Basenji Noob here to learn!

[corvid]

Hello everyone, i am new to the forums and pretty new to basenji's. I have done a bit of reading on them the past week or so and they seem like they fit well with what i am looking for in a dog! Of course i still have a lot of reading to do and have been reading all i can get my hands on. This forum seems like a great resource!

Anyway i hope to learn a lot from the boards and just wanted to say hi

-Corvid

[etzbseder]

Well, hi. And you are, of course, always welcome here, especially to learn.

Do you have a dog?

[corvid]

Not at the moment because i am in college and living in the dorms this year again. Next year i should be living off campus though, I'm working on lining up housing now. Back home i have a mini-doxie i used to hunt rabbits with.

I am still researching as much as i can about basenji's. I have read a few sites and i have started sifting through the posts on this site. Getting a dog is still months, if not more than a year away, but i want to make sure i make the right choice in the breed i get.

I am not sure how folks feel about hunting with basenji's on this site, but i am looking for a dog that i can run rabbits with. I hunt a lot [3-6 times a week] so the dog would get exercised often.

I am looking into this breed for a few reasons-

• Size, not too big not too small
  -Sighthound, i love watching sighthounds run, it just amazes me everytime i see it
  -Still has a good nose from what i've heard
• Lots of energy, i really like hunting and i want a dog that will keep up with me

edit- Edited some wording

[JazzysMom]

You may want to look into joining the yahoo! group Basenji Native Traits Preservation Project, which focuses on Basenji's natural traits for hunting.

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/BNTPP/

I don't know where you live, but you may be interested in this event in Plymouth, CA. There will be a hunting basenji research project and BBQ on Saturday, May 3rd, 2008.
You can find info at that yahoo! group site.

I don't know anything about it personally – my Basenjis are just cuddle-pups!
When I first got Jazz I did have a fantasy of working with her on tracking in the woods near our home, but then........ I got lazy and just snuggled with her.

[corvid]

Thanks for the link! I'll be sure to check it out.

[WBL]

Welcome to the forum, glad to see you doing the research!! Since you are still in college, I do suggest though that you wait until you are finished with it, I only say because you never know what is around the corner.

Basenjis are great dogs, I have heard of people hunting with them. In regards to being a sighthound, from what I understand they are more a multipurpose hunter using sight and scent.

[DiegosMom]

@WBL:

Welcome to the forum, glad to see you doing the research!! Since you are still in college, I do suggest though that you wait until you are finished with it, I only say because you never know what is around the corner.

I think it depends on the person before saying they should wait till after college to get a dog. I am still in college, and have a BRAT basenji and a basenji mix. And I am active with BRAT (state screener, fostering, evaluations). I think it greatly depends on the individual and how dedicated/responsible they are with their pets.

[hdolbow]

i'm in college and have TWO

rocky will be 3 in june and mia is just over 3 months! (& YES! my hands are full lol)

[corvid]

I am in college but i do not think that having a dog will be too much of a problem, although i do appreciate the concern, but i want to do my research on the breed first. I am a licensed falconer and that is just as big a responsibility if not more so than having a dog. Adding a dog would not be too much more trouble.

[hdolbow]

wow. how interesting!

[renaultf1]

@corvid:

I am in college but i do not think that having a dog will be too much of a problem, although i do appreciate the concern, but i want to do my research on the breed first. I am a licensed falconer and that is just as big a responsibility if not more so than having a dog. Adding a dog would not be too much more trouble.

Very cool, that is something I've ALWAYS been interested in.

[WBL]

Okay I did stick my foot in my mouth and didn't explain everything fully (is there a smiley for that, lol). I did mean it more because corvid is still in the dorms now and said that should be out next yr. What I should have said, was to make sure that you won't have to go back into the dorms, just make sure that you are stable. I never meant it as people in college shouldn't get a pet, sometimes what we type isn't what we mean.

[MacPack]

There is a man in California that hunts with his basenjis and has written a lot of articles for The BAsenji Magazine, if you are thinking about hunting with falcon and basenji. PM me if you are interested in that aspect, I can put you in touch.

Anne in FL

[DiegosMom]

@WBL:

Okay I did stick my foot in my mouth and didn't explain everything fully (is there a smiley for that, lol). I did mean it more because corvid is still in the dorms now and said that should be out next yr. What I should have said, was to make sure that you won't have to go back into the dorms, just make sure that you are stable. I never meant it as people in college shouldn't get a pet, sometimes what we type isn't what we mean.

now i understand what you were trying to say! Just wanted to defend the fellow college kids on here!

[corvid]

renaultf1- If you want more info on falconry, send me a PM i have a great resource for you

MacPack- are you talking about the same person who started the Basenji Native Trait Preservation Project site on yahoo? If so i have joined the group and just started sifting through information.

[wizard]

Welcome to the forum and keep us posted when you finally do get your beastie.

[lvoss]

@corvid:

I am in college but i do not think that having a dog will be too much of a problem, although i do appreciate the concern, but i want to do my research on the breed first. I am a licensed falconer and that is just as big a responsibility if not more so than having a dog. Adding a dog would not be too much more trouble.

I got my first basenji when I was in grad school and my husband who was my fiancee at the time was still finishing his undergrad. I also placed a puppy with a college student and he has a great home. I will say that it is really important that if you have a roommate or roommates that they are on board with getting the dog too. I have everyone in the house come over and meet with me and the dogs. For Ramses' owner that meant he came over 4 times so that I could meet all his roommates and they could see what they were getting into. They were all happy to come and meet the dogs and were great with my dogs and Ramses got lots of socialization growing up since there was always people around.

[corvid]

If all goes well, i won't have any roommates, but we'll see once that comes along. Of course they would all have to be ok with it, but if they are ok with a falcon i don't think there will be too much problem with a dog, but ya never know.

Like i said before, getting a dog is still a pretty good ways a way. July or august is the earliest and a lot of things would have to go just right, more realistic is sometime next year, but i want to do my research to be fully prepared and make sure i'll really have the time and money for it. Time isn't too much of a problem usually, but the $ part is another story, i need to make sure i am going to have a stable enough income for the vet visits, vaccinations, high quality food etc, and i always like to have a lot of money saved just in case there is ever an emergency with the animal.

[lvoss]

Most basenjis only come into season once a year, in the fall with puppies born in Nov-Jan so if you are planning on a puppy then it will probably be ready to come home around this time of year. It is also important to start talking to breeders early and start to get out and meet people and their dogs. Many breeders' waiting lists fill before the breeding ever takes place. Even if you are not ready to get on a waiting list, it is good to talk to many people and meet many basenjis since each family of basenjis is a little different. With spring almost here, it is also a great time to go and check out some performance events and see some of the things that basenjis do.

[corvid]

Thanks for the info, looks like i'm going to be waiting until late this year/early next year at the earliest then!

I am moving in may, most likely to colorado, so once i get there i will get involved with the local basenji stuff.