• @Kananga:

    Everyone has a different level of expectations and priorities in life, and it changes with every subject.

    The same could be said about individuals buying homes, cars, etc. Not everyone is as meticulous as you would expect. That's just a thing with our society and human beings in general. It's impossible for every individual to be fully educated on every single topic.

    Those of you who breed dogs already know these things. You simply cannot expect every individual looking to make an addition to their family with a dog know every single thing to look for like you do.

    You can raise awareness (and I think that's a great thing), but you can't criticize everyone who takes in a new dog. I'm sure we can all find things in life to criticize others about that we have extensive knowledge over. I come across it every day. All you can do is educate, don't continue to focus on what they missed or did wrong, but educate for the purpose of going forward. I will admit some of you get quite fixated on some of these flaws and I think you just need to let it go and let the individuals understand what they need to know going forward.

    Just my .02

    Kananga you have put into words what i tried to do. I actualy wrote a post and then ditched it because i couldn't get the wording just right.
    In an ideal world it would be great if people came on the forum or something similar before getting a Pup, but it wont always happen. Heck i didn't even know there were forums before i got my Basenji.


  • @tanza:

    When a person comes to these boards and indicates that they are "getting" a puppy, but have not done so yet, that is the time to show maybe a different path. It is understandable that people get angry when it is pointed out that maybe they did not know to research or have missed some important points. And sometimes it is difficult to drive home a point…. but if we can stop one person from supporting these irresponsible breeders then, IMO opinion it is worth it. There is one person in our group here that had that experience of getting a puppy, then finding out it was DNA Affected for Fanconi. And that person was crushed.... but by that time would not consider sending the pup back... and this was from a breeder that did test, after the breeding (carrier to either carrier or untested) all the pups and still sold the affects without telling the buyers, just sold at a reduced price. I would suppect that 99% of the people if they got a pup home, spent some time with it, would have the same reaction and not send it back...even if they then test Fanconi Affected or have any other health issue, as this is not the affliction that our breed has. But now let themselves in for possible heartache years down the road, not to mention the worry... if/when that puppy might start spilling sugar.

    You are buying a living, breathing animal that is going to be with you 15 to 18years...you are not buying a car or house.... I don't understand how someone could do a transaction over the internet (or phone) and just have an animal flown to them?... That said, I require people to come to pick up puppies, as I will not ship... and if I am purchasing a puppy, I fly to the puppy... and the deal is not done until I have met the breeder and have interacted with the puppies.

    Again, everyone has a different point of view.

    Obviously a dog is different than buying a car or home, but each has it's own unique priority and importance in life. Your home is your shelter and a good portion of what you spend in life. You'd be surprised how little research some buyers do and the things they miss.

    Dogs, for most of us, are a big part of our family. But you need to put things in a realistic point of view. Most people don't even put the same amount of energy (that a lot of you put into the Basenji breed) into having their own children.

    When dogs do weird things that make little sense, should we criticize them? Of course not, they are Basenjis! 😃

    And when individuals post about how they got their Basenji or what they "thought" was the right thing to do, should we criticize them? Of course not, they are human!

    Just keep in mind that not everyone making the decision to bring a dog (any breed) into their home has everything 100% figured out. The majority of adults having kids don't even come close to having it figured out 100%. It's a human trait. We figure things out as we go.


  • Thanks Karanga, I am literally counting down the days until he arrives:D


  • So I emailed the breeder, and they have been tested for Fanconi, they have had the same bloodline for 5 years, never added a new bloodline either.

    So it looks like Kai will be completely fine, naturally…we will get him tested to make sure.


  • Did they give you the parents' registered names so you can verify the test results?

    There are several people on the forum who were told their puppy's parents were "tested" and then found out they were only strip tested to see that they were not spilling sugar and they were never tested using the DNA Marker.

    As for the comment that they have been breeding the same bloodlines for 5 years means very little. A very well known, well respected, responsible breeder had been breeding the same lines for close to 30 years when the test came out and nearly all her current dogs came back as Probably Carriers.


  • @SpoliedKai:

    So I emailed the breeder, and they have been tested for Fanconi, they have had the same bloodline for 5 years, never added a new bloodline either.

    So it looks like Kai will be completely fine, naturally…we will get him tested to make sure.

    If the sire and dam were tested for Fanconi, then it would be on the OFA public data base, again this is required that all results are posted. Not to say they are not telling the truth, it is always a good thing to check it out for yourself. Just because they have been breeding the same dogs for 5yrs, doesn't mean they do not have Fanconi. It is really for your own peace of mind to due diligence and check for yourself.

