My previous dog was mostly Basenji...not pure though. I adopted her from the Humane Society in 2001 and she passed in 2014. She could bark, but didn't do it much...she did howl/yodel as that breed does...and I can really relate to what you're saying about the wildness...she was definitely that...and very intense. I'll never forget her...she was really something special.I have a neutered male Basenji who adopted me from the local Humane Society shelter, and the wildness of this dog is not far removed from his primal ancestors in Africa. He can be cuddly, but only on his own terms. These dogs do not bark, but make an eerie howl/yodel when unhappy (whenever he is where I am not) that will make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. Still, I love him.