Yep! Willy also likes to pile all her things up in certain places, in front of the fridge seems to be the favorite!
As for a warning label - I agree, and all of could probably fill TOMES of pages listing them, which is why it is SO very very very important that anyone embarking on the adventure of LIFE WITH A BASENJI do their research and have a good understanding of exactly ( well, as exact as possible, they WILL definitely throw you a curve every now and then!) what to expect and be able to truly be committed to accepting their quirky little ways - ESPECIALLY if getting a puppy, who can be quite a daunting handful for at least the first 2 full years. But when the fit is right, there is nothing else like them, and the relationship built is truly a treasure to cherish for a lifetime!

@roguecoyote cream cheese is also a good alternative to peanut butter, especially the soft kind, as easy as peanut butter, and safe for your allergy.
Keep up the good work and the communication!

Meet Wilomena Bar-Ba-Loots, Willy for short ( and when she is NOT misbehaving! ) Born 8/15/20, we drove 500 miles (one way) to get her, she was 9 weeks old. I had been searching for over 2 years, and have owned Basenji's for 17 years in the past, with a 15 year dog-less time in between then and now.
When we brought her home, I thought we quite possibly had a Unicorn!
She was asking to go out by day 2, of course when arriving outside, and being so small, the typical basenji-ism of wet grass touching her was overcome by using the flowerbed, as she grew taller, it became a non-issue.
She learned SIT in one day, at only 9 weeks old - now, re-call and stay, we are still working on, which I fully expect to do for the next 2 years of adolescence, and only HOPE to completely achieve even after that! My best defense for re-call at the moment is a Replacement Distraction, usually " I have cookies here" works, if that fails, the rattle /waving of a plastic bag or anything that squeaks or clicks will get her within range of grabbing her when she is not inclined to comply verbally. She is NEVER off lead if not inside or in the yard. I will NEVER completely TRUST ANY B to be compliant, the wind may blow a blade of grass, and then, IT'S ON! As we all know!
I am fortunate to be able to take her with me to work at both my jobs, so she goes everywhere with me / us, and has the opportunity to be well socialized as one of my jobs is at a bar, (where I have for nearly 20 years worked at) which is also dog friendly, so she gets to meet dogs and people.
Being 'Senji Savvy, I was aware ( fearful! ) of the Unicorn being a "Dragon-In Waiting", but as time has passed, she is still more Unicorn than Dragon. For example: she loves her toys, and has NOT done the normal "Squeaky-dectomy" on a single one! She will also play fetch and RETURN to me, and WILLINGLY let go of the item in play, be it ball or toy - NONE of my 5 previous would do this! The return, IF there were such a miracle, resulted in tug-of-war to retrieve the item to be thrown again, typical! Though she will get and play with household slippers, furry or not, she does NOT chew to destroy them, she has destroyed NOTHING, not a lamp cord, a furniture leg, a crate blanky - all the things we KNOW to be aware of and prepared for ... toilet paper stealing has been the furthest infraction, and even THAT has been few and far between, happening mostly when in the throes of the nightly 500, which she performs like clockwork on her own, amusing us while we eat our dinner.
Sounds amazing, right?! BUT! ... She has recently, in the last 4 days, been doing a VERY disturbing thing! She has been getting on the couch (which we rarely sit on, and has had no previous pet exposure) and has twice peed on it, once while looking me straight in the eye! And three times POOPED on! She still has an in-house potty pad, which she will use in case of rain/cold weather or immediate need when waking at night.
This NEW behavior seems to be a bit vengeful, for lack of a better word - my first Basenji would in fact sometimes pee on my bed, usually in retaliation to his feeling he had been in some way "wronged", but in the 11 years I had him ( he was 5 when I got him - retired champion) this occurred only a few times, always in my presence and eye to eye. I understood completely this expression of his displeasure, which was the message he was sending, but still resulted in Crate Time Out.
I am completely perplexed by WHY Willy is doing this, as she is allowed to be on all the furniture, and treats it nicely, burrowing in the cushions, play digging - without destruction - getting on top of to have the best vantage point, etc., all the normal 'Senj-isims.
Any advice on this from all y'all sage 'Senji owners is GREATLY appreciated!
Here is her Info for the database:
SPRING WILLOW'S WILOMENA LAST OF THE BAR-BA-LOOTS
SIRE: CH SPRING WILLOW'S RAISE YOUR GLASS
DAM: GCHB CH KHANNI'S TEASER SILVER LINING AT SPRING WILLOW


