Help with getting started.


  • Another plug for adopting: Our first pet as a married couple was a Basenji puppy. The challenges were many, and through the years, I've reminded my husband that if I ever wanted to have children, just get me another puppy, and I would be cured of that desire. Nevertheless, we fell in love with the breed. Since that first puppy, we have adopted all of our dogs through BRAT including one non-Basenji. They are well-vetted, and we have loved them all dearly even though they are a handful.


  • @marsha - Adoption is great if that is the choice, however it can take as long as waiting for a pup to be born.....


  • You are getting married, starting a "new life together" and you think an immediate puppy of any breed is a good thing? Instead of relaxing and getting to know married life, you are bringing in something that is going to take a whole lot of work and time and attention. Getting a living pet is one huge event, getting married is a huge event... do them one at a time and enjoy it. 🙂

    Getting a pet should be a separate event from anything else. It isn't like adding nuts to your ice cream sundae. It should BE the sundae. As suggested, take time to find people with them, go actually MEET Basenjis. What you read isn't the same as getting to know them. Or as Spock said on Star Trek... the having is not the same as the wanting. To even be searching for a puppy before you have met the breed up close and personal is a bit disconcerting. I am glad you know to go with only BCOA breeders, but this isn't a breed to get impulsively. Waiting a year isn't a "heart-breaker" ... it's hard, annoying, etc. but "heart-breaking"... no.

    You are looking at something that will live 12 to 17 years, it's worth waiting. It's also worth doing more researching and getting out to meet them. An indication of lack of researching on the right places is that it just recently came to your attention that they generally have only one litter a year, typically fall or winter. That's one of the unique characteristics and I'd like to suggest you go to some better sources (like BCOA breeder's pages). Meet some dogs. Go to a great source, Basenji University, ( https://www.basenji.org/BasenjiU/niversityIndex.html ) and read more. Spend time here looking at behavior issues. I'm not suggesting your puppy will have those issues, but if you know ahead of time what problems can arise, you'll be ahead of the game in keeping them from developing with your puppy.

    I am not, like others, going to dissuade you from wanting a puppy. If you are willing to do the work, read about positive training, use the time between now and the puppy to KNOW how to house train, crate train, basic obedience. A puppy is an exhausting but joyful thing. I love rescue and rescues, but wanting a puppy doesn't make someone selfish or bad. One suggestion I am almost reluctant to make is that you might still want to contact breeders and let them know if a puppy placement doesn't work out, you are willing to take an older puppy. Just please, meet some before you do. Because I promise you, a lot of the things you read may sound enchanting--- and you may find they are, or you may find it drives you up a wall. My first Basenji did more damage than the previous 25 years of Rottweilers and Chows. No exaggeration. Until you come in to find a dog climbing a bookcase to get your glasses, you don't appreciate the determination. Your definition of "puppy-proofing" will go to all new levels. And if you both didn't grow up with dogs, you're going to need amazing senses of humor.

    As for BRAT, Camp Basenji or the few other rescues that are responsible, unlike 10 years ago, the number of young to even middle-aged and healthy Basenjis has dramatically dropped. It is great for the breed, harder for those looking for a younger healthy rescue. From hundreds, I have heard BRAT placed less than 100 last year. I remember when I first started looking and they had a few dozen available dogs. Right now, they have 4 listed.. a 4, 6, 11 and 12 yr old. The one in GA is closest to you, but not good with younger children should you plan to have some. Frankly, at this point if you want a young dog, much less a puppy, a responsible breeder is likely your best chance.

    As for your question... since I've given you a boat load of unasked for advice... yes some Basenjis have puppies in spring/summer/early fall. Some even have 2 heat cycles a year. It's not the norm. And the reality is that most responsible breeders have homes already on a list, so while you MIGHT get one, at this point, most likely it would only be if there was enough people on the list dropping off.


  • @mattmanutd
    My first Basenji was a spring puppy. Of course we had to wait 9 weeks before we could bring her home. I was told by the breeder we got her from that occasionally Basenjis will have a spring litter.


