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Interested in getting a Basenji… maybe

Basenji Talk
  • A

    So I have been doing some reading on the basenji breed. Some say they can't be left alone in the house and some say they can. I work days 9-5. I am able to go home for lunch. I guess this would be an issue with any dog breed. I'm on the fence about getting a pup. I wan't it to be a good experience for me and the pup also. Any advice?

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  • M

    Is this your first dog ever, or just first basenji? Mostly people want a pup to raise into their image of what they want in a dog…but it does not always happen that way! If this is your first dog, I suggest you think about a young adult, rescue or re-homed basenji. You will have a calmer dog, easier to take care of (think, hold bladder all day), possibly already house trained, and every bit as able to be molded into "your dog" as a puppy.

    Puppies, though adorable, are really hard work and can be very frustrating. An adult often 'gets it' with one correction and you get a dog that is very interactive but not so dependent as a pup. Already ready to jog, or hike, with you. Especially if you live alone, an adult is a good choice. Just something to think about.
    Ours are always out in the house during the day, but all are rescues gotten at 2 years of age. Again, mostly over that puppy chewing stage, happy to nap while you are at work. Most people crate youngsters, some crate adults whenever humans not at home, depends on the dog and lifestyle. A dog trained to their crate is not 'in jail' but just in a safe den of their own while you're gone.
    I love basenjis and have had at least one for the last 37 years. Every breed has it's unique challenges, if you want a loyally obedient dog like a German Shepherd, this may not be the best bet. If you love a bright interactive dog, able to outsmart you occasionally, and you know they must be kept on leash when walking, etc. a basenji is a great companion. Try and meet some, if there are any near you.
    Good luck, you are doing your homework and will find a nice dog, I'm sure.

    Anne in Tampa

    Chipley, Missy & Lucky

    Topper, Nicky & Eddie in the clouds

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  • N

    There are some breeders out your end of the Country that could probably help you out. Cheryl Myers Eggerton is a Judge and also a breeder, she is in Minto NB and has Connamore B's, Simone Guadet (Beaubri) is on PEI, Valerie Rodger (Miloki) is in Beaver Bank NS.

    I have two that I can leave out without issues, and two go in the crate when I am not home. It is all dependant on the dog. But, like Anne states, puppies are a lot of work and sometimes the older dogs, young adults and retired show dogs are the better ones to start with.

    You can find all of the above on the Basenji Club of Canada website under breeders. At least with Val, you could probably visit her since she is in NS directly.

    Let us know how it goes,

    Arlene, the Basenji Brats with the Boxenji![](images/smilies/biggrin.png "Big Grin")

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3/3

3 Sept 2010, 15:30

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  • J

    Looking at getting a Basenji.

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    @jordandwilly - Thanks for clearing that up.... 9-5 is just fine, IMO.... I work and have always had to leave mine when I was at work, never an issue. That said, we were able to set up the house that access to the backyard (with 10 to 12' privacy fences) with a doggy door and a dog room in the house for them, Locks on the gates so there is NO access for anyone. Dogs sleep 90% of the day so being at work doesn't bother them... never have mine even when I had a litter in the house (And have been in the breed as owner/breeder for 35+ years). You can hire a dog walker to take them out mid day..which is a good solution. and give them a mid day meal depending on their age. I do not and never have used free feeding, period. Especially if you have more that one... you never know what/who is eating what. And you can set up camera's on line to watch them from "afar".... LOL. Keep in mind people that many of us need to work and have day jobs. The most important thing is the time you need to spend with them when you are home. Example would be, if you have young children and you work... when you get home you are going to spend your time with your human children... NO dog would be happy if left out... they need their time also because they are a family member and need as much time as a human child. Again in my opinion
  • K

    How did you get your basenji to walk off leash?

