I have never owned a dog ! I have only owned a parrot. I am a 22 year old recent college graduate. I am looking for a pet to keep me entertained, and for me to have someone else to care for other than myself. I am a very loving person, and will tend to my dogs every need. I am very allergic to dogs, and have heard/found that Basenji's are great for people like me.
If you own a basenji in the Columbia area, and wouldn't mind me playing with them to make sure I can handle them without sneezing or wheezing..please PLEASE let me :).
If you know anyone in the carolina region with basenji puppies, or less than 2 year old basenji's…please let me know on here or email me @ Pasquarb@email.sc.edu
I'd love to hear from you!
Contact BRAT rescue. Maybe you could foster a dog and see how it goes. Give you some experience with the breed.
http://www.basenjirescue.org/DOGS/default.htm
No dogs, not one, is hypoallergenic. Dog dander and other things cause the allergies, so dogs that shed minimally spread minimal allergens. But NO DOG BREED IS HYPOALLERGENIC. You can minimize by wiping the dog down a couple of times a day with baby wipes or even Allerpet.
Choosing a basenji based on allergies, very bad idea. These are not the dogs for most people.
http://www.stilwellbasenjis.com/wantabasenji.html
No dogs, not one, is hypoallergenic. Dog dander and other things cause the allergies, so dogs that shed minimally spread minimal allergens. But NO DOG BREED IS HYPOALLERGENIC. You can minimize by wiping the dog down a couple of times a day with baby wipes or even Allerpet.
Choosing a basenji based on allergies, very bad idea. These are not the dogs for most people.
http://www.stilwellbasenjis.com/wantabasenji.html
+1. In my younger years (I am now 52) I was allergic to all dogs, cats, etc. Owning 3 cats prior to getting Kipawa (we still have 2 of them) and getting older has possibly built up my immunities, but I still take 25 mg. of Benadryl daily.
Debra's comment "these are not the dogs for most people" might be seen as blunt, but it is true. I'm not saying that the people on here that own basenjis are superheros or something, but they have looked at all of the ups and downs of the breed before getting into them, either as a breeder or owner of a companion dog and weighed out the facts.
I'll have my zyrtec handy…a price im willing to pay for a new companion to love in my life 
Please, PLEASE really research this breed before you make a decision based on your allergies and you just wanting a dog. Many Basenjis end up in shelters and rescue groups because they look pretty great on paper, but in reality are a daily challenge to the most seasoned dog owner. I can't stress this enough - these are demanding, high-energy dogs that REQUIRE lots of exercise and constant monitoring. Go to the BRAT (Basenji rescue and Transport) page and read the link "The good, the Bad and the Ugly". If you are still interested, keep educating yourself. I thought I had sufficiently studied Basenjis before I got my first B, but found I was unprepared for what owning a Basenji really entails. I wouldn't trade him for the world, but I totally understand why the uninitiated often return them - they are unlike any dog I have have ever owned. Please do you homework.
Long story, I'll try to make brief. I am 54, had dogs my entire life, train, do aggression rehab for rescues… Know what I am doing, right? LOL. Read up on the breed, got one.
I know that the breeder laughed every night for years knowing that, as Spock said, the having is not the same as the knowing. Dear spirits it has been a learning experience.
One of my earliest was that every other breed of dog I have EVER worked with.. it nips, you yelp, it GETS it hurt you and stops or helps stop the behavior.
Sayblee bit, I yelped, she bit fast and more because... oh wait, she just found I was a SQUEAKY TOY! YEAH!!! Sigh.
So much about this breed to love, but they are high maintenance compared to so many dogs.
My sister in-law who has an autisitic son met my Basenji and said "wow, he has autism"! I have never met a dog, who when you tell it "NO" in a loud and scary voice, will look at you blankly for a second and then return to whatever naughty thing they were doing! She's right, my B reacts exactly like her son when scolded!
My sister in-law who has an autisitic son met my Basenji and said "wow, he has autism"! I have never met a dog, who when you tell it "NO" in a loud and scary voice, will look at you blankly for a second and then return to whatever naughty thing they were doing! She's right, my B reacts exactly like her son when scolded!
…this statement made me laugh so hard..not to be rude or ignorant to teh actual autistic people out there or your nephew for that matter..but the way you described it made me realize..that is exactly what they look like..
to both debra and bewler: yes and yes.
basenjis are not easy.
…this statement made me laugh so hard..not to be rude or ignorant to teh actual autistic people out there or your nephew for that matter..but the way you described it made me realize..that is exactly what they look like..
