Just wanted to thank you all for all the helpful information that I've already found in your forums. I do not have a basenji as of yet, but we are patiently waiting for a new friend. My husband had a basenji at one time (before we met), unfortunately it was from a BYB and came with many problems. I have done a bit of research and am willing to put in some work so that a situation like his doesn't happen again. We have contacted a breeder but will have to see if a puppy is a good choice for us. We don't necessarily have to have a puppy, just want a good fit for our family and for the dog. Any suggestions, book recommendations, ANY pointers would be valuable. Thank you all!
Please go to www.basenjirescue.org and read the reality stories. Not all b's do this, but some b's do some of these things.
this site it has a lot of great inforamtion. Please, let know what you think.
I have read the stories, in fact we receive updates with new dogs available. We would love to adopt, but the ages of our children may be a problem.
Glad to hear you are doing your homework. Remember to check out health testing yourself. Knowing the sire and dam's registered name and/or registration number you can then check at www.offa.org
Welcome to the forum! I hope you can find a B buddy who fits into your life. They are wonderful little dogs. Good to see you are doing some research, as they are not the dog for everyone.
Hello…. great to have you on the forum!
++++ to what Pat said. Health testing of the parents is a must. Set yourself up now to have a healthy basenji. Have you visited any breeders in your area? This is the time of year for the girls to have their babies. 
Welcome to the forum. If you follow the advice here you'll get a wonderful Basenji who'll enrich your life.
If a breeder says she has AKC pups, what does that tell me?
If a breeder says she has AKC pups, what does that tell me?
It means absolutely nothing. Often a purely for profit breeder will throw that out as a hook to entice. Ask for the breeding dogs' registered names. With that you can research if the dogs have had health tests, and exactly what health tests they have had. Health testing is critical, but you also want to find a breeder who works hard on ensuring a good temperament with the litters they have.
Keep asking questions… we are always here to help.
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
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!
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
Thank you. We all know about the DMV…and sometimes not in a good way, wink!
What kind of problems did you have with the previous Basenji? Was it health problems or temperament problems or both?
Jennifer
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!
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.
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.
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
