I'm ashamed to say, Pat, that I hadn't looked much at the BCOA website. As soon as posssible I'll visit there for a more studied look.
Thinking about getting a Basenji, need help!!
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Basenji puppies can scream at the top of their lungs for hours while crate training, for months on end, thats difficult in apartments, wait till you have graduated and can work out a better living arrangements, not fair to you or the puppy.
Basenjis are not truly hypo allergenic, they do have dander and can shed like crazy at the change of seasons, when mine blow their winter coat the hair is everywhere and I have had people allergic to them.
No reputable breeder neuters at 8 weeks, I can't belive a BCOA member would do that. Not healthy for the puppy. Contact the Rip Van Wrinkle basenji club if you want to meet NY basenjis in person, there are members all over the state and in NJ. The only breeders I know of that do that are those selling thru places like next day pets which are not reputable at all.
Basenjis must be on a leash at all times when outside or in a fully fenced yard, they will run and not come back as its the sighthound in them. Major concern is the puppy darting out an open door, electric fences do not work either, they are so stubborn they will run through it or get attacked by another animal that comes into the yard.
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You have asked a lot of good questions and got a lot of good answers, Me myself I would wait till you had time to spend with a puppy as they need a lot of time put in to get a well socialised and confident dog, which makes life easier. Finding a reputable breeder would be your first stop after learning what a reputable breeder is, health tested/temperament tested parents of your puppy is a must again makes life easier. Don't rush to get a puppy, most people have to wait on a breeders list and can it be 1 to 2 years waiting for a pup suitable for a first time owner.
I find our boy sheds a lot at times but brushing him everyday during those times helps. Learnt tricks very quickly with food rewards. Baroos when happy playing or trying to make himself understood. Sleeps a lot, but loves to cuddle and plonk himself on top of you. Always on leash except fenced dog park, as moving objects are attractive. Toilet training easy if YOU follow the rules, easier during the warm dry seasons. Independent/curious but with one eye on the owner and checking in. Walks everyday but not interested on wet days just finds a warm spot and sleeps and dog park in the weekend for runs and socialising. Crate trained and always exercised before crated. Quiet alert dog as long as happy.
I would say Basenji are a special dog who need a special owner who understands their needs or things could go bad so pick the right time/breeder/pup and in the mean time learn as much as you can and try and find some to visit, maybe go to dog shows.Jolanda and Kaiser
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If you are eager to join the ranks of Basenji owners (otherwise known as Basenji staff), you might consider an adult rather than a puppy for your first experience. In your current situation a pup may require more time than you have to give. A settled, older animal might just fit the bill for you, as well as providing a home for a deserving dog. Please consider it.
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Greta answers guys! i really appreciate you guys taking the time to help me out. Im deciding between two breeders at the moment. the first breeder sells puppies for $1200. They are cleared for Fanconi and have the DNA results to prove it. They are also health certified with results to prove it. They do not neuter their pups. Also, this breeder lives a little closer to New York then the other one, but still a very far way. I have not discussed shipping yet with this breeder. Then we have the second breeder. He also has DNA proof that they are Fanconi clear and are health certified. He does live a little further from me and will ship the puppy to my house for $200 ground shipping. Estimated delivery date it between 4-6 days. Or i can pay $350 for air shipping which would take 4-6 hours. He is the breeder that neuters his pups at 8 weeks old. His prices are $800 dollars for a neutered pup, and $1200 dollar for a pup that isnt neutered. I am more than willing to pay more money if it means that my dog will be healthier. The good thing about this breeder, is the parents of the puppy that he is offering are Dog Show champions. They have great traits which will insure that i get a dog that will be playful and fun. Im really not sure which one to chose. I know that getting a dog after college may be a better option, but i have been waiting to buy a dog ever since i was a kid. I was always allergic to them and now i might finally be able to handle it. If i decide to get a B, I will get it at the end of June because im going on vacation in June and i dont want to give my 5 month old pup to a kennel. I feel that that is way to young for a dog to leave its owner for a week. This will give me the entire summer to train and spend time with my puppy. Im afraid that after college, i wont have enough time to spent time with my dog,. I will have way more responsibilities then i have now; work, girlfriend, maybe even a family who knows haha! This is my first dog and although both my parents had dogs when they were kids, im still nervous that i wont be able to handle a Basenji. I need a dog that is medium size, hypo-allergic and shed a very minimal amount. All the dogs that fit these traits are not breeds that i want. The Basenji seemed like a gift from heaven, the perfect dog. I just want to be able to give my dog a happy life. Also to answer nomrbddgs question, Im from Staten Island, New York. I cant not find one breeder that is close by, The closest ive found was in Georgia. Im willing to drive over 2 hours to pick up my dog so it doesnt have to go throuht eh process of shipping. Thats so much stress on the dog, I cant drive to georgia as that takes 15 hours. I know im probably a pain but im extremly nervous/excited to get my first dog. Ive been waiting for this for such a long time. I dont know if i cant wait until after college.