  • This is even more off-topic but I've been extremely lucky - a very high percentage of our litters have been born in Spring and Summer. I love a Summer litter - the pups can play out in the garden, jump through long grass and learn very quickly to be CLEAN out doors. Although the bitches would look at each other and agree this was about time - and all five came in season within a couple of weeks of each other, I am convinced these were often 'sympathy' seasons. Plessy was born in September and although she always had a summer season along with everyone else, efforts to get her in whelp failed. She may have been showing color but I'm sure she wasn't ovulating. She had her proper season again later in the year and those matings were successful.


  • @mattmanutd
    Im not sure why people wrote long philosophical answers for a simple question.

    you can check this group, there are puppies available,
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/136057556752554/

    if you are willing to pay (high) costs of shipment from Europe I can recommend you some great breeders.

    Good luck. Basenji puppies are like all puppies. Little work and great fun,


  • On the take care note... anyone posting puppies for sale on a facebook page... really check them out. Make sure they belong to BCOA and that they do testing.


  • @mshilo Wow Thank you for this! I just requested to join the group. I would like to talk to you more about what you posted (Facebook group and the European option). Would you mind if we discussing this further in a private chat?

    Thanks again!


  • @mattmanutd sure, feel free.


  • So because you possibly can't get a basenji this year, a year during which you're getting married an already stressful situation, you're looking at potentially having a dog shipped overseas? Are you paying for it have its own seat? Anyone who truly cares about their dog would not ship it in cargo especially overseas. Please do not get a dog this year or until you've settled into your marriage. One major life change at a time!


  • @marty I wonder. You are advising a grownup person that has asked a specific question like he is a kid. I find it very rude. I, for example, think that a puppy to a young couple can be am amazing idea. But the user did NOT ask for my opinion not for any evaluation if he can, can not, should or shouldn’t bring a puppy, Basenji, now or in ten years. He only asked the users advice how to get a Basenji puppy and the honorable users should reply to this request and this only. But that’s only my opinion.i from my side gave him two start options and if he would decide to follow one of them I will help him, as much as I can as a dog lover without any benefit whatsoever , to get a puppy from a responsible breeder or/and how to check that the puppy he gets from any breedr he chooses, is from a responsible breeder and the puppy will not suffer from any Basenji special illness.


  • @marty and for the overseas shipping. As you seemed NOT to be a breeder just to your information there are very serious breeders from Europe that ship to all over the world. The cost is high as you don’t ship the puppy in a regular airplane but a special cargo with exper personal accompany the puppy. I think that if you don’t have the experience nor the expertise on a subject it is better not to say anything then to say something you don’t know anything about


  • @debradownsouth The 12 yo is no longer available. She’s curled up next to me right now! 😀


  • @mattmanutd IF you will decide to have a puppy and to ALL that are or will be in this process, this group is a MUST, so I publish it here in public
    "Basenji Puppies: Get Educated before you BUY". The admin there making a holy work. You must go through it to get educated before you buy, and make sure your puppy will be healthy.
    Whatever your decision will be, marry marriages and good luck.


  • @ginnyc said in Help with getting started.:

    @debradownsouth The 12 yo is no longer available. She’s curled up next to me right now! 😀

    Congrats and thank you. ❤ ❤ ❤


  • @mshilo said in Help with getting started.:

    @mattmanutd IF you will decide to have a puppy and to ALL that are or will be in this process, this group is a MUST, so I publish it here in public
    "Basenji Puppies: Get Educated before you BUY". The admin there making a holy work. You must go through it to get educated before you buy, and make sure your puppy will be healthy.
    Whatever your decision will be, marry marriages and good luck.

    No link to group.


  • @mshilo said in Help with getting started.:

    @mattmanutd
    Im not sure why people wrote long philosophical answers for a simple question.

    you can check this group, there are puppies available,
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/136057556752554/

    if you are willing to pay (high) costs of shipment from Europe I can recommend you some great breeders.

