You are SO right about people acting like they are the only ones qualified to own their precious breed. They may be well meaning but it's irritating! I think ego plays a part there too lol. Cat people are often drawn to basenjis because they aren't super "doggy".

Check out Carole Kirk of Possum Creek Basenjis. She's a sweet lady and has wonderful dogs! I've learned a lot from her and again, I can't stress how lovely the temperaments of her dogs are. She's near Lexington, KY I think. I can't speak for her but I've never known her to be rude or put off by people interested in the breed.

My dog's breeder is in Indiana near Louisville, KY and I'm a bit biased but I love my Meisterhaus boys <3.

I am in OH and there are A LOT of excellent breeders here to!

Dog shows are another excellent place to meet them :).

Hey there! I think you may have messaged me on my Tumblr but I'll respond here too.

I own basenjis because they aren't your typical "dog". They are quirky cat-dog creatures that make my life whole. They are small, clean, quiet and hilarious. I am not a big fan of dog drool and TONS of hair all over my clothes and house. I like that I can pick them up when I need to, I like that they take me 10 minutes to groom, I like that they aren't expensive to feed (ie not a great dane amount a food), I like that they think for themselves, I like that they don't hide their "emotions", I like that they learn quickly (even if they prefer not to repeat it over and over), watching them run makes me cry (no joke, I cry at Fast CATs lol), I love how they like to snuggle under blankets, I love when I have all 3 on my lap just happy to be near me, HEAD TILTS and yes, I do love how they look. My dogs do not have separation anxiety, are only "aggressive" with some strange dogs, don't know the meaning of the word aloof and all 3 are trained better than most of the dogs I see at work (i'm a vet tech).

They do have energy but like a lot of sighthounds (and cheetahs!) they GO GO GO and done. Mine just did some laps in the yard and are crashed on the couch. My adult dogs are pretty easy to live with, puppies are BAD but that can be said for any breed lol. My youngster shred 3 dog beds when I fell asleep on the couch the other day. He was bored and found something to do! My dogs are in their kennels when I am not home or I do believe they would destroy my house. My poor blinds have suffered many "OMG OMG A SQUIRRL!!!!!!" attacks. They have high prey drive and don't always do well with cats or other small animals. Mine are fine with the cat they grew up with but all others are prey to be chased. They aren't always as forgiving of small human antics like a lab would be. Gotta train your kids too.

I think a lot of the negative things actually do come from a good place. People LOVE their breed and are afraid someone will get one based on a couple of traits and the dog will end up being rehomed for being a basenji. I think a lot of people get carried away with the "ugly" part of "The good, the bad, and the ugly" and forget that there was a time when they were new to the breed. There is a problem with BYB/Millers telling people they are silent and don't shed. Perfect dog right?? BUT WAIT, there's also prey drive, destructive behavior, stubbornness, etc. So I think that makes people hesitant of newbies and want to be sure they know there is more to them than being small, low shed no barkers. I think you need to meet some before you decided if they are for you! Where are you from? I know many breeders.

So, to sum up my incoherent wall of text: I love my breed and it's true they aren't the easiest breed to work with but I wouldn't have anything else (well maybe an Ibizan hound LOL). Like any animal, find a good breeder you trust!

I’m so sorry for your loss. I lost a dog to osteosarcoma several years ago and it was horrible.
I am not a breeder so I don’t have a girl for you but there are a lot of excellent breeders near you. Even if they don’t have and adult for you right now they could at any moment. My advice is to fill out their applications, get on their waiting lists and if you have Facebook like their kennel pages. My breeder friends will post dogs they are placing on their pages from time to time.

There are a lot of breeders in Ohio. Check out the BCOA website and maybe join some basenji facebook groups.

Where in Ohio are you?

It finally happened! My boy got the last placement he needed to finish his grand championship last weekend in Tallmadge, OH. Sorry It's huge!

GCh. Meisterhaus Jadaka Don't Stop Me Now

A good vet is a good vet even if they aren't "basenji experts"! The good ones will be willing to learn about the breed but at the end of the day, a basenji is still a dog. ANY dog can be quirky!! My vets never saw basenjis before mine and I've had zero issues. They are patient, kind people who care about their patients. (My dogs are show dogs and very easy patients though! used to standing still while someone examines them). A good vet will be willing to listen to you!

Ask local friends where they go and get a few recommendations. REMEMBER!!!!!!! It's 100% OK to decide a vet isn't the right fit. There is no shame in shopping around! Don't keep going to a place you don't love. It's up to you to train your new baby to be OK with being handled/examined. Work on playing with paws, opening their mouth, gentle restraint, etc. I also belive that muzzle training is a good idea. If your dog (any breed!!!!) is ever hurt/painful they might try to bite the vet OR you so having them used to a muzzle is a wonderful thing. Make it positive so going to the vet is no big deal!

Good Luck with your baby!

My current ones are OK with standard $10 baby gates but my first boy jumped over them like they weren't even there. One of mine CAN jump them but just doesn't. (tris are weird lol) My parent's girl climbs them so they have a tall metal one she can't get over.

Has he been around cats before? They LOVE to chase cats and its even worse when they don't grow up with them. It's good to give the cats a lot of areas they can escape if they need to!

Every dog is different and it might be trial and error!

I don’t know her personally but I’ve seen her at dog shows and yes she is a legitimate breeder.

@debradownsouth said in Basenji Personality:

@crazysenji said in Basenji Personality:

I’m a firm believer that there is no such thing as a “1st time dog breed “.

I wouldn't place a Rottweiler, Chow, Akita and a lot of dominant dog breeds with a first-time owner. There are breeds that generally do need a more experienced owner. I also believe there are people who don't need to own a dog because their life situation simply doesn't make room for care of a dog.

But I absolutely agree that you're better getting the breed you want instead of what other people say you should get! I would choose a puppy owner in love with a breed and willing to make adjustments so it works over someone picking a dog for convenience any day.

If they do their homework and know what they are getting into I think they should get the dog they want. If someone has always dreamed of an Akita how many labs must they own before they can have one? Level one lab, level 2 GSD, level 3 Akita? Nah. Sure there are people who are drawn to powerful breeds and have no business owning a dog at all let alone a more challenging breed. I know a lot of great dog people who’ve started out with them and do wonderful. Right person who gets the right dog from the right breeder.

My experience with the breed is that house training isn’t easy. You have to be diligent and take them out every few hours. I never exactly taught them to give me a signal. After a while they learned where the back door was and they will spin and or paw at it until I let them out. My puppy just turned a-year-old and he stopped having accidents maybe around six months.