I am 20 years old i have been looking for a puppy for about a month now…
I have come across the B as a great dog....
Heres my story, 20 year old male, live with 20 year old male roomate (who is willing to help with basic costs, Food or toys, the rest is on me).
I live in a medium to large apartment, on the 3rd floor(which means no yard and many stairs up and down).
I am in college and i go to school from around 8am-1pm then i have football for an hour or 2 a day. 3/4 of the year. (but in season i have football 4-5 hours a week. So that means im busy 8-10 hours a day in season and 4-5 hours a day out of season)
I have never owned a dog before, and i have owned many cats including one cat at the moment (will that be a problem?)
I am very able and willing to walk the dog, and spend the necessary time to do what it takes to train them.(I also have a girlfriend with alot dog experience willing to help).
Id also like to know general expenses per year on a Basenji? Just a guess or average
Hi, welcome to the delightful if not crazy world of Basenji. 
I have to say first off - kudos for asking for advice BEFORE getting your dog. However, I look at your time schedule and the first thing that comes to mind is, during those points where you are gone for 8-10 hours a day.. who is with the dog? who is walking the dog? A basenji is a highly intelligent dog and would not do well alone for that long. They relieve their boredom by destroying your home.=) They are unhappy, when they are not mentally and physically stimulated every day. Can you provide that? Do you have committed people ready to step in for you on long days? My dog (and I can only speak for me), is very very unruly with out a good 4 hours of run/walk time a day.
I dont think having a cat is a problem. My 2 Bs love cats.
Have you considered adopting an adult dog, that you wouldn't have to train from scratch? There are a lot of loving, sweet (even cat friendly) dogs who need homes. You can try petfinder.com, a local breeder who has a retired show dog, or BRAT
As far as expenses, (these are at minimum for me) for my little girl alone I spend 50 a month on food, another 35-60 per month on treats and bones to keep her busy. Where I live, she must have a coat because of the cold, so I add another 100 for a good jacket. I would add a vet check up and flea treatments, and insurance.. that's easily 1900 dollars for the year at the very minimum. And I dont say that lightly.. before my insurance went through on my dog, she got sick this year with a very aggressive infection.. In less than 3 weeks, I paid 15,000 dollars to diagnose and treat her.
Remember that if you get a puppy, you will need to pay for a booster, rabies, de worming etc. for the first few months.. then you will need to pay for their spay or neuter. My total cost for those first few puppy months was about 600 dollars (minus the spay)
keep asking questions, you will recieve answers here. Don't get freaked out if some of us are a little over zealous, we just really love our curly tailed monsters
Lvoss who is on the list will most likely chime in too, she places one of her pups with a college student (with I think 2 other roomates) and it work just fine. The main thing is to make sure that you have the dedicated time for the pup… and sounds like you do.... I certainly would consider placing a pup with you based just on your first post here... I would look for responsible breeders in your area and go visit, talk to them in person... that would give you a better idea of the Basenji and if this is the right breed for you and your situation. Also responsible breeders pick the pup that they feel will fit with your situation. You can look for responsible breeders at the Basenji Club of America website http://www.basenji.org/PUBLIC/BreederDirectory.htm
I was a grad student when I brought home my first basenji and placed the red male from my first litter with a college student. The important thing is that your roommate also wants the dog. Puppies need consistency so everyone in the household needs to on board. John brought over each of his roommates to meet with my dogs and see what they were getting into. Make sure that you have proof that your apartment complex will allow dogs, a responsible breeder will want to see that.
You will need to make sure that you think about what you are going to do during Football season to make sure your basenji is getting enough exercise and mental stimulation. A bored basenji is a bad basenji.
As for cost it depends in part on the cost of living where you live. You will need to sign up for puppy kindergarten which usually costs between $75-$150 for 6-8 weeks of class depending on where you live. Please do your research when selecting a trainer and only use one that believes in positive training methods. Most of the premium high quality dog foods are going to cost about $30-50 a month depending on how much your dog eats. You can look up prices for foods like Evo, Origen, or Core and get an idea of cost. You will also need training treats and chewies, they will vary in price depending on what you get.
