?). Others I have tried to dissuade as they obviously knew nothing about the breed and I tried to get them either back to the drawing board or into doing more research.@senjisilly said in Basenji Puppy in US:
Get Educated BEFORE you BUY
I second this motion!
Seriously... to quote the animal shelter I got my Aussie/Border Collie from during the holidays back in the day... "A dog is not for Christmas. It's for LIFE!"
Let people who've been in this breed for some time, have contacts, know the in's and out's guide you. Picture in your mind a 15-year commitment. Help this breed by supporting responsible breeders who are passionate about the breed.
How do you spot a Responsible Breeder? Insist on health testing PRIOR to breeding. Know your breeder's goals for the breed. Meet them! See if they're in @Zande's Pedigree Database. Read the Basenji Club of America Illustrated Standard on @tanza's site. Most of you won't ever show your dog and that's OK! Your breeder should know the Standard inside and out. They should be able to talk to it. Read it and ask them how their line supports the standard. Ask them what their breeding goals are, what they've been working on, where they are going, etc. That's fair. A good Basenji breeder is going ask you a TON of questions, AND THEY SHOULD! We want good solid safe homes for puppies, retired show dogs or dogs that don't want to show.
Not every puppy will be a show dog. In fact, most won't be. Litters on average are between 4 and 6. Responsible breeders need pet homes for puppies that aren't going to part of their breeding programs. You can support responsible breeding by providing pet homes. Just make sure your breeder will make time for ALL your questions both before and AFTER the purchase. Mine will! 😁 👍
