Lots of very good information for you italeigha. My 2nd basenji tried to climb my fence in the backyard. Not a privacy fence, it was wire....strong wire, and it had just enough give in the tension that when Dannii got 2 feet off the ground, the fence would sway. He didn't like that one bit. No door's are to be opened, unless the dog is already on a leash. They do and will bolt, unless you get them very young and teach them to "sit and stay" when the door is opened. I couldn't do that with my Dannii as he was already 1 1/2 when I got him. He was an escape artist extraordinaire. Where there was an inch, he would try to find a way out. We couldn't leave the dog park, until "he" was ready to go; which could last a good 3 hours of him non stop running, chasing, playing. Then he crashed in the car and at home. The saying "a tired basenji is a good basenji" is the motto for this breed. When they are tired, they can't get into trouble. I rescued a 4 month old basenji pup and I thought for sure my son was going to kill the dog within the first few months. Zak chewed out the butt of some very expensive jeans that my son had, and carelessly left on the floor (son's fault), son was ticked off and called Zak all kinds of names and such. I just told son that if he treasured anything, anything at all, to pick it up off the floor and put it behind closed doors. Dannii, passed from cancer, Zak was 7 when Mr.T (tri boy) came to me through a rehome. His owners got transferred to Brazil for their job and couldn't take the dog with them. I had just paid off (what I thought was leather and found out it wasn't) a sofa. Mr.T promptly chewed up the arm's, backs and what have you of that sofa! Its the dog couch now and have plans to get rid of it soon. Zak just turned 16 on Nov. 30th. and Mr.T will be 9 on the 23rd of this month. Zak has slight Canine Cognitive Dysfuntion (doggie Alzheimer's). It can get really bad, but so far he's holding his own. Dog's, no matter what breed they are; is a life long commitment. If you can"t commit to the dog's entire life, don't get a dog or any animal. Dog's, cat's. birds, I don't care what it is, you don't take it to the pound just because its too old now to play anymore. Zak is semi deaf, he startles easily (has beginnings of cataracts). He will be with me until the day he dies. Yes, I get upset with him as he has a tendency to walk right in front of me, and can't get out of the way fast enough. I'm not going to get rid of him just because of that. Do lots of research on the breed. If you have a yard, NEVER use the invisible fence. They see something across the street or where ever, they will "take the hit" to go after what ever it was that they decided to chase, then they can't get back into the yard. Those fences do not keep other animals (dog, coyotes, and such) out of your yard, and you dog will be a sitting (running duck) for them to chase and kill. Pawla asked some very good questions. You and your husband should sit down and talk them all out before you commit to any dog, but especially a basenji. They are NOT what most people expect, and so alot of those dogs end up in BRAT or at shelters through no fault of their own. My Dannii was my heart dog and I loved that dog like there was no tomorrow. He was the first dog EVER in my entire life (I'm 74) that has ever come down with cancer. Broke my heart. He could be a pain in the *aa, a houdini, a goofball, a cuddler, a bed and body warmer. He could infuriate me to no end. But I wouldn't have traded him or any of my basenji's for all the money in the world! Do your research. These dogs are not for the faint of heart, and in my opinion only, not a good first time dog (if you've never had a dog before). They are not out to please you, YOU need to please them, and that's why we all become "slaves" as our basenji's train us very well!
