Need help, is a basenji right?

[TuckerVA]

I just saw that I regurgitated some previous post information…pardon my plagarism (and my spelling)...

All dogs have to be guided. Adults and puppies. I'm sure we all agree on that. I got a rescue because of some of the points you raise. Tucker was house trained and deemed to be non-destructive. He was housetrained, but he had accidents and did some spiteful peeing early in our 'relationship'. He only has accidents now if he's sick. He's NEVER been destructive, but he can murder a roll of toilet paper. What I didn't know when I got him was that he was going to bit my entire family, all of my friends and some of my neighbors. But I deal with it and it's taken some time and management.

The point I'm trying to make is that ALL dogs will be a responsibility and no matter what the breed is, they will require constant care and attention. No dog thrives if left alone for long periods of time or are neglected. As stated, basenjis are famous for being a 'problem breed'. However, the reward from owning one is priceless, IMHO, and I don't consider my dog to be a problem because, well, he's MINE and I love the little bastard.

Some other things to consider...

You said you were in HS, what happens to the dog when you go to college if you choose to do so? Will you go to a college that allows dogs or will you rely on your parents to take care of him/her then? Do colleges even allow dogs? (I would think not, unless you lived off campus and not too many folks do this the first year). The dog will certainly outlive your HS stint, unless you adopt a much older dog. If no college, what about when you have to start working to earn your keep or make your place in the world? If you don't live at home at this time, and you have a younger dog...a dog left to it's own devices all day can certainly find trouble. Furthermore, what kind of life is living in a crate all day?

I would suggest you read everything you can find about the breed if you haven't already. A good dog is a good dog. Both adoption and getting a puppy from a breeder have pros and cons. Too many to go through here...

[hdolbow]

and I don't consider my dog to be a problem because, well, he's MINE and I love the little bastard.

well said:D

[hdolbow]

@TuckerVA:

and I don't consider my dog to be a problem because, well, he's MINE and I love the little bastard.

well said

[Basenji_Boy]

@TuckerVA:

I don't consider my dog to be a problem because, well, he's MINE and I love the little bastard.

He He He…........I enjoyed that.:D

I can't disagree with anything you've said. Any dog requires a personal commitment just like a child IMO, please think this out carefully.

[TuckerVA]

I don't think any of us are here to talk you out of getting a Basenji (or a dog). I think what we're all trying to do is help you think of what you hadn't thunk of…and to help to give you a picture of what lies ahead. Not just next week (when you are considering putting your new basenji up for adoption because you just can't take it anymore), but several years from now (when you are considering dumping your fiance because your basenji doesn't like him anymore).

..and to teach you a new word: thunk.

[Gooby]

you didn't say if you have had dogs ever, but i wouldn't recomend a basenji as a first dog.
if you are worried about noise i've found that goober is quieter than any dog i've ever had.
if you are afraid of attracting more coyotes then any kind of dog will probably have the opposite effect.

[JazzysMom]

As a parent, I have to say that I can't really advise getting ANY animal that your parents are not completely on board with getting.

What kind of dog, if any really, are THEY interested or agreeable to having?

[bambilovee]

haha wow! alot of this posts have definately got me thinking.

i have researched the breed alot, and probably bored my parents to death with new little facts i find. also my dad and i have gone to a breeder that does only african ones. and she didnt have a litter ready then, but she showed me all of her adults and the different personalities of each of them.

my dad believes that if a new dog will bring me more happiness then it is worth it, no matter what dog, or size. its just my mom who is expressing concern, which is tough because she would be the one home majority of the time, and if she doesnt like the dog, it will go downhill.

i have gone to alot of shelters to just look at other dogs to see if a different breed will jump out at me. and so far none have.

college has also been a concern for my family. but my dad has told me that we will cross that bridge when we get there, and if i need to get an apartment while im in college, i can be prepared.

about the whole lab thing….my family has one. we have a huge white lab (we think he is part moose) and he is about 6 or 7. and we also have a minature dachshund who is about 4 or 5.

any dog is a huge responsibility, and i think i kind of forgot about that. and im sure that when my mom read about basenjis online and saw that the were more destructive than another bread, so maybe that just freaked her out.

i think what im going to do is go to the breeder and take a look at the puppies and bring my mom along too, because i have mainly been looking for dogs with my dad.

thank you all so much for giving me advice and really helping me think beyond what i have been.