    And if they have tested for Fanconi with a DNA test, it would not be necessary for you to test the pup. Not that testing is not a good thing, as the more information we have in the data base the better decisions for breeding can be made


  • I'm sure this person is going to feel like we're all picking on him but we just love the breed and want people to be educated. I wasn't before I joined this forum!

    My husband had put a deposit on a puppy that wasn't tested (also from OK) and it was a gift for our wedding anniversary. When I announced it on this forum, I too was told like you were, make sure they're tested. Well, the breeder lied to me and told me his dogs were tested, but they really weren't… I just bit the bullet and told my husband to lose the deposit and we would research another breeder who actually cared for the breed, and now I have a beautiful healthy girl with a great temperament.

    I emailed your breeder and this is what he told me: WE HAVE NOT TESTED BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD THE SAME BLOODLINE FOR 5 YEARS AND OUR FRIEND 5 YEARS BEFORE THAT AND THEY HAVE NEVER HAD THE FANCONI IN THIS BLOODLINE AND IT STRIKES BETWEEN YEAR 3 AND 5...JERRIE

    This guy doesn't seem to know a lot about Basenjis... Really sorry about that, but it's not too late to find another breeder who has actually tested.


  • Sad to find out… BYB...:(


  • And again, this person is incorrect about the age, it can be as early as 3 or as late as over 10yrs…. along with that as lvoss point out, we had a long time responsible (over 30 years) breeder that started testing all her dogs once the DNA test came out only to find that almost all her dogs were DNA Carriers for Fanconi. Had she continue to breed without test, there is no doubt that she would have starting having many Affecteds.


  • Folks, this person has already made up their mind they are getting this puppy. Any further conversation isn't going to change anything.

  • First Basenji's

    First and foremost, welcome to the forum!
    I just want to reiterate something someone else said earlier.
    Some of the people here may seem like they are interrogating you or off-putting, but they really are just looking out for you. They are trying to spare you the heartache that will come if you do find out that your pup is affected and have to either give up the pup after getting attached or watching him later on as the disease begins to rear it's ugly head.
    With that being said, I hope you stay on the forums. It's a wealth of info and a good place to get advice from people who have seen nearly everything. I'm sending out happy thoughts that all turns out well.


  • @YodelDogs:

    Folks, this person has already made up their mind they are getting this puppy. Any further conversation isn't going to change anything.

    Well that might be a fact, but maybe they will take a step back and review the infomation sent and think twice about their choice of supporting clearly a Back Yard Breeder/Puppy Mill breeder and opt to find a responsible breeder.. even if the pup tests clear/carrier for Fanconi, there are other health concerns to consider… Patellas, hips, thyroid, eyes, elbows,... many things along with temperament.....


  • Well, i hate to be judgemental but one look at that website would have very loud alarm bells ringing. They breed lots of different breeds AND crosses (I hate puggles so much! What a stupid cross). I know its hard to turn a puppy down once you have agreed to have it. I have been in this exact position and we felt backed into a corner and didnt feel brave enough to go home without the puppy. Biggest mistake we ever made and this is exactly why im so fussy when buying a dog (or breeding one!) now.

    Some people on here can come across though they are interrogating you, and it can seem a bit intimidating, i know i found it like that when i first joined. My girls parents both are fanconi tested but the first thing everyone asked was whether she was. This is not because they want to upset or annoy people, its because they are passionate about the breed and want this preventable disease to be under control. No one wants you to end up with a fanconi affected dog, thats all.

    If you do go ahead and get the puppy thats great, he looks adorable. But at least you are going into it armed with all the info you need 🙂


  • @Maya:

    I know its hard to turn a puppy down once you have agreed to have it. I have been in this exact position and we felt backed into a corner and didnt feel brave enough to go home without the puppy. Biggest mistake we ever made and this is exactly why im so fussy when buying a dog (or breeding one!) now.

    Yes, I was in that position three weeks ago… I was SOOOOO looking forward to having my little girl! I bought/got everything I would need for a puppy, specifically for basenji puppy. She already had a name, we told all the family, everything you can imagine and then some. I already made vet appointments for health check/shots, etc., basically rearranged entire kitchen/dining room to fit extra crate in. Not talking about the deposit money here either. Giving up that puppy was one of the hardest things I had to do in my life...


  • Thank you Maya, that is why I joined these forums and have spent hours reading topics. 😃

    I have a question for everyone though, people here seem to be so against buying a puppy form a breeder that's not registered with X Y or C just in case it is Fanconi (which I fully understand), but my question is what do you think should happen to those puppies that a breeder has that DO have it?

    Should they be euthanized?

    The answer to that is NO.

    I mean, Kai may have it, he may not have it, what will happen to him if I say "nope..not going to risk getting him just in case he has it"?