Note the spray bottle! Best line of defense, go nowhere w/out one for immediate CEASE & DESIST! ... o the tricks we learn with these little demons!
Looking forward to replies from this DEEP POOL OF WISDOM!

We have theese for Willy, all of which she still at 9 months loves, and started on at around 12 weeks... below are links!

Interactive Puzzle

Puzzle Treat Dispenser

Treat Dispensing Dog Toy

Adjustable Treat Ball

notice she still has her duclaws, in my experience, most all breeders (reputable) remove these at a very early age ... either way she is GEORGOUS and I know will bring you more joy (and require more patience sometimes!) than you ever knew was possible! Congrats and I wish you and your family all the best in your adventures to come (of which you can bet there will be many!)!!

Hey there everyone! I have been actively searching for a little demon to welcome into our family, previously been owned by 4 senji's, but has been about 10 years since last passed over the rainbow bridge ... have contacted breeders, registered w/Brat (over 2 years now!) I keep an eye on it regularly, however, most are just too far away for me to travel to, I'm in NC, and willing to drive 8-9 hours away if necessary.
I am open to many possibilities, including a juvenile, young adult or a puppy ( which I know are seasonal with a few exceptions, such as Leo Rios ). I am not at all particular about sex or color, having had both sexes, R/W (2) Tri (1) Brindle (1).
I have been actively preparing for a new addition, crate, toys, kong, leads, nail clippers, dental supplies, sisal mitt, interviewed local vets for B knowledge, 'Senji proofed home, ( well, as much as one can, we all know they can ALWAYS find some mischief to get up to given the chance!)
I am hoping that maybe someone here can offer some advice, assistance, contacts, that will further my search efforts.
My 1st basenji was 5 when I got him, retired from showing, that was nearly 30 years ago now, all of them came from a dear friend and breeder who is no longer keeping a kennel, and has not for several years now.
I hope I don't miss any messages, I'm relatively new to this forum and DEFINITELY have navigation challenges, but get notifications of new stuff almost daily, so I should be covered!
Thanx in advance for all the help and support!

@ntasd Hello! As for Willy's mysterious couch potty, it has disappeared as quickly as it came ... she has not done it again, she has resumed her usual routine of the B-500, which includes up. on over any furniture we are not sitting on, primarily we sit on the love seat.
I KNOW in my heart she was doing it to express SOMETHING, but whatever it was, I can't know! I DID for a couple days after the "events" not allow her to get on THAT couch, if my telling her to get down did not work, the sight of the spray bottle induced an immediate response, after a day or two of that, no issues!
As for biting your feet, O yes! and it hurts! I found that when she was younger (like 2 months ago!) that OW THAT HURTS and an abrupt stop would let me get hold of her, and I would pick her up and get EYE TO EYE and tell her FIRMLY "NO BITE" then release her and ignore her, NO eye contact, NO talking to her for all of 3-5 minutes, and it did not take long for her to understand that biting feet in motion was NOT acceptable.
She is still learning the difference between play biting and too rough, but is MUCH better, even when playing tug of war and fetch ( I know, B's don't typically fetch, but she does, and will do so for a really long time!)
I find that getting EYE TO EYE and a firm talking to ( I use the word SHAME, in conjunction with the infraction, which she seems to understand is an expression of my disappointment ) followed by completely ignoring her goes a long way. A few minutes of ignoring is all it takes, she does NOT like not being talked to or looked at. I firmly believe that these little demons thrive on attention, and if being good doesn't get it, being bad is the next GO TO. As for the crate being viewed as punishment, or used for time out, all my former B's, and this little one were / are aware that there is a definite difference between "good crate time" and "time out crate time" - I did / do the same treatment for time out - NO eye contact, no verbal intercourse, and not long in the crate on a time out resulted in a better behaved pup upon release. They completely understand the difference between a happy mama and an unhappy mama! And as everybody knows, If Mama aint happy, aint nobody happy!
I know you will ultimately reach your goal, it takes a lot of patience and love, the love part is easy, the patience part takes some work!

