I had cats all my life - my friends always called me the "cat lady." I loved them and still do, and still have one remaining old girl, who is a terror. When I retired and got bored with no challenges in my life any more, I decided I wanted a dog. A small, loving little lap dog. My husband said "no dogs" and so of course I had to get one. I read up on lots of breeds, and when I found the basenji, I was so fascinated by its temperament, catlike behavior, and elegant, proud looks. The fact that it was a primitive animal specifically brought over, who hadn't changed in all the years was wonderful to me. I thought about it for quite a while, and one day, by happenstance, I saw an ad in the paper "Basenji puppies, all girls, mother and father in home." Well, hadn't been on this forum, did not think about breeders, called and ran over there. There were only two left, in less than a week. The litter originally had 9. The minute I laid eyes on my little girl, the runt of the litter and the bounciest little thing I had ever seen, I knew she was the one. When I brought her home, Husband's words were "No, No, No" and he sulked for the rest of the day. That evening though, Shaye jumped up on his lap to be cuddled, she played with his fingers and the buttons on his shirt, and looked up at him with that little wrinkly face and those beautiful brown eyes, and his next comment was "You did good this time." YAY - we have gone through some unmitigated hell as she grew and went through her chewing, destructive, separation anxiety stages, but when we got her basenji mix companion, most of that went away. She was the easiest thing to potty train I could imagine, and she now rules the roost, including her bigger "sister," and I cannot think of life without either one of them. She is and always has been a very good teacher, and she has taught us well.
We haven't been in the Basenji breed for too long, only two years, however we have always had big dogs. German Shepherds for 14 years then moved onto Rhodesian Ridgebacks. We like intelligent breeds and wanted another 'hound' but not as large. Had often seen Basenjis at shows, did our homework and then came Milo. That is it now, Basenji every time! Fantastic smart little dogs with huge personalities.
Again, i've only been in the breed a couple of years and had always had big dogs (labradors) until I finally got the pug i'd been wanting since I was 12 a few years before I got Maya.
I came across the breed when I was watching a championship show group competition about 4/5 years ago. I was sat around the ring when a lovely tri colour creature came over to say hello, then hopped up onto my lap and settled down 
Love at first sight for me! Found out what breed she was, i'd never heard of them before really, and watched her place in the group At the next show I made a point of watching the basenji's, then contacted the breed club and was invited to go along to a club show (which was held locally to me) to meet the breeders. After speaking to several it was evident that a basenji wasnt right for me at that time. I lived at my mums house and she had about 40 ex battery hens then and the garden wasnt basenji proof lol. So, put the plans on hold til 2 years ago when i'd bought my own house that was fine for a basenji
Anyway, to cut a long story slightly shorter, in Jan 2009 my beautiful baby Maya came home. And, everything ties up so neatly as her mother is none other than that beautiful dog that first introduced me to the breed 
It's really nice to read all your stories
I was introduced to the Basenji breed by a Staffordshire Bull Terrier breeder.. 10+ years ago I was finally allowed to buy a dog (yay :D) and I knew for sure I wanted a Sheltie. My grandmother's neighbour (the SBT breeder) had a lot of dog knowledge, so my mom thought it would be a good idea to ask him for help. He gave me a big dog encyclopedia and told me to read… But he also told me about one of his favorite breeds: the Basenji. I thought they were gorgeous.. but I really wanted a Sheltie too... He joined us on a couple of visits to different Sheltie breeders, but then I heard of a litter of Sheltie mixes that were born and were being sold to a pet shop.. We had a look at those pups.. and I just had to have that sweet sable girl
I didn't forget about the gorgeous wrinkly faces, so in 2006 I started looking at Basenji breeders. I found a wonderful Dutch breeder and she bred a litter in the summer of 2007.. sadly.. there weren't enough males.. At the end of 2007 I got an email from her that there were two pups available in the Czech Republic.. After the breeding they found out is was a carrier x carrier breeding.. After a long search I ended up in Sweden.. And we picked up Tillo in February 2008 Of course I showed our beautiful baby to my grandmother's neighbour! Hah.. he loved him He changed breeds himself.. he has race whippets now
We were planning to add a puppy girl in 2011.. but there was only one boy in the litter... So.. it will probably be 2012.. (big sigh..)
I'm a relative newbie in the Breed with my Cooper only being 3 years old.
My main Breed is Dobes, and although they will always be my first love I needed to downsize. I'd always admired the Basenji, such a proud looking breed and so striking ( nothing like watching a lovely line up of them in their prime !!! ). I did my research, watched and waited for the right time and the right litter. There are a few Dobe people in the UK that have gone into Basenjis', the Breeder I went to being one of them.
It's been a steep learning curve, but enjoyable. I don't do lap dogs, I like a thinker !!! Cooper is my constant source of entertainment with his antics and a pain in the rear when he's having an off day lol !!!!! Wouldn't have it any other way.
Marianne x
I always wanted a dog, but my stepfather was allergic. My husband grew up with basenjis in the 50's in New Bedford MA. They never showed, just had them as pets. They did everything wrong– let them run loose, bred them without planning, but he had great stories about them, particularly one girl named Congo.
His family had a rescue B named Rusty, who was a great character (also loose, but luckily a homebody) when I met him in the 70's. I liked Rusty's aloof confidence, and got my first B in 85-- Kenji. He was backyard bred-charming but turned very dominant and difficult at adolescence, but we worked with and had him until he was 13.
We got our second dog from Matahari B's, and Caddie was a tricolor sweetheart for 15 years.
Now I've got the gentlest, most outgoing B I've ever met. Sol was raised by someone else, and they did a great job-- thanks Eldorado!
I adopted him at 5, and after a few weeks of thinking about it, he decided to stay (he jumped the fence twice, but came when I called the second time). He's my best friend, and even goes to work with me in the winter. And sometimes I wonder if he's really a basenji, because he wags his tail so much-- but only for me.