    He will just stay with the breeder until somebody else purchases him…

    And that somebody else might not be able to give him the life my partner and myself can offer, lots of open space for him to play and exercise, access to the best vets in LA, that somebody might abuse him, not walk him, not play with him, in other words, NEGLECT HIM.

    Even if he DOES have Fanconi, it does not mean he has any less right to be loved and cared for, and I for one am, going to love him regardless.


  • @SpoliedKai:

    I mean, Kai may have it, he may not have it, what will happen to him if I say "nope..not going to risk getting him just in case he has it"?

    He will just stay with the breeder until somebody else purchases him…

    And that somebody else might not be able to give him the life my partner and myself can offer, lots of open space for him to play and exercise, access to the best vets in LA, that somebody might abuse him, not walk him, not play with him, in other words, NEGLECT HIM.

    Even if he DOES have Fanconi, it does not mean he has any less right to be loved and cared for, and I for one am, going to love him regardless.

    That was my question too… and that is why it was so hard to give up my little girl...


  • @SpoliedKai:

    Thank you Maya, that is why I joined these forums and have spent hours reading topics. 😃

    I have a question for everyone though, people here seem to be so against buying a puppy form a breeder that's not registered with X Y or C just in case it is Fanconi (which I fully understand), but my question is what do you think should happen to those puppies that a breeder has that DO have it?

    Should they be euthanized?

    The answer to that is NO.

    I mean, Kai may have it, he may not have it, what will happen to him if I say "nope..not going to risk getting him just in case he has it"?

    He will just stay with the breeder until somebody else purchases him…

    And that somebody else might not be able to give him the life my partner and myself can offer, lots of open space for him to play and exercise, access to the best vets in LA, that somebody might abuse him, not walk him, not play with him, in other words, NEGLECT HIM.

    Even if he DOES have Fanconi, it does not mean he has any less right to be loved and cared for, and I for one am, going to love him regardless.

    Of course that is your choice, however by doing so, you support that BYB breeder who is only in it for the money, period. The more people that walk away from these people, the more they will think about not breeding the next time or maybe at least getting out of Basenjis. Why spend good money supporting someone that has no interest in the dogs, who don't even care enough to breed responsibility, only that they are a "cash cow"… easy to see with this particular person who has so many breeds.

    And it is not only Fanconi, with no test this pup (or any from this breeder) could have bad patellas, bad hips, autoimmune problems, and in the end cost you thousands of dollars to try and give that pup a good life... again, that breeder will not care....

    Again, IMO you are only supporting a BYB to keep on breeding.. and this does even begin to address the issue of the temperament. Since you have never met the puppies or the sire/dam, you have no idea what their temperament is like.... and rasised in a kennel situation even more reason to be concerned. All you have is the breeder telling you... of course they are and have wonderful temperaments.... like they would tell you different?


  • Just out of curiosity: What is considered a Back Yard Breeder? If I breed my Lana (after having all possible tests done and come out to be clear/negative/normal/good/etc and the same with the sire) because I want to keep her puppy to do lure coursing with, and find good homes with responsible owners for the rest of the pups, is that considered a BYB? I am not in it for money, I want to support the breed, especially here in Sacramento, where there are very few B's around?


  • @diff_eqs:

    Just out of curiosity: What is considered a Back Yard Breeder? If I breed my Lana (after having all possible tests done and come out to be clear/negative/normal/good/etc) because I want to keep her puppy to do lure coursing with, and find good homes with responsible owners for the rest of the pups, is that considered a BYB?

    If you bred her without testing, without having talked to other breeders, finding a mentor, without contracts on the puppies and not taking responsibility that you are and will be responsible for those pups no matter what for their lifetime… Not screening homes.... that is a BYB.

    Obviously it would be good if you knew more about your girl and her background, but at least you put forth the effort to test her, talk to people, find a nice stud to bred her too (note here, since she came up not bred from Ryder, before going back to him, you might ask Terri to have a sperm count done), I would not consider you a BYB.

    And in the Sac area, there are really quite a few Basenjis around the area. There is a breeder in Woodland and one in Vacaville. There are a number of pups that have been place around that area.


  • Tanza, it is my choice, but NEWSFLASH!!! If I don't buy him, somebody else will.

    And trust me, if he does have Fanconi, I will bankrupt the breeder, I will prevent them from ever breeding puppies again, I will have so many lawsuits against them, their great grand kids will be paying off their legal bills, and since my partner is also a partner at a very prestigious law firm in LA..we don't have to worry about our legal bills.

    And as for ground….see the below from their website:

    Our babies come prespoiled with a microchip, health guarantee,health certificate from the vet,and their Medical record with the dates of all of their wormings and shots and the kind they were given and their Registration,some are ACA registered but most are AKC registered and all of them come with a full registration.

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