@Nemo:

How old are your children? I believe, dachshunds are not generally recommended for small children but are okay with older children. I had one when I was younger too (not too fond now either).

Someone on the forum just got a boston/rat terrier mix. She could probably tell you about them compared to basenjis.

Visiting a breeder is definitely the way to go if you want to get a better feeling about basenjis. Good luck in your search!

I have 2 girls, ages 9 and 7, so they're well past the "squeeze it too tight" age, though I still wouldn't have them playing with the puppy unsupervised. I like the rat terriers, but I've just always been interested in basenjis. It's just so hard to get completely unbiased info, especially on the internet. From some of what I've been reading online, you almost feel like you aren't worthy of ANY breed, lol…

@tanza:

Is your wife interested in a different breed? OR just not sold on getting a dog period?

My wife isn't interested really in a specific dog, though she probably leans toward a dachshund if given the choice (she had one when she was younger). I don't care for them, personally, but that's just me. One of the others I'm interested in is the Rat Terrier. We're still definitely in the research phase at this point and I thank everyone for all the info!

Thanks for the info. So much for the 'great knowledge' of the internet…

I am interested in possibly getting a basenji, but am having trouble convincing my wife it would be the right choice. My main reasons for wanting the dog are first and foremost because I think they are beautiful dogs, and also because they don't shed. My wife's main reason for NOT wanting one is the "no barking" thing. We recently had to put our dog of 12 years to sleep, and my wife wants a dog that will alert us to people coming around the house the way our old dog would. I probably made a mistake by showing her a few basenji videos on Youtube where they're showing them howling, etc, and now she thinks that's all they do. My questions, then, are as follows:

Are basenjis good watch dogs?
Do they 'yodel'/howl all the time, (give or take more than the average dog)?
Are they, generally speaking, good with children?
Are they known for having any specific health issues?
Just to educate myself, what can I expect to pay, on average, from a reputable breeder?
Does anyone know of any breeders in Northern CA?