@jengosmonkey
LOL this is a really important convo to be having! I'm honored that it takes place on my thread 😆 and yes, I absolutely agree with the points y'all are making.
People do need to know where their pups are coming from and whether they were responsibly bred. To think of it coldly, I wouldn't buy a house without looking into its history and possible problems, or I might face ridiculous stress, expense, and emotional trauma from subsequent issues that come up later. As a consumer, one should do their homework not only on the breed but on the breeder.
A breeder who produces puppies carelessly is basically a horrible human being in my book. It was a huge, thoroughly thought out moral decision for me not to adopt but to buy a purebred puppy, as I've worked with rescues before. I took this step with the possible goal of being a custodian. If a breeder is irresponsible in all the aforementioned ways, not only are they producing dogs with a higher possibility of suffering, muddying this ancient breed, and swindling people, they are needlessly taking potential homes away from dogs that need one AND frequently causing dogs to be abandoned! If there weren't any PMs or BYBs, imagine how many people would get schooled by rescue folk and responsible breeders into taking dog-parenting seriously before they ever took one home!
Sorry for the rant; I COMPLETELY understand the internal screaming that happens within some of you when you find out a pup is from a mill or crap breeder. If people like you and I keep yelling about it, we will change a few minds, which make all the difference to a few dogs which is better than no dogs 🙂
Hello. (Im new here)
-
Hi everyone! My beloved Min Pin "Joey" passed away earlier this year and while its taken me a while to heal Ive finally gotten to the point where Im ready to look for another dog. Ive been drawn to 2 breeds - The Shiba Inu, and the Basenji. I absolutely love both and honestly cant decide which I want. Both breeds seem perfect for me. I have to say though that Im leaning towards the Basenji but they are a bit more difficult to find, especially in Utah. Its not the same with Shibas. Ive found a fabulous breeder only 30 min from my place and she has a puppy ready to go. But I really want a basenji to work out for me. Ive read and studied a ton but I cant find any actual Basenjis anywhere so its really hard for me to feel confident that I would know what Im getting into. And if I do choose a puppy I will most likely never get to meet him/her before I go to pick it up. Do you guys have any advice for me on how to work with a breeder to choose the right one? I really don't want a puppy that isn't affectionate or one that is too dominant. And although Im sure I would love it, I dont want to just go with a Shiba because its more convenient. I have wanted a basenji for years. they are my first choice.
Any sage advice would be awesome! I would love to find a puppy sooner then later as right now I have a really great window of time where my schedule is free enough to spend a lot of time working with a puppy.
Thanks!
Lindsay
-
Hi, I would say don't rush it, waiting for the right Breeder and puppy would be the most important part. Having a healthy puppy and a responsible Breeder to help would make life learning to live with a Basenji so much easier and enjoyable. Hopefully you will get some help from the Breeders on here who know of other Breeders who would be close to you. Good luck with your search.
Jolanda and Kaiser
-
have you thought about a rescue basenji? Puppies are demanding and with an adult dog, you generally know what you've got. And you needed an excuse for a road trip, right? Colorado is lovely right now, and most of us aren't flooded.
-
Where in UT are you?
There are a few Basenji Rescue And Transport (BRAT) members there, maybe one is close enough to have you meet their Basenji(s).
-Joanne -
I have had the pleasure of owning both breeds. There is another forum member here who also has a basenji and a Shiba. Lol, they are both very stubborn breeds. Depending on what you want they are very different though. Shibas need a lot of care for grooming, they blow a lot of coat and can get matted fur, on the other hand they make a very good watch dog. Basenjis don't bark but make a multitude of other noises. Their coat is nice and short for less grooming, though they too blow coat, just not as bad as a Shiba. They both maintain puppy characteristics their whole lives and live long lives. I think our Shiba was 16 when we lost her. Both need a lot of socialization, with both people and dogs. This is a must. Good luck with whatever breed you choose. Look at parents for temperament and do your reading on health problems and make sure you adopt from a reputable breeder.