There are also lots of one time or occassional costs for items like crate, collar, leash, dishes, winter coat, beds.
And of course there is Vet care… for the first year, you have the shots (at least one is usually given when still with the breeder)... Always good to interview Vets, just like you would a breeder. You want one that is familiar with Basenjis if possible and/or is willing to "listen" to you about your pup... and not just blow you off like you don't have a clue
Thank you for your advice… after reading the forums ive noticed i would definetly want an older dog...
My roomate is on board but expenses would be all on me... which shouldnt be to much trouble...
I have people who can help with the dog, ie my girlfriend.
And my main concern is football season... it can be EXTREMLY demanding... which may make this whole decision difficult...
I am extremly excited to know more, and learn more about these dogs. But i would definetly need to know more...
Do breeders allow you time to get used to the dog? Like i know this sounds bad but i almost want to spend a few days with the basenji before i could learn if i could actually handle the responsibility.
Hey! I got my first basenji when I was a junior in college.
I have to admit that our first summer together, we ran together nearly every day for several hours. Everyone is right: A tired basenji is a good basenji. These are not the kind of dogs who just lay around on the floor and "hang out" with everyone (at least not as puppies). They are intelligent - which means they will investigate (read: get into and/or destroy) and challenge things.
One question to ask yourself is: Why do I feel like I need a dog NOW? How many more years of college football do you have? Would it be better timing to add a dog when you have more time to commit to its upbringing? Consistent training/parenting is good, but even being there consistently is important too.
With that being said, here's some details on my expenses:
The food I buy for my two dogs is $60/month- Orijen. It's a good food.
I also have them on 'wellness plans' at Banfield. This covers their basic expenses each year: routine shots, lab workup, dental cleaning, and unlimited office visits. If you have a healthy dog, this can be a really good way to manage their routine expenses. I would NOT recommend this if you need specialists for any reason. Each of their Banfield plans are about $32.
They also have beds, bowls, jackets, nail clippers, toys, hooves, chicken jerkey, collars, leashes and random items. Some of these are obviously incidentals that can range quite a bit in price. I have some collars that are $3 while others are $40!
Do let us know what you decide.
I got my basenji from a rescue place in Iowa about 2 years ago. In my situation, I had never spent time with a basenji before ( I still have only seen one other than mine once, and it was like for an hour ). We went with a basenji for the stereotypical reasons (quiet, hypoallergenic, etc) and while there were a lot issues we had to learn how to deal with, overall she fit in with us quite well and we love her more than anything
To help with some of your questions…8-10 hours is fine to be crated while gone, provided you are dedicated to spending time with the dog when you are available. Tosca is in her crate from about 7-4:30 every work day, and does just fine with this. We do not have a fenced in yard, and really the only exercise she gets is an hour and a half walk approximately 4 times a week (sometimes less). In the summer she'll get a bit more exercise, as we will take her to the fenced in baseball field and let her run. In the winter she will occasionally go a whole week with only short walks when the weather is bad. However, when we are home with her, she does get constant attention from one of us. She is often laying by me, or playing with my husband. We also do try to rile her up by playing/wrestling with her in the house as well, but it can be hard to get her to engage in play at times, she just isn't really all that interested in it. She also sleeps with us, so she is not crated at night. When she does play independently its never with regular toys (She has them, but ignores them), it has to be something food related like a rawhide or stuffed kong, so we let her do that occasionally but not all that often, as she will gain too much weight
That all being said, she does really well, but is far from perfect. She does have her moments where she gets bored and will act out (like right now, I am ignoring her so she is running around the living room getting into whatever she can) but usually she is very mellow, and just sits around. She can never be left alone in a room unsupervised, so that can be challenging at times, always having to keep an eye on her. If she is unsupervised she can and will eat things she shouldn't, so its super important to watch her always, which can get annoying. But, all things considering, she is a basenji, and they are very mischevious creatures, so she does pretty well. She is very quiet, which is nice, we do not have to deal with the loud screaming sounds they can make, she only occasionally yodels for food, otherwise is silent
I think as long as you are willing to give your dog lots of attention when you are available, and don't mind having a dog you must CONSTANTLY supervise, things would be fine for you. However, I would say a basenji is not a "typical" dog, they are definitely more challenging, and need lots of attention, you can't just forget about them and let them on their own.