We have theese for Willy, all of which she still at 9 months loves, and started on at around 12 weeks... below are links!

Interactive Puzzle

Puzzle Treat Dispenser

Treat Dispensing Dog Toy

Adjustable Treat Ball

I applaud your doing your research, and DEFINITELY your decision to NOT go knowing you would be even MORE tempted to bond beyond mentally! Patience and perseverance is TOTALLY in your best interest, even though it may seem like 4EVER and a lot of dead ends... it took me over 2 years to get "in line" with a breeder and ultimately get our little Willy, and I am a seasoned basenji owner. I often say when people ask about our process that "It's easier to be vetted by the FBI than it is to be vetted by the Basenji community to pass muster!" - And for good reason! It is also equally challenging to find a breeder who even has any puppies / dogs that are not already spoken for as in THIS community, they are well planned in advance, which protects both the breed and the potential owner.
Hang in there! Continue your diligence, and ask LOTS of questions! - When you DO find yourself the proud owner of one of these Loveable Little Demons, you will embark on the adventure of a lifetime!

Yep! Willy also likes to pile all her things up in certain places, in front of the fridge seems to be the favorite!
As for a warning label - I agree, and all of could probably fill TOMES of pages listing them, which is why it is SO very very very important that anyone embarking on the adventure of LIFE WITH A BASENJI do their research and have a good understanding of exactly ( well, as exact as possible, they WILL definitely throw you a curve every now and then!) what to expect and be able to truly be committed to accepting their quirky little ways - ESPECIALLY if getting a puppy, who can be quite a daunting handful for at least the first 2 full years. But when the fit is right, there is nothing else like them, and the relationship built is truly a treasure to cherish for a lifetime!

notice she still has her duclaws, in my experience, most all breeders (reputable) remove these at a very early age ... either way she is GEORGOUS and I know will bring you more joy (and require more patience sometimes!) than you ever knew was possible! Congrats and I wish you and your family all the best in your adventures to come (of which you can bet there will be many!)!!

@roguecoyote cream cheese is also a good alternative to peanut butter, especially the soft kind, as easy as peanut butter, and safe for your allergy.
Keep up the good work and the communication!

@ntasd Hello! As for Willy's mysterious couch potty, it has disappeared as quickly as it came ... she has not done it again, she has resumed her usual routine of the B-500, which includes up. on over any furniture we are not sitting on, primarily we sit on the love seat.
I KNOW in my heart she was doing it to express SOMETHING, but whatever it was, I can't know! I DID for a couple days after the "events" not allow her to get on THAT couch, if my telling her to get down did not work, the sight of the spray bottle induced an immediate response, after a day or two of that, no issues!
As for biting your feet, O yes! and it hurts! I found that when she was younger (like 2 months ago!) that OW THAT HURTS and an abrupt stop would let me get hold of her, and I would pick her up and get EYE TO EYE and tell her FIRMLY "NO BITE" then release her and ignore her, NO eye contact, NO talking to her for all of 3-5 minutes, and it did not take long for her to understand that biting feet in motion was NOT acceptable.
She is still learning the difference between play biting and too rough, but is MUCH better, even when playing tug of war and fetch ( I know, B's don't typically fetch, but she does, and will do so for a really long time!)
I find that getting EYE TO EYE and a firm talking to ( I use the word SHAME, in conjunction with the infraction, which she seems to understand is an expression of my disappointment ) followed by completely ignoring her goes a long way. A few minutes of ignoring is all it takes, she does NOT like not being talked to or looked at. I firmly believe that these little demons thrive on attention, and if being good doesn't get it, being bad is the next GO TO. As for the crate being viewed as punishment, or used for time out, all my former B's, and this little one were / are aware that there is a definite difference between "good crate time" and "time out crate time" - I did / do the same treatment for time out - NO eye contact, no verbal intercourse, and not long in the crate on a time out resulted in a better behaved pup upon release. They completely understand the difference between a happy mama and an unhappy mama! And as everybody knows, If Mama aint happy, aint nobody happy!
I know you will ultimately reach your goal, it takes a lot of patience and love, the love part is easy, the patience part takes some work!