Yeah - I don't mean to insult anyone, either - but I figured if my sister-in-law said so, she would know!
Some basenjis give unconditional love…but not all! You have to work for their love and respect, and mutual respect is the best kind of human-basenji relationship, at least IMHO.
And yes, that blank stare..."why are you yelling? please don't disturb me while I eat this couch"........
The more homework you do before you get this breed, the less grief you will have!
Welcome to the forums.
I have to agree that reading about a basenji is a lot different that living with one. Cody is my first dog (besides the ones that I grew up with as a child and teenager). I got him a year and a half ago when I was a senior in college, and I just knew that I was ready. I had done the research, understood their good and bad sides, was aware of their little quirks, and I was pretty sure I could handle living with a basenji. Let's just say that it was quite a struggle at first. It's one thing to read about the destruction they cause, but it's entirely different when you come home to shredded blinds, holes in the carpet, chewed window and door moldings, pots and pans pulled from previously closed cabinets, plants knocked over and soil trampled into the carpet, etc, and there's your beloved basenji, innocently sitting amidst the chaos. BTW, that was all in less than 20 minutes… I had left him to go exchange his crate for a larger size. He also decimated my wardrobe that first year, and still has an affinity for jeans, bras, and zippers. Luckily, the training process works both ways... I have been trained to pick up my stuff if I don't want it destroyed, because if he can reach it, it's fair game.
I'm not trying to discourage you from getting a basenji; I'm just saying that spending time with one or a few will give you a better perspective. I think fostering is a great idea. You could try posting something on craigslist about hanging out with someone's basenji. In hindsight, I wish that I would have spent time with a few. If you weren't so far away, I'd let you "borrow" Cody for a weekend (well, as long as Cody approved, that is).
You also mentioned getting a dog to keep you entertained. Basenjis are independent. While you may laugh at their antics (I think they are better than television!), they kind of just do their own thing. With Cody, sometimes he wants to play with me, but most of the time he's perfectly happy entertaining himself. They aren't really out to please humans. I'm pretty sure Cody thinks it's the other way around: humans were put on this planet to do his bidding.
Along with BRAT, keep checking out the "Rescues and Homes Needed" section. Quite a few people will post basenjis that they come across on Craigslist and Petfinder. There are also a few responsible breeders on here that are rehoming basenjis, although none that I know of in the Carolinas.
Welcome again and good luck!
^ i could not agree more with your post! life with a basenji is 100% on its terms, not yours!
Crystalncody…. well done!!! Great post for anyone to take to heart!!!
Crystalncody and Tlish…you hit the "IT" button head on..it is truly a life on their terms...and come to find out..they train us humans well for it...your life will never be the same again..for the better, in my opinion.
ROFLMAO, I would really resent the info that the dogs train us and we live on their terms… except sadly, there's a lot of truth to it.
I think it is a matter of understanding the breed you have and knowing what the limitations are.
It's like teaching a chow to get obedience titles. Very few do because well, this is so true... and a lot of it is true for basenjis. Thankfully Chows are rarely destructive... paper goods seem to be the norm, lol.
So people see Wishbone and want a JRT, except that's not what those…lol well even the owners call them "crack russel terrors". They need a job and tons of exercise.
I wouldn't lay down and just accept your dog will be busy, destructive and a total thief of all things chewable. But the Arabs have a great saying... trust in G-d but tie your camel.
Train your dog but put your valuables away.
Ah yes, my house has never been so tidy since I've had basenjis. Used to leave shoes, sweaters etc. out. No more. And my guests learn than any used kleenex or paper products must be disposed of immediately!
I have never thought of Basenjis looking like they could be ASD but can certainly see why people may think so 
I once had someone tell me that my last Basenji, Benji was stone deaf. I guess he had tried to interact with him and i hadn't noticed until he gave me the diagnosis
Last week a lady suggested i shorten Malaika's name to get her to come back. I didn't bother telling her that Malaika's recall is practicaly perfect if there is only us on offer 
Dear Tekkster, you really should have experience, or else the many problems that arise from an untrained human result in a very fustrated Basenji!!! If you want entertainment, I just happened to have recently run into a lady with two hairless dogs. Talk about being entertained! The care needed is just like your own skin, lotion and sunblock, and putting clothes on them is recommended! Read the treads on this site and BRAT. Sooooooo many B's are given up by untrained and inexperienced humans! Good Luck in your search!