If I had to make a list of pros and cons I would say:
Pros: Clean (never needs bathing/grooming), no doggie smell, very little shedding, quiet, sweet temperment, cuddly, great with kids, learns commands easily (for incentives:) ), nice size, bonds super closely with us
Cons: Runs away ( you gotta be careful even opening the door, they will bolt), needs to be constantly supervised, will eat non edibles which can be dangerous, is not good with other dogs (this is just mine, others can be fine), high energy and destructive at times, house needs to be kept EXTREMELY picked up or problems will occur, can't be left alone
As for expenses, I would say if the dog is healthy, minimal. I spend maybe a couple hundred a year on vet bills (including heartguard/tick meds), like 10-20 a month on food (Granted I do cheaper food than most around here), and minimal for toys/treats. Start up costs might be a little bit more, but you can go cheap if you get a used crate, cheaper toys, and collars/jacket if you need it can be cheap if you just get the basic kinds. Overall I would guess between 300-400 AT MOST a year we spend, however we have (knock on wood) never had any major health problems, that could change things drastically.
If you know you want an older dog, I would recommend taking your time and finding one that fits your lifestyle. Tosca works great for us because she is not a puppy so is pretty mellow (hence not needing as much exercise), she is quiet (some are not), and she is crate trained (again, some are not and can have very severe separation anxiety...not good most likely in your situation). I would just look for a basenji that is the right fit for you, I know in some ways Tosca is a typical basenji, but not in others, each one has different stregnths/weaknesses and you just gotta find the one that would work for you...good luck! I hope this helps, I certainly rambled on enough!
We got our first B while I was in school. I still am a student and will be starting law school in a few moths. Alex and I both work full time jobs and it can be challenging at times but we have always been able to make it work. Now we have 2 and are doing alright. I think you will do just fine.
Thank you for your advice… after reading the forums ive noticed i would definetly want an older dog...
My roomate is on board but expenses would be all on me... which shouldnt be to much trouble...
I have people who can help with the dog, ie my girlfriend.
And my main concern is football season... it can be EXTREMLY demanding... which may make this whole decision difficult...
I am extremly excited to know more, and learn more about these dogs. But i would definetly need to know more...
Do breeders allow you time to get used to the dog? Like i know this sounds bad but i almost want to spend a few days with the basenji before i could learn if i could actually handle the responsibility.
Would your girlfriend and roommate be willing to take the dog out on the days you are out long? What about hiring a dog walker?
I would definitely recommend visiting a breeder just to see what they are like personality wise. They are quite unique–and not always in a good way.:p
The more you know about this breed and activity level, the better of you will be.
Go visit some basenji folks and see what the dogs are like in real life.
I would also echo a previous comment about contacting a breeder in your area. Even if you end up with a rescue dog instead, a good breeder is a font of unending knowledge and will help give you tips.
Jylly18… I WANT YOUR DOG lol
but how often can i fine a basenji with the ability to stay in their crate all day?
I am very clean and i can help my roomate...
I also can afford about 750 a year on the dog... much more than that would be a problem... at least until 2010... after that i will have plenty of cash for the dog...
From what ive heard i definetly want an older dog. I need the easy tempermate...
I also could very easily work the dog out...
Please tell me more if theres anything else to learn...
AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYONES ADVICE...
Ive heard alot about good dogs for apartments and my girlfriend wants me to get a bulldog because of the laziness but i feel like this would be a much better dog for my lifestyle...
