@wizard:

Also did I remember correctly that you said in an earlier message that you already have another dog? Who takes care of that one?

my family has 2 other dogs, a lab, named buddy, which my dad takes care of, but i play with him when i come home from school. and we also have a dachshund, snickerz, who my dad also takes care of with the help of my brother.

snickerz doesnt really like me because my dachshund, dopey jo, died a couple summers ago while my family was on vacation, and when we came back into town and my mom found out, she imediately went out and bought another dahshund(snickerz). it felt like a replacement and i had no time to really be upset about dopey jo dying because there was another dachshund in his place.

so i am trying to warm up to snickerz, but its kind of hard.

i got dopey jo when i was in the sixth grade, and i took care of him with my dads help. i fed dopey jo and i took him out to go, and we did an obiedience course at PetSmart. but my dad helped me if i was off at dance late or something like that. but dopey jo was mine.

so i think now that i am older i can handle another dog again, but theres still alot of questions i do need to figure out before. and im gonna take my time and make sure i am ready.

=]

ughhhh wow. maybe right now is ust a low point, but now i dont even know if i can handle a dog.

i just want someone i can come home to and have them be exicted to see me! and play with them and then just hill out and cuddle (which is probably my favorite thing to do. =])

the puppy stage scares me beyond anything. and maybe thats because my last dog died then. but i dont know if i can handle a puppy of any breed.

i have been to countless of shelters to see if i even like a different breed. and yeah there are a couple that i find adorable. but its not "the one"

uhhh this is frusterating. =[

maybe i shouldnt get a dog at all. it might not be the right time, and i dont want to let any dog down because i couldnt handle him or her.

=[

yeah i have been to the website and i looked at every single dog bev has bred. and she is the breeder i am interested in. it was so nice of her to let me see the adults and get a feel for how they are as adults.

i think my mom might feel like she might end up doing all of the work, but i will try to talk to her and reassure her.

thank you! talking to everyone on here is definately making me feel better and making me keep going and not giving up.

im happy ive been handling this situation to the best i can, and i can still improve with it and have my mom get involved.

haha wow! alot of this posts have definately got me thinking.

i have researched the breed alot, and probably bored my parents to death with new little facts i find. also my dad and i have gone to a breeder that does only african ones. and she didnt have a litter ready then, but she showed me all of her adults and the different personalities of each of them.

my dad believes that if a new dog will bring me more happiness then it is worth it, no matter what dog, or size. its just my mom who is expressing concern, which is tough because she would be the one home majority of the time, and if she doesnt like the dog, it will go downhill.

i have gone to alot of shelters to just look at other dogs to see if a different breed will jump out at me. and so far none have.

college has also been a concern for my family. but my dad has told me that we will cross that bridge when we get there, and if i need to get an apartment while im in college, i can be prepared.

about the whole lab thing….my family has one. we have a huge white lab (we think he is part moose) and he is about 6 or 7. and we also have a minature dachshund who is about 4 or 5.

any dog is a huge responsibility, and i think i kind of forgot about that. and im sure that when my mom read about basenjis online and saw that the were more destructive than another bread, so maybe that just freaked her out.

i think what im going to do is go to the breeder and take a look at the puppies and bring my mom along too, because i have mainly been looking for dogs with my dad.

thank you all so much for giving me advice and really helping me think beyond what i have been.

=]

thank you both!

we want to crate train the puppy, and my mom would be home for majority of the day, so thats a good thing.

i dont understand why my parents would feel a basenji will attract a coyote either. so that shouldnt really be an issue.

i am in highschool, and i had a dog a couple years ago, but he passed away while i was out of town. so for me getting this dog means alot to me. i really want a new puppy that will be all mine!

thank you both for your help!!

i truly love the basenji breed and we found a breeder that is awesome, but my family is having second thoughts about a basenji.

the dog would be mine and since i am still in school i would be gone for majority of the day.

also my parents are nervous about the destruction factor, the yodeling and the many other noises the puppy will make.

we live near the desert so my mom thinks the basenji will attract coyotes or other animals.

i have tried looking at other breeds but i cant get my mind off of the basenji.

so if anyone has any advice or helpful tips that would be appreciated.

thank you!