    Good luck. Basenji puppies are like all puppies. Little work and great fun,<<

    THEN:

    last edited by mshilo a day ago
    mshilo a day ago reply quote
    @marty and for the overseas shipping. As you seemed NOT to be a breeder just to your information there are very serious breeders from Europe that ship to all over the world. The cost is high as you don’t ship the puppy in a regular airplane but a special cargo with experienced personal accompany the puppy. I think that if you don’t have the experience nor the expertise on a subject it is better not to say anything then to say something you don’t know anything about<<

    Wow, that takes chutzpah.
    You are not a breeder.
    You wrote (messages below) several posts just 2 months ago about shipping. You have, by your posts, shown you neither are a breeder, experienced owner, or knowledgeable about shipping.

    And we agree "I think that if you don't have the experience nor the experience o a subject is is better not to say anything then the say something you don't know about".... <<=== Excellent advice you should follow yourself!

    I've owned them for nearly 20 year and I bow to the breeders to recommend specific breeders.
    That you also recommend a facebook page that sells puppies -- something that is very rare for responsible breeders to participate in... I sincerely suggest the OP contact seasoned breeders here for help in finding a good, responsible breeder. Ones who have the experience.

    Your post...showing lack of experience, sure as heck not breeder, no experience personally with shipping.

    posted in Basenji Talk Mar 9, 2018, 11:50 PM • read more
    hello and yes, I'm in Germany. Inside Europe, i will prefer land but I need to fly a long flight, 10 hours for my university research. I think i will split it to two flights, one night sleeping somewhere or taking Cargo, which is the best way, its total air-conditioned and people with the animal ALL the time. (you don't fly with the dog)
    I still haven't found how much it costs and how they manage the time arrival difference between you and the dog). I have decided (a private decision of course) to pay another ticket costs to fly him Cargo. More than that... I will take plan B, dividing the flight into 2 sections.
    Btw - in ALL the internet the most recommended air-line is Lufthansa.<<

    posted in Basenji Talk Mar 8, 2018, 11:24 PM • read more
    Hello, anyone flew Basenji a 4-5 hours flight?<<<


  • @mshilo said in Help with getting started.:

    @marty I wonder. You are advising a grownup person that has asked a specific question like he is a kid. I find it very rude. <<

    Marty, don't take it personally. mshilo comes on and picks out someone to try to create drama with. It's his way of getting attention. For someone who has ranted personal abusive things at others, he's not eligible for giving "manners" lessons.


  • Oh and FYI:

    mshilo Mar 9, 2018, 11:50 PM reply quote
    Btw - in ALL the internet the most recommended air-line is Lufthansa.<<

    Um, please show where.
    http://www.businessinsider.com/20-best-airlines-world-2017-skytrax-2017-6
    ranked 7th

    Didn't make Forges at all:
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/ericrosen/2017/11/03/the-2018-list-of-the-worlds-best-airlines-is-out/#475f05d5ed74

    They did make Trip Adviser, but not at number 1
    https://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Airlines-cEurope#Major Airlines - Winners

    Skytrax... gave it 7th
    http://www.airlinequality.com/info/top-100-airlines-2017/

    Nope.
    https://nypost.com/2018/04/06/this-is-officially-the-best-airline/

    https://www.mirror.co.uk/travel/news/worlds-best-airlines-2018-revealed-12330752
    Really the best, they look at oxygen etc. No.


  • I have shipped puppies to many countries including to USA, but always on the basis that the new owner came to collect the puppy and flew back on the same plane.

    From UK and around Europe, the best Airline to use is without doubt KLM, even if there is a change over in Amsterdam.

    I can't even begin to get my head around the idea of buying a puppy off FaceBook. By virtue of the database I probably know more Breeders around the world than any of you and the idea that a responsible breeder would sell on FaceBook - simply doesn't gel.

    Buying a puppy - I think you need to see both parents if at all possible, and certainly get all the health test data.

    But it is two-way traffic. There is no way I would contemplate selling a puppy to someone who was prepared to buy one 'on-line' !

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