known as Pitsenji.
They may bark less and make a yodeling sound if basenji genes dominates more.
Temperament
Pitsenjis are very active and energetic dogs. They would need a lot of playtime or exercise to keep them fit. It is ideal if you can have a 1-hour long walk daily with them.
They can also make their own decisions and thus may be difficult to train.
Like both the parents, the basenji pit bull mixes have a high prey drive. They may chase small animals and you should not trust them with small animals with whom they have not been raised.
Appearance
Basenji Pitbull mixes are medium-sized dogs with pricked ears. They have a slim body and a deep chest. They have a thick short coat that comes in varied colors like black, white, red, or brindle. They are easier to groom.
They can grow to a height of 15 to 17 inches tall and weigh approximately 25 to 35 pounds. The average lifespan of these dogs is 10 to 14 years.
Health
They may be prone to few ailments like below and you should keep a watch.
Fanconi Syndrome
This is a kidney disease in which protein needed for the body is thrown away. Symptoms may include excessive thirst. There is no test to know if the dog is a carrier but the effects are usually shown at 4 to 7 years of age.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy
This is a group of diseases in which Pitsenji starts to lose his sight in the night and slowly in a year or two, may completely lose his sight.
Hypothyroidism
In this disease, sufficient thyroid hormone is not produced by the body. Symptoms may include fatigue, obesity, etc.
Bloating
This is common to dogs having a deep chest. The air may get trapped within the stomach and the dog may not be able to vomit. This could prove fatal and immediate medical attention is required.
Training
It may not be easy for a new owner to train them and we would not recommend a Basenji Pitbull mix to a novice dog owner.
Pit bulls are strong, confident, and strong-willed dogs. Basenjis on the other hand are independent hound dogs with high prey drive.
Pitsenjis are intelligent dogs who can easily learn the commands but it may prove difficult to make him obey as he may decide what is best for him.
They need consistent positive reinforcement training.
Differences between Basenji and Pitbull
| Basenji | Pitbull |
|---|---|
| They don’t shed much | They do shed |
| They drool a lot | Pits do not drool. |
| They gel well with pets at home if bred together | They may be aggressive to other pets |
Similarities between Basenji and Pitbull
Both of these dogs are good companion dogs. They love humans including strangers and are not suitable as watchdogs. They are intelligent and active dogs requiring lots of physical and mental activities.
How to find a Pitsenji puppy?
It is going to be difficult as they are very rare to find.
We would recommend you to check at the Basenji rescue center first and then at the Pitbull centers. If no, you would need to look at various breeders most likely in other cities as well.
Take into account the extra time and cost that would come with the to and fro travel.
About Parent breeds
Let us have a look at the parent breeds to know about the Basenji pitbull mix.
Basenji
Basenjis are small, smart, and independent hounds. You can easily identify them with their short coat, upright ears, and curly tail.
They are considered to be one of the oldest dog breeds and were bred in the ancient civilization near the Nile river. They were then bred as hunting dogs for their great speed and excellent scent tracking abilities.
Basenjis are also known to be good at jumping vertically. They have a high prey drive and you should not trust them with small pets whom they have not been bred with.
They don’t bark and are often also called “Barkless dog” but they are not less noisy as they do yodeling. Check out this video of them.
They are intelligent dogs who can be obstinate and it might be difficult to train but as a small dog, they adapt well to apartment living.
Basenjis have a short hair coat and expressive eyes. They have pricked upright ears and a curly tail that is high set.
They come in red, black, or brindle with possible markings of white on feet, chest, and tail tip.
Basenjis can grow to a height of 16 to 17 inches and weigh approximately 22 to 24 pounds. Their average lifespan is around 10 to 12 years.
They rank 87 in the 195 dogs of the most popular dog list by AKC.
Pitbull
Pitbulls are good companion dogs. They have been considered aggressive due to few fatal incidents.
While Pitbulls are good if they get trained and socialized properly, the incidents had happened because they were bred for aggressiveness or were not trained properly.
Pitbulls were developed in the early 19th century by crossing Bulldogs with Terriers to have the best of both in the dog fighting games which were popular back then.
They are known for their strength and confidence. They love humans but can be aggressive to other pets.
Pits are medium-sized dogs having a strong, powerful, and muscular body. They have a short and smooth coat and come in many colors like red, blue, brown, grey, black, brindle, and white.
Pitbull can grow to a height of 17 to 19 inches and weigh approximately 30 to 85 pounds. Their average lifespan is around 12 to 16 years.
They are not recognized by AKC as a breed though its British counterpart UKC recognizes them.
Hope we were able to give you some good insights here!
Now it is your turn to let us know if you have own Basenji Pitbull mix or know one of them. Awaiting your comments below.
There are many designer breeds, Pitsenji is one of them. Pitsenji (also known as BasenBull ) is a crossbreed, developed by crossing the Basenji and a Pitbull. They are medium size dogs and the breed is becoming popular every day. The Pitsenji is not recognized by the AKC, as it is considered to be a hybrid breed (designer breed).