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Thiablue's avatar
Thiablue
7 years ago
Solved

Basenji

Why do Sim Basenjis bark? It is commonly known that the Basenji (African Barkless Dog), while not mute, does not bark. They yodel, chortle, burr, howl and yowl--as you'll find in countless videos acr...
gameplay issue
  • PugLove888's avatar
    PugLove888
    7 years ago

    @Thiablue, I would think it was for simplicities sake, but I bet the real reason that Basenjis bark in the Sims 4 is that most people aren't aware that they don't bark in real life! 🤨  So I'm pretty sure it was an oversight.   I have a similar problem with Pugs in the game.  They do bark, but many of them make every noise under the sun way more than they will bark. 😃  Of the two I've had , my current one barks, but my first Pug only barked a couple of times.  He sounded more like a Tauntaun from Star Wars The Emperor Strikes Back! :eahigh_file:

    I once met a Basenji at the vet's -- it was a very sweet dog and really liked me!  ❤️

    I've heard basenji's speak, and while it is different from a Pug's noises, you can always do what I do for the Pugs in my game -- I give them the fox sound, since I think it is a closer fit than the barks in the game! 😉

    If you still don't like that suggestion, then if you don't mind playing with Mods, there might be a Mod that has a Basenji's yodel.  🙂  Or perhaps one of the Mod Makers might take requests.  I don't play with Mods (I'm too lazy to keep up with all the maintenance that is required to play with them 😳 ) but it can't hurt to look. 😉

    Best of Luck and Happy Simming! 🥳

PugLove888's avatar
PugLove888
Hero (Retired)
7 years ago

@Thiablue, I would think it was for simplicities sake, but I bet the real reason that Basenjis bark in the Sims 4 is that most people aren't aware that they don't bark in real life! 🤨  So I'm pretty sure it was an oversight.   I have a similar problem with Pugs in the game.  They do bark, but many of them make every noise under the sun way more than they will bark. 😃  Of the two I've had , my current one barks, but my first Pug only barked a couple of times.  He sounded more like a Tauntaun from Star Wars The Emperor Strikes Back! :eahigh_file:

I once met a Basenji at the vet's -- it was a very sweet dog and really liked me!  ❤️

I've heard basenji's speak, and while it is different from a Pug's noises, you can always do what I do for the Pugs in my game -- I give them the fox sound, since I think it is a closer fit than the barks in the game! 😉

If you still don't like that suggestion, then if you don't mind playing with Mods, there might be a Mod that has a Basenji's yodel.  🙂  Or perhaps one of the Mod Makers might take requests.  I don't play with Mods (I'm too lazy to keep up with all the maintenance that is required to play with them 😳 ) but it can't hurt to look. 😉

Best of Luck and Happy Simming! 🥳

  • Thiablue's avatar
    Thiablue
    7 years ago

    @PugLove888, Thank you for your kind words and suggestions. I do not play with mods anymore. Had them for a while and after the last big update my game crashed with fury. I couldn't even open the game until I removed all mods. I haven't worked with Cats and Dogs enough to know there were wolf sounds. That would be more appropriate.

    I've had hundreds of Basenjis through my home via rescue. Each one is as different as the shapes of snowflakes. Not one of them with credentials (registered) ever barked. Even the puppymill dogs will make the normal Basenji sounds, despite having been housed in close quarters with a variety of other breeds. I have a Fauxsenji at the moment. She is a multibreed blend with very fortunate coloring. She has trained her own tail to curl almost a full circle and she chortles when alarmed.

    The developers nailed the Basenji personality. Aloof, independent and loyal is the typical Basenji. They do need to work in the distinct catlike cleaning habits. A true Basenji will have no odor. You can pet them and your hands will not smell of dog. The only odor of note would be that their feet smell of Fritos. No idea why, but it is a breed trait.

    I currently have 2 Basenjis, aged 16 and 14. The elder is very vocal, making all the delightful Basenji sounds. The younger has the typical demon like growl, but her yodel sounds like a high pitched crow. There is never a dull moment in the Basenji household.