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    D
    @eeeefarm said in How did you get your basenji to walk off leash?: What I find interesting is the change in attitude to dogs on leashes. At that time, many people walked their dogs off leash, and many left them loose on their properties all day long. First, and probably foremost, you're a excellent owner. We disagree on a lot of training things (like e-collars) but you are uber responsible. On the "in the old days"... I see parents talk about not how they roved the neighborhood or all over small towns and how safe. But I also worked with women over the age of 70 who had been sexually assaulted as children and never reported it. I am not sure kids were massively safer in the good old days except for the fact that back then, your neighbors DID look after your kids... they'd scold them or call you without being fearful of being called meddling... because it was about caring. We've lost that. As for dogs, yep... we're similar aged and I remember my grandmother's farm and the fairly steady stream of new farm dogs because they got killed by wild life/snakes etc or roving dogs. It was business as usual. Dog disappeared or dead-- get another one. I know many still feel that way. Rather have to dogs run free and happy and dead young than "cooped up." Our value for dogs as companions has dramatically changed, and our view of our responsibility for them. We always had cats and dogs who were allowed out, and like you, most stayed on the property. But I remember 3 dogs who didn't (one small, probably stolen) and cats didn't live long. We just took that as the norm. Obviously I have look back at that and am horrified. (Though there was an Irish setter who would NOT stay on his property and if the owners weren't there, he followed me about a mile to my house when I walked home from school. His owners laughed, would come get him when they got home if he didn't go back. I thought that was kewl back then but not so much then.) But my experience, and I lived in a very small town then, and a smallish one now, is very different. Then and now, dead dogs and cats on the road are incredibly common. The litmus test is research statistics. Cats who are even allowed out a few hours a day loose have dramatically decreased life spans. I haven't bothered to look about dogs, though a look at shelters should be enough to prove that dogs loose are often dogs lost. The number with electric fence collars demonstrates how ineffective even that is if prey drive kicks in. (for the record, your dog your choice. Loose cats however have an almost unimaginable impact on wildlife, so it IS my business if your cat runs loose.) Yep, times have definitely changed.
  • H

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  • ?

    When to get another Basenji

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    ?
    Wow! Somehow, I never got emails letting me know I had responses to this thread and just assumed there weren't any. But now that I'm back in the loop, I did want to thank everyone for their feedback and provide some thoughts of my own. That makes me laugh about the rescue person who wouldn't let young families or lawyers adopt her dogs. :-D I can understand her rationale from both perspectives. It's a compelling argument on her part about lawyers, but not all lawyers are the same, of course. I know a lot of extremely busy lawyers in large firms who struggle to hit their billable hour requirement each month. They're machines instead of people, and I wouldn't even let them dogsit my babies for fear of neglect. That's not my situation, fortunately. The young family part will be, but I've been thinking really carefully on how I'll balance this when the time comes. My dogs are my first children, and I would hire as many trainers as needed and try as many alternatives as I could before I would give them up. Unfortunately, I don't think a lot of people have that mindset about their dogs. :( I would absolutely be open to the idea of having the breeder choose a puppy for us based on their experience and prediction as to personality. All basenjis are gorgeous to me, and as long as the markings aren't completely off-base and I can get a tightly-curled tail (I've seen that the Avongaras can be lacking in this area, and I need a cinnamon bun in my life), personality is the most important thing. I wouldn't nitpick it to death. I'll have to decide on a breeder at some point, and I'd love one who's relatively local so I could visit. The man I got Penny from had great pet Basenjis that he bred… I'd like to go with a more reputable breeder this time around. At the very least, he tested for Fanconi. I can be grateful for that, as all is well so far and I more than likely dodged a bullet when I ended up with such a fantastic dog. My plan would be to decide and get on a waiting list far enough in advance that if there were a couple litters that just didn't produce what my family and I were looking for, we wouldn't be waiting forever. In short, what I'm banking on is that the right pup with the right personality will fit in pretty flawlessly. I know what sets my basenji off in other dogs, and I'm hopeful that I could find one that would suit her and suit our home. Daisy certainly worked out well for her, and I'd love to have that same success again. I've done three puppies in my lifetime, and all of them have grown up to be well-adjusted adults. I know what it takes, and I know it's hard work. I would never go the route of having an infant and a puppy at the same time (isn't THAT actually the definition of insanity?? ;) ), but I am still trying to shoot somewhere in the next 3-4 year range so my two aren't past ten and too old to handle a puppy.
  • D

    Thinking of getting a Basenji in NY

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  • K

    Thinking about getting a basenji…

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    @JazzysMom: Well, it's a good thing we went straight to a breeder! I'd considered BRAT, but decided to get a puppy instead. Good thing, because with six kids at home and lots of other kids in and out, we'd have never gotten a dog! Sad isn't it….