Newsom gets a thick sock full of uncooked white rice, which we heat up in the microwave. He's very good in his crate, but at night, to make him feel more comfortable, we put the warm rice-filled sock in his crate and he cuddles right up to it and goes to bed.
Can I ask who you got your basenji from? Did they give you any help with this issue?
Your basenji does seem to spend a lot of time in the crate. Open yourself up to letting him sleep on top of the bed with you. They really don't take up all that much room, and when you all sleep together it reaffirms that you are all a pack.
One of the things that I tell my puppy buyers is that if they work and the pup is crated during the day it SHOULD sleep with them at night.
It isn't fair for them to be crate that much….
and I agree... they went from being with family... TO JAIL.
Poor pup!!
sorry to hear you are having problems with Buddy, i understand what you mean by persistant and screeching 
Our older Basenji has never been a problem in the crate and has used it since we got her, i think she was born in a large crate.
However our 15 week old boy is a different story and absolutely hates the crate. He too screams, thrashes and rips his bedding up.
He sleeps in the bed with us at night and we are happy with this so no problems there.
I put him in the crate for short periods during the day but occasionaly have to leave him for up to 4 hours, either way he's screaming when i leave him and still screaming when i return. We feed him in the crate and he's quite happy when eating. When we put him in i toss some kibble in there for him to find.
As to your question about when you return, i tend to keep it low key and let him out a few minutes after i return, i don't rush to him.
When i crate him when i'm in, just to work on it i try to release him only when he's quiet.
Sometimes crating hurts you more than them. I would also agree that there is too much crate time going on. After the other pups left Rose began to put on a show that would do her mother proud in the crate. She would scream, holler, and carry on. I began to take her everywhere I possibly could with me in the crate. She has settled somewhat, but still needs work. But, if someone is at home she is not in the crate. She also sleeps with me at night. Eventually your puppy will get used to the crate, but I would try to limit the exposure to the crate at night since the puppy is crated during the day. Some basenji's can be left out all the time without destruction, or minimal destruction. I can leave Sugar and Shadow out without issues, and while Johnny is only just over a year, I can leave him out for the most part. If you need help, your breeder should be able to give you advice. If your breeder cannot give you advice, you can always ask here! Good luck!
One of the things that I tell my puppy buyers is that if they work and the pup is crated during the day it SHOULD sleep with them at night.
It isn't fair for them to be crate that much….
and I agree... they went from being with family... TO JAIL.
Poor pup!!
Exactly Kathy, that is what I tell them also
Unless you have a specific reason why not to, I think it's a good idea to let your B sleep on your bed at night, especially if they are crated during the day. Not all will appreciate it (I've read some Basenjis preferring to sleep in their own dog bed or crate), but most will thoroughly appreciate being close to their owners while they sleep.
I have had zero issues with my B sleeping on my bed. He has his own spot away from me where he'll go right to sleep when its bedtime. Every once and awhile I'll wake up with a paw in my face, but that's not typical with him. You can tell this is what makes them feel at home. Even if you're gone for most of the day (working, etc), at least they know they can expect a solid 7-8 hours+ of time with you while they sleep.
both jonny and HAnsel sleep in bed with our son. BOTH dogs SCREAM and go nuts when we crate them. at first we just had jonny. about 6 mo. later we got HAnsel. we went through 4 crates.. hansel just chewed his way out. made him insane. so we put a crate in side a crate, yes, we doubled the crate. still got out. SO go to my pictures and you can see what their kennel is like … there is an inside and outside one. we did have to put chains on the gates because they can lift and push the latch open and get out. SMART /clever. they are in the kennel together and never make a peep... unless they hear us at home and whine to come be with us... which is only the time it takes to walk to the kennel to let them out. 
it is the only thing that works for us. ps. i do crate them in the car to go to the vet... and that is about a 3 min. ride. they both scream the entire way... :0
Do try letting him sleep with you, rather than crating him - mine would not stand for crating, screamed her head off, did her business where she was and outside the crate, broke puppy teeth - when I just let her go to bed with me (a walk before bedtime is a must for emptying), she was just fine and never made a mess. We got up and walked her, and there's been no probem. As to the separation anxiety he is exhibiting, he is still a little guy, and you have to be patient with the crating, I understand. We never did solve that problem, some dogs just can't be crated. All the problems, crating, separation anxiety, destruction, went away when we got her a companion. Some basenjis just can't deal with being alone. BUT many do, and well, so take the advice of those who have successfully overcome the problems, but don't feel like a failure if it's you who have to adjust.
ps. i know they are quiet because my husband has battled cancer for the last 8 years and the last 2 years he is home in bed much of the day. so he is there to hear them and never does. but they dont hear him either… and our neighbors have commented often how much they enjoy watching the dogs from their window and how the dogs really are satisfied and happy in the outside kennel.
