Basenji Breeders in Malta

[eaglet]

I am interested in getting a Basenji and would like to visit personally and speak to breeders. Does anyone know, maybe from your contacts, of any Basenji Breeders in Malta Europe? Although one can find any type of dog breed in Malta, I have never come across or know of any Basenji breeders in Malta.

[elbrant]

Check with your local kennel club, or the closest dog show sponsor to see if they know of any Basenji's in your area. Also, any business that works with dogs (Vets, Groomers, etc.).

[tanza]

You may want to try and find breeders and/or owners in Italy and/or France to help you find a breeder.... you might also try and contact Zande Basenjis to help you maybe locate owners and/or breeders. You can contact Sally at Zande at www.zandebasenjis.com for her email. You can also search for a Kennel Club in Malta, however in looking doesn't seem like the site has been updated since 2002?

[Zande]

He did contact me, tanza, and I put him in touch with someone who can help him but NOT on Malta ! there are no breeders or breed clubs 'in his area', and groomers / pet stores are unlikely to have experience of the Breed, elbrant !

I sent him the link to my website and suggested he read, not just the Put-off but the many articles and stories about life with a Basenji.

I also pointed out that, because of the lack of Basenjis on Malta, vets are unlikely to be familiar with this challenging breed. They won't have come across them. That is something to give serious consideration to in choosing a breed.

[elbrant]

@zande said in Basenji Breeders in Malta:

groomers / pet stores are unlikely to have experience of the Breed, elbrant !

I was simply suggesting that the more you look, the more likely you are to find what you are looking for. If you only ask one group of people, you are limiting your resources to that one group. If you look and ask several people, or groups, then you increase the likelihood of discovering what you were looking for. It's human nature to share things about yourself in hopes of finding new friends with similar interests.

A Basenji owner may be unlikely to take their pup to a groomer, but perhaps they have taken another dog to the local groomer and happened to mention their Basenji while visiting with the shop owner. You never know, @eaglet could come across someone with a cousin or a friend's neighbor that has a B, whom they can then get the breeder information from. Sometimes "it's a small world, after all".

[Zande]

Malta is an island.
It is not a question of taking a Basenji to a groomer ! It is a question of a Basenji-free community, bounded by water !

[elbrant]

@zande I'm at a disadvantage -- I clearly don't understand that point you are trying to make.... Are you suggesting that it is illegal to have a Basenji on Malta? Or, that the population on Malta is cut off from the rest of the world?

[eeeefarm]

Malta is small, 122 square miles in size, less than half a million population. I am guessing if there was a Basenji on the island it would stand out. Certainly if there was a breeder there it wouldn't be hard to find....

[Zande]

@eeeefarm said in Basenji Breeders in Malta:

I am guessing if there was a Basenji on the island it would stand out.

Thank you, eeeefarm, for helping to clarify !

No, of COURSE Basenjis are not illegal and equally, Malta is not cut off from the world of Basenjis. But it is indeed tiny and they would stand out if there were many.

I have managed (through the database) to find 4 Basenjis imported into Malta since 2011 when a UK Basenji was sent there.

Subsequently, one arrived from Russia and two from Brazil. Four Basenjis that we are sure of, in 9 years. The two from Brazil were bred and produced at least one puppy.

That pup, born in 2016, has been used by a junior handler. . . probably daughter of the owner of a GSD breeder.

Thanks to tanza suggesting he contact me, I have given eaglet all the positive / definitive help I can - via email. He is well aware information is unlikely to come from someone who knows someone on such a small island.

[elbrant]

@eeeefarm @Zande Just because we don't know anyone on Malta with a Basenji, does not mean that there aren't any Basenji's on Malta. Half a million people = a lot of possible dog owners.... let's agree to not make assumptions.

[elbrant]

@zande said in Basenji Breeders in Malta:

a Basenji-free community, bounded by water !

You found some Basenji's on Malta! Cool!

