• I have been trying to find an adult female b as a companion for my 9 yr old n/m. My boy b misses having a companion. The rescues always get the pb from the shelters before I can but since I don't meet the qualifications of BRAT I can't adopt from them. Can anyone help me? I don't want this to be taken as criticism of BRAT. It's too bad that with so many senior basenjis out there needing homes, someone like me that could give them a loving home with lots of room for exercise and almost constant companionship can't adopt.



  • I don't think I will meet any rescue orginizations requirements. I live in a VERY rural area and I do not have a fenced yard. I trained my basenjis so that we could go for long walks without leads on my 54 acres. My dogs were never left outside unsupervised.


  • America's Basenji Rescue is not as large of an organization they can have more flexibility in their home selection.


  • Check with breeders in your area.
    I just placed a pup in a home like yours.
    I think my situation was different, but they have been very successful in the past month training him to be an off-lead dog.

    Definitely look at breeders.
    It is unfortunate that BRAT imposes that kind of restriction.

    Best of luck to you.

  • First Basenji's

    Have you filled out an adoption form with BRAT? I seem to recall some clause there that says you must nevereverevereverever let your BRAT Basenji off leash (or maybe that was a Greyhound rescue I was looking at, I can't remember for sure). But it couldn't hurt to at least have an adoption application on file, detailing your previous experience with B's and your living situation.

    There is also Craigslist – yes, it's rare, but it happens. I had an adoption application on file with BRAT, but my girl actually came from Craigslist. I had been checking rescues and Craigslist daily for about a year and a half, and when the perfect older spayed female came up, boom, it was like it was meant to be.


  • I filled out the BRAT application and was rejected. The other rescue group has the same clause about off lead. I'm in western Illinois and I haven't been able to find any breeders in western Illinois or Iowa. I did want to get a dog from a shelter but the rescues always get them first. BRAT told me to look on Petfinder but I see on this forum that everyone is on top of the listings and BRAT usually gets the dogs pretty quickly. I think it's great that BRAT is making sure the shelter dogs have homes but what about someone like me😕


  • http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/17210107

    From a posting here on 8/24. Two boys often get along really well, often better than M/F pairings.


  • I am not sure where you saw that America's Basenji Rescue also has a clause about leashes since it is not on their website nor on any of the Petfinder listings. Have you actually contacted them and discussed your particular situation? Again, America's Basenji Rescue is a smaller organization and even if there is a statement about leashes, they may still consider homes a case by case basis after talking to you and hearing your particular situation.


  • Understand that you must keep the dog on a lead at all times in a non secure area?
    I copied this right off the adoption application.


  • http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/17210107

    From a posting here on 8/24. Two boys often get along really well, often better than M/F pairings.


    In the Rescue topics it looks like BRAT may already be rescueing this guy.

    I think my boy misses his girl and would like another girl. He doesn't fight with my our male lab but they aren't buddies either.


  • @yodel4me:

    Understand that you must keep the dog on a lead at all times in a non secure area?
    I copied this right off the adoption application.

    Again, it can't hurt to ask Keith…. you never know, especially since you are already a B owner......


  • BRAT's policy is that the basenji must not be off leash in a non-secure area. In the long run the top priority is keeping a dog safe, and there's no way that can be guaranteed in a situation like this (walks on 54 acres without leads).

    debbi j.


  • @debbi:

    BRAT's policy is that the basenji must not be off leash in a non-secure area. In the long run the top priority is keeping a dog safe, and there's no way that can be guaranteed in a situation like this (walks on 54 acres without leads).

    debbi j.

    I did not say that BRAT was wrong to have the policy. Having a fenced yard doesn't guarantee dogs safety either. The Lost and Found thread contains many stories of dogs getting loose. Nothing can be guaranteed. I had a fenced yard when I lived in town and we went for walks on lead every day. My dogs were not happy there and the female darted out the door or gate every chance she got. She stopped doing that after we moved to the country where she could get the exercise she needed.

    I only brought up this policy because I knew that the first thing people would suggest is BRAT or another basenji rescue group. I was just explaining my situation and the difficulty I'm experiencing with the hopes that someone could help me.


  • I’ve been watching craigslist like a hawk and yesterday there was a post for a 5 yr m b. I ran right out to meet him and brought him home even though I didn’t think a male was ideal. Well he and my guys are getting along great!
    This will be Texas third home. He kept escaping from his fenced yard at his first home. He went to his second home 9 months ago. He was walked on lead and chained out when they didn’t have time for walks. The young lady realized he needed far more exercise then she can give him. She had a 6 month old baby who could put her fingers in Texas’ mouth without any complaint from him. He’s shy with new people for about 3 minutes. She says he’s always gotten along with other dogs. He was living with 2 cats. He’s housebroken and she claims he doesn’t destroy anything. I left a trashcan with dirty tissues in it to test him and he has yet to touch it! He rode quietly in a crate for the ride home. If it weren’t for his history of escaping I would think he’s another breed wearing a basenji costume. Time will tell if this is his real personality.
    Over the years I would occasionally meet someone in this area with a b including a man who ran marathons with his. They all said the same thing; their dogs had great temperaments and they got them from a lady in Davenport IA. I answered an ad a couple weeks ago for a 5 yr old b. The woman had also got her dog from a Davenport breeder. She adored her b but she couldn’t contain him in her fenced yard. I got info about the breeder’s vet. I called the vet; the breeder only had a couple litters years ago. I guess you would call her a byb. Texas must be one of hers and a littermate of the other b because he has a tag for that same vet on his collar. Texas doesn’t have any registration papers.
    Texas isn’t too bad on lead. I won’t start training him off lead for at least a month.
    Thanks for the opportunity to post here. I think this is a wonderful forum with wonderful people.


  • Sounds like a great match and lucky Texas!!! Sounds like he found his forever home… I would suggest that you have him DNA tested for Fanconi for your own piece of mind.


  • Thank you Pat. I plan on having him tested. My other boy is almost 10. Should he be tested too or would he already have developed it if he were to have it? I got him 5 years ago and while I knew about Fanconi at that time I hadn't heard of the test. I've been testing his urine. It wasn't until I found this forum that I knew about the test.


  • Hi,

    I'm glad you found a companion for your boy.

    debbi j.


  • @yodel4me:

    Thank you Pat. I plan on having him tested. My other boy is almost 10. Should he be tested too or would he already have developed it if he were to have it? I got him 5 years ago and while I knew about Fanconi at that time I hadn't heard of the test. I've been testing his urine. It wasn't until I found this forum that I knew about the test.

    Well I have heard of B's over 10 starting to spill so I might just for peace of mind… or just keep testing him.

    Test was developed in the summer of 2007

  • First Basenji's

    Wow, I had to lurk on Craigslist for a LONG time before a suitable B candidate popped up!

    Congrats on your luck and giving this guy a basenji-savvy home. Maybe we can see some pictures too, when/if you get a chance to share.

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