Skip to content
Basenji Forums
  1. Home
  2. Basenji Talk
  3. Any advice on getting another Basenji?

Any advice on getting another Basenji?

Basenji Talk
  • S

    Myself and my partner have a 3yr old Basenji (Kai) and we are wanting to add another one to our little pack, either a puppy or by adoption, we have contacted medfly (not heard back yet) already and are looking in the California area too.

    Anyhoo!

    Kai is spoiled, he totally has "only child syndrome" loves his treats and attention and we are curious to know what peoples experiences have been with adding another Basenji to a household that already has one.

    Also, I have read that it's best that if you are going to have two Basenji's that you have 1 male and 1 female, is this true or just an old wives tale of sorts?

    Thanks!

    ![](images/smilies/biggrin.png "Big Grin")My Basenji supports Equality![](images/smilies/biggrin.png "Big Grin")

    0
  • G

    It's definitely not an old wives tale about getting the opposite gender when adding a second Basenji, there are breeds that have a lot of same sex aggression, and the Basenji is one of those breeds. Of course there are many examples of 2 of the same sex getting along, but it would be best to play it safe and get Kai a girlfriend.
    -Joanne

    0
  • agilebasenjiA

    agreed on the male/female thing, however, be aware that the female will probably end up running the household.

    0
  • tanzaT

    @SpoliedKai:

    Myself and my partner have a 3yr old Basenji (Kai) and we are wanting to add another one to our little pack, either a puppy or by adoption, we have contacted medfly (not heard back yet) already and are looking in the California area too.

    Anyhoo!

    Kai is spoiled, he totally has "only child syndrome" loves his treats and attention and we are curious to know what peoples experiences have been with adding another Basenji to a household that already has one.

    Also, I have read that it's best that if you are going to have two Basenji's that you have 1 male and 1 female, is this true or just an old wives tale of sorts?

    Thanks!

    Not a "old wives tale"… rule of thumb, opposites are the best match... have you contacted any breeders yet? If you are considering a puppy, best now to get to know breeders and if a match... line yourself up on their reservation lists. Most breeders are just now thinking about their breeding plans for the Fall.

    If you get a puppy, there is a large adjustment period as the puppy will be a puppy and all over the adult... it is the time an adult will teach that pup "manners" but you will think someone is being killed ... LOL... but it is all noise and the adult teaching things like soft bite... and "hey.. don't bother me"... it passes quickly once the pup figures the signals out from the adult.... with bring in an adult, adjustment can be different depending on how the react to each other.

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

    0
  • tanzaT

    @giza1:

    It's definitely not an old wives tale about getting the opposite gender when adding a second Basenji, there are breeds that have a lot of same sex aggression, and the Basenji is one of those breeds. Of course there are many examples of 2 of the same sex getting along, but it would be best to play it safe and get Kai a girlfriend.
    -Joanne

    Yes, right…. as we say... it works till it doesn't.... best to take the high road and get opposite sexes

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

    0
  • DebraDownSouthD

    Let me add that it is true of MOST breeds. Many breeds, however, generally same sex get along. Not so much with basenjis. In fact if you have someone trying to tell you it's an old wives tale, run from them as fast as you can. :)

    Next advice… get your dog tested for Fanconi if you haven't already. Please. The earlier you KNOW the better chance you have of keeping your pet healthier. If you got this one from a breeder, contact the breeder to get it's parents' AKC numbers or proof of Fanconi testing. If they are both clear, or only one a carrier or affected, you don't have to test your dog as it cannot have Fanconi. If you can't get proof, then do the DNA test.

    THEN make sure you have proof that the puppy or dog you get is either clear or a carrier. .. or read up and make SURE you are willing to follow the protocol and take care of an affected dog. I have no idea if Medfly tests... but nearly all breeders do and Camp Basenji in FL does. Often breeders may have an adult or older puppy to place if your heart isn't set on a puppy.