[tanza]

@elbrant - You need to understand the area that some might be living in... and you also need to understand that Zande has done the Pedigree for all Basenjis worldwide for many, many years now... and she does have the and knows who the breeders are, just like she knows who the breeders are for your Basenji (as do I in the case of your Basenji, which I will say they are responsible breeders)... so if there was one in Malta, she would know who that was, she was indicating as again she has manged the database and found 4 Basenjis that were imported to Malta. The point she was making and also eeeefarm is that this is a fairly isolated country and the points/directions you offered are not realistic in this case. Please think before responding especially when it is to a country outside of the US and let others that are more knowledgeable respond. This is exactly why I refer always to Zande when it is question from across the "pond".....
And by the way have you ever been to http://www.pedigrees.zandebasenjis.com/, maybe you should and look at all the work that Zande has put into to this.... so that Basenji owners and of course breeders can review pedigrees... and if you do not believe this is important, I for one feel sorry for you... as this is HOW NEW people to the breed follow and learn!

[tanza]

@elbrant - She found these imported Basenjis from 4 .... because Zande has spent years in developing the pedigree site...so she would know if there was a breeder in Malta....

[elbrant]

@tanza said in Basenji Breeders in Malta:

the points/directions you offered are not realistic in this case.

The method I suggest is valid in virtually every case. You will not find what you are looking for until you look, because you never know what you will find.

Unfortunately, @Zande's original comment was that there weren't any Basenji's in Malta -- it sounded like she was telling @eaglet to give up. I'm grateful that @Zande contacted @eaglet by email and then did some additional research through her records. Her database is a feather in her cap, no doubt about that. Add the knowledge she has gained as a breeder makes her a valuable member.

I don't, however, think anyone should be telling any member that their input is unwanted. Our community is made up of many people who have different perspectives, personalities, knowledge, and skillsets. And that makes each one of us valuable. I would hate to think that we could have members who don't participate for fear that their input wouldn't be appreciated.

[tanza]

This post is deleted!

[eaglet]

I do not think that it is a question of a country of just 316 square kilometres in size or a population of less than half a million. This is surely not the case. In Malta, there are several rare dog breeds, such as Otterhounds, Azawakh, Akita, Finnish Spitz, Shiba Inu and many others. Malta is a country where people love dogs and about two-thirds of families own a dog. The question is why is it different with Basenji breeds. And this is not just a case for Malta. Other countries having millions of population do not even know that a Basenji existed in the world, let alone from having Basenji breeders in their countries.

[eeeefarm]

They are a relatively rare breed. Most people don't know what they are if you mention the breed by name. And if you are out walking one people will stop and ask you what kind of dog it is. Always a treat to encounter another Basenji or indeed to meet someone who knows what they are!

[Zande]

@eeeefarm Even in this country of a couple of hundred Basenjis, I am constantly asked 'what is that ?' when out in the woods with mine !

Sadly, during this virus crisis, the forest is closed (at least, the carpark is, but the wood is pretty porous with entrances all over the place) but when Mku first started running free, he attracted loads of admiring questions as to his breed. Even meeting the same people on a different day I got 'what did you say his breed was ?'

I forget what the thread was when his free running was doubted but YEAH ! I have him running and hunting along with Hoover. We practiced here in the garden and then I let him loose over fields where I could see him all the time. A short, sharp whistle, and a small black thing hurtles back to Mom.

He gets a treat and I get a fabulous yodel !

[Zande]

@tanza Thanks for the vote of confidence !

I started the database in 1984 - so 36 years ago. You could call it my mission in life !

It keeps growing - more and more breeders in far-flung lands find it useful and add to it with details of their litters. I spend at least 5 hours a day, almost every day, contacting breeders and owners, entering data, checking accuracy etc. I never thought I'd reach a hundred thousand but we are 'way beyond that. The addition of photos was relatively recent in the scheme of things but more and more pedigrees are filling up with a full compliment of pics.

Onwards and Upwards !

[Kembe]

@zande
Your dedication, work, and mission with Basenjis is greatly appreciated. Thank you! ️