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How does your family feel about your acquiring a dog? If you go off to college and leave the dog behind, who is going to be responsible for its care? Basenjis aren't the easiest of dogs to manage. If you don't have an enthusiastic partner in this venture, I think there could be an unhappy outcome down the road.
Do yourself a favour and read about some of the problems people have had with their pups. Look under "Behavioral Issues" on this board:
http://www.basenjiforums.com/forumdisplay.php?12-Behavioral-Issues
Also check out the training threads: http://www.basenjiforums.com/forumdisplay.php?11-Basenji-Training
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Hello Joe & Lisa,
I beg to differ on your opinion about on/off leash. I walk our 2 sisters off leash every day, even in areas with lots of birds, an occasional rabbit or jack rabbit (but always out of reach of traffic). They sometimes chase a bit, but always come back to me by themselves within minutes. They really want to keep an eye as to where we are, and when they don't see us anymore, they panick. We have a yard with a 2 ft. fence, and they have never shown any inclintation to leave the space. They want to be with us in the garden when we are there, when we go inside they come inside too - they don't want to be outside when we are not. And what kind of animals come into your yard to attack your dog? -
coyotes and loose neighborhood dogs. I can't even walk in my neighborhood without macing the stay pit bulls that come up on us, and I'm sure staten island still has a stray problem, it did when I lived in NY.
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I just saw a PBS documentary on Coywolves 2 nights ago.
I don't think we have them here in Colorado yet, but I have seen coyotes trot across my property (and jump my 5 foot fence like it was nothing). I'm lucky I live in the rural area, people in town have bears and mountain lions to deal with.
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"Show Dog Champions" have nothing, absolutely nothing to do with good health - or personality. I would recommend you choose someone close to where you are now, and go meet them in person. This will allow you to see the puppies and meet the parents to see if they are actually hypoallergenic.
Paying MORE MONEY will not guarantee a healthier dog BTW. I paid 700 dollars [ price dropped down because I took the time to fly out from AK] for Beo and he is the healthiest dog I've ever had. You want a healthy dog? Get a dog from a 'responsible' breeder.
Otherwise you might as well be talking out your ass.Health testing isn't just so you can look good, it's so you can thoroughly check to see if there are any problems… most of which will cost you a buttload of money BTW. You will not be able to get your money back for a puppy that ends up having fanconi/hip displaysia if you buy a puppy from an irresponsible breeder. Trust me, it won't happen. It will come directly out of your pocket.
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And again, I will remark, it is up to the buyer to check out health testing… these are public records, if the breeder has had the DNA tests done, there is NO option then to have the results public regardless of the results.
I always, always recommend that potential buyers check it out for themselves.....
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I'm going to answer these questions with my own experiences with MY two basenjis. They are/were not exactly the same and didn't aways follow the "rules" of the breed. Each dog is different and by taking your time and talking to breeders you will find the right one for you.
