Do you mind if I fly down and steal Nike? They're all adorable!

I am literally tearing up right now with that last one. These things certainly make you remember the sayings about two sides to every story.

Thank you all, that is excellent information and confirms what I believed. I'm sure there will always be exceptions but I was convinced of that "a tired dog is a good/happy dog"

Hopefully this is the right place to put this as I'm not sure it would belong in Training or Behavioural Issues.

Anyways, my boyfriend and I are considering getting a Basenji and I have been looking and reading and getting all kinds of information but there are a couple of things I would like to ask you experts about.

First, my boyfriend had read that a Basenji is more independant than a lot of breeds which led him to believe that they don't bond as much with their owners. However, I have read that while there independance leads them to do what they want to do a lot of the time instead of listening to their owner, they will still bond strongly with their owner. So basically I was hoping for some input on how loyal your Basenji's are to you and I guess, as well, how often do you find your B ignoring your instructions (not counting when there is something to chase!)

Second, I know they need to be exercised well and daily and I was just wondering what the average amount of exercise you all give to yours is, and correspondingly, how destructive they are in comparison.

Thirdly, I have read people suggesting X-Pens and gates to keep B's in a specific room while away and I was wondering, given their propensity for jumping, how effective those are. Of course you could get a top for an X-pen but if you're just putting up a baby gate or something, do your B's respect them?

Thanks so much to any who reply. I'm waiting to hear back from a local breeder about the possibility of meeting some B's in real life but would love to gather some more info in the meantime.

Hello there,

This is my first post on this forum but I have been avidly reading everything Basenji related I could get my hands on. My boyfriend and I are just starting to seriously consider adding a dog to our family and I fell in love with Basenji's when I first saw one online.

We would very much like to visit a breeder or owner in our area to determine how my boyfriend reacts (allergies) and to actually get to see some Basenji's and interact with them before we make any major decisions. If anyone has some contact information for someone in our area that wouldn't mind letting us visit, please feel free to contact me. My email is kljones5@hotmail.com

Thanks very much!

ETA: My boyfriend is quite allergic to cats, so would prefer a home with no felines so we can get a clear idea of how he reacts to just Basenjis. Thanks!