We see a lot of bulldogs at the parks, and though they are darling as puppies, they grow up into, well…., bulldogs. They have trouble breathing and make wretched noises, they rarely run and play, can't take the heat, most can't swim, they are very heavy and sink like a rock, you really have to keep them relatively slim to keep them active.
If you want a sleek, active dog to run with you or snooze with you, be clean and nice smelling and intelligent, basenji is the way to go
I think as long as you are a person who doesn't mind keeping things picked up, and you have the dedication to keep her occupied/supervised when you are home, I think you'll be fine. The biggest adjustment for me was just having to CONSTANTLY watch her…when we visit others' houses people think I am nuts cause I am constantly worried about where she is/what she is doing, but I have to be. If I don't she will get into trouble and either hurt herself/belongings of others, or both This can get VERY annoying at times, but other than that I love owning a basenji.
I think 750 a year is more than enough...again, provided you have no disasters/unforseen circumstances.
As for finding one that is crate trained, the person/organization you are getting your basenji from should be able to tell you if yours is, I did no crate training, she already came that way so I don't have much advice there...I would just take your time, not get the first one you find available, but look for one that has the mood/temperment/quality you are looking for. Some are loud, some are quiet, some are destructive, some are not...you get the picture. Think of what is important to you, and find a basenji that has those things.
As for spending time with one, that seems like a great idea! Look for owners/breeders in your area and try to make a visit. I don't know what part of Michigan you are in, but if you are in the UP, I am in eastern WI (hr south of Green Bay) and if you'd ever be in the area you'd always be welcome to visit...unlikely you are in my area, but just thought I'd throw it out there.
Good luck, let us know how it turns out!
Gosh a bulldog vs. a basenji, quite the difference there as far as athleticism. I really like being able to take my dogs on hikes…The forum member "andrew" and I used to take our four basenjis on a five mile hike pretty regularly and I loved that. We'll hopefully start that up again once it warms up.
As far as crating goes, we have been pretty lucky. Now that we have a pup that can't be trusted to be alone, we crate them together in a huge wire crate when we're gone. We try to make it reasonably comfy in there, without breaking the bank. At some point Liz and I realized that we had transitioned to the dogs crating very willingly on command. I think a big part of that was we had 1/2 consciously gotten into a routine of giving them a particular treat for crating and only crating. The crate treat. So we were sort of like we don't know when or how exactly that happened but it's pretty awesome. They just sleep and sleep in there. As long as they're together they're fine (not being so fine alone is another issue, but we rarely need to crate just one of them alone). But I highly recommend the crate treat. Some other members have mentioned hiding the treats in the crate in the bedding so that the dogs couldn't wait to get in and find them.
Let us your know how your search goes.
Jylly18… I WANT YOUR DOG lol
but how often can i fine a basenji with the ability to stay in their crate all day?
Actually, I don't think it is a hard as it may sound. It is nice if you can provide them with a bigger space when you are gone but really for the most part all they do when your not home is sleep. Mine were crated from about 8am to 5pm, sometimes I could go home for lunch and sometimes I couldn't, when I was living in the duplex we rented when I finished school. The real key to keeping them happy is that they are getting lots of quality time with us when we are home. Mine were getting 20 minute walks every morning and 1 - 1.5 hour walks every evening when they were crated during the day. They also sleep in bed with us so they aren't getting any additional crate time. Now that we own our home we don't crate as much.
I would also echo a previous comment about contacting a breeder in your area. Even if you end up with a rescue dog instead, a good breeder is a font of unending knowledge and will help give you tips.
I would also echo this comment. Several breeders I have contacted regarding puppies have been extremely helpful. A few have even offered to help me get more involved with the breed (lure coursing, etc.) even if I didn't get a dog from them. So I would encourage you to talk to several breeders.
Yes talking to breeders would be the key… from what ive seen.
Thanks again everyone for the advice... now my plan is to investigate the money spent a year... (being i am in college)
and i need to find plans for when im in season for football... Family, friends, girlfriend, brother, cousins all in the area and likely willing to help
Thank you and from what ive seen a read this is the dog that i want!