[JazzysMom]

Good idea, and good luck. Let your mom meet the breeder and ask any questions she may have. That'd be a great time for her to address the potential for destructive behavior, and training techniques, etc.

My husband was in a near panic before we got our first Basenji nearly three years ago because so many people made comments like, "You're getting a Basenji? It'll tear up your furniture!". He's a bit of a neat-freak, and was NOT dealing well with the idea of a dog that will make the house look trashed.

What we learned in visiting three different breeders is that yes, these dogs are busy {when they're not sleeping like logs}, and yes they are inclined to chew. But if you provide them with exercise and things to chew they will learn to {mostly} leave your things alone.

It's all going to depend on how you handle the training process. . . . And YOU will have to be super focused on that to take some of the pressure off Mom!

[tanza]

Who is the breeder that you are visiting with? If only the Avongara's then it is Bev Bland…. she is a great person.... and also I assume you have been on the Basenji club of America site? There is lots of information about the Af Stock Project and how the Avongara's came to the US and were entered into the stud books.... site is www.basenji.org

[Quercus]

Sounds like you are doing a great job doing your research! Good job! I agree that the best idea would be to get you mom to visit some puppies, and see if she warms up to the idea. Also important for you to take the responsibility to REALLY be the one doing the work with the puppy when you are home, and setting your parents up for success with the puppy when you can't be there. If you mom senses that she might end up doing all the work, then she will be less likely to cooperate (spoken from a mom's point of view )

You sound like a great kid, and I am so impressed that you are putting so much effort into finding the right dog for you, and still keeping your family's feelings in mind. Keep up the good work

[bambilovee]

yeah i have been to the website and i looked at every single dog bev has bred. and she is the breeder i am interested in. it was so nice of her to let me see the adults and get a feel for how they are as adults.

i think my mom might feel like she might end up doing all of the work, but i will try to talk to her and reassure her.

thank you! talking to everyone on here is definately making me feel better and making me keep going and not giving up.

im happy ive been handling this situation to the best i can, and i can still improve with it and have my mom get involved.

[tanza]

I think you are doing a great job… and maybe your Mom might want to read some of our posts here... they might help her feel better about a Basenji...
And if you have a Doxie... well, they are a hound also... and not much different then a Basenji.... give them enough "rope" and they can cause lots of havic too.... ggggg

And I am glad that you are going to Bev.. she is a great person... and has some wonderful Basenjis. Lisa and I co-bred a litter last year sired by one of her boys....

[ChaseandZahrasmom]

My husband was the one who originally wanted a Basenji or a Pharoah Hound. I read all kind of things online about how the Basenji's were destructive and a "challenge" and it scared me beyond words. We had Chase for only a few months at the time and I was still new to the dog thing. I was very hesitant to get a Basenji after reading all of those scary things so I can relate to your Mom's feelings.

I bet if she saw one it would help, when I saw Zahra I thought there was no way she can be as bad or as destructive as all of the things that I read online. We ended up getting her and she is not as bad as what all I read online. Yes, she requires different attention than a normal dog but if I never would have physically seen one I don't think I would have ever changed my mind.

@bambilovee:

and im sure that when my mom read about basenjis online and saw that the were more destructive than another bread, so maybe that just freaked her out.=]

[lvoss]

I am just reading this thread. I am showing this weekend and behind in my email.

I agree that getting a chance to see the dogs in person and interact with them makes a big difference. As Pat mentioned, one of Bev's boys sired my last litter, so I really got to know her and her dogs. Her dogs are really sweet, and of course I am very biased about her boy Cole since he is my puppies' father but he is a real gentleman and pretty quiet in comparison to his sister On Rai who is so such a clown and a singer. They are all individuals with different personalities and endearing traits. I think you will find that Bev is really helpful in providing an opportunity to really get to know the breed.

[wizard]

You sure sound like you are doing your homework on this. The idea to take mom along to the breeder is the best suggestion yet. She'll have a chance to get all her questions answered there. And as long as you recognize that you have to put in a lot of time in training your dog (no matter what breed) I think you'll do fine. Good luck.

