Wanted: Basenji puppy (buy/adopt)

[jessi76]

@culturalenigma:

I have two kids, a 3.5 year old boy and an 8 year old girl.

be aware, some do not particularly care for children. if you adopt/rescue, it's imperitive you find one that is child friendly. Children also have to be taught to respect the dog.

@culturalenigma:

I work a regular day time job…but can have the pet sitter come and walk/play with the dog twice a day.

basenji's need exercise, or they will make their own fun. Until my guy was old enough to go to work with my bf for most of the day, I put him in doggy daycare.

@culturalenigma:

I ahve a pet sitter because I have an older traditional siamese (different personality than a classic, and much larger) who is 23 lbs with his claws. No worries about a puppy harming him.

but I would worry about him harming the pup. A cat claw can do a number on a dog's eye.

@culturalenigma:

A puppy would mean my cat would be able to train him…so to speak...to respect his space hopefully. AND my kids would be better with a puppy I think than a rescue or older dog.

True about the kids, but you'll be lucky if YOU can train your dog. A basenji won't take orders from a cat, nor respect a cat's authority. you must train your dog to respect the other pets in your home.

@culturalenigma:

An older dog may be better for me becuase of my schedule - as a puppy requires much training and it will be more expensive to have a pet sitter once a day (my boyfriend gets off of work early afternoon, I leave later in the morning so it would prpbably only be 4 hours alone time)

I agree. a puppy should NOT be left alone for 4 hrs at a time. puppies need consistancy with training & socializing. When I had my guy at 8wks, he was only left alone for 2 hrs MAX at a time. My bf & I completely rearranged our work schedules for a while, and then opted to use a doggy daycare.

@culturalenigma:

I have a 2 bedroom house, not huge, but not tiny with lots of park and area to roam.

basenji's don't need alot of space, but they are NOT roaming dogs. be prepared for ALOT of leash walking/running/playing if you don't have a well fenced yard.

@culturalenigma:

I hear they are good for dog allergy people.

while it's true they can be good for ppl w/ allergies, no dog is hypoallergenic, and even some ppl are allergic to basenji's.

these are just some initial thoughts… I don't mean to discourage you at all, just being honest. a basenji is an amazing companion!

[khanis]

Instead of quoting the above…
I will state my opinions, which are my own...
but those with many years experience with the basenji breed.

I am in my late 30s and was raised with multiple basenjis.
My mother almost always worked a full day.. meaning 8-9 hours away from home.
We had a litter every year or two.. and have NEVER had any issues leaving puppies during the day.
They are not a piece of china and will not break if left unattended for 8-10 hours a day.

Puppies are GREAT with cats.. they learn from an early age to respect a cat and learn their boundaries.

Puppies are GRAET with children IF they want to be. I have 3 siblings and we always were with the puppies... from birth.. not waiting until they were 8 weeks for us to play with them.

I have two children, ages 7 and almost 9. I have had basenjis forever and they were around before the kids.
My children leash-trained my 3 puppies this year.
When my puppies go into new homes, regardless if they are childless or not.. they tend to enjoy children and seek them out when they hear them.

Most importantly, I'd like to say that a puppy is OKAY TO BE LEFT ALONE DURING THE DAY... it won't shrivel up and die becuase you aren't there.
This is a great way to crate/potty-train them. They learn from an early age to keep their kennel clean.. that way they don't have to be near that smell throughout the day.

I'd highly suggest finding a breeder that has children in their home or visiting regularly. It will ease your mind to know that the puppy has already been exposed to children from an early age.

Heck, since puppies survive my chaotic (LOUD and ACTIVE multiple kids on a daily basis) household, they can survive anywhere!

Good luck.. and don't settle for anything less than what will seem to be the ideal puppy/dog for your living situation. There is a puppy/dog out there for you, if this is the breed you were meant to have.

Kathy

[Quercus]

<>
I agree, Kathy. I think it is unrealistic for people to think that everyone can and will rearrange their lives when they get a puppy. I think it is important that there is somebody home for the first few days with a new puppy, and that they don't go a very long time without a chance to go potty outside...but I think four to six hours is very reasonable. There have been times when I needed to leave a puppy for eight hours during a day, and I just set it up so the puppy had a crate inside an expen and a place to go potty. It wasn't the end of the world.

[annandael]

I can't agree with you two ladies more. When I got my Kiya, she was 9wks old and I had a couple of days off before I had to go right back to work. She was in her crate for up to 6 hours at a time. Did I enjoy leaving her there when I knew she'd have to go out every 3hrs? No, but I had to make money so I could feed her. My husband was in a military class 2hrs away and couldn't come home.

My poor neighbors had to put up with her screaming…but she survived and is a better dog for it. She can now be put in a plane, car, bus, train and not have any issues. I can be gone all day and she is just happy when I come home.

Crate training is essential for Basenjis, and I support it going through their whole lives while you aren't home. ESPECIALLY if you are showing the dog or you travel a lot with him/her.

