Pharaoh Hound OR Basenji - Have one? Know someone with one?

I'm considering buying a Pharoah Hound or maybe a Basenji instead of buying a boxer.

Everyone has a boxer and these are a bit more unusual...

Anyway! I'm a bit unsure of the personalities of both breeds as i have never seen one... but pharoah seems a little speedy and high maintenance whereas Besenji seems a bit docile and maybe even dim, uninteresting to watch...

I was hoping someone might know one of either breed somehow and could give me their opinion?

Thanks

Please do not guess - you either have interacted with one or you haven't, and if you haven't your wasting both our times :)

I know the top three breeders of Pharoah hounds for the last two years (meaning their dogs have taken the top positions in conformation within the breed, not that these people produce the most amount of pups) and I ADORE this breed. They are hard to get a hold of simply because they are so rare, so if you are settled on getting one, get your butt to conformation shows and start talking to people about the breed and how to get in touch with good breeders.

Pharaoh hounds are great, but then again I LOVE sighthounds. And these guys are classic sighthounds. They can NOT be kept in an unfenced yard. The fence should be dug into the ground and a minimum of 6' high above ground to prevent escapees. If they do happen to get out, they will run for quite some time. They must be socialized at a young age around small animals if you intend to keep small animals (cats, ferrets, rabbits) as these dogs are sighthounds and will seize the opportunity to make a meal out of them. They are rather aloof with strangers, but for me this is one of their charms. They aren't the typical happy go lucky lab or boxer who will warm up to everyone. They require a knowledgable and determined owner. For the most part they are relatively healthy because the genetic population has been kept out of the hands of haphazard breeders! Pharaohs need to be kept busy, be it obedience or agility or some other dog sport, otherwise they will find themselves in a LOT of trouble. In the right hands, Pharaohs are smart, athletic and great companions. In the wrong hands, many of them wind up back with the breeder within a year or two. But again, they are aloof dogs and don't ordinarily readily accept strangers. They are a beautiful breed - nothing about them is extreme so they look perfectly balanced.

I've also worked with and interacted with a number of Basenji's and I also really like this breed. I like the fact that they seem to just take the world in, but again they aren't particularly outgoing. For being a relatively small dog, they are sturdy and quite athletic. As you put it, they seem uninteresting to watch, but the truth of the matter is that when you look at a Basenji watching the world go by, you can see their quite intelligence at work. They assess the world around them with little interaction. They too can be troublesome escapees if not given the proper exercise and confinement (but I think just about every dog fits this description). They don't bark - the noise they make is considered a yodel, not a bark. So the good news is that a Basenji won't become a problem barker. I've never heard any make any noise so I can't describe the yodel to you.

Both are fairly rare breeds, so if you are serious about considering purchasing one of these breeds, I suggest you attend some all breed conformation or obedience competitions to get to meet some of them. From there you can talk with owners/handlers/breeders about the finer points of the breeds and the possibility of purchasing one.You can also log on to thier parent club's websites to get more info and to try to contact breeders. If you deadly serious about Pharaohs, contact me and I can put you in touch with some REALLY AWESOME breeders. Might be able to get in touch with some people who might know some great Basenji breeders too. But as always, there is a waiting list for pups from reputable breeders. Don't be surprised if a pup is $1000+.

My friend has a basenji,
they are very similar to cats
for they cant even do the slightest
"bark". Yes, they cant bark.
They do this weird sound
that is sort of like a whimper.

My next door neighbor has a
Pharoah Hound&Border Collie
mix. They are energetic dogs.
Thats fer sure. Great Companions.
I would so recommend this dog.

I've had friends who've had besenji's and a friend has two tan and white basenji's they are beautiful dogs, they are quick and fast, she races her eldest one. However, they are pray dogs and will chase smaller dogs and attack them. We've encountered problems with her dogs at the dog park they started attacking smaller dogs, both dogs were very sweet and nice so I was surprised to hear this. They don't bark they have a yodel which is funny to hear. I don't know much about pharaoh hounds.

LMAO on the idea of a Basenji being "docile", "dim", or "uninteresting to watch".

They're sighthounds, just like Pharaoh Hounds. Which means that you never trust them off-leash, you give them plenty of exercise, and don't plan on having any cats or small furry pets.

If you're looking for a breed because it's "more unusual" be SURE you do your research because you sure can't pick a breed based on looks alone.

And by the way - everyone says Basenjis are mute. Not true. Just because they don't bark doesn't mean they don't make noise.

I knew someone who bred pharaoh hounds. Her dogs that I met were both about 6 months to a year old when I was with them. They are very active dogs. Very smart, but also strong willed and need a handler who is not going to give in or let them get away with silly things. They also have a very high prey drive! If you have small animals or cats in your house, you may want to reconsider because I'm not sure how easy it is for them to be trained not to chase small furry creatures.

I know you are looking for people's personal encounters with both of these breeds, but you may want to look at www.breederretriever.com for the general temparement and care requirements of both of these breeds. I find that the website is usually very honest about the breeds and has always helped me with my own research on dog breeds.

Good luck and make sure to love and enjoy whichever puppy you choose!

not familiar with Pharoah Hound, but if its a hound, its a handful (I have a Basset) My neighbour had a Basenji, quiet, intelligent, friendly and very agile, I really liked little Ben!

Are you in the UK?

If so - you might want to get yourself to Crufts at the Birmingham NEC next weekend. I believe (although you may want to check) that both those breeds will be shown on Sunday.

You'll be able to speak to people experienced with those breeds.

Alternatively - why not speak to some members of the breed clubs?