First off, are they good pets? There is no perfect breed of dog that is OK for every person on the planet. -I- Think they are the perfect breed of dog for me! My two are/were wonderful dogs who make my life better! However, if you are dead set on a dog who will be always obedient, rarely get into mischief and can be fully trusted then you may want to look at other breeds.
tricks? to house train the dog? to behave on walks and around people? Of they like food they learn tricks pretty easily. Just keep the sessions short because they get bored! Cody took awhile to house train and Elliot was trained in 2 days. Each dog is different! My dogs have ALWAYS been good around people. Kids, adults, either gender.. fine. They were both well bred and very well socialized! This breed can be snippy so socialization is a must! Neither are too fond of other intact males..
They are independent but how independent are they? Cody was far more independent than Elliot. I could have left him alone for a week and he would have figured out how to feed himself where as Elliot is very clingy to the family. Extended family members have referred to the breed as "stuck up" (ps I hate that family member) because they would sniff guests and then go about their business. That being said.. they LOVE to cuddle!! Warm person with blanket? YES for a basenji!
Also, i know they dont bark, but how much do they yodel? Cody would yodel when he was very happy or if he wanted something and at 16mo Elliot has yet to yodel. They make a lot of other noises from whining to screaming. If you step on Elliot's foot your ear drum might rupture. They are not shy about letting you know when something is upsetting them. If I lived in an apartment for Elliot's first few months I would have been evicted.
I've been allergic to dogs all my life. I'm allergic to most animals to some degree. For me the general every day interaction with my dogs doesn't bother me but if I rub them on my face it does itch a bit. Elliot LOVES to be carried and I love to snuggle him so it's something I deal with.
She neuter's/spays the dogs at 8 weeks old. Is that too young? EEK! No that's not OK! Shelters do it to adopt pets out quickly and to ensure they don't reproduce but I have never fully been OK with it. To hear a "breeder" is doing it makes me sick. My two Bs have been show dogs and have remained intact but I were to have it done I'd wait to closer to a year for a dog and right before first heat for a bitch.
She says that both the parents a fanconi clear so that's good. I'm going to echo what others have said and say that just saying it isn't enough. It's very easy to check yourself and I would personally still get my dog tested. Both of mine are/were carriers.
I understand the dog sheds a little, every animal does, but how much? I have two cats and a golden retriever so I don't notice basenji hair. Elliot shed a lot while loosing the puppy coat but hasn't shed much since.
Will my Basenji be okay with me leaving or will it become depressed? I don't know. I don't allow my dog to become so attached that they can't be without me. He loves my whole family and I have always been able to hand my dogs off at shows with little issue. Elliot does get upset when I leave but I didn't give in and rush back to him and he got over it. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be sure your parents want and will love this dog as much as you do! My parents have always loved my dogs and it makes things so much easier! If they don't want the dog or are "eh" about it then all the bad things the dog might do will make things that much stressful. Please wait if your parents aren't all in!!!
Cost You get what you pay for. Testing, health, temperament and performance is a must for me personally. I will not buy a dog who's parents don't have all of that. There are some breeders who will breed to a dog who isn't a champion and that's not always a "bad" thing if the reasoning is sound.If you feel comfortable listing the breeders you are looking at please do so. A lot of us know each other and might be able to tell you if it's a wise choice!
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Yes, Jean is about 4 hrs from you. But worth it. But you should at least contact her. don't know if she had puppies this year, but you could ask her. She is Hounds of Timar-you can google her.
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Basenjis are amazing creatures that form strong bonds, not based on loyalty, but respect and trust. Just be aware that if you leave for school, you may not be your basenji's first choice for leader when you return. Rebuilding that trust will take time and patience.
If your parents aren't able to actively love, train, and maintain the leadership role with your basenji, it will not work out. It will act out and things will be destroyed.
How do you feel about taking on a dog that can live 15+ years? That's a pretty big commitment.
Also, "the dog ate my homework" is a very valid statement when you mix school with a basenji… Mine ate my ultrasound request form last week.You need to be honest with yourself and your situation. I was lucky that my parents were at least okay with my first basenji while I was in school. But they were thrilled when we moved out. He destroyed a lot of their stuff while acting out.
