Yaaaaaaay, I got my Basenji Prefix…


  • Thank you thunderbird8588 :).


  • I think it's a great name!! Congrats!

    (thinking for names are my hobby 😃 I have some prefix names I like for my dogs but.. we don't breed ourselfe 😞 )


  • When registering a dog, how much input will the breeder have and how much will the buyer have? This question is based on the buyer buying a companion/pet basenji. Also, is there somewhere (a registery) where you can check to see if a name you choose is taken? For me, this would be both an American registry and a Canadian registry, as when I get my basenji, it will probably be from a breeder in Washington state.


  • How much input a buyer gets really sort of depends on the breeder. Some breeders don't really care what you name your puppy as long as it has the breeder's kennel name. Other breeders use themes and let buyers choose their names within a theme. Others name the puppy with no input at all from the buyer.

    To see whether a name has been used, pick the least common word in the name and type it into Sally's database, http://pedigrees.zandebasenjis.com

    I got my first two dogs from Robyn who uses themes for her litters. Nicky is from the "Time" litter and had named himself before I got him so came to me with call name and matching registered name. Rally is from the "Moon" litter and I had her call name picked before the litter even had a theme so her call name and registered name are unrelated.

    When I bred my first litter I decided to use themes but with my first litter, I didn't require a specific word. I had already picked my keeper's name, Sourcery, so went with a magic theme. My other two litters have a common word in the names more like Robyn's themes. They are my Soul litter and my Time litter. I'm not sure you could say L'Ox has a theme but I tell people he is my "Chinese Curse" litter, you know "May you live in Interesting Times."

    So it really depends on the breeder.


  • My kids' breeder has done it both ways - named the pup and given the new owners the theme and let them come up with a name including the theme word.

    When I got my pup Aaliyah she was from the "One" litter. Her registered name came from the moment she was born - The Chosen One - because she was her dam's favourite/"chosen one". She still has that "chosen one" air about her :rolleyes: - so remember with basenjis, they many times live up to the name you give them.


  • Thanks so much for the information. Perhaps when I go to choose my puppy I can let the breeder know what call name I want and she can call my dog by that so he is already used to it at the 10 week mark.


  • I usually don't know which puppy is going to which home until they are about 8 weeks old. It takes me that long to get to know them so I know what sort of home they will fit into. Once I know who is going where, I am happy to start calling them by their new names. I do give all my pups baby names so when I am talking about them they are easier to talk about.


  • @Kipawa:

    Thanks so much for the information. Perhaps when I go to choose my puppy I can let the breeder know what call name I want and she can call my dog by that so he is already used to it at the 10 week mark.

    You can change the call name of a dog pretty easily, so even if you have to wait till 10 weeks to call the pup by your name, it shouldn't be a problem. Zoni's baby name was Fleur right up until I got her and she was responding to her new name very quickly after I got her.


  • Oh, and I forgot. Congrats on the prefix. Sounds very basenji appropriate. 🙂


  • Thanks guys, Im still buzzing :).

    In Australia registering our pups name is quite different. We must have them registered by a certain time, and I think its at about the 6 month mark. All our registered dogs MUST have the kennel prefix at the beginning of the dogs name, then the rest of the name, totalling 31 letters and spaces, max. We cannot put into the registered name anyone elses prefix whether its registered from here in Australia, or from overseas. If you import a dog, it is allowed to keep its registered name, though. We arent allowed to co-breed a litter at all. All we can do is lease a bitch, have the litter and then register the pups in the prefix of the person who leased the bitch. So for me its been interesting to see the different combinations of registered names from your American system.

    Personally I have always picked the registered names of my pups, then allow the new owners to name their pup the call name they want. Im so anal about the names, if I wish I could give them their call names as well 😃


  • Call names the owners pick, but as Lisa pointed out, very rarely before 8wks do I know what puppy will go to what home.

    My kennel name is used at the beginning of the name or if co-breeding as I have done with lvoss we use both kennel names, example being Sophie is Kinetic-Tanza Soul Music. Most breeders either use a litter theme (I have not) but with my two new pups, Wanda did use a theme based on the fact that her and the sire owner had to have an "emergency" meet up for an additional breeding… Thus the names of the pups - AB Tanza Life In The Fast Lane, AB Day Trip To Tanza-Jamaa, AB Service While You Wait..... My other girl, no theme, I picked the name but still has both Kennel names, the breeders and mine. Klassic Tanza Color Me Tri

    Note also that many times if a breeder buys a puppy from another breeder, both breeders kennel names will be incorporated into the puppy's name. So for my pups usually I give the new owners suggestions, but for the most part they can pick the name as long as I agree.... I refuse to have names like Poor Dumb Clyde (and yes that is a registered name of a Basenji)


  • Saba - Interesting the number of letters allowed in Australia, in the UK we are only allowed 24 (that includes the affix). Tanza - do you have a maximum allowed by the US Kennel Clubs?


  • In the US it is 30 on the registation form, however recently changed is that if you "pay" extra you can have one up to (I think) 36 letters/spaces.


  • Patty, I do have to confess to making a widdle bit of a fib :o… Its actually 30and I dont think I said, it also includes our prefix, AND the spaces as well. So its not actually the letters coming to a total of 30, but letters and spaces as well... Not sure if I have written that very well, so I hope you understand what Ive written :o...


  • Tanza, thats interesting about being able to 'pay' for extra letters… Would see hell freeze over before that happens down under :D... Took us years and years of hard work and slog to only just recently be allowd the 30... A further increase in the number will never happen in my lifetime, quite possibly not in my kids lifetime either :p...

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