I have had comments along those lines of "why would you want a dog that doesn't bark" and "how do you know when you are getting broken in to" which did actaully happen to us one day while we were in the house. We had a bloke walk in and believe you me we knew as our Basenji at the time had the bloke pinned against the wall and the Buhunds were the ones standing back growling!!
No barking does not mean can't guard. My first Basenji was the best guard dog. Nobody came in that yard, even somebody getting near the fence on the other side that female tri had a fit growling and nipping at the fence. She used to go nuts when the mailman stuck the mail through the slot banging and jumping and 1 day I heard this loud BOOM and I went in the garage and she had slammed against the garage door so hard it flew open. It was one of those older ones with the large springs on each side that swung open. Anyway she had the mailman frozen and she was standing there in his face like "don't make a move"! I once lived in a place that had a fence all the way around and I was going to move in 1983. I asked a friend to go by and look at the place if he wanted to take it. Later I saw him and asked how he liked it. He said he couldn't see it because the dog wouldn't let him in the yard. People have fixed ideas about things and obviously the man had a fixed idea about what a dog is.
No barking does not mean can't guard.
I agree - a dog just standing there not barking, but with hackles up, is much more intimidating.
It is not the first time that I have heard a person say that basenjis are somehow, "not dogs" because they do not bark. What was funny about this is the neither one of them ever said anything to me or my husband as they walked by discussing our dogs. I think the woman was more passionate about her position that basenjis were absolutely dogs and definately worth owning.
As for barklessness and guarding, my mom recently found out that not barking really doesn't matter. Her dogs' howling about the person who tried to break in through their backyard got the attention of the entire neighborhood and ran off whoever it was that tried to get in. It was probably more effective then an alarm which many people seem to ignore nowadays.
It is not the first time that I have heard a person say that basenjis are somehow, "not dogs" because they do not bark. What was funny about this is the neither one of them ever said anything to me or my husband as they walked by discussing our dogs. I think the woman was more passionate about her position that basenjis were absolutely dogs and definately worth owning.
You know I visited a well known breeder named Sandra Bridges (Jato Basenjis) in San Jose back in 1994. She had like 5-6 Basenjis at the time and she said her husband didn't care for the breed. She said he had his own dog and it was something like a Australian Sheppard or something like that. She said that was a dog to him. When I was leaving he was just getting home and there was the dog with him.
Funny story Lisa!…
Ahem...basenjis have teeth therefore they can most CERTAINLY gaurd! 
Ask my nanny
I actually think it is a PLUS that they don't bark..we have always had yappy, barky breeds..bless this "non barking" breed. I am "lucky"(at least that is what my mother thinks) because Otis doesn't make any sounds at all..no howling, yodeling or anything, boy he is intimadating when his teeth are showing and his shackles are up though..I wouldn't play around with that on any given night or day.
This young guy came to the door years ago soliciting something and when he knocked my bw Nika jumped on the top of the couch to look out the living room window to see who it was. She just started growling really loud and the guy could hear it outside before I opened the door. He asked with a worried look on his face "why is the dog growling at me"? I said probably because she doesn't like you. (-:
It sounds like the woman had better taste than her partner lol. Who do you think won the argument…..:-)
Good taste in dogs, poor taste in men (obviousley! lol).
Good taste in dogs, poor taste in men (obviousley! lol).
Maybe he saw the Basenji as competion
Why would you want a dog that does bark constantly?
I think the quietness of a Basenji shows how smart they are really. They know to be stealthy. Whenever my B sees an animal in out in the open (bird, squirrel, etc) he doesn't make a peep. He instantly focuses on the creature and devises a plan to catch it, not make a scene and draw attention to himself.
These guys are truly fascinating.
Actually I've had a few people say to me that they'd like to have a basenji because the don't bark – we have a few too many yappers in my neighborhood.
I've had neighbors that didn't even know I had a dog. Thank God none of my four were/are screamers! When I went to the rescue to get Buddy they had their own Basenjis in crates in the kitchen. Well it was their usual time to come out and they couldn't because I was there in the yard with Buddy and boy they did not like that. I've never heard that screaming before. YIKES! Buddy is as quiet as a mouse at home. At the dog park he runs around baroooing at anybody, sometimes with a tennis ball in his mouth. People ask "what kind of bark is that"?
Since we have had more then one… our neighbors used to tell us our backyard sounded like a jungle with the noises they would make...gggg
And since we have a "limit" to the number of dogs we can have in our city... I am really, really glad that no one could really figure out how many we had at times.... and we were lucky too that none of ours were screamers (well except for breeding season and then it was "howlers")..... but pretty limited....
Since we have had more then one… our neighbors used to tell us our backyard sounded like a jungle with the noises they would make...gggg
And since we have a "limit" to the number of dogs we can have in our city... I am really, really glad that no one could really figure out how many we had at times.... and we were lucky too that none of ours were screamers (well except for breeding season and then it was "howlers")..... but pretty limited....
Hah, I can only imagine what a pack of Basenjis sound like out in the open. Makes me want another one… 
i have now two B's one makes noise and the puppy does not, maybe he will, maybe he won't but I also have a dog that barks enough for all three of them. Before I had the new pup everytime the FedEx guy would come to the door Missy my non B would go running to the door with the meanest bark you ever heard. I caught him outside one day going to deliver a package to my house and he said "I know your house you have the two dogs and the one barks a lot when I come to the door", but he said the other one "doesn't bark at all" and I told him the funny part about it is the one that doesn't bark is the one that will bite you! 
Oh man…I get this a lot at the dog bakery, the whole "I'd never want a dog that didn't bark" snobbery.
It's very comical, actually. Who doesn't want a well-kept, clean, non-odor (most of the time) non-barking dog?
Oh man…I get this a lot at the dog bakery, the whole "I'd never want a dog that didn't bark" snobbery.
It's very comical, actually. Who doesn't want a well-kept, clean, non-odor (most of the time) non-barking dog?
No kidding. I lived with two dogs for years that barked constantly, one of which absolutely loved to whine for no reason. It can get old very fast.
That is the one thing I love about my B. He's very quiet. He knows there's no reason to be noisy. Those that live next to me didn't realize I had a dog until they saw me walking him.
just want to be smart mouths, and I think they are just jealous. Everyone that I have told that my dog doesn't bark replies,"Now that is what I need, it must be nice".