One thing worth mentioning… my B is pretty much 100% crate phobic. He has been since day 1. I accidentally gave him full roam of my home during the first couple weeks that I had him and I came home to a happy B and not a single thing moved/destroyed. Ever since he has been given full roam w/o problems (occasional furniture chewing when he was still a puppy, but it was minor and he outgrew that quickly).
Sometimes you have to experiment to see what works best. Dogs are just like us regarding preferences. Some will be fine with crates, others not so much. I think all the opinions shared thus far provide an excellent direction in where to go with this issue.
Pippin hates his crate too…if the door is closed...but he has learned to deal with it in short spurts..like a two-3 hours or so..more and he goes balistic..at night he sleeps where he wants, mostly in bed with our son or in his crate with the door open..if left in his crate I leave teh radio on and give him some crate only toys, seems to work OK..
Maya never had a problem with her crate, she was always really quiet but I do agree with the others about over-crating and, as I was working when I got Maya as a pup and she was crated during the day, she was allowed to sleep in bed from 9 weeks old
An alternative might be to have the crate in your bedroom if you dont actually want him in the bed.
At first we tried to get Dexter to sleep in his crate which was right beside our bed, and after a little while of whining he usually fell asleep in it (we had to dangle our fingers into the top of the kennel so that he could smell us), but we shortly after realized that letting him sleep with us was easier for all of us, as he slept much longer without waking up or wanting to go out to potty (he knew not to ever potty in our bed so that was no problem) and we didn't have to spend the first 20 minutes of bedtime trying to calm him/wait for the whining to end…not to mention it is nice snuggling with him. Also, I DEFINITELY know what you mean by the whining/screeching it drove me crazy too at first, and at times I was just thinking to myself PLEASE, PLEASE JUST LET IT STOP, I just want to take a shower in peace! BUT then something magical happened...we discovered kong and kong paste. We started putting kong past into a kong and putting it in his kennel (that was the only time he would get it so that it would only be associated with the kennel) and it didn't take long at all before he saw us take the kong out of the pantry and he would run into his kennel without us having to touch him or say a word. I think it also has to do with the fact that he just got used to being in there from time to time and realized that mommy would always come back to let him out soon enough. With time and his favorite treat it all worked out pretty quickly! Hope things get better for you guys too, soon!
If you do not feed him in his crate, I would do that. All my Bs get fed in their crates and they will go to the crate when I am carrying the bowls. The crate is always positive.
All my Bs sleep with me. I got Arnie when he was 3 1/2 months old and he was with his littermate at the auction in the same wire crate. I had to stop overnight at a motel and he slept with me in bed but when I went to take a shower and he was crated in the other room, he started making a lot of noise. I moved the crate in the bathroom and I talked to him while taking the shower! Now he will yodel sometimes with the other dogs and he is 10 years old.
When he was a little older I took him to doggy day care because even though I came home at lunch, I did not think he was getting enough socialization and activity. I think this also helped in crate training.
Jennifer
I never could get Magnum used to his crate (although his breeder, when she was showing him, had no problems whatsoever…but, then again, he wasn't alone when he was with her...there were other Bs crated near him), although I gave it a wondrous try. Since I couldn't take off anymore time from work to work on the issue, my DH built him an indoor/outdoor kennel. Magnum still doesn't like to be alone, but handles it much better when he has room to roam (and an outdoor spot for those outdoor "activities.")
That said, I'm all for crating if it can be done, at least until the B has matured into a "responsible" adult. LOL!
I hope our OP is still around. It seems to me that often basenjis go through a phase of crate-hating. I think Susan Garrett's dvd Crate Games could help, but I also agree with many of the other posters that if the pup is crated during a normal work day, being crated at night is too much. Sometimes pups perfer a wire to a plastic crate (or visa-versa), sometimes an xpen is needed if the dog needs a little more room. Zest now loves her crate, but she did go through a crate-hating phase. Feeding in the crate and Crate Games did help with that. She will still sometimes pitch a fit (ripping up bedding) if crated at work or agility trials, but at home she's very good and she's usually good in the car. As far as crating the pup while you take a shower, I would give Z a really good chewie and she'd come into the bathroom with me while I showered. Of course now she will run into the bathroom anytime I'm carrying clothes, but I don't mind.
The day-time crating will have to be relearned (the Crate Games reference will definitely help) and made into a fun thing. It will take some work but can be done. Feed in crate (with door open at first if necessary), throw treats in crate so pup has to go in to retrieve, whatever to make it a fun place. The kong is also a wonderful invention. Make everything you do with the pup FUN FUN FUN.
I have stopped crating him at night. It seems to be working better but while he's in the crate during the day does he ever stop screeching? He's screeching when I leave and screeching when i get back. please tell me he doesnt do that all day and also please tell me that he'll grow out of the screeching stage when my girlfriend and I aren't around.
