Kongo is a wonderful puppy of 5 months. He is a total cuddle monster after the crazies. We just left him for the first time this weekend for one night and we were really hoping to be greeted with loving tail wags. He wags his tail for most every visitor, other dogs on walks, strangers on the street but he has never wagged his tail for us. Is this normal? We are starting to get a complex about it. We can tell he loves us. He follows us around the house and won't sleep any where but right between us. We wonder why we don't get the normal doggie sign of happy.
I don't find it unusual, as most of my Basenjis have been stingy with tail wags. Going out for lunch or to run errands is never enough separation to warrant a wagging tail, but usually a trip away for a couple of days or more will garner some wagging action. 
Mind you, the sight of a chipmunk…....or other prey animal........up close will get that tail a-wagging! Anticipation!
Alas - mine has never wags his tail at ANYTHING! At least you get to see that little cinnamon bun move sometimes.
Seriously though, it sounds like he wags at things that are unfamiliar. Maybe he's just really comfortable with you. It took a while to be able to read my guy's moods as I have never had a dog that didn't express happiness without a wagging tail. Now I just look for his other signs of contentment, but it took a while to figure them out.
Same here. I've never seen Voodoo wag his tail.
Thank you all for making me feel better. I'll just enjoy when he wags for others. It is cute even if it isn't directed toward me.
Oakley never wags his tail, in fact recently I became aware of this and then started to question whether one could wag those buns….?!? Mainly I know he's happy I'm home is that those giant ears go back as far as they can and he gets a very sweet expression on his face, as if to say "mummies home!!! Barooo"
Same here…Watson's tail wags are usually used in play with other dogs, especially when he is trying to entice play. I occasionally get a tail wiggle for coming home 
His breeder gets tail wags when he sees her since we visit with her occasionally
We do get the joyful baroos when we come home for greeting 
We do get the joyful baroos when we come home for greeting
I wish I would get that from my B. He's usually so quiet. I'll come home and he'll be stretched out on the couch or laying in the sun.
Tail wagging is the least of my concerns.
I'll come home and he'll be stretched out on the couch or laying in the sun.
Having coped with separation anxiety with a couple of Basenjis, I am very happy to find a relaxed dog that doesn't bother to get up to greet me!
Having coped with separation anxiety with a couple of Basenjis, I am very happy to find a relaxed dog that doesn't bother to get up to greet me!
You know, I tell myself this every time I come home… "I'd rather it be this than a torn apart couch". 100% agree, as he used to have mild anxiety. Has since outgrown it wonderfully.
I wish I would get that from my B. He's usually so quiet. I'll come home and he'll be stretched out on the couch or laying in the sun.
Tail wagging is the least of my concerns.
You feed him…therefore he loves you. Even if there are no baroos
My female B wags her little tighly curled bun but has never let out a baroo in over 9 years. But she does purr like a cat. My little BRAT boy also wags his loosley curled bun and has a baroo like that of a 2-pack-a-day smoker! Too funny how they are all so different!!!!
I truly wonder how they can get those tightly curled buns to wag and what it would look like…closest I've come to seeing it is the butt wiggle, even that's rare
It took Bitty, 3 years to discover that she could actually wag that brown and white corkscrew she has, whereas Baroo, since he is part bull terrier wil wag his tail frantically and baroo when ever he gets excited. The great thing is they both race madly from kitchen to bedroom and bounce joyously on the bed when we come home.
One of the dogs never wagged his tail and then one time he wagged it at the bunny while waiting at the line to be released for lure coursing. It was just a little bit of movement. I almost had a heart attack when he did this and I was yelling back to the owner, "he just wagged his tail at the bunny". He never did it again after that! He had an extremely tight tail curl which left an impression/indentation in his fur on his back. He was probably 5 years old when it happened.
Jennifer
I took almost 3 years for my Boy Max to wag his tail when he saw me. That went away when I went away for 3 weeks after he got sick. It was like he was punishing me! lol My female wags her tail at anything and anyone.
I just watched over a Wheaten terrier for the weekend. Totally made me appreciate my Kongo's silence. The Terrier was a pleasure to watch, he really is a great dog. I know he wouldn't typically be classified as a loud dog or overly hairy but compared to my boy he was both. Not to mention the wet beard of drool that constantly showered the house as they played. Other dogs are nice but nothing compares to a Basenji.
I think I like that he hasn't found his yodel yet and it no longer makes me upset that he doesn't wag his tail. He cuddles next to me without soaking my clothes and that is good for me.
My breeder said that if your basenji lays his ears flat backwards when greeting you it's a sign of affection. I see that my 3month old does that to me and she adores me and my boyfriend. Maybe thats your other signal .
