Every dog is different, and I don't think it has much to do with male vs. female. In fact it may have a genetic component over anything else. I know of a female that will not howl, even when others around her get going. Her relatives also tend to be very quiet too.
All of my dogs are big talkers. I have one who can be enticed into a good howl and then the rest will join in. Here is a video, the 3 girls on the right are howlers as you can see. Two are just babies, as is the black boy, but they all contribute just the same. 
[yt]Uj8n9wQ2WDE[/yt]
Too bad I can't see that video….any way you can send me the link? I can try utube directly.
thanks!
Some of my girls howl…..
I just uploaded it, it's still processing I guess. I expected it to be ready by now, but check back again in a little bit. Sorry, should have waited to post!
I forgot Michelle has a copy of it too, this one is ready to go. lol
My b girl, Ruby, howls.
Oh yeah, my girl howls and the funny thing is that the way she sounds is different with me than it is with my husband… The pitch is different (lower with him). It also takes longer for my husband to get her to "talk" than it does for me! BTW her name is Bella, too!!!:D
Let's see, I think the comment made to me this weekend was, "If the fire station ever needs a back up siren, those two basenjis could easily do the job." The two being referenced were my red boy who does an amazing fire engine impression and his niece.
As for yodelling, all my girls yodel everyday. My boy has only ever done so twice in eleven years.
Loved the video…what is really impressing is when you go to a basenji specality dog show.
At least once a day, one dog will start, and then the others pick it up.
Pretty soon, all the b's are singing.
Its so cool!
Beats a barking dog anytime!!!
I know what you mean Lisa. When I used to live at work, and lived above the office, I actually had someone who was working in there think that there really was a fire truck on the way. lol Funny too because the emergency crews actually turn OFF their sirens when going by, knowing that we might have a high volume of scared little kids on horses at any given time. We don't need anything else making the horses jittery. lol
Sharron, yes it's certainly a joy to hear the Basenjis get going at the specialties. Most of our dogs are talkers at the race meets so we always get them going at least a couple times throughout the day.
Well, Ive decided that my 2 are broken…
Nothing from either one of them... No howls, yodels, talking, (unless you include the rumbles, when being asked to get off the sofa !!!). Quiet as...
Oh, I forgot, Ochre can scream, oh boy, if shes thinks shes being hard done by, can she scream...
I have a male and female. Only my male will howl. OMG, he is SOOO loud. He only does it when we crate him.
Both of my "kids" will talk on command (for treats). I thought Miles was saying, "I love you", but hubby said he was saying, "I love food." lol
Take a look at his video.
Well, Ive decided that my 2 are broken…
Ha, ha, ha…don't give up...Brando was silent until right before Thanksgiving (so 8 months)...now he sings all the time.
My suggestion, go to YouTube and play all the basenji song videos you can find...my two can't resist singing along to those.
Damisi is still basically quiet and she is 2 now. Except for the occasional snarky mouth, she doesn't make a sound. No yodel, baroo, nothing! The other two are very vocal.
LOL BDawg, that is too cute! I need to do a video of Mojo at treat time, he is hilarious too.
Ren, that's a good idea. Mine love all the YouTube videos and like to sing along to them too.
I know what you mean about the "broken" ones. lol My friend's dog just won't make a peep either, except for a few whines or a scream when called for. But no happy noises whatsoever. She's even stayed at my house for a whole week and I had everyone yodeling several times a day. Well she's 7 now so I officially give up! But it seems to run in the family so looks like genetics prevail.
My B is also very silent. He'll only let out a very quick "Roo" after a yawn when he wants attention or if he's anxious.
I once heard him "bark" (it sounded like a bark) when I was getting his dinner ready. He's always excited when I fill up his dish but that time he was so excited he was vocal for a brief second. Very strange.
maggie howls everytime she sees someone. haha rocky doesnt make noise at all and mia only does when she yawns
Here's what Lexi does when she wants your dinner.
It's funny how her noises change as she gets annoyed with me… lol... I can just hear her saying, "Gimme the chicken already!"
Booger, our male, was always a grumbler, but not much in the way of baroos or yodels except on rare occasion when we got him really worked up by making lots of noise. Lola came home as a puppy & hasn't shut up since (not that I'm complaining!!!) She baroos to greet you when you come home & let her out of the crate, if you forget to feed her right on time & sit down to watch tv instead, if she's not getting enough attention, if its a day that ends in y, if a stranger talks to me for more than 2 minutes without mentioning how cute she is, etc etc etc.
I think its just like humans…. some are very quiet & others talk your ear off.
Bdawg, I love those short talkie sounds. Katie does those all the time. I especially love the 2:00 minute mark when Lexi throws herself to the floor, just like a toddler in a temper tantrum!!
Ty has always been a yodeler/howler and rapid tail wagger, but he never acquired the shorter "speech patterns". Katie is the mouthier short speech maker, but only yodels as a greeting to immediate family or to remind of a forgotten treat. She also only wags when extremely excited (ie.."look what I just stole" moments)
