New potential Basenji Owner in Wisconsin–-am a little scared!

[Catherine]

I am going this Friday to pick out our first Family dog. I have decided on the basenji and need to know even more than I have read about them.
I have been a dog owner all of my life but not on my own with my own family. I have waited until my three girls were old enough to understand the caretaking of a pet and hopefully this one will be a wonderful addition!
I am getting a little girl puppy. She will not be potty trained. I intend to crate train her.
I bought chew toys as I was told they were needed!
Any thing else?
Should I be scared?
Should I be excited?
HELP

[lvoss]

Have the puppy's parents been tested for Fanconi Syndrome using the DNA Marker test? Have you confirmed on the OFA website, http://www.offa.org, that at least one of them has tested Probably Clear Normal?

What will the breeder be providing in the puppy pack to come home with the puppy?

[Catherine]

I don't know! I will email the breeder and find out

[Nemo]

@Catherine:

I am going this Friday to pick out our first Family dog. I have decided on the basenji and need to know even more than I have read about them.
I have been a dog owner all of my life but not on my own with my own family. I have waited until my three girls were old enough to understand the caretaking of a pet and hopefully this one will be a wonderful addition!
I am getting a little girl puppy. She will not be potty trained. I intend to crate train her.
I bought chew toys as I was told they were needed!
Any thing else?
Should I be scared?
Should I be excited?
HELP

Hi Catherine,
I'm in WI too. I live in the De Pere area, where in the state are you? There are a few other WI people on the forums too. I just got a new girl puppy as well. It's a lot of work but it's really fun too. Do you mind sharing which breeder you are getting your dog from? I know or have met a number of the WI/IL breeders.

Welcome to the forum,
Clay

[Catherine]

I am purchasing this dog from a lady in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Her name is Teresa and her website, is Hestekinhills.com

It looks very reputable…..

Where did you get yours from?

How are you doing with the new puppy?

[lvoss]

Make sure to ask for the parents registered names and regsitration numbers so you can search the OFA website for the Fanconi test results. Verify for yourself that they are there and that one parent has tested Probably Clear.

Responsible breeders do more that just test for Fanconi Syndrome. Both parents should have hips done and CERF numbers, this would all be listed on their OFA page with Fanconi results.

[Nemo]

@Catherine:

I am purchasing this dog from a lady in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Her name is Teresa and her website, is Hestekinhills.com

It looks very reputable…..

Where did you get yours from?

How are you doing with the new puppy?

Hi Catherine,
I got my basenji from Sue Joyner down near Chicago. I'm doing pretty good with the puppy, she is a handful. I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun. Just double check on the fanconi test for the parents with the breeder. Which litter is she from?

[tanza]

Yes, please be sure that this pup's parents have been DNA tested for Fanconi at the very least… with a responsible breeder you should be getting a pup who's parents have DNA testing for Fanconi, Hips done, Thyroid, and eyes checked by a board certified Vet...

[tanza]

And since this breeder breeds a lot of puppies of other breeds besides Basenjis… I would be concerned about how they have been socialized considering their age.

[Catherine]

I will make sure of all of this. I am traveling there on Friday and if it seems unreputable I will not be purchasing this dog.
Any other information?

[Nemo]

I'll just say that if you search "Hestekin" on this site you will see a number of discussions about it (including posts from Teresa). There is a lot of passion on this forum regarding health testing and responsible breeding practices, so that is where a lot of the concern and discussion originates from.

Good Luck!

[lvoss]

If you haven't already checked out this website, take a look and see if you have already gotten the answers to all of these questions, http://www.basenji.org/learn/ScreeningBreeders.htm

[lvoss]

Here is an article about things to look for in a breeder and why they are important.

http://kineticbasenjis.tripod.com/Information/Buying_a_Basenji.html

[Schouiffy]

Your breeder seems very well intended. But, what worries me is zero mention of testing for Fanconi testing on her website, as well as her prices for her dogs, especially for "show champion" bloodlines are completely ridiculous. A Basenji breeder who has spectacular bloodlines, who puts hours and hours of thought into the genetics, health and temperament of a litter will normally charge between 800-1000 dollars for a dog with complete health testing and no distinction between show and pet quality puppies. So my question for the breeder would be where is the testing paperwork for the parents, this must be on the OFA website or the proper testing was not administered. Hips, Eyes, & Thyroid are important too. Please trust the people on the forum when we say, putting yourself at risk for a Fanconi affected puppy is the last thing you want for your family, for your children, who I'm sure are over the moon about getting a puppy. It's heart breaking to read the stories on this forum of members whose dogs have died prematurely from this disease.

If you are wary, please look at the BCOA breeder's directory. As well Ivoss's links above are must reads.
http://www.basenji.org/PUBLIC/BreederDirectory.htm

or perhaps consider adoption through BRAT, there are many golden opportunity dogs waiting for homes.

I hope you will be able to find a curly tailed monster that will enrich your life the way ours have. They are worth all the extra effort to make sure they are right for you.

[Janneke]

Welcome to the forum! Please listen to all the good advice already given in this thread!

[snorky998]

Catherine, thank you so much for taking all the discussion on here about testing so seriously. You might find the love of your life at the breeders, but that could turn into serious heart break in a short amount of time if the health of the pup is questionable.

If you want an example story, do a site search–"Isis".

If not, at least read one of the last threads.....
http://www.basenjiforums.com/showthread.php?t=5736&highlight=Isis

…..and the final thread..... http://www.basenjiforums.com/showthread.php?t=5788&highlight=Isis

I am in no way trying to discourage you from becoming a B. owner. I merely encourage you, with the help of others here, to be the most informed buyer of a new 'senji that you can possibly be.

Ask the right questions and listen for the correct answers. Good luck and safe travels tomorrow.

Dawn

[khanis]

If you want to know WHY folks are so adamant about making sure you get your upcoming pup from a Fanconi-tested litter [or that the parents – at least one of them -- has tested as Fanconi-clear]….
please go read this thread:
http://www.basenjiforums.com/showthread.php?t=4937

Do note that this is from one of my own dog owners… their boy passed away a few years ago.... after having Fanconi Syndrome for several years.

Now that the testing IS available, there is absolutely NO reason for NOT having any breedings without testing behind them.
As Lisa also mentioned, there is far more to health testing than Fanconi....
hips, eyes, thyroid, etc.
Who would care less if the dog was Fanconi clear if it were blind and/or dysplastic!

There is again, no reason whatsoever, for breeding animals that are untested for any of these issues, or affected, with any of these issues.

Best of luck to you..... do me a favor, count all the dogs/puppies/breeds and let us know how many there are... I am interested in knowing how many breeds she is down/up to these days.

[sharronhurlbut]

Yes, with this test, no one should have a fanconis affected dog.

[Catherine]

Thank you all so much for responding to my questions on the Basenji puppy I may be getting.
I am very disheartened, however by the lack of people eager to tell me more about the dog itself than that of the Faconi Syndrome.
The reason I joined this group was to share stories about the dog…..
maybe a little more enlightening????

I am sorry, but as a first time dog owner and after all the research I have put forth, I am starting to feel more scared now than excited.

[sharronhurlbut]

I guess I don't understand. You want to hear about having a basenji?
Well, getting a basenji ….anyone can. Getting a healthy basenji, that is something we are all trying to help you with.
You can get a basenji that you love and lose it at the age of 5.
Why would you do that to yourself?
Catherine, maybe I am just not getting what you want us to tell you.
Sorry, If I am just dumb.