Our Story
The One That Started It All
Looking back, I know far more now about responsible breeding and finding ethical breeders than I did back then. If I were making that decision today, I'd do many things differently.
But our beginning was honest.
And I'd never change finding Evie.
She didn't just become my first dog.
She became my best friend, my adventure buddy, my shadow, my wingwoman and, in many ways, the reason I kept putting one foot in front of the other.
She quite literally changed my life.
Falling in Love with Basenjis
People often ask what makes Basenjis so special.
For me, it was never just the curled tail or the lack of barking.
It was something much deeper.
They're fiercely independent, endlessly intelligent, wonderfully stubborn and incredibly affectionate once you've earned their trust. In many ways, I saw a lot of myself in Evie, and she taught me just as much about who I was as she taught me about dogs.
From the moment she came home, there was never really another breed for me.
Today
These days, home looks a little different.
There are dog beds and blankets in every room. Window seats are almost permanently occupied by sunbathing Basenjis. Baby gates make the house resemble Takeshi's Castle, not because the dogs aren't trusted, but because I've learned that setting them up for success makes life happier for everyone.
Outside, there's horses in the field, a large garden with the occasional suspicious hole, and inside there's usually a queue of Basenjis demanding cuddles or hoping someone might accidentally drop a biscuit.
It's calm.
It's cosy.
It's chaotic in all the best ways.
Meet The Trio
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Max – The Delicate Russian Princess
The boy who brought so much joy and companionship to Evie. Equal parts worrier and cuddle bug, Max has slowly matured from a complete chaos gremlin into the gentle elder statesman of the household... although he'll still panic if you so much as move a cushion.
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Lyra – The Empress
The girl who arrived after Evie and quietly stitched my heart back together. Calm, confident and utterly convinced she runs the house, Lyra carries herself with the sort of quiet authority that simply cannot be ignored.
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Agnes – The Court Jester
Beautiful, mischievous and permanently on the lookout for cuddles, cookies or trouble—preferably all three at once. Or, as my mum likes to say, "I've never known such a little devil with such an angelic face."
Why Basenji Diaries?
This website isn't here to tell you how to own a Basenji.
There are plenty of excellent trainers, behaviourists and veterinarians who are far more qualified than I am to do that.
Instead, Basenji Diaries is simply our story.
A place to record the adventures, the funny moments, the lessons learned and the everyday reality of sharing your life with these wonderfully weird little dogs.
Selfishly, it's also a diary for me, a place I can look back on years from now and remember the little moments that matter most.
My Hope
If there's one thing I hope you take away from Basenji Diaries, it's this:
Basenjis aren't for everyone.
But for the right people, they're absolutely extraordinary.
Whether you're already lucky enough to share your home with one, you're thinking about welcoming a Basenji into your family, or you're simply curious about this remarkable breed, I hope you'll find something here that makes you smile, teaches you something new, or simply reminds you that you're not alone.