Hi Annie,
Will this be your first basenji or are you already familiar with the breed?
If it's a first, this is a good time to read and learn as much as you can possibly can about the breed and most importantly make sure it is a good fit for your family. Responsible breeders are generally happy to have you over to meet their dogs so you can really get a feel for them. They are committed to the pups they breed for their lifetimes so finding a good fit is really really important. They won't let you make an uninformed decision about this 14-16 year commitment. And likewise they won't put you on their list before getting to know you
I notice you were inquiring about getting a basenji for Christmas (and possibly as a surprise). I have two suggestions/comments about that: First, if you're interested in a puppy it is rather unlikely that you will find a litter that is ready to go home at exactly that time. This is, however, a good time to look around, if even a little late, as we are in basenji breeding season. The second issue with a Christmas B puppy is that it might not give your husband the opportunity to meet/spend time with basenjis before deciding to get one. They are definitely strange, I think, but in a GREAT way!
Some homework
http://www.basenji.org/PUBLIC/BreederDirectory.htm
http://basenjirescue.org/
This is where you verify health testing:
http://offa.org/
Be sure to read about Fanconi syndrome on the BCOA website. All litters born after July 2007 should have at least one parent DNA tested clear.