Really good info from Pat & Sharon. I, too, can attest that basenji's shed…all I need to do is look at my black pants and the short red & white Ruby hairs I have all over them :D.
Please visit a breeder and see how your wife does as there are definitely people that are allergic to basenjis.
If allergies are your only selection criteria–and your wife is not allergic to basenji fur/shedding--you may want to weigh the "drawbacks" of the breed against the positives to make sure they really are the dog for your family. A basenji is not for a novice dog owner--they require lots and lots of attention, training, socialization, etc. A co-worker of mine asked me the other day why I liked the breed so much--and I said it's because they are so much more challenging than other breeds--I told him it's kind of more like having a little monkey than a dog 
But you have to have a lot of time and patience to have a "monkey" running loose in your house :eek:
I have also found that basenji owners will change their homes/habits to work with this dog.
We have all modified our lives to that the dogs will work in our homes.
We also are a bit "twisted" re these dogs and the behaviors that drive most overs over the edge.
A non-basenji person will scream at some dog distructions…but we grab a camera and share it with all the others who are addicted to this quirky breed.
If allergies are your only selection criteria–and your wife is not allergic to basenji fur/shedding--you may want to weigh the "drawbacks" of the breed against the positives to make sure they really are the dog for your family. A basenji is not for a novice dog owner--they require lots and lots of attention, training, socialization, etc. A co-worker of mine asked me the other day why I liked the breed so much--and I said it's because they are so much more challenging than other breeds--I told him it's kind of more like having a little monkey than a dog
Too funny…the monkey/basenji comparison...but sooooo true!!! 
I have also found that basenji owners will change their homes/habits to work with this dog.
We have all modified our lives to that the dogs will work in our homes.
We also are a bit "twisted" re these dogs and the behaviors that drive most overs over the edge.
A non-basenji person will scream at some dog distructions…but we grab a camera and share it with all the others who are addicted to this quirky breed.
Exactly…we've modified our lives ! Check out JazzysMom's photo gallery as she has a great photo of a stuffed animal shredded by one of her dogs (it came up on the home page right before I clicked into this thread...how appropriate!). Oh, and it isn't just toys...in my case, Ruby shredded a $250 cashmere sweater while I was taking a shower :eek:...which was due to my stupidity for leaving it on a chair that she could reach. Also, read thru some of the more interesting threads, "Full Moon Woes" or "I Can't Take It" or "What the Heck Happened" or "My B Is Driving Me Crazy".
At the same time, please read thru the health & behaviour sections on this site...tons of great info about what you would be getting yourself into.
While I know that we B owners alter our lives for our B's, but really I believe all pet owners do the same.. maybe not to the same degree, but consider a Irish Wolfhound (tallest dog) in your living room wagging its tail??? Some kind of dust rag…..
Pat, I could use that "dust rag" here!
laugh
Pat, I could use that "dust rag" here!
laugh
of course that dust rag takes everything off the tables with one large wag… then again the Basenji just takes a leap on the table and slides across...
While I know that we B owners alter our lives for our B's, but really I believe all pet owners do the same.. maybe not to the same degree, but consider a Irish Wolfhound (tallest dog) in your living room wagging its tail??? Some kind of dust rag…..
I've been in a living room w/2 Irish Wolfhounds…quite the scene. :eek: :eek: Nobody puts a drink down in that house!
Worse was spending time at a friends house with 2 Great Pyranese...when the drool starts hanging down from their mouth and then they shake their heads and it goes all over the walls :eek:. Talk about needing to alter your life for your pet!
There are a few dogs that are non-shedding besides poodles…. Bichons, Soft Coated Wheatons, P. Water Dogs, Schnauzers, and a couple of others, however remember that with a non shedding dog, professional grooming is usually needed at least every 6 to 8 weeks.
Even these breeds shed. Anything that has hair will shed. Anyone with long hair can tell you that. I find strands of my hair on things all the time. If it has hair then it sheds. Some breeds like poodles, bichons, etc shed much less and the hair is different so people with allergies to dog hair are less likely to react.
If you had to talk your wife into getting a basenji, you better rethink the idea because when she discovers what it entails, she might not be a happy camper.
We thought about getting a basenji for 15 years before we made the leap. Fortunately, when we first heard about this amazing "barkless" and clean little dog and decided that we really needed a basenji, we called a breeder and talked at length. The breeder wisely talked us out of it. She was correct to do so because it wouldn't have been a good experience for us or for the dog. For one thing, our children would have accidently have let the dog out within the first week in our home. And while that isn't a good thing with any dog, it is especially bad with a basenji. How good are your children about keeping the exterior doors closed? How tolerant are your children going to be with chewed up toys? A child's room is a "Basenji Buffet"! And when the family gets fed up with the basenji's antics, you have to realize that a basenji cannot be an outside dog. And while a basenji doesn't "bark", it is hard to adequately describe the noise they make when they are upset.
We love Cory and are actually thinking about getting her a companion. However, we definitely researched, prepared, and went into this with eyes wide open. As much as we love this dog, there have been times in our life when a basenji would not have been compatable with our lifestyle.
Pat
Even these breeds shed. Anything that has hair will shed. Anyone with long hair can tell you that. I find strands of my hair on things all the time. If it has hair then it sheds. Some breeds like poodles, bichons, etc shed much less and the hair is different so people with allergies to dog hair are less likely to react.
It is a bit different then shedding and by the way, short hair falls out too .. the hair falls out… it is usually mostly the dander that gets people's allergies going....
