Anyone know this breeder… in NY?

[curlytails]

I was poking around online for Basenji blogs (which are surprisingly hard to find, few and far inbetween!) and came across this breeder in New York:

http://www.basenjiblogs.com/

Does anyone know them? Or recognize their dogs?

They link to BCOA, but they're not listed in the directory as far as I can tell.
They link to BRAT.

They have a couple upcoming litters, due soon. I did leave a comment asking them about OFA health testing (one of the advantages of the blog format is direct communication with the owner and a record of comments) and they responded very quickly with a picture to a Fanconi certificate, but it's a little odd to me that they gave me a picture with generic information (no name, no registration info) instead of the direct link to the database entry.

They say they have showed for years and one of their dams has "won several shows." But it's all a little vague…

I was intrigued by one of their original articles, which claims Basenjis are popular with military families. I have not noticed that connection before, but I don't personally know many military families. I would be curious to know if there IS a link there, and why – this kind of "breed history" is interesting to me.

[sharronhurlbut]

I don't know them, but would be interested in what others think.

[DebraDownSouth]

They have call names, no AKC names that I found as links to the litters got server error and wouldn't load.. and the below made me throw up a bit:

Our pricing for pet quality puppies is $900. when pre-ordering we do ask for a 250 deposit. Pricing for show quality pups is $2000. a deposit of $500 is required for our show quality puppies. We do have a screening process for puppies that are sold as show quality with breeding rights. Please understand that we do this to insure the safety of our puppies. If you are interested in show quality with breeding rights please email us and we will be happy to send an application to you.

They breed cats too and facebook says:

We are a small home based family breeder specializing in African genetics. specifically the Basenji breed. also known as the barkless Basenji.

[Kebasmom]

This kennel has a facebook page at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Northeast-Exotic-Breeders/143717952320722

I did a search and a website named Manta says that the owner of their website is someone named Lisa Simmons….

[curlytails]

I'm not entirely sure where they stand and I don't want to make any "vulture-like" assumptions. I'm only going by what they've presented (the biggest question marks being what they HAVEN'T presented).

They do appear to take back their dogs (they have an adult, a "show dog" return that they are trying to rehome, on a must-spay/pet-only contract if she is not going to be shown). Pets are supposed to be sold on a spay/neuter contract. And they were very responsive to my suggestion to link directly to the OFA database to demonstrate that health testing be done…

There just doesn't seem to be any current health testing or showing information for them, so I couldn't tell where they stand. I'm also a little concerned that they seem to be breeding deliberately for "unusual" colors ("This litter should produce some beautiful Brindle, tricolor and Trindle Basenji puppies. We have noticed a big demand for this coloring lately and expect this litter to go fast") when I would think that health, structure, temperament, genetics, and so forth should be more important breeding criteria.

I would love to find more interesting Basenji blogs to add to my blog roll, which is the only reason I fell on their page. But breeder blogs are a whole different matter, and I want to make sure they're legit.

[lvoss]

Here are the red flags that I see and would be very wary of.

They do not give enough information about their dogs like registered name for someone to verify information like AKC registration and health testing status.

The seem unaware that though female breeding animals in cats are called queens in dogs they are called dams.

They have two prices for their animals pets at $900 which is probably within normal for the area for a puppy from verifiably health tested parents and $2000 for "show" which is grossly out of line with normal especially with no way to verify anything like parent titles and accomplishments. It is also fairly uncommon for most dog breeders now to have tiered pricing though it stills seems quite common in the cat world.

[khanis]

Sorry… but anyone not offering up their name ontheir website is fishy to me.
No "kennel" name for their show dogs...
and no pedigrees to show you these supposed show dogs...
and one OFA cert from a yearling that is old enough to have hips/elbows/etc. to be done.. yet only fanconi.
IRRESPONSIBLE imo.

[lisastewart]

Nope, I'm a member of the Rip Van Wrinkle basenji club, which is fairly close to their location and I have never heard of them. I showed extensively in that area in the early to mid 90's and never ran across one of their dogs at a show in that region so I can't give you any info on them.

[curlytails]

Rip Van Wrinkle… cute name for a Basenji club.

I agree that there are a lot of red flags. The generic OFA certificate (and only for Fanconi) is especially puzzling to me. It's like ANYONE with a brindle B boy of approximately the same age can claim that certification as their own... And if their dam has "won several shows," why not put all that information out there?

