Here is a great article about the Lukuru Basenjis and Dr. Jo
Thank you for that link Pat, very interesting!
Sorry I meant those in the Congo region, not just the Lukuru project. Wow surprised by the colors with both parents so light. OMG OMG how cute. I wish I could get a job whelping puppies 
Yes, I am very curious to see what color red they turn out to be when they are adults…
Okay question, I was looking at the links given today and all.. and I don't see hips or eyes on some of the Lukuru dogs, including the sire and dam of this cute litter. Is there a reason they weren't required or done before BCOA approved them?
As a small plug for the 2011 BCOA National in Manitowoc, WI: Dr. Jo will be our guest seminar speaker and will talk about her life and experiences in the Congo. She gave a similar talk at an earlier National (2008 I think). A brief description and bio can be found on the specialty website link below. Hope you can make it!
Okay question, I was looking at the links given today and all.. and I don't see hips or eyes on some of the Lukuru dogs, including the sire and dam of this cute litter. Is there a reason they weren't required or done before BCOA approved them?
I can not answer why hips/eyes were not done and/or not published with the OFA (if done) prior to breeding but as per the BCOA requirements for submitting for approval (see below) hips and eyes - while highly recommended - are not required:
<start>At this time there are only 2 DNA based tests for Basenjis; HA and Fanconi. Other known diseases which can affect the Basenji breed, such as PRA, Hip Dysplasia, and Autoimmune Thyroiditis have unknown modes of inheritance; in some cases the age of onset of said diseases are variable making test results only a snapshot of dog health status at a specific time which is not indicative of future status. Though it is highly recommended that more health testing be done, it was decided to only require the two DNA based tests.</start>
Very nice articles, thank you for posting Tanza. So fascinating to read. Dr Jo sounds like one true gem.
Thanks for the info. I guess I feel whether absolute hereditary or not, testing for major issues that are at least partially hereditary should be done before breeding. While hips not so great an issue, eyes certainly are.
I wish we had totally open registries where all results had to be listed. Of course in a perfect world you wouldn't be able to register a litter without the main ones done. Some very good COE breed clubs will not allow breeders to list on their site without said testing of the recommended health clearances.
Thanks for the info. I guess I feel whether absolute hereditary or not, testing for major issues that are at least partially hereditary should be done before breeding. While hips not so great an issue, eyes certainly are.
Personally I feel every test available to the breed, which we (generic) expect of any responsible breeder, should be required before submittal for foundation stock inclusion. Why? I seem to recall the earlier Avongara's (1998/99) were put through the wringer because the "collective we" did not feel that every import had enough testing done - despite the fact that many of these imports had quite a bit more testing than responsible breeders of that time had on their current breeding stock. A bit of the pot calling the kettle black, IMO. Requiring all testing to be done prior to (via prelims if necessary) would hopefully quiet these kind of detractors which takes away from the positiveness of the whole endeavor.
Therefore I was very pleased to see the current Avongara groups did do more testing than was required, mostly hips and eyes with a few patella and thyroids thrown in, before they were even put up for BCOA review. Yeah! (The exceptions being the two European imports Gali and Asuma who since had more testing in their respective country (eyes, hips and thyroid for Asuma, eyes and hips for Gali) done now that they have been bred, Ziki who has since had her hips done prior to her being bred this year and Kitoko who, as far as I can tell, has not had anymore testing done than the two required.) So out of the nine 2009/2010 Avongara imports accepted, five had additional testing done prior to inclusion with three others doing their testing prior to breeding. That's awesome, IMO.
I wish we had totally open registries where all results had to be listed. Of course in a perfect world you wouldn't be able to register a litter without the main ones done. Some very good COE breed clubs will not allow breeders to list on their site without said testing of the recommended health clearances.
Somehow I think I would like to live in your perfect world as I could not agree more!
Not sure what you mean by the "lot" of Lukuru, until this past fall, there had been no breedings of them….
Since I have not seen them in person, I really can't comment on just pictures. They do seem to be a lighter shade of red... however see the link below to the puppies from the Lukuru litter born this year and the dark puppies... now how they grow up is something we will have to wait and see
And I can't wait!!!!!!!
And I can't wait!!!!!!!
I bet you can't…... can't wait to see pictures of your pup!!! (pups after Karla's are born!!!)
