Need help, is a basenji right?

[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...

[JazzysMom]

@tanza:

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...

While I won't completely disregard the possibility of adopting an older dog – most of the dogs I've ever owned in my whole life have been rescues, I find I also prefer getting puppies. The hard work is worth the pay-off.
And the puppy faces and goofy antics are just too hard to resist!

And actually, Gypsy - my beloved Golden mix you've all heard so much about here -- was over 1 yr old when we got her, and she was a housetraining NIGHTMARE!!!! Took FOREVER to get her to stop using my son's bedroom as her personal toilet. Geez, it was disgusting!! Yup, I'd been told she was housebroken....that was a joke.

[BasenjiDiva]

I almost hit "delete" instead of posting my thoughts because I was afraid people might misconstrue the point I was trying to make. I love puppies and I love dogs and I hope never to live without a dog in my life…....but I don't like housebreaking. Some people love cookies but hate to bake and clean up the kitchen! I just wanted the young lady who was having difficulty trying to convince her mother to get a basenji that there might be another route to take. What I probably should have also thrown out for consideration was the fact that some breeders have older puppies. Our previous two rescue dogs were rescued off the street and not from any rescue agency. The basset had health problems and would sneak off to pee where she wanted - inside the house. I had the patience of Job with her and her accidents. The lab was NUTS and had to be locked up whenever we had non-family members over. So, I do know that there can be problems when one takes in a rescue and when those two dogs passed over the Rainbow Bridge we decided we wanted to try a different route. I still wanted a dog that didn't need to be housebroken because I babysit my two little grandsons and I can't be as attentive as housebreaking requires. Also, we replaced all our flooring after our basset died. We got Cory from a breeder (Robyn) and doing that was one ofthe smartest decisions we've made. In fact, we are currently talking to her about the possibility of getting another older pup from her. She has a couple and she is weighing in her mind which is best for us and working with us to decide if Cory is even going to be receptive to having a permanent playmate. Robyn knows Cory and she knows the personality of her two "little boys". (And they are housebroken and crate trained.:) ) It is great to be working with someone who is able to weigh all the facts.

So I am not necessarily advocating that the young lady NOT go to a good breeder and I am not advocating that she not rescue. I am not even advocating that she not get a puppy. I'm just suggesting that if her mother doesn't want to deal with a puppy, there is a very good plan B to put out on the bargaining table. A couple of people did make the observation that it sounded like the mother might be hesitant about getting a puppy.

Pat (Who honestly loves sweet furry little puppies!)

[bambilovee]

ughhhh wow. maybe right now is ust a low point, but now i dont even know if i can handle a dog.

i just want someone i can come home to and have them be exicted to see me! and play with them and then just hill out and cuddle (which is probably my favorite thing to do. =])

the puppy stage scares me beyond anything. and maybe thats because my last dog died then. but i dont know if i can handle a puppy of any breed.

i have been to countless of shelters to see if i even like a different breed. and yeah there are a couple that i find adorable. but its not "the one"

uhhh this is frusterating. =[

maybe i shouldnt get a dog at all. it might not be the right time, and i dont want to let any dog down because i couldnt handle him or her.

=[

[Quercus]

I think you make some awesome points Pat. Different families have different needs for what fits their situation.

Personally….I LOVE puppies. It would be very unlikely that I would ever adopt an adult dog, because I like the idea of laying the foundation work myself. But that doesn't mean that I think that is the right tactic for everyone.

I think that 'golden opportunity' dogs...also known as 'retired show dogs' or 'retired breeding dogs' from responsible breeders are an AWESOME opportunity for people who want a wonderful pet, that is a little more mature, and ready to be the center of attention.

I am so glad that you found Robyn...she is an wonderful resource as a friend and breeder!

