Basenji in heat…

[baxterandbailey]

I have a male (Baxter) and female (Bailey) Basenji.

Bailey has been in heat for over two weeks now :eek: and this is her first heat so we're waiting for the second before we try to mate them. When Bailey isn't in the crate she is wearing diapers. But, in the meantime Baxter is driving all of us crazy and won't leave her alone. The last couple of days has been the worst for him. He is walking around humping the air and chasing her around.

How much longer until this stops? Is there a point during her heat where she isn't fertile?

Thank you for your help and sugestions.

Windy

[Quercus]

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Weeeelll...heat cycles typically last 4 weeks. He will be a mess from the time she is at the peak of estrous until the about two weeks after.
You would be wise to wait and not breed your bitch until she is old enough to have had her hips OFA'd (two years old) and have had both parents DNA Fanconi tested, and have both parents eyes evaluatated for inhertited disease.
Is there a reason you want to breed basenjis? To be a responsible breeder (and not simply contributing to pet overpopulation) you need to be a student of the breed, and know about and screen for inherited diseases in your breed. You need to carefully screen potential homes for puppies so that you don't end up creating puppies that will suffer in shelters and/or negelectful homes. Basenjis are not an easy breed to find homes for. You need to be especially concerned with temperament with the parents.
There are several threads here about what makes a responsible breeder, and how much it costs to breed a litter in a responsible fashion. It might benefit you to read these threads.

[tanza]

Andrea addresses some very important points about being a responsible breeder. Please be part of the solution, be responsible if you are considering breeding and the reasons you want to breed. What do your Basenjis have to offer the Fancy…

[tanza]

And by the way, they can be fertile up to 28 days or more. I have seen and know of Basenjis that were bred as late as day 33 and 35 and produced a litter. And the boys are especially crazy during the entire time….

[baxterandbailey]

I completely understand being a responsible breeder. I've had people approach me and they say that they would be interested when she has her first litter. I tell them everything negative aspect of the breed and tell them to do thier research and then get back with me.

I didn't know what I was getting into when I got Baxter and it was a long road and Bailey isn't much easier.

I plan on being a responsible breeder and intend on following up and checking on all apodtive parents.

Thank you for your concern and advise.

Windy

[tanza]

@baxterandbailey:

I completely understand being a responsible breeder. I've had people approach me and they say that they would be interested when she has her first litter. I tell them everything negative aspect of the breed and tell them to do thier research and then get back with me.

I didn't know what I was getting into when I got Baxter and it was a long road and Bailey isn't much easier.

I plan on being a responsible breeder and intend on following up and checking on all apodtive parents.

Thank you for your concern and advise.

Windy

Please do the necessary health testing. Have you done the DNA for Fanconi yet?

And while it is great to tell people the negative and explain that they should do research… good breeders are really people that "hold hands"... and when you meet them in person, if you don't think they would be a good fit no matter how much they want a Basenji, you tell them that this is not the right breed of dog for them.... Also placing on spay/neuter contracts with a clause that if for any reason they have to return their Basenji, it comes to you.

[Quercus]

@baxterandbailey:

I completely understand being a responsible breeder. I've had people approach me and they say that they would be interested when she has her first litter. I tell them everything negative aspect of the breed and tell them to do thier research and then get back with me.

I didn't know what I was getting into when I got Baxter and it was a long road and Bailey isn't much easier.

I plan on being a responsible breeder and intend on following up and checking on all apodtive parents.

Thank you for your concern and advise.

Windy

That is great! And good to hear. But being a responsible breeder starts long before you actually breed the dogs together. As we mentioned, health testing is very important.

Fanconi testing is essential, particulary because puppy buyers are being educated that they can avoid having a pet come down with this disease, if they seek a breeder that has tested their breeding stock prior to breeding.

A truly responsible breeder has a reason (at least one) that they think breeding their dog or bitch would be beneficial to the entire breed…not just their desire to have puppies, or sell puppies.

[lvoss]

Anyone who has an intact female in the house with an intact male, IMO, needs to be sure that both have had the Fanconi marker test. If both are Carriers if there was an accidental breeding you could have Fanconi Afflicted offspring. You need to know your dogs' status so you can do the best for puppies and the potential owners of those puppies.

As was already stated there is more to being a responsible breeder than just telling people about the breed. As a responsible breeder, you are opening yourself up to an extended family of puppy people who will need support through the life of their dogs. You will get emails and phone calls about every problem imaginable and some you probably could not have imagined.

My puppy is peeing on people in the dog park
My puppy just ate a gopher, are there side effects?
My puppy's obedience instructor says basenjis can't be trusted with other dogs
My puppy's vet said he will die if I don't have umbilical hernia corrected immediately
My puppy swallowed a bee
My puppy chewed the couch
My puppy eats my shoes
My puppy is licking the floor

The list goes on and on.

[Basenji_Boy]

@lvoss:

Anyone who has an intact female in the house with an intact male, IMO, needs to be sure that both have had the Fanconi marker test. If both are Carriers if there was an accidental breeding you could have Fanconi Afflicted offspring. You need to know your dogs' status so you can do the best for puppies and the potential owners of those puppies.

As was already stated there is more to being a responsible breeder than just telling people about the breed. As a responsible breeder, you are opening yourself up to an extended family of puppy people who will need support through the life of their dogs. You will get emails and phone calls about every problem imaginable and some you probably could not have imagined.

My puppy is peeing on people in the dog park
My puppy just ate a gopher, are there side effects?
My puppy's obedience instructor says basenjis can't be trusted with other dogs
My puppy's vet said he will die if I don't have umbilical hernia corrected immediately
My puppy swallowed a bee
My puppy chewed the couch
My puppy eats my shoes
My puppy is licking the floor

The list goes on and on.

Oh and the, you can have this puppy back, I can't handle it.;)

[tanza]

How is it going with your bitch in season?