Oh Yes! Immediately outside! Perhaps she is claiming, however, having not ever done it in the 2+ months she has been able to get up on it, maybe not. I may not have been clear that she only ONCE peed, but has 4 times pooped, and have everytime caught her doing it, and OUT she goes, as the door (with doggie door, I might add) is only three feet away from said couch, it is a VERY SWIFT out the door she goes! ... as for UTI, possible, but she is not going any more frequently nor has the amount of urine changed (known signs of UTI), she was at the vet a week ago with a glowing health report. No changes in diet or exercise or routine either. It's a mystery as yet to be discovered!

No missed signals, and her pad is nearby, which she has no problem going to if in fact a signal is missed or the urge hits her too fast ...
But, yes, having her in our lives has certainly made it far far more entertaining, active, and enjoyable! - And I am so incredibly impressed that THE MAN, having never had ANY type of dog in his life, has really stepped up and educated himself thru reading and my relating experience to be a wonderful basenji dad! ... He is however forever telling her that "Before you came, this house would NEVER have been allowed to look like this, with toys everywhere, kitchen rugs strewn about from being used for traction during the 500, completely messing up her long hair which you LOVE to chew and paw into a rats nest, sharing her pillow while you lay all up on and as close as you can get to her in the bed... and I STILL am nagged at for wearing shoes in the house... I don't recognize at all the woman YOU brought out in her, you sure have some magic power ... maybe that's why she calls you a Unicorn..."
As for me, she has filled an empty place in my heart where I was missing the treasured gift of how rewarding it is to live with and be loved by (on her terms, of course!) one of these marvelous, wonderous little demons, THE BASENJI!
They are not for everyone, are unique in every way, and require the patience of Methuselah & Job, a will of iron, and plenty of distracting trickery, but they develop a bond and awareness of / with their people that is uncannily delightful and rewarding.
And we will get to the bottom of / over this couch thing one way or another, because as she is told in every type of discipline lecture she gets: "I'm in charge here, and you, little doglett, are smart and you can / will know /do better than that!"
Thank you all for this great forum, I read it daily!