While some trust theirs out of the crate when they are not at home, I simply cannot. Will she destroy the house? No. But after her 1/2 sister died of electric shock, which she never did before (biting wires). She was 5-6 or so when this happened. I never want to come home and find my girl lying helpless because I wasn't careful with her.

Sorry if I'm ranting! But just remember, Basenjis are a primitive breed. They are stubborn, and while they are very lovable, sweet dogs, can and will challenge you. I'm not saying they will attack you or your kids...just that they can be testy at times...and they WILL test their boundaries!

Never leave them unattended in a fenced yard (leaving the house-going to work) If they get bored, or distressed or even upset...they can scale the fence and get into trouble (running off, getting into traffic, etc). I believe some breeder's requirement of a fenced yard isn't really doing the dog justice. I was turned down by many breeders because I lived in an Apartment. The breeder I got Kiya from said, "I don't care if you have a fenced yard, that just means you could leave them outside all day and I don't want that."

They may not bark, or seem as hyper as Jack Russels, but they have their own quirks. Many people don't do enough research and the poor dears wind up in Rescue.

Again sorry! I just want you to make absolutely sure you know what you are getting into! Basenjis aren't your typical dog at all. My friend-breeder in Germany's kennel motto is: "If it aint a Basenji, it's just a dog"
I couldn't have said it better myself!

[Quercus]

<>
I'd forgotten about that...that was soooo sad.
<>
Again, I agree. We got our first basenji when were still renting a small house, with no fenced yard. And both he and I were so much healthier when we had to walk miles every day

[culturalenigma]

I'd like to thank the last few people that responded. I had been completely dissuaded from this idea. I really want a small dog, and I'd love to have one with all the qualities that I see the basenji has, good and bad. As far as being a stubborn breed, you weren't married to my ex husband…ok, bad joke..

But seriously, I have had raised a blue jay, Isha, and he was as stubborn and probably the most aggressive animal I've had. And I've had Savannah Monitors and iguanas over the past ten years or so. 15 for the ig's.

I also have a traditional siamese. I don't know if anyone has had interactions with these highly intelligent, vocal, and perverse cats, but - well - my Mikey Cat and I actually have arguments. Yes, he talks back...lmao. and I would have said before that I'm NOT a cat person!

At any rate, you've restored my faith in this breed and those who love them. I was beginning to think I had to be part of the "cool kids club" or something.
As far as having the whatever it is to have/raise/love these dogs...I think I just might. I know that my boyfriend is very interested in them after I had showed him all the information I'd gathered.

Now onto the next question...does anyone know of any breeders in PA, MD, VA, or W.VA?

Thanks all!

Trai

[annandael]

Okay, go here: BCOA
And then you can find breeder's under About Basenjis with the link Breeder Directory.

[refinnej]

hi, i just wanted to let you know that if you are still considering a basenji, you really need to make sure you have enough time in your life to walk him and exercise him. a rub down or tossing of a toy isn't enough for this breed. they are not to far from a jack russell's energy level. red flag with your small children. i'm looking for a new home for my 3 yr old basenji because he has not adjusted to my 2 yr old. we don't get to give him the proper exercise he needs which has him wired, and i think thats part of his aggression towards my daughter. this breed is also a semi dominant breed, so if dominance isn't established by every member in the household, he will take advantage. there are better breeds for families and children, i dont think this is one of them. i dont want to discourage you, basenjis are wonderful, and fun dogs, but they definatly need proper care. good luck

[Vanessa]

@refinnej:

hi, i just wanted to let you know that if you are still considering a basenji, you really need to make sure you have enough time in your life to walk him and exercise him. a rub down or tossing of a toy isn't enough for this breed. they are not to far from a jack russell's energy level. red flag with your small children. i'm looking for a new home for my 3 yr old basenji because he has not adjusted to my 2 yr old. we don't get to give him the proper exercise he needs which has him wired, and i think thats part of his aggression towards my daughter. this breed is also a semi dominant breed, so if dominance isn't established by every member in the household, he will take advantage. there are better breeds for families and children, i dont think this is one of them. i dont want to discourage you, basenjis are wonderful, and fun dogs, but they definatly need proper care. good luck

I am sorry that you have decided to give your basenji up for adoption. You did come to the right forum though. The majority of people on this message board are either breeders or long time basenji owners. Everyone comes here to give advice and help one another. You are correct when you say that basenjis require special attention but there are ways to work on changing a basenjis behavior.
I personally feel that discouraging people from basenjis is a little harsh. Especially when everyone in this community loves this breed. People need to be educated rather than discouraged.
I wish you the best of luck and if there are anything members of this forum can help you with, do not hesitate to ask. People in this community are quick to respond and give great advice. :o

[JazzysMom]

there are better breeds for families and children, i dont think this is one of >>them.

