Please note that Basenjis are not hypoallergenic, they do shed and they do have dander. While they are OK with some with allergies, not all. Depends on the allergies. So it would be important that you spend time in person with a Basenji and more than one time to see how it goes. Of course right now with the Pandemic, that is going to be quite difficult.
Thank you. Part of this process will absolutely be to spend time with any potential pairing to see its temperament with our children even without the allergies, but we will keep this in mind as part of the process.
Oh My... A sweet, calm 18 mo. old basenji might be great for your family, but the chances of finding such a unicorn is highly unlikely. It is very important for you to know: (1) Young basenjis are juvenile delinquents. (2) Basenjis are NOT hypoallergenic. I've heard of MANY basenjis being given up (even by extremely determined loving owners) because a spouse could not tolerate the allergy. Finally, (3) Basenjis are usually NOT great to jog with (again, you might find one, but it is highly unlikely). They can be very stubborn and the love to smell all the smells along the way - their hunting instincts are pretty extreme as they one of the only breeds that are both sight and scent hounds.
If you can, your family should go spend a day in the home of a young basenji OR have one visit your home for a week... There are tons of basenjis in the Midwest - see if you can find a meet-up group and connect with someone that way.
@pawla - In reality, I find that Basenji are great to jog with, you just have to work with them... if you are trying to jog on grass, yes that could be a issue, but street jogging is fine.... I have placed Basenjis in jogging homes and they do quite well.
I biked several of my Basenjis, so they can certainly learn to move along at a brisk pace, and not to stop to "smell the roses".
@pawla
“Young basenjis are juvenile delinquents.”
Lol
Thank you all for the replies. Unfortunately after doing a bit more research, we’ve decided that basenjis aren’t quite the hypoallergenic option for us. 
We’ll be moving forward with another breed, or date I say it......a mixed breed 
(I know, hate me if you want- we just want a dog for US).
Thank you all for the kind advice. Great forum and atmosphere. I’ll consider this topic closed for now.
Cheers!
@hilario23 - Note to be careful that many (almost all mixed breeds) would not be hypoallergenic... so it is something you need to keep in mind. Even mixed breeds like Doodles (poodle x golden) are not to be considered hyperallergenic as they will get gene/hair from both breeds... Nothing wrong with a mix breed, but keep in mind that they have more health issues depending on the mix.
@hilario23 said in Dog lead for Midwest family of 4:
basenjis aren’t quite the hypoallergenic option for us
@hilario23 Well done for coming to what is probably a hard decision, but the right one, both for your family and for the dog.
