Basenji Dogs
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Liann
Cathlete
I haven't owned one myself, but think they are very nice looking dogs. Here's a link to the Basenji Club of America. There is a lot of good info. there. Hopefully, you will find some owners here too who can give you some insight. 
http://www.basenji.org/PUBLIC/AboutBasenjis.htm
http://www.basenji.org/PUBLIC/AboutBasenjis.htm
SirenSongWoman
Cathlete
Man, I really wish I could remember the name of an old black-and-white movie, starring Signey Portier, about a little boy (Brandon DeWilde) who lived out in the sticks and found this really sweet dog he got deeply attached to. He thought the dog was a mutt and was bewildered by the way the dog made strange noises but didn't exactly bark. Portier explained to the boy all about the breed, with which he was familiar. I think he also warned the boy that the dog he was falling in love with looked like a pure-breed and was surely valuable... Sure enough, in the end some guy who'd lost his dog on the way back from a dog show came looking for him. It was heartbreaking when the boy had to give him up and the dog was, indeed, really lovely.
buckeyegirl
Cathlete
April,
I'm in the same boat as you regarding being ready for dog#2 and him not quite there yet. I've been looking on petfinder and local rescues, and have a couple of leads...then I need to convince DH that Robbie (our 6 year old Border Terrier) needs a friend...
From my experience, I think that finding Basenjis are going to be difficult. They are pretty rare and expensive...also, don't let the "they don't bark" be a selling point. Trust me, they whine enough to drive you insane And, they are *very* active from what I've seen. Just my .02...
Good luck in the dog search...
Heidi
I'm in the same boat as you regarding being ready for dog#2 and him not quite there yet. I've been looking on petfinder and local rescues, and have a couple of leads...then I need to convince DH that Robbie (our 6 year old Border Terrier) needs a friend...
From my experience, I think that finding Basenjis are going to be difficult. They are pretty rare and expensive...also, don't let the "they don't bark" be a selling point. Trust me, they whine enough to drive you insane
And, they are *very* active from what I've seen. Just my .02...Good luck in the dog search...
Heidi
We found our current dog, Serena, on PetFinder. She's a good dog. Now that I'm learning more about dog behavior, she's an even better dog. And I'm wanting to inflict my new-found skills on another dog.
I have had the thought of a Basenji for a long time. I know they're high energy and that's ok; we have lots of room for it and our other dog to run around together and I like to jog. I know they're not noiseless. Any dog can drive one nuts. I also know they're hard to find and pricey. That's ok. We can wait and we can afford to pay a fee for the dog if we find one we like. Now to convince DH...
April
I have had the thought of a Basenji for a long time. I know they're high energy and that's ok; we have lots of room for it and our other dog to run around together and I like to jog. I know they're not noiseless. Any dog can drive one nuts.
I also know they're hard to find and pricey. That's ok. We can wait and we can afford to pay a fee for the dog if we find one we like. Now to convince DH... April
andtckrtoo
Cathlete
The only alarm bells I get from dogbreedinfo.com are that Basenjis can be reserved around strangers (which means you will be spending his/her entire puppyhood socializing, socializing, socializing - Aussie's have this same trait and Jimmy is now bomb proof, but it took a LOT of work - if you don't do this, you could end up with a biter). The other alarm bell is that they are stubborn. I'm not sure what kind of dog you have now, but a stubborn dog is a pain to train. Techniques that work with other dogs, might not work as well with dogs that are known to be stubborn (huskies are also like this). They are trainable, but they often will consider what you tell them and what they want to do, and sometimes pick to do what they want to do - regardless of training. They, also like Aussies, need a job - so be prepared to spend a lot of time with him/her and to keep this dog busy. This is not a dog who is happy at home alone all day - so doggie day care or other activites are a must if you work all day.
Just my 2 cents - I hate to see dogs mismatched with their people, but if you have been doing your research - and it sounds like you have, wonderful!! Enjoy the pup! I would recommend attending local dog shows to find breeders and talk to them a lot about their dogs, temperments, etc.
And don't forget rescue - you find a lot of great dogs through rescue organizations such as http://www.basenjirescue.org/ You can find lots of good dogs through rescue. There's a great page on "Is the Basenji the right dog for you?" http://basenjirescue.org/BRAT_Info/BRAT-FAQ.htm#Is%20a%20basenji%20the%20right%20dog%20for%20me%20and%20my%20family?
And please do not take this as me not thinking you are serious or cannot handle a dog. I'm absolutely sure you are and are quite good with dogs. I just have seen so many dogs that sound good placed in families that cannot handle their temperments - so I make sure people are very, very sure when they look at specific breed traits. I thought I wanted a husky, and realized that a husky and me are not a good mix. I was fortunate in that I had a great friend who was a good mix with my husky so Sasha got a good home. My Aussies, however, are perfect mixes for me, but they are not the dogs for everyone - they are a lot of work.
Just my 2 cents - I hate to see dogs mismatched with their people, but if you have been doing your research - and it sounds like you have, wonderful!! Enjoy the pup! I would recommend attending local dog shows to find breeders and talk to them a lot about their dogs, temperments, etc.
And don't forget rescue - you find a lot of great dogs through rescue organizations such as http://www.basenjirescue.org/ You can find lots of good dogs through rescue. There's a great page on "Is the Basenji the right dog for you?" http://basenjirescue.org/BRAT_Info/BRAT-FAQ.htm#Is%20a%20basenji%20the%20right%20dog%20for%20me%20and%20my%20family?
And please do not take this as me not thinking you are serious or cannot handle a dog. I'm absolutely sure you are and are quite good with dogs. I just have seen so many dogs that sound good placed in families that cannot handle their temperments - so I make sure people are very, very sure when they look at specific breed traits. I thought I wanted a husky, and realized that a husky and me are not a good mix. I was fortunate in that I had a great friend who was a good mix with my husky so Sasha got a good home. My Aussies, however, are perfect mixes for me, but they are not the dogs for everyone - they are a lot of work.
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