[JazzysMom]

@bambilovee:

ughhhh wow. maybe right now is ust a low point, but now i dont even know if i can handle a dog.

i just want someone i can come home to and have them be exicted to see me! and play with them and then just hill out and cuddle (which is probably my favorite thing to do. =])

the puppy stage scares me beyond anything. and maybe thats because my last dog died then. but i dont know if i can handle a puppy of any breed.

i have been to countless of shelters to see if i even like a different breed. and yeah there are a couple that i find adorable. but its not "the one"

uhhh this is frusterating. =[

maybe i shouldnt get a dog at all. it might not be the right time, and i dont want to let any dog down because i couldnt handle him or her.

=[[/QUOTE]

I rather think you've answered your own question, then. This may well NOT be the right time for a puppy. If you are not sure that you can handle the commitment, then it's definitely NOT the right time.

If you are looking for a cuddle-buddy, then it may be the right time for a dog, MAYbe. But even an adult dog is going to need some training, exercise, etc.

Maybe you should wait a bit.

Any chance you could volunteer at a shelter for a while to at least be able to spend time with dogs? It may fulfill some of your desire for doggy-love, and also be a good reminder of the work involved.

[youngandtired]

@JazzysMom:

While I won't completely disregard the possibility of adopting an older dog – most of the dogs I've ever owned in my whole life have been rescues, I find I also prefer getting puppies. The hard work is worth the pay-off.
And the puppy faces and goofy antics are just too hard to resist!

And actually, Gypsy - my beloved Golden mix you've all heard so much about here -- was over 1 yr old when we got her, and she was a housetraining NIGHTMARE!!!! Took FOREVER to get her to stop using my son's bedroom as her personal toilet. Geez, it was disgusting!! Yup, I'd been told she was housebroken....that was a joke.

Is Jazzy and your other B, rescues? What a deal!!!

[JazzysMom]

@youngandtired:

Is Jazzy and your other B, rescues? What a deal!!!

Oh no! I guess I wasn't clear. Sorry…

Most of my other dogs, with one exception, in my life have been rescues.

Jazzy and Keoki we got as pups from Jumoke, and I have loved the puppy experience overall.

[lvoss]

@bambilovee:

i just want someone i can come home to and have them be exicted to see me! and play with them and then just hill out and cuddle (which is probably my favorite thing to do. =])

the puppy stage scares me beyond anything. and maybe thats because my last dog died then. but i dont know if i can handle a puppy of any breed.

maybe i shouldnt get a dog at all. it might not be the right time, and i dont want to let any dog down because i couldnt handle him or her.

As many people have pointed out, making a commitment to a dog is a big step, no matter what age you are. It is something everyone on the family needs to agree on because it is a commitment for the life of the dog and things happen, it may be your dog at the start but maybe when you go to school stays home the first year and is more your parents' dog.

My recommendation when people come to me about getting a puppy and want to know what comes next after they have decided that a basenji is right for them, is to think about what their dog's schedule is going to be and how they are going to fit in things like puppy kindergarten, daily walks, feedings, etc. How is the puppy going to fit into your household and routine?

When it comes to age, yes there are things to consider but being young does not make you a bad fit for a dog, provided you can provide for that dog and are commited to making some sacrifices to own a dog. I got my first basenji at 22, I was in graduate school and I know many people who would not have considered placing a dog with someone that young. Nicky, turned 10 this past December and I am so glad I have him, and all the doors he has opened for me.

When I had my first litter 3 years ago, I was contacted by a college student interested in getting a basenji. He came to meet me at a lure trial where my girl climbed to the top of his head and then screamed in his ear because she wanted the "NOW!!!" He then asked to come see them at my house and bring his roommates. He visited 4 times to meet the requirement that all his roommates meet me and my dogs and were okay with adding a basenji. Ramses has turned 3 this year and his owner is graduating from college. Ramses is well loved and goes with his owner to his parents' house on breaks and loves the attention when they are "at school" from all the roommates and girlfriends.

So my point, there are many things to consider when you add a dog, no matter what your age. Do your homework about those things, find a puppy kindergarten and get their schedule, write a routine for your puppy, think about what happens when you go to college, and make sure that everyone in the household is committed to being the support net for this dog. If you do these things, I am convinced that you will know when the right time to add a dog is.