I wasn't sure if this topic should be general B-talk or behavior.. so please forgive me, and move topic if necessary!
One day last week I went to doggy daycare to pick up my friend's dog (pit bull mix). My friend was having car trouble and couldn't get there on time. Anyway, I was talking with one of the workers and he said that Basenjis will learn to bark if they are around other (non-basenji) dogs for long enough period of time.
What do you think?
P.S. I don't have a basenji yet. I don't own any dog. I recently registered here; I am the one who narrowed my breed choice down to basenji or shiba. I chose basenji due to my living in a hot climate. I am just procratinating on putting down a puppy deposit! I worry waaaay too much!
Anyway, what is your opinion on "barking" basenjis? Possible? Myth?
Good luck finding a Basenji Puppy, they are a great breed. We too are looking to add a Pup to out family soon.
As for barking Basenjis, our last boy made random sounds occassionaly that sounded very like a bark, i think they are able to physicaly produce barks but generaly don't, someone please correct me if i am wrong.
Benji lived for years with our other Dog who barked at people walking past the house, sometimes Benji would make this sound like a sharp outburst of air, i used to call it the silent bark.
Good luck finding a Basenji Puppy, they are a great breed. We too are looking to add a Pup to out family soon.
As for barking Basenjis, our last boy made random sounds occassionaly that sounded very like a bark, i think they are able to physicaly produce barks but generaly don't, someone please correct me if i am wrong.
Benji lived for years with our other Dog who barked at people walking past the house, sometimes Benji would make this sound like a sharp outburst of air, i used to call it the silent bark.
That's what I've read. They technically can "bark", but simply choose not to. I think it's rather a myth that they physically cannot.
My boy has sort of barked at me a few times, usually when I'm guarding his toys, he'll jump on the couch and bark/growl (playful of course).
That is correct, they can bark, but it is typically much different then most dogs and how they bark.. and usually only one or two at a time. I do not believe they learn from other dogs… maybe to "make" noise period...
Zoni has always barked. It's usually a quick short burst of sound, 2 to 3 barks at most. Definitely not a regular bark. She only really does it when she is startled by something. But then again, she is extremely vocal. Nemo rarely makes a sound.
I actually thik they do learn from others. Medjai makes whining noises similar to my sister and my parents dog.
I have three B's and one boxer (who thinks she's a basenji) and a heeler mix. I had the Heeler mix first-who barks. Then I got Shadow-He just boofs. I got Sugar next, she will let out one bark, that doesn't really sound like a bark and then that's it at a time. I got Damisi and The boxer at about the same time frame. Sugar is going to be 4 in Oct. Zina will be 4 in Dec and Damisi will be 3 in Dec. Zina barks outside only and Damisi does not make a sound usually-0except to whine at the cat (which she can't reach and the cat sits on the other side of the gate just out of arms reach.)The B's vocal chords are different-they are shallower, so they cannot make the same type of bark that a domesticated dog does. The boxer, since she grew up with the B's, literally thinks she's a b-just with a special ability. She does try to yodel though. My experience is that the barking (domesticated) dogs try to emulate the B's rather than the other way around. Shadow never tried to emulate the heeler mix. He was alone with her for about 2 years and the heeler mix picked up some B's traits such as using her hands. But she still barks, Shadow does not. So I don't think a B 'learns' to bark. Just MO
Sophie will startle bark. There is always a pause between each boof. She does it only if she is terribly bothered by something, it is like she is crying Alarm! Alarm! Alarm! There are only a couple of occassions where she has done this. The first time was when she saw a llama for her first time. She couldn't take her eyes off it and boofed at it until Sam picked her up and introduced her to it. The second time was when the neighbor across the street set up a scarecrow for Halloween.
My dogs thinking most barking dogs are insane. You only bark if there is something seriously wrong like when there are llamas and scary straw men outside your house. They will look around for the scary thing and if they don't find anything scary then they seem to come to the realization, "Oh, that is one of those dogs. Be careful around him, he is crazy."
My current foster will give out a single bark, usually when she's impatient for dinner. My reply "watch your mouth, young lady." 
That's what I experience as well. One single "woof" in emergency case (but whatever they decide is an emergency or alert situation). But not more. My B's live together with a B-Mix who barks quite a lot and one Galgo, which also barks at any occasion….
Regards,
Esther
Well Tilly certainly hasnt learned how to bark yet - and she has grown up with 4 very vocal dobermanns - but she aint silent - we get yodels galore.
Zak learned to lift his leg at daycare but no barking. 
Bana, the foster we had until about a month ago, let out a single outburst of air, it sounded a lot like a bark, but you could hear the air being pushed fast out of her lunges, so I always thought of it as her way to join the two barking dogs. Otis has done that once, when we had people pome over he had never met before..our other non B dogs were barking of course so I think he felt the need to "bark" as well.
Nala has always been quiet. She'd make a "boof" or a "berf" when startled or excited and she only yodels when really, really happy! It hasn't been until recently (10 yo) that she will "roo" more often and it does seem to coincide with my sister's dachshund/chihuahua mix's barking and getting attention…..hmmmm :rolleyes:
But still no "barking" learned from her...
Good luck with the puppy search. Keep us posted...
Gossy grew up around other basenjis but she still makes a kind of bark (haven't figured out the trigger yet) - that's about what it sounds like too "bark" - she's the most vocal beastie I've had with her yeow, roo roo roo, ohhhh, etc., but still no true yodel 
My friend has two Italian Greyhounds and she watches my older B on occasion. After staying with her IG barkers for a long weekend he came home making a lot more noise than usualy. It doesn't sound like a bark though rather a 'woof' as others described.
He now does it whenever he hears someone at the door, a strange noise, etc. He even did it to a stranger walking by the other day! It was crazy and shocking as he is usually very quiet.
Milo lives with one Ridgeback who is very vocal and gives quite a loud hound like bark when something alerts him or excites him. Kris, our other Ridgeback just doesn't bark. He will wuff in his sleep, but does not bark, he takes fright when Luke barks. As for Milo, he was spooked a bit by some guy out running today and made some 'buh' sounds. Almost like a wuff but not quite, hackles raised too, i think he has small dog syndrome!
hmz I have 4 barking dogs and 4 basenjis ( 2 live with my parents but we go for walks together almost every day ) and no my basenjis still don't bark, well 1 bark and that's it, on the other side, my other dogs DO yodel sometimes, but then again, Ibizan hounds are known because of their vocal qualities
zoey has barked a few times the first time she was startled and let out 3 burf sounds like she had the wind knocked out but them she met a person she took an instant dislike to at my friends house. Everytime he would try to get near her she would growl and end with a ruf sound.
Also there is a B on brat this is what they say about him
if you always liked the natural good looks of a Basenji, but wished they barked, then Peyton is your boy! He is a Basenji with extra vocal talents and is a self-contained alarm system (early alert?) because no sounds get by this boy. We suspect Peyton barks because he has learned this behavior from the other dogs he has shared his home with. In his original home, he lived with a miniature Pincher and in his foster home, he lives with Oscar the wonder wiener mini-Dachshund, who barks at the wind.
I have a VERY vocal lurcher and I'm convinced that Rocco has learned to bark because of her! It's not the usual 'woof woof woof' but that sort of single gutteral sound that they make and he just joins a few together. He usually does it when he wants to play. He has been known to do it a shows, which can be very embarassing, and at that point I tend to disown him (only kidding) lol.
