Konja has already moved to her new home!
-Joanne
Sad another mix of mine came back…
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How well did you screen the potential homes about placement? Did you ask them what a typical day for the dog would look like and what their expectations were?
It is easy to say that the adopters didn't do their homework but as the breeder you had a responsibility to your puppies to ask questions that would lead you to be able to make the best possible match between home and pup.
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Keiko is adorable, and I hope the right home for her is out there somewhere! Puppies retain a lot of "puppy energy" for quite some time, especially if they weren't given options to adequately expend and focus their energy early on… it's one reason that I personally won't do dogs less than 4 years old anymore. That's what I keep telling myself, anyway.
Still, young dogs will provide great opportunities to the right family. I'm glad it was clear that your adopters SHOULD feel comfortable returning these two pups to you, rather than drop them off at a shelter. I know there have been other breeders (of purebreds, too) who've had more than one puppy from a litter returned. I think the possibility of such a scenario is what breeders do have to prepare themselves for, and indeed your experience sheds light on just how difficult it CAN be to screen adopters and puppy buyers, hold them to their word, to follow up and do right by these lives...
Anyway, good luck!
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She's a cutie! Definitely looks more basenji than your last returned pup. I hope you can find a family where someone is home most of the time, maybe a stay at home with children over 4 would be ideal? Keiko would get the attention she needs and a family to burn her energy. Just a thought.
Maybe it's just me but when I look at the pictures I also see that she seems to show a timid face,maybe it's just her ears and the way they fall or the normal look in her eyes but is comes across timid and shy. Perhaps she didn't get the time, structure or proper exposure to be confident, that would mean you or the new family has a lot of socialization to do.
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Ivoss: I screened the homes well and everyone told me they really were prepared for a puppy. The returning of the first guy, Tux, the family had some hardships and were forced to move to a home where no pets were allowed. Keiko, they told me "Oh yes we know how puppies can be". I explained to them that Basenji's are not normal puppies…that she has it in her to be destructive and a Houdini. And she said she was prepared for it. And I guess she wasn't. She had her crated at work all day so its no wonder she was so bored an energetic.
Chealsie: No shes far from shy or timid! Lol. She just hates cameras. She sees one pointed at her and she gets all weird haha. She does tend to keep her ears back a lot normally though. And yeah that mix litter of mine was an interesting one. Some Basenji looking pups some Beagle looking with Basenji colors lol. Im going to screen this home more thoroughly and be sure she can be placed forever. She LOVES other dogs and i HOPE I can maybe find a Basenji home that has one or maybe another mix.
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Wow-she looks like all B except for the ears! She has the taller legs of the B too-perhaps some lure coursing practices are in order for her when she gets older. Please watch for her going into season. I had one born in January and her first one was in early September. You might want to search for a low cost spay/neuter clinic.
Jennifer
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Oh I have a low cost clinic locally. $65 gets a spay plus updated shots and a rabies certificate/tag. For someone on here im willing to negotiate the adoption fee if someone here wants her. Since everyone's Basenji savvy.
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Even Breeders who screen homes sometimes have returns. Don't feel too bad-at least she came back to you.
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I am not saying you should feel bad about having returns but maybe you are not asking the right questions. Most people will say that they are ready for a puppy if you all you ask is are you prepared for all the work a puppy takes. You need to be very specific in your questioning. When you asked her what a typical day would like for her and the pup did she mention the crating all day? Or did you not talk about the day to day routine. When you tell people basenji puppies are not the same as a lab or golden puppy do you give examples? People need specifics and they need good tips for how to deal with those differences. Do you send home information on puzzle toys and how mental stimulation can help curb some of the extra energy?
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She said I work but Im home enough for her…THEN i find out she's crating her all day. She lied to me. I did indeed give examples. I told her she should get her some of those toys you can put treats in that work their brain and make them figure out how to get the food out. She never got them.
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But you need to ask specifics… WHAT HOURS do you work? IF you have to move, are you committed to finding a place that accepts dogs? If you work every day, do you have someone you can get to come in at least an hour a day to play/potty and give the puppy/young dog some entertainment? Is is possible to set up a play room with toys or at least a large xpen area? How many hours a day can you give this dog training, play and exercise and what times? People lie/mislead if you ask general questions but when you get specific, you are more likely to get actual information. Had you asked and known this person would be working all day and crating the pup, you could have known to opt out of that home.
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Keiko is adorable - gotta admit, the expression on her face and in her eyes is a window into her mischievous soul. Like mine, she appears to be one you can't give an inch to and basenji-proofing her home would be a real must. There's no question prospective adopters should be made aware they are lot more work than the average "dog."