I think it depends, really, on how things are handled with the Basenji and the children and of course, the individual dogs. Maybe a little on how dominance is established with the dog.
We have six children and they all have friends, and my friends have babies and young children. Our Basenji has proven to be a good dog with kids of all ages.

So, please, if you want a Basenji and have or plan to have kids, study up on the breed and how to work with them. You can have a happy family that includes a well-behaved Basenji member!

[Quercus]

I think it depends, really, on how things are handled with the Basenji and the children and of course, the individual dogs. Maybe a little on how dominance is established with the dog.

I agree. And IMO, it has much more to do with how much exposure a basenji has to children as a pup, than it does to how dominant either dog or human is. Many basenjis that are not exposed to A LOT of kids during their youth, are wary of them…and every basenji that I have ever met that grew up around kids is bomb proof.

Of our five, the two oldest basenjis who were not raised around kids took a while to adust to our human baby. The two youngest adusted easily, and we added a puppy since our son was born, and she is completely comfortable around kids of all ages.

[Quercus]

Ooops that first paragraph is a quote from Jazzysmom

[thefussybasenjilovers]

Hi! I'd just like to say while it's great to hear other's opinions, you know yourself, your lifestyle, your children, and your cat better than anyone else! We adopted two "Unwanted" Basenjis that everyone said were not good picks and they are now wonerful members of our family. It has more to do with what effort you are willing to invest into the new member of your family. In addition, our 4 Basenjis spend their days in a kennel and get let out when we get home, they roam the yard free and have never left the yard in 4 years….we do keep an eye on them because they are our companions....not just to be ignored when out. We also have 2 cats, sometimes they get along and sometimes they don't but our cats take care of themselves (without harming the Basenjis). Be sure to ask plenty of questions about your prospective breeder and the individual Basenji.....and please follow your own instinct about the choice while remembering that this is a long-term committment to a potential family member. Good Luck!
PS We do currently have 2 - 8 month old Basenjis recently returned from a home where they discovered the son has dander allergies Please contact me if you are interested in further info

[khanis]

@refinnej:

hi, i just wanted to let you know that if you are still considering a basenji, you really need to make sure you have enough time in your life to walk him and exercise him. a rub down or tossing of a toy isn't enough for this breed. they are not to far from a jack russell's energy level. red flag with your small children. i'm looking for a new home for my 3 yr old basenji because he has not adjusted to my 2 yr old. we don't get to give him the proper exercise he needs which has him wired, and i think thats part of his aggression towards my daughter. this breed is also a semi dominant breed, so if dominance isn't established by every member in the household, he will take advantage. there are better breeds for families and children, i dont think this is one of them. i dont want to discourage you, basenjis are wonderful, and fun dogs, but they definatly need proper care. good luck

I don't think I could come close to counting the number of basenjis that I was around as a child.. not just those in our home.. but in the homes of other breeders…some that also didn't have children (at the time)...
Do my children reprimand the dogs the way I do?? Of course not, they are children. Do my dogs take advantage of them? On most all occasions, no.

[JoeyQ]

Very interesting read. I hope to hear whether Culturalenigma decided on a basenji. Joey entered our family at 10 months and was not raised with kids. He has been fine with our 5 teenagers although he knows who is soft, softer and softest! He knows I am the boss :D, thank goodness.

[czebrasky]

I have a 4year old girl and a 8 year old boy. Our Basenji's name is REX. he is tricolored and is a handful. We are looking for a good home for him he is just 1years old. We have been to the selectman's office about our dog due to the leash law, they are really fast dogs and very powerful. He breaks free from my 8year old and goes into a neighbors yard and he calls animal control. If you are interested in a tricolored basenji let me know, this dog is very beautiful, playful, and does not bark. We also have a cat and he loves to play with him. He is fixed and up to date on all shots. We just can't keep going to the selectman's office and court due to him escaping off the property and getting taken away from animal control:

[lvoss]

Please consider contacting BRAT, http://www.basenjirescue.org

[Ambered]

how did you acquire rex? please if you dont contact brat, (which i highly recommend) be very picky about who gets him. make sure they know and understand basenjis!

[culturalenigma]

Hi all…sorry it's taken so long. I did not end up getting a Basenji - though I really really still want one. I did get a Jack Russell. As I said before, my mother breeds them and like any good breeder, when the people who bought her found out they were pregnant, they no longer wanted the puppy. So she was in need of a home and we were looking for a dog.

Anyway, anyone know how a Basenji might get a long with a Jack?

[tanza]

@culturalenigma:

Hi all…sorry it's taken so long. I did not end up getting a Basenji - though I really really still want one. I did get a Jack Russell. As I said before, my mother breeds them and like any good breeder, when the people who bought her found out they were pregnant, they no longer wanted the puppy. So she was in need of a home and we were looking for a dog.

Anyway, anyone know how a Basenji might get a long with a Jack?

I know people with Jack's and Basenjis.. do just find.. but lots of energy there between the two….