    • PugLove888's avatar
      PugLove888
      Hero (Retired)
      7 years ago

      @Thiablue, I understand about Mods!  I played with them in TS3, but they messed up my game (not as badly as you experienced ) so I removed them, and then never used them for TS4! 

      The fox sounds for dogs (and the racoon sounds for cats) are located in the upper left corner of the CAP screen.  The fox/racoon choice in on the right of the voice selector! 😉  The reason why these sounds are included is because you can make a racoon using a cat template and a fox using a dog template.  While the fox might not sound exactly like a Basenji, it is at least both canine and not a dog! 😉

      How wonderful you rescue Basenjis! 😇 What coloring does you Fauxsenji have?  Do you know her other breeds?  I didn't know that tails could be trained to curl! 🤨 That is amazing! :eahigh_file: I'm a huge fan of curled tails (which is a good thing as a Pug owner!).  The Pugs in the game if you use the breed selector has the curl in a horizontal direction, but most Pugs I've seen have their tails curled in a vertical direction.  My senior Pug that passed away had his tail in a big circle like a doughnut, but my young Pug's tail is tightly curled, more like a Basenji's. The senior was a rescue, but the young one isn't.  

      I've heard that Basenji's were aloof , but the one I met wasn't, at least not with me.🙂 I Did not know about the feet smelling like Fritos! 😃  My senior Pug smelled like Fritos, but that was because of the food we fed him. He was on a diet to keep his weight down.  I use different food for the young Pug but when I got low and the store didn't have a shipment in, I would supplement her food with her brother's -- and then she started to smell like Fritos too! 😃  But that wasn't just their feet, but their whole bodies.  I wonder why Basenji's only smell like Fritos on their feet?  🤔 Very interesting! 

      My senior Pug we rescued when he was 5 or 6 years old and we had him 10 years.  He was such a sweet, funny, happy dog!  He was the classic fawn with black markings like you see in my avatar.  My little girl is solid black and is 2 years old and a handful!  Pugs are very funny dogs!  🥳

      Your Basenji's sound very entertaining as well! ❤️ Do your neighbors ever think you have a strange animal in your house since they don't sound like other dogs?  It sounds like you have a lot of fun ! :eahigh_file:

      • Thiablue's avatar
        Thiablue
        7 years ago

        @PugLove888 My Fauxsenji is the lovely red and white most recognized as Basenji. She only has two white feet, conformation requires all four be white. The tip of her tail is not white as Basenji confirmation requires. She is also about 5 inches taller and her back is much longer than a Basenji--they are quite square in regards to length and height. I was told her mother was Jack Russell, but that is highly unlikely as she weighs over 30 lbs. Her back legs/feet appear similar to a Boxer. I just say she's a good'ole Texas blend. I once fostered a Lab mix who taught his tail to curl a bit and picked up a few B vocalizations. Basenjis truly believe barking is rude and are quick to correct any canine in the home of proper language.

        I've had all colored Basenjis through my home. Brindle (my favorite), Black & White, Red & White, Tri-Colored and Trindle (Tri-colored with brindling in the otherwise black areas). You can see the full range of colors at www.basenjirescue.org, as well as details about their many quirks. Neighbors are often amused by the occasional yodel and frightened by their demonic growl. I once had a new neighbor complain my dogs were barking and being a nuisance. Of course, the local animal control officers were quite acquainted with my pack and informed the neighbor that was quite impossible. The new neighbor stopped by out of curiosity and was warmly greeted with wiggling tu-tus (my name for their cute curly tails). My Brindle boy crossed the bridge in 2017, he was truly my baby. I still have a red/white girl aged 16 and a black/white girl aged 14. My days of rescue have been cut short by health issues, but I am still a call away for rescuers and owners needing advice. I still get emails with photos of those I've placed. Oh, Basenji tails are supposed to curl like a little donut laying to one side or the other. Curling up and over the back is a fault. My black/white girl has an up and over tu-tu along with other anatomical abnormalities seen in poor breeding.

        Frito-feet may be common in other breeds as well. My Fauxsenji doesn't have it though. From what I've seen, the developers did an amazing job on the breeds I'm familiar with. I understand it is impossible to get everything spot-on. I'm just happy my Sim families have the joy of living with my favorite little imps.

        I do enjoy our exchanges.

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