They are so smart! We use a "bell" hanging from the back door and both Bs learned to bat it or hit with their nose at a very young age when they have to go out. It's great especially when we do not see one of them by the back door. Grant it, we've been through a bunch of bells because sometimes they can't help themselves and want to play with it instead of ring it and leave it .

Little behind the times…I just can't log on as often as I'd like. But our Jack has this habit of laying at night, while chewing his favorite nylabone or kong, where he can see his reflection in the sliding glass door - and he will sometimes let out a little woof and even a growl, pretty much at himself which I think at first he thought was another dog. My dh and I just sit there watcing and laughing. Now it's to the point where he tries to get the reflection to play with him - he'll pounce toward it, then do a B500 around the downstairs. Gee, think he wants a playmate??? Anyway, didn't mean to go on and on, but we too get very excited to hear his little bark and it's neat to see the different circumstances that bring it out.

Wow - your 5th! See I had a sense there you had some major B experience We picked up Jack early that day, think we might have been the first to arrive, and only met one other man picking up a little girl, Stella, he lived in NY city I think. I think there was another couple arriving just after we left for the other little boy in the litter, that might be who you saw. I tell you when I walked in, I was just completely in awe of all those precious pups! So tiny, I just did not picture so tiny! We are on Doris's list for a little girl if we are lucky out of a breeding this fall. Jack needs a playmate!!! Well so nice to connect with you and hope to continue to do so. Good luck with your shows!

Karen - so nice to hear from you! And congrats on her win!!! Very neat to find Jack's litter-sister online here. I only get on here sporadically but it's wonderful to connect like this. Is she your first B? I get the sense you have some experience here. Yes, amazing and wonderful and sometimes frustrating pups! But I can't imagine life without him now;)

Very funny to read all these - thought our Jack was just odd in the coffee thing. There are only a few things that he'll really bug me to try to get to when I am eating or drinking, but coffee is one of them. Few months ago we noticed he had these spots all over his white chest and were tearing the house apart trying to find what he got into. A little while later I look out back and notice my dh coffee cup from the morning (long forgotten) tipped over on the patio table and ahhhh…that's where those brown spots came from. Pleased though that he did not break the cup, just tipped it over enough to drink the mess. :rolleyes:

Thanks for that info - not something I was aware of but will keep in mind and be sure to ask. Right now we are pretty sure we'd like a second, but have some concerns as my dh has been transferred with his job to a location much further from home. When Jack was a little pup, my dh could get home at lunch to feed him and let him out of his crate for a bit, the 3 days I am at the office (work at home 1-2 days). With a little luck, he'll be back at his prior work location before Jan/Feb rolls around and we'll be ok. Fingers crossed but we'll deal with that hurdle when the time gets closer.

Thanks again for all the welcomes!! Tanza - yes, #2 would be coming from Djakomba also. She mentioned having a few shows, but I didn't know the results. She sent us photos of her new boy, Sam, that's probably the one you are talking about that won - boy he was a stunning tri. She might have 2 of the females she co-owns bred, one might have been this weekend…we are waiting to hear.

Yes - he is Djakomba's Jack of Spades! I was amazed to log on and see that you figured that out already!! But what was I thinking - you guys know your Bs! It seems that Doris has a few Bs that she co-owns with various families. I don't think she's as active a breeder as she was in the past. Jack's litter was mostly intended for pet families, but I think one of his litter sisters is being shown and Doris considered showing Jack. Before we got to the point for her to see him grown a bit and decide on his qualities, we as a family decided that was just not right for us. Too much time involved for us right now with active young kids. We were lucky that Doris decided to use our call name Jack in his name. She was working on a theme for the litter and worked with Jack. So he's our pretty Jack of Spades. He does have just the littlest white on his nose and under his chin, and it does make his face striking. We each had different names for him to begin with - Captain Jack, BlackJack, Jack Black, Jack Rabbit Slim so it became just Jack Although Jack-Attack seems fitting now!

Thanks for the warm welcomes! Yes, I know a year of
reading all about all of you while I stayed quiet - that's just not right!
Our wonderful basenji came from a experienced breeder in NJ, kennel name Djakomba. We had done a ton of research, decided a B was right for us and lucked into finding the breeder within 1 1/2 hour of our home. We waited a long time - first met her and some Bs in January 07 but had to wait for the fall breeding; and finally brought our Jack home in January 08. I have bad
allergies and that's how we first found the breed, but SO many of the
qualities seemed right for us. My dh is great with dogs, and wanted a dog
for years. I held him off long enough until I felt that my kids were old
enough (ages 6 and 9 when Jack came home) and I felt I was ready for another baby! We were very very happy with our breeder. Jack comes from an excellent line, and falconi (sp?) tested, and all that. The first few
months were really better than expected, but we had done so much homework (esp thanks to all of you!) that I think we were just well prepared. He was housebroken quickly, rings a bell at the door to go out which is the coolest thing! He has bonded so much with the 4 of us, and that seems to be our real problem with him - separation anxiety. Not as bad as some others I've read here, but I don't think he'll ever go to his crate willingly. He's fine once in there, but just not happy that we are leaving. He's been well socialized, loves people and so happy around other dogs, which is why we think we'll get another. We're waiting on news of the breedings this month, so we'll know if Jack will likely have a little sister early next year. Sometimes I think we must me crazy! But as my dh says, we have 2 parents, 2 kids, seems right to have 2 Bs! Below is a photo of Jack at maybe 6-7 months, then about 10 weeks. Do not have this photo thing right yet - they are either too big or too small, but I'll keep working on it.

Greetings all from NJ - My family are the proud owners of an almost 10 month old amazing and beautiful black and white Basenji. I have poured over this forum for almost a year now, in the months of prep for our puppy, Jack, who came home in January, all through the early puppy months, popping back every time I had a new question. You all have provided so much invaluable information - I never felt the need to ask a question, because someone already had, and there was tons of advice available. So, I just wanted to say thanks for everything. We are so happy with our decision to become a basenji family, and are pretty sure we will be adding a playmate for Jack in 2009. I will post a photo later, as I've loving seeing all the other photos.