    Good luck and post pictures! :)

    Debra

    0
  • MrBaRooampBittyM

    Our first B was a female rerscue, previous owners didn't know or understand Basenji's so she was a total basket case when we got her. After me spoiling her rotten for almost 3 years we adopted a 2yo male from BRAT. Mr Baroo and Bitty declared an armed truce, wirh Bitty doing the leading. Then this last summer we adopted anoher male, supposedly almost 2 years old, however developmentally he was more like 10 or 12 months, Mr Baroo adopted him immediarely as his best buddy, which satisfied Bitty, totally. So, after all this, our opinion is that when adding a new B to the family it is best that you get the opposite gender, then if you want to adfd another it really dosen't matter the sex, but the first 2 should be opposites.

    0
  • S

    Thanks for all the advice guys, I have convinced my partner that getting Kai a sister is the best thing to do:)

    Speaking of fanconi, we actually ordered Kai's 3 year DNA test kit thingy a couple of days ago :)

    ![](images/smilies/biggrin.png "Big Grin")My Basenji supports Equality![](images/smilies/biggrin.png "Big Grin")

    0
  • TMartinT

    We added a puppy in January as a playmate for our 1 yr old boy. Loki has always loved dogs so we knew adding another would go over well, it was just the matter of making sure we had the right one. At first we thought we were getting a boy as the breeder was debating between our now tri girl and a few of the red male puppies. I think with Loki, the right male still would have worked, but Kaia is the better fit, just because she is not in any way a pushover and makes sure Loki gets as good as he gives.

    Loki still goes all "Mr. Grumpy" when he's getting cuddles from my husband and I and does not want Kaia stealing his attention and she does the same thing, but they have bonded so well that I couldn't imagine not having Kaia. They make the craziest noises when fighting over a toy or antler. It can get very, very loud and sometimes cause you to shake your head and wonder just where that sound came from. But you will definitely laugh!

    Loki & Kaia

    0
  • K

    We got Lela as a pup, and when she was 8 months we got her older sister Binti whom she already knew as Binti lived with the breeder.
    From a few adaptive things to be expected, it went very well.

    0
  • M

    I got 2 females, looks like already they get well along, but sometimes not so well. Be safe and get the opposite..

    0

Suggested Topics

  • J

    Looking at getting a Basenji.

    Basenji Talk
    10
    0 Votes
    10 Posts
    1k Views
    tanzaT
    @jordandwilly - Thanks for clearing that up.... 9-5 is just fine, IMO.... I work and have always had to leave mine when I was at work, never an issue. That said, we were able to set up the house that access to the backyard (with 10 to 12' privacy fences) with a doggy door and a dog room in the house for them, Locks on the gates so there is NO access for anyone. Dogs sleep 90% of the day so being at work doesn't bother them... never have mine even when I had a litter in the house (And have been in the breed as owner/breeder for 35+ years). You can hire a dog walker to take them out mid day..which is a good solution. and give them a mid day meal depending on their age. I do not and never have used free feeding, period. Especially if you have more that one... you never know what/who is eating what. And you can set up camera's on line to watch them from "afar".... LOL. Keep in mind people that many of us need to work and have day jobs. The most important thing is the time you need to spend with them when you are home. Example would be, if you have young children and you work... when you get home you are going to spend your time with your human children... NO dog would be happy if left out... they need their time also because they are a family member and need as much time as a human child. Again in my opinion
  • A

    Getting a basenji, but...

    Basenji Talk
    11
    0 Votes
    11 Posts
    2k Views
    M
    on the heat of the sun???? Basenji love the heat. If you had a fireplace, it will be within inches of the hot logs.
  • ?