Meet Wilomena Bar-Ba-Loots, Willy for short ( and when she is NOT misbehaving! ) Born 8/15/20, we drove 500 miles (one way) to get her, she was 9 weeks old. I had been searching for over 2 years, and have owned Basenji's for 17 years in the past, with a 15 year dog-less time in between then and now.
When we brought her home, I thought we quite possibly had a Unicorn!
She was asking to go out by day 2, of course when arriving outside, and being so small, the typical basenji-ism of wet grass touching her was overcome by using the flowerbed, as she grew taller, it became a non-issue.
She learned SIT in one day, at only 9 weeks old - now, re-call and stay, we are still working on, which I fully expect to do for the next 2 years of adolescence, and only HOPE to completely achieve even after that! My best defense for re-call at the moment is a Replacement Distraction, usually " I have cookies here" works, if that fails, the rattle /waving of a plastic bag or anything that squeaks or clicks will get her within range of grabbing her when she is not inclined to comply verbally. She is NEVER off lead if not inside or in the yard. I will NEVER completely TRUST ANY B to be compliant, the wind may blow a blade of grass, and then, IT'S ON! As we all know!
I am fortunate to be able to take her with me to work at both my jobs, so she goes everywhere with me / us, and has the opportunity to be well socialized as one of my jobs is at a bar, (where I have for nearly 20 years worked at) which is also dog friendly, so she gets to meet dogs and people.
Being 'Senji Savvy, I was aware ( fearful! ) of the Unicorn being a "Dragon-In Waiting", but as time has passed, she is still more Unicorn than Dragon. For example: she loves her toys, and has NOT done the normal "Squeaky-dectomy" on a single one! She will also play fetch and RETURN to me, and WILLINGLY let go of the item in play, be it ball or toy - NONE of my 5 previous would do this! The return, IF there were such a miracle, resulted in tug-of-war to retrieve the item to be thrown again, typical! Though she will get and play with household slippers, furry or not, she does NOT chew to destroy them, she has destroyed NOTHING, not a lamp cord, a furniture leg, a crate blanky - all the things we KNOW to be aware of and prepared for ... toilet paper stealing has been the furthest infraction, and even THAT has been few and far between, happening mostly when in the throes of the nightly 500, which she performs like clockwork on her own, amusing us while we eat our dinner.
Sounds amazing, right?! BUT! ... She has recently, in the last 4 days, been doing a VERY disturbing thing! She has been getting on the couch (which we rarely sit on, and has had no previous pet exposure) and has twice peed on it, once while looking me straight in the eye! And three times POOPED on! She still has an in-house potty pad, which she will use in case of rain/cold weather or immediate need when waking at night.
This NEW behavior seems to be a bit vengeful, for lack of a better word - my first Basenji would in fact sometimes pee on my bed, usually in retaliation to his feeling he had been in some way "wronged", but in the 11 years I had him ( he was 5 when I got him - retired champion) this occurred only a few times, always in my presence and eye to eye. I understood completely this expression of his displeasure, which was the message he was sending, but still resulted in Crate Time Out.
I am completely perplexed by WHY Willy is doing this, as she is allowed to be on all the furniture, and treats it nicely, burrowing in the cushions, play digging - without destruction - getting on top of to have the best vantage point, etc., all the normal 'Senj-isims.
Any advice on this from all y'all sage 'Senji owners is GREATLY appreciated!
Here is her Info for the database:
SPRING WILLOW'S WILOMENA LAST OF THE BAR-BA-LOOTS
SIRE: CH SPRING WILLOW'S RAISE YOUR GLASS
DAM: GCHB CH KHANNI'S TEASER SILVER LINING AT SPRING WILLOW


Note the spray bottle! Best line of defense, go nowhere w/out one for immediate CEASE & DESIST! ... o the tricks we learn with these little demons!
Looking forward to replies from this DEEP POOL OF WISDOM!

@elbrant
I have been in touch with a couple in my area, and have been actively researching other rescue avenues, and have joined some FB groups. I will be sending a contact form to the Florida rescue as well, the website I found does not seem to be updated, understandably, being busy with rescue. I found MOST of the information for other than BRAT organizations here in this forum, for which I am thankful!
As I am new here I am apparently only allotted a certain number of replies / comments / lkes, and some subjects tell me I am not authorized to view, even tho they were in my email of recent subjects for the forum, so I am very glad you have reached out to me, as your email was removed from the post before I could reply to you personally.
I'm still here, and still searching! I will not give up! I'm completely "stocked" with pretty much everything needed to welcome a 4ever member into our home / family, be it a puppy (when the season comes) or a rescue that could happen quite quickly.
I am currently only on one "wait list" for the season, and am still also searching to be a candidate for "retired" from showing that may become available. As always, I am interested in any avenues I can be directed to, and am glad this forum exists to assist!