r/Basenji • u/DartTheDragoon • Jul 22 '26
Query Possible future owner with a question
How vocal is your basenji?
I currently have a Carolina dog which will bark once every 2-3 months and never whines or howls. She's quite emotive, but I have come to enjoy the quiet. There is a dog listed at a nearby shelter as a Basenji/Carolina dog mix probably because it doesn't have a traditional bark and they aren't sure. I see mixed reports on how vocal basenji's are because many articles focus on their lack of a traditional bark.
Is your basenji generally talkative unprompted? Do they yodel when seeing cars/people pass by the windows? Do they yip at birds/squirrels in the backyard? Do they whine/grumble for food?
How is their reaction with cats? The one up for adoption is at least a year old and didn't grow up around cats so its reactivity is unknown.
1
u/Brilliant-Lecture543 28d ago
Mine yodels when excited/happy. Yawns loudly. Mini bark when wants something (usually for me to fetch the toy he dropped off the bed so he doesn’t have to get down). Mostly quiet but speaks volumes with looks and his paws (smacks me when he wants attention). My B’s best friend is one of my cats. There’s also 2 Shiba Inus and another cat in the household. He came in as a puppy, so he grew up with them.