    When to get another Basenji

    Basenji Talk
    11
    0 Votes
    11 Posts
    13k Views
    ?
    Wow! Somehow, I never got emails letting me know I had responses to this thread and just assumed there weren't any. But now that I'm back in the loop, I did want to thank everyone for their feedback and provide some thoughts of my own. That makes me laugh about the rescue person who wouldn't let young families or lawyers adopt her dogs. :-D I can understand her rationale from both perspectives. It's a compelling argument on her part about lawyers, but not all lawyers are the same, of course. I know a lot of extremely busy lawyers in large firms who struggle to hit their billable hour requirement each month. They're machines instead of people, and I wouldn't even let them dogsit my babies for fear of neglect. That's not my situation, fortunately. The young family part will be, but I've been thinking really carefully on how I'll balance this when the time comes. My dogs are my first children, and I would hire as many trainers as needed and try as many alternatives as I could before I would give them up. Unfortunately, I don't think a lot of people have that mindset about their dogs. :( I would absolutely be open to the idea of having the breeder choose a puppy for us based on their experience and prediction as to personality. All basenjis are gorgeous to me, and as long as the markings aren't completely off-base and I can get a tightly-curled tail (I've seen that the Avongaras can be lacking in this area, and I need a cinnamon bun in my life), personality is the most important thing. I wouldn't nitpick it to death. I'll have to decide on a breeder at some point, and I'd love one who's relatively local so I could visit. The man I got Penny from had great pet Basenjis that he bred… I'd like to go with a more reputable breeder this time around. At the very least, he tested for Fanconi. I can be grateful for that, as all is well so far and I more than likely dodged a bullet when I ended up with such a fantastic dog. My plan would be to decide and get on a waiting list far enough in advance that if there were a couple litters that just didn't produce what my family and I were looking for, we wouldn't be waiting forever. In short, what I'm banking on is that the right pup with the right personality will fit in pretty flawlessly. I know what sets my basenji off in other dogs, and I'm hopeful that I could find one that would suit her and suit our home. Daisy certainly worked out well for her, and I'd love to have that same success again. I've done three puppies in my lifetime, and all of them have grown up to be well-adjusted adults. I know what it takes, and I know it's hard work. I would never go the route of having an infant and a puppy at the same time (isn't THAT actually the definition of insanity?? ;) ), but I am still trying to shoot somewhere in the next 3-4 year range so my two aren't past ten and too old to handle a puppy.
  • diff_eqsD

    Another basenji story

    Basenji Talk
    14
    0 Votes
    14 Posts
    4k Views
    diff_eqsD
    Here's an update on Lana: since the Hips/Eyes/Fanconi is all good/normal/clear (still waiting for thyroid), we actually went ahead and selected the male, absolutely stunning Ch. Bushbabies Red Ryder, from Bushbabies Basenjis in Livermore, CA. Waiting for Lana to come in heat! They are a very good match, body and personality, should be pretty nice puppies!
  • AlexA

    Poll: Where Did You Get Your Basenji?

    Basenji Talk
    19
    0 Votes
    19 Posts
    6k Views
    youngandtiredY
    Well, it started when I was out with my 22yr. old son at the mall. He said, "Hey, Mom lets look at the dogs in the petstore ", I replied, "I don't have time besides your Dad has too many ideas what a dog has to be like for us to get one", I'll never find a dog like he wants". That was 3 yrs. ago this Jan., and I had never heard of a Basenji. I called DH about 3 times the night I found Sahara to persuade him we needed this dog, but she was very expensive so it took some work talking him into me buying her. She is owned by my son, me and my husband, she lives with my husband and I. She is the best dog I have ever owned, and I have had many through my lifetime. I would never get another dog from a pet store (didn't know about puppy mills)but I would have not known of this breed if I hadn't stopped and looked that night. My husband loves this dog so very much, he buys her whatever she wants or needs. I love her also, she is my joy and I can't stand to be from her for very long, we just got back from a trip and it was so hard missing her. My son said that she didn't eat very good while we were gone and was very destructive in the house. Guess she missed us as well!
  • K

    Thinking about getting a basenji…

    Basenji Talk
    32
    0 Votes
    32 Posts
    26k Views
    tanzaT
    @JazzysMom: Well, it's a good thing we went straight to a breeder! I'd considered BRAT, but decided to get a puppy instead. Good thing, because with six kids at home and lots of other kids in and out, we'd have never gotten a dog! Sad isn't it….