Is this about the time of year when Basenji pups appear all over the place? I know there are many highly anticipated ones on this forum, and I'm so happy to welcome them too, and to vicariously experience other people's puppies. But it is also eye-opening to see what goes on in the "rest" of the non-forum world, as it were...

[Patty]

African genetics!!??

[khanis]

There is a gal on this forum.. Gerri McCann [can't remember if I sp that right] and she has posted on their blog about how great their dogs are and such…
so perhaps she knows more than the little on their site.

I don't know how anyone would know their dogs since there are nothing but call names posted... and the one that was fanconi tested was tested as a puppy... and was not AKC registered. So not sure what type of shows they actually do.

[curlytails]

Khanis, your memory is impressive!

The unspayed adult female that was returned and being resold as a show prospect is now gone…

[nomrbddgs]

Lisa Simmon's bitch Miss P (she just had puppies) is SunDiata's Kamili Uhuru. Her 'kennel' name is Northeast Exotic Breeders. That's what I found out anyway.

[Basenjiblogs]

@nomrbddgs:

Lisa Simmon's bitch Miss P (she just had puppies) is SunDiata's Kamili Uhuru. Her 'kennel' name is Northeast Exotic Breeders. That's what I found out anyway.

Yes, This is true.. Though, Miss P's last litter was over a year ago.. I wanted to clarify a couple of things for everyone…

We have just created our blog and are still working on many aspects of the site.. There will be many new features coming soon including links to our testing. The reason I had posted Ace's, "Ahmahr Nahr's ace number one" actual certificate is because we do work with people who do not have as much knowledge of the process and realize they may want to see the actual certificate. We will be including Offa links to the testing for all of our dogs in the near feature..
Our Dam Sizzle, registered name, "Mariah's lets get the fire started". and has won several shows before she came home to us. Our sire "Ebony" registered name, "Mibre's ebb magic man to Ahmahr Nahr".

I have just Joined the forums here and would be more than happy to answer any questions you have.

[sharronhurlbut]

Health testing?

[curlytails]

Welcome, Basenjiblogs. I posted about your site under the assumption that you would eventually find your way here, and I'm glad you did. I think there's a lot of essential information and extremely knowledgeable Basenji people here. If you are breeding, I would think that you will want to be part of a community as an active participant, whether it's online in a forum like this or in the show ring/local breed clubs/etc.

I am not a breeder, but I have learned a lot from this forum since acquiring my pet Basenji. As someone on the "other", non-breeding side, I really appreciate it when breeder websites aim for an audience of knowledgeable puppy buyers by making the education process part of the website itself, and including all information about health testing, registered names, OFA entries, etc., without having to be asked for it. It may very well be that the people you work with do not have knowledge of the process, but it may also be that some people DO have knowledge of the process and respond critically to what they don't see on the website by skipping over your litters altogether.

Hopefully you'll find these comments to be constructive…

[Rita Jean]

Ahmahr Nahr are these B's not from the lawyer down in New Mexico?

Rita Jea

[Basenjiblogs]

Thank You Curlytails. I do appreciate you comments and welcome them. I do also understand that our site has a long way to go. I am constantly working to improve it. But, far from done..
We have been "lurking" here for a while and would like to become more involved. We do realize that there are a lot of very knowledgeable folks here and believe that we can learn a lot. Hopefully, making some new friends along the way. We have not been as involved as we should have been recently with showing our Basenji's but are planning to do so this spring. We have also began working with another breeder whom we consider to be very accomplished and respected in the basenji world, to become more educated and involved in the community. "I am sure they are a member here and will let them decide if they wish to be named".

[Schouiffy]

Where is the **health testing information??? yikes!

[lvoss]

@Basenjiblogs:

The reason I had posted Ace's, "Ahmahr Nahr's ace number one" actual certificate is because we do work with people who do not have as much knowledge of the process and realize they may want to see the actual certificate.

And yet the certificate you posted is so vague that it could have easily been any brindle boy, in fact that is the "name" on the certificate. It does not identify the tested dog as Ace or Ahmahr Nahr's ace number one. If that was enough for the buyers to feel comfortable that the parents were adequately tested then they are seriously under educated about health testing. What about the dam? Both parents should be tested before breeding.