[MacPack]

Ah, puppies…..much more fun to think about than to live with, hehe. They require a lot of time, training and love. They shouldn't be in a crate all day, then all night and just taken out to play with a bit, they need a lot of human care, and yes, it might be your mom the pup bonds with, you have to realize that up front. Your whole family needs to be committed to help you with the pup, too, or there will be resentment later on. You are in school, gone all day. Are you in any after-school activities? Sports or things to do on weekends? Study at night? Hard to do those things with a set of puppy teeth sunk in your leg, or when you have to clean the carpet 'cause YOUR pup had an accident. Getting a puppy is a huge commitment in time and work. I don't want to discourage you, just to be sure you eyes are wide open. And if you really accept all the hard work that will come with the pup, go for it. You are braver than I am!

Anne in Tampa, who won't take a dog younger than 2!

[BasenjiDiva]

I have to come VERY close to agreeing with "Anne in Tampa, who won't take a dog younger than 2!" (MacPack). I will go lower (depending upon the situation) but it would take a lot of talking to convince me to take a young puppy. Cory is our first basenji and she was 9 months old when we got her. Our previous two dogs were approximately 2 when we adopted them as rescues. The first two were little puppies. To paraphrase and totally misquote Scarlett O'Hara: As God is my witness, I'll never housebreak again! The nice thing about getting an older dog or older puppy: They've probably been house broken and crate trained and, even better, someone has evaluated their personality. When you get an adult dog or an older puppy, you have a better idea as to whether or not they are on the high end or low end when it comes to destructive tendencies. I think that there are people for whom a puppy is the perfect match and there are people for whom an older dog is a perfect match. If your mother is concerned about what destruction the dog might do and what work she might be stuck with, I think you might have an easier time selling your mother on the idea of a dog that is already housebroken and crate trained.

Best wishes in your search,
Pat

[mmm789]

your life will be very unsettled for the next few years, finishing school, going to college or work, getting your own place, dating, etc. do you really want a dog? will you really have time to be a good basenji owner?if you want to go out with friends after work, (in 3 years), will the dog be in a crate day and night? and then, when you do come home, you'll be ready for bed, not play. a cat, ferret or lower energy dog might be a better choice.

[tanza]

@BasenjiDiva:

I have to come VERY close to agreeing with "Anne in Tampa, who won't take a dog younger than 2!" (MacPack). I will go lower (depending upon the situation) but it would take a lot of talking to convince me to take a young puppy. Cory is our first basenji and she was 9 months old when we got her. Our previous two dogs were approximately 2 when we adopted them as rescues. The first two were little puppies. To paraphrase and totally misquote Scarlett O'Hara: As God is my witness, I'll never housebreak again! The nice thing about getting an older dog or older puppy: They've probably been house broken and crate trained and, even better, someone has evaluated their personality. When you get an adult dog or an older puppy, you have a better idea as to whether or not they are on the high end or low end when it comes to destructive tendencies. I think that there are people for whom a puppy is the perfect match and there are people for whom an older dog is a perfect match. If your mother is concerned about what destruction the dog might do and what work she might be stuck with, I think you might have an easier time selling your mother on the idea of a dog that is already housebroken and crate trained.

Best wishes in your search,
Pat

I disagree… it the pups comes from a responsible breeder they have already evaluated the litter for things like personality, dominance, activity, and should pretty much know what is what... and a responsible breeder matches the puppy to the people, home, life style..... they do not just let people pick what they want... 99% of the time. And as far as destructive tendencies, I don't agree that you would know that on an older pup because it depends on the living situation... IMO... there could be a pup at a breeders home that never shows any destructive tendencies because they are in a pack situation with other dogs... taken from that to maybe a single dog... and you never know what will happen...

As far as house training, honestly, I have never had much problem.... the only time that I had a problem was when "I" didn't pay attention.... and I have seen older dogs placed in a new home that within a month "became" un..house trained...

So it is really all how you look at the situation... with a 10 wk old pup, you do the "molding" following up what a responsible breeder has started... with older they have been molded to some point... and now have a possible different set of rules...