I know a girl out here who got a basenji when she was in school. Her parents weren't as lenient. She ended up returning him to the breeder. It was not a great experience for her, her parents, or the puppy. -
Sorry for taking a while to answer guys. I checked Jean out and it seems she only breeds tri color basenji. Im looking for a red and white basneji. here are the two sellers im looking at. This one is the breeder who neuters at 8 weeks and the pups have champion bloodlines. http://www.topdogbasenji.com/index.html
This is the other breeder that im looking at which is a tab bit closer. http://www.basenjipuppy.com/
I will definatly contact Jean and ask her. Ive also found another New York breeder, "Donald, John Kudabin in Orchard Park, NY". Anyone ever buy from him? Is he good? -
It's nice that they seem to be testing at least some of their dogs but I would personally never purchase a dog from the websites listed. Neither appear to be breeding to standard and that is very important to me. If they have nothing to offer the future of the breed then they have no business breeding.
Sometimes you need to be willing to travel to get the right dog.
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Run in the other direction from Top dog basenjis. Their website is a pack of lies, their claims of Eukanuba can be proved false just by looking up the names of the dogs who really did qualify, I was there, they were not.
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Run in the other direction from Top dog basenjis. Their website is a pack of lies. Your best bet is to contact the basenji club of America for referrals, there is a possibility a reputable breeder might still have an available puppy, but most litters are reserved a year or more out
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you can research pedigrees at this site:
http://www.pedigrees.zandebasenjis.com/search.html
I know that names and such may not mean much to you at this point in your basenji knowledge, but "show quality dogs" generally have LOTS of dogs with CH in front of their names in their pedigree. And the farther back in the pedigree the less that Championship counts. Ideally, you also want lots of dogs with performance titles, but you don't find a lot of performance titles in basenjis other than coursing titles. And, IMHO, for the price quoted on one of the websites you posted, I'd expect a show quality dog with lots of health testing. (Of course prices on either coast, tends to be more than prices in the middle of the country.)
I'll give you one of my dog's pedigrees for example.
Jet the trying is Jerlin's Saint or Sinner. So if you put in Sinner in step two of the zande website, you'll see Jet's name as #5, so you can click on the Pedigree with links button. In his pedigree, you will notice a lack of Fanconi status, but his birth (over 16 years ago) way predates any of the fanconi testing. His pedigree is light in the performance area, but given the time frame of his parents, they predate most performance sports other than obedience. But, you have to go back to a great g'mother to find a nonchampion.
for more health testing, you can go to
offa.org
and put in the dogs' registered name. you may have to play around with it as some kennel names have an apostrophe and sometimes that gets omitted for some reason. -
i also noticed that you were thinking about getting a puppy in the spring. mostly basenjis are born around Xmas, so you're looking at a 6 month old puppy. Have you thought about getting a rescued dog? I know Colorado basenji rescue just aquired 15 basenjis on Xmas day (2 litters of puppies in that number). Of course Colorado is a bit far to travel, but there are rescues closer.
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Sorry for taking a while to answer guys. I checked Jean out and it seems she only breeds tri color basenji. Im looking for a red and white basneji. here are the two sellers im looking at. This one is the breeder who neuters at 8 weeks and the pups have champion bloodlines. http://www.topdogbasenji.com/index.html
This is the other breeder that im looking at which is a tab bit closer. http://www.basenjipuppy.com/
I will definatly contact Jean and ask her. Ive also found another New York breeder, "Donald, John Kudabin in Orchard Park, NY". Anyone ever buy from him? Is he good?Never heard of Kudabin in NY…. Top Dog is not a responsible breeder and I am pretty sure they are getting out of the breed because the owner will tell you she really doesn't like to breed very much. The other breeder is also (in my opinion) not the best of breeders as far as quality of the Basenjis. There has been some question regarding parentage of the puppies and if they were mixes with Fox Terriers in the past.
But again I urge you to check out health testing yourself... DNA for Fanconi and DNA testing for PRA (which causes blindness), Hip testing, Thyroid testing and routine eye exams by a board certified eye specialist.You can find more responsible breeders by going to www.basenji.org (website for the parent club for Basenjis) and search for breeder referrals. These breeders are members of the Basenji Club of America
