I have had the pleasure of owning both breeds. There is another forum member here who also has a basenji and a Shiba. Lol, they are both very stubborn breeds. Depending on what you want they are very different though. Shibas need a lot of care for grooming, they blow a lot of coat and can get matted fur, on the other hand they make a very good watch dog. Basenjis don't bark but make a multitude of other noises. Their coat is nice and short for less grooming, though they too blow coat, just not as bad as a Shiba. They both maintain puppy characteristics their whole lives and live long lives. I think our Shiba was 16 when we lost her. Both need a lot of socialization, with both people and dogs. This is a must. Good luck with whatever breed you choose. Look at parents for temperament and do your reading on health problems and make sure you adopt from a reputable breeder.
Hello!
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If a breeder says she has AKC pups, what does that tell me?
It means that they are able to be registered with the American Kennel Club which is the only "real" registery for purebred dogs and the only registery that is reconized by Breed Parent Clubs (Basenji Club of America) in the US. Many are crossed registered with UKC (United Kennel Club). Back Yard Breeders (BYB) use ones like APR (America's Pet Registry) and CKC (Continental Kennel Club, not to be confused with Canadian Kennel Club) and are considered "Fly By Night" registries. Started by many PuppyMillers and BYB's so that they would not have to conform to AKC requirements for registrations.
Now just because the pups may be able to be registered AKC doesn't mean that a breeder is responsible and does all the right things before breeding. Things like health testing should be checked out by a potential buyer themselves at www.offa.org (search by name or registration number).
Here is a link on how to select a breeder that many have found helpful. http://www.tanzabasenjis.net/selectbreeder.html
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Yes I will second what Tanza has said. Not all AKC and CKC (canadian kennel club) breeders do the proper health testing. I know of some in Canada who do no health testing and yet they register at shows with their dogs and think since they have had no problems with their lines before that nothing should happen. It takes a responsible breeder an incredible amount of time, money and patience to get all of the health testing done. And they are doing it for the betterment of the breed. It is most important that you go with a breeder who does all of the testing for these guys. Once you have a good breeder you will feel happy knowing that you will get a healthy dog!
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Re AKC and what it means. I read somewhere that AKC is like the DMV department of motor vehicles, they register but DMV doesn't mean that the car is a GOOD one, just that is has been registered. AKC is the same thing, Registered, but no idea of the QUALITY of the dog.
The above sure made it easy for me to understand. -
Good analogy Sharon
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Thank you. We all know about the DMV…and sometimes not in a good way, wink!
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What kind of problems did you have with the previous Basenji? Was it health problems or temperament problems or both?
Jennifer
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Ok….So we found our new baby! We found a breeder just outside Houston. We visited her house and met the parents. Mom was a little shy with us but dad warmed up pretty quickly. We asked a lot of questions and are very satisfied with their answers. I was able to find the parents' names in the offa website and am very happy with the results. I can see that they are responsible breeders and LOVE their Basenjis. My husband and I fell in love with two different dogs, he a male and I a sweet and beautiful female. We would love to take both, but maybe later on down the line. We picked one of the males, he is adorable and now we are awaiting for "baby" to grow a little more so he can come home! I don't feel like we jumped the gun. I am so thankful for all of your advice and help. Now onto finding the right name! "Tex" is the front runner, followed closely by Lambeau "Beau". Thank you all again!
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What kind of problems did you have with the previous Basenji? Was it health problems or temperament problems or both?
Jennifer
My husband was young when he got his first Basenji, long before I knew him. He found an ad in the paper and being away from home (military) for the first time, he wanted a puppy, mind you, his first dog EVER. His problems with her were that she was territorial, her temperament was very hostile. She ("Nikita") nipped and if moved or disturbed during sleep she would growl and even bite. She didn't like strangers. It was just too much dog for someone who had never had a dog. She did not have any health problems that he knew of. Eventually, Nikita went off to live with his parents and they couldn't handle her any better.
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She ("Nikita") nipped and if moved or disturbed during sleep she would growl and even bite. She didn't like strangers.
Please be aware that this type of problem seems to crop up a lot with Basenjis, to the extent that BRAT (Basenji Rescue & Transport) has it on their questionnaire. (wakes up badly). Basenjis are wonderful dogs, but you do need to understand their temperament and it helps to be tactful when handling them. They don't like to be "told", they like to be asked.
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Make sure your new puppy and the parents have been health tested especially for Fanconi Syndrome. One of the health issues with Basenjis is low thyroid and it can cause a dog to be aggressive. The parents should be tested for that and also eye problems with a CERF exam and the DNA test for Fanconi. Basenjis need to be socialized.
Jennifer
