Many years ago when I was relatively new to basenjis, I wanted to join the BCOA, knowing I was planning to be very involved in the breed. (Other interests we had, we always joined a local or national club for information and education, seemed logical to join my breed club) At a dog show I met a St.Pete breeder, now in Ocala, and she asked why I wanted to join, as I was not a breeder. She indicated that it was a small, closed group for "serious" basenji people only. I ran into her at another show a few years later and asked again about joining and found out you have to have 2 'sponsors' to join, so how would anyone ever get in unless you were already part of "the club"? That was way pre-internet. She did have a form and signed it, and took me to another breeder and vouched for me and he signed as well. So with all plans to join, I carefully put the form away so it wouldn't get lost, then couldn't remember where I put it! So I never joined, and was way too embarrassed to ask again for anyone to 'vouch' for me. I still go to at least one show a year and have found that most of the people are very kind, I have held dogs waiting to be shown, handed off to me by total strangers. I have also seen crabby, snooty people, but by far most are welcoming if you talk to them after the show, or well before. They get pretty focused right before ring time!
I like to think that our feisty members are just very passionate about the breed and their beliefs/knowledge. Some obviously know each other personally (for better or for worse) and some have a harsher tone than others, again, I like to think it is about passion rather than 'distemper'. Chealsie, I'm sorry you have had bad experiences. Many of the breeders I ran into 30 years ago were like that, but time seems to have not only helped with basenji disposition, but their breeders' as well!
