That's a good point, Ivoss. I guess there's really no foolproof way to permanently identify your dog as yours.
Tattoos can fade and some people wouldn't know what to do with the info if they saw it. Microchips can become lost or some people wouldn't think to have a stray dog scanned for one either because they've never heard of chipping or just didn't think of it.
One way or the other, I think it's, for the most part, worth the effort/expense.
There has been a lot of publicity about microchips. Especially after Hurricane Katrina left so many animals without a way to be reunited with their owners. I think that most people who find a stray contact either their local shelter or vet office about what to do. Both of these places should know about microchips and probably have scanners. The scanners will identify the manufacturer which keeps records on all the chips they have sold. My vet has the records for all of my dogs and puppies since they were the purchaser of the chips. The big problem with tatoos is that there is no manufacturer to contact. The person has to actually be familiar with tatoo registries.
I searched AKC and found a few dogs with Panda Bear at the start of their name. One was a black and white male born 12/8/1997 named Panda Bear Petite Jr, he has a red and white male brother named Petie Bear Besch. The AKC website does not give information on the who the breeder is but these dogs may be related to your Rocky. A Yahoo search on the registered names didn't turn up anything.
Sally (owner of the pedigree website) collects breeder information on all the dogs she puts on the site. She has a lot more info than what she puts up.
If you want to know the info on a particular dog she might give it to you if she has it.
I would strongly suggest a chip for your basenji.
The new ones are very good and it will get the dog back
to you if its ever lost.
I have often found that I can contact the breeder of a basenji that shows up
in rescue, because the new owners often don't change the chip info.
Just my 2cents.
Re: microchips. I just wanted to share a story about a microchip helping a dog. A few months ago I spotted an anxious looking DIRTY golden retriever running past my place. There were a few cars chasing him but the owner was no where to be found. I ran after it also with some food and a leash and caught up to it a little ways away and met a cop there. He said he had to take it to the humane society. I couldnt let that happen, so I told him I would take him home and contact the humane society with his info so the owners could contact me to get him. I just couldnt stand the thought of a dog having to be at the humane society even if just for 1 day. The cop said he was supposed to take the dog to the vet to be scanned for a chip. There happens to be one within walking distance of my house so we walked him there and turns out he did have a chip. The chip had the vets contact info on it, and since it was a sunday, the vet was closed. So i said I'd keep the dog until monday and call the vet to get the owner.
Anyway, long story short, the cop told me when they find dogs, they always take them to the vet to get it scanned for a chip.
I immediately contacted the chip company to make sure Lenny's chip had my contact info on it.
About an hour after I left the vet, the owners of the dog called me. They had contacted the humane society and got my information. They were very thankful that I kept him. It was actually a really sad story… the dog belonged to the guys dad, who had just died. The guy was adopting his dads dog and was heartbroken when he saw that he had gotten away from the yard. He said he was out in the morning and got scared by a big clap of thunder and ran off. My house was on the way from his new home to his former owners home... I always wondered if the dog was trying to get back to his old house. 
sad.
My chip story is that we had a basenji show quality but very skinny turned into a shelter in the PNW.
This dog had a chip and the shelter info was not completely filled out re the owners, who dropped the basenji off at the shelter, if they had contacted the breeder.
Once I was contacted and checked out the chip info I KNEW this breeder would do the right thing for their dog and get it.
Course they did..but if I had not had the info, I woudn't have been able to get this basenji back where it should have been sent in the first place.
This is the way its suspose to work re rescue, basenjis and chips.
At least, IMO.
I am so glad you were able to help the golden who needed to get back home.
Poor little dog, didn't know where home was.
Sigh
I've made it a point to microchip all the critters in my household (both dogs, the cat and the horse is next). Not sure of the particular brand of chip used, but I do know that the chip and the critter are registered with the AKC CAR program. It's piece of mind for me, especially since our local county shelter is a kill shelter. But all the shelters/vets/societies in the area scan for the chips so I'm confident that should anything happen, my boys would all make it home safe and sound.
For me it's simply peace of mind. And well worth the minimal costs.
I placed a dog that came out of an all breed rescue that was chipped. When the new owners took him in - the vet found no chip. At the time is seems that the chips at Petsmart/Petco etc were not able to be read by the readers that most folks had. Something about the chips were 'foreign made and not compatible' The other issue with chips - although I'm sure it's improved some - is not all readers read all chips especially in more rural areas.
I tatto - AKC and the number - everyone knows what AKC is -
I placed a dog that came out of an all breed rescue that was chipped. When the new owners took him in - the vet found no chip. At the time is seems that the chips at Petsmart/Petco etc were not able to be read by the readers that most folks had. Something about the chips were 'foreign made and not compatible' The other issue with chips - although I'm sure it's improved some - is not all readers read all chips especially in more rural areas.
I tatto - AKC and the number - everyone knows what AKC is -
Well not really, I know lots of Vets even that don't know what AKC is… I used to tatto all of mine, but since the person that used to do it retired.. it is pretty hard to find a "good" one. I have seen some that are horrible...
Well not really, I know lots of Vets even that don't know what AKC is…
Really!?!?! :eek: Gosh…
Really!?!?! :eek: Gosh…
yeah, that kind of blew me away, too. I've known a lot of people who don't know much about the AKC, but I've never known anyone who wasn't aware of it, and certainly never a vet that didn't know something about it.
Boggles the mind.
Actually I may have found some information - I searched the site for Bear and just scrolled until I found something with Panda Bear and behind it is Bolar. Sounds awfully close - if that is the right set of animals (there are some from NZ mixed in so they are not all together) you likely have an animal from a puppy mill. I do recognize many names behind those dogs.
The only breeders I'm aware of that may fit the bill of geography and have B&W are Karen Kutchta and Deb Devorchak, There was also the K-Bar kennel - geez what was her name - but I think they were in Michigan. If you want to email me off the list - you are welcome to do so and I'll sleuth a bit further with you.
There are also some folks who track B&W because some believe that there is 2 distinct genetics in B&W - some of those folks may be able to help you. Contact me at:
dmcarty100@yahoo.com
Well, I've been off this post for a long time… and I greatly appreciate everyone sluething! I'm guessing I will just have to be satisfied with not knowing Rocky's actual pedigree. It would have been nice to know his background 9and possibly follow some of his original doggie family), but I am content in knowing that we are his family and he is loved. As he's a neutered male, it's not like we're breeding him!
Thanks again everyone!
Well, I've been off this post for a long time… and I greatly appreciate everyone sluething! I'm guessing I will just have to be satisfied with not knowing Rocky's actual pedigree. It would have been nice to know his background 9and possibly follow some of his original doggie family), but I am content in knowing that we are his family and he is loved. As he's a neutered male, it's not like we're breeding him!
Thanks again everyone!
You should consider doing the DNA test for Fanconi especially with not knowing the pedigree… www.basenjihealth.org
And remember all, for those not DNA tested, monthly strip tests are a MUST
Sorry about that, I forgot that Rocky had Fanconi….
It's all good. If it weren't for the constant incontinance, I'd wonder about him having Fanconi too. It still amazes me how "normal" they can act while being so sick!
