Apparently, because of the pandemic, puppies and kittens are in short supply everywhere, and since female basenjis generally only have one litter a year, you might have to wait even longer. The theory behind the shortage of puppies and kittens (and even older dogs and cats) is that because of lockdowns, etc people are lonely for companionship.
Looking for a Basenji puppy
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We have been doing lots of research for over a year and in love with Basenjis. Anyone know of a responsible breeder in Florida or nearby who may have a puppy now? Most of the breeders i have contacted dont have any puppies left.
I am open to having a puppy who is around 6 months or so as well.
Thanks in advance
RJ -
Honestly, from a responsible breeder chances of finding a pup now is pretty much slim to none unless a breeder had someone change their mind. This would be the time to align with a responsible breeder and get on their reservation list for Winter 2021 pups.
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Good idea to be in touch with breeders who may end up getting a young dog back, also keep an eye on rescues. There may be some people who didn't adequately research the breed who are having buyer's remorse at this point.
"In order to get along with a Basenji, you have to be at least half as smart as the dog!"
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@eeeefarm - Sadly eeeefarm, agreed.... One of the reasons that responsible interview all potential homes and try to meet the entire family. I had one family come to visit, the husband and kids were immediately on the floor to play with pups while the wife stood plastered against the door and would not even touch them. Needless to say, I told them that I didn't believe that a Basenji would be a good fit as I told them everyone in the family needs to "buy in" to a puppy and that it has to be a family member. And in this case, any breed would not be a good fit....
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@tanza, my first boy was returned to his breeder by a young man with aspirations of showing and breeding until he figured out that his pick wasn't destined to be a show dog, and didn't fit into his plans since he had become enamoured with another breed, and besides, his Basenji had trashed his car when left loose inside. My boy, Sunny, came to Ontario from Washington State because breeders network and the breeder of one of my girls contacted me to tell me she knew of a Basenji who was looking for a home through no fault of his own.
The caveat when doing this type of adoption is that you don't know what the dog has been through since leaving his breeder, and in Sunny's case he had fairly severe separation anxiety and also couldn't be safely crated because of his anxiety when confined. We worked through it and he became mostly reliable in the house, and was also the sweetest Basenji I have owned, but it wasn't an easy transition. You have to be prepared to deal with whatever problems you may inherit! But Sunny was totally worth it.
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Jengo has issues we had to work on when we got him. Logan had his own things. And, Sparkle has a few things of her own. Every one of them were different, but it takes time for any dog to transition. Stella told me a minimum of three months.. and that seems about right from what I've observed so far... for an adult. I've never had a Basenji puppy, but I'd venture to guess that the transition period is months longer than that. Not a big deal IF you know what you're getting yourself and family into and are committed to patiently working through all the upcoming changes.
Logan use to get severe separation anxiety anytime I left the house. Getting Sparkle cured that. But, Sparkle gets separation anxiety anytime my wife leaves the house. I have to spend a lot of time keeping her busy and reassuring her that she's not going to die and that her emotional brain isn't going to implode. Here's the kicker; if both me and my wife leave together they both get upset and start howling. My son has played a few recordings for me. It's done with gusto and is very loud. Could you imagine this happening... in an apartment?
Basenjis are willful focused relentless little souls who never stop looking for joy. They will howl, chew, run and jump their way towards that joy no matter the obstacle.
@eeeefarm Someone that would leave a dog locked in a car long enough to do damage and then have the audacity to be upset about it doesn't deserve any dog... ever.
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@jengosmonkey said in Looking for a Basenji puppy:
@eeeefarm Someone that would leave a dog locked in a car long enough to do damage and then have the audacity to be upset about it doesn't deserve any dog... ever.
How long have you had a Basenji? Seriously, it does not take long to do damage, and separation anxiety dogs typically do the most in the first few minutes after you leave. That said, I don't disagree about the suitability of the guy to have a dog, but I also don't know all the circumstances, and to be fair, many dogs are just fine being left for awhile. My friend has a JRT that goes everywhere with her, and promptly goes to sleep when she parks the car and leaves.
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@eeeefarm I get it. We've dealt with plenty of Basenji destruction. Still do from time to time. I get that. Most cars are designed to last a least 100,000 miles (1.6m kilometers). They're more robust than a pillow. In most cases that's gonna take longer than a minute. I've never been a fan of leaving a dog in a car. I get in, it gets in. I get out, it gets out. I get what you're saying about not knowing the circumstance and not wanting to crucify someone. Still, I never left my kid in the car. Not leaving my dog.
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It took less than 90 seconds for my rescue James to completely sever a seatbelt. It would have taken me longer with a pair of scissors.
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Basenjis can do a lot of damage in very short order if they are so inclined. Cloth seats in a car wouldn't last long, leather a bit more of a challenge but doable. Especially if you haven't kept their toenails trimmed! Chew marks aren't a good look, either.
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For safely of your dog regardless of the breed, they need to be confined in a car/van/SUV/RV.... Crates are the best.... Mine have always been in crates in a car, etc... and are not left in there except when traveling at at a rest stop. I walk them, they are in their crates, I do a human potty stop but the car is locked.. And for driving they need to be in crates, not loose. An accident or even a quick stop will throw that pup from one end to the other and if loose they could get under your feet and then cause an accident. Think of your dog as your child, do you let your child ride loose in a car?
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So... I'm not the perfect Basenji custodian. Poor Jenga Jeng use to bounce around inside the car all the time. Back seat to front seat to back seat to the cover over the rear behind the back seat where it would give way and he'd disappear beneath it till I could pull over and extract him. A couple of times he ended up in the dash board. Why? Because I didn't want to upset him by putting him in a crate which he hated! Hated, hated hated. In retrospect, after getting two dogs that ARE crate trained, what a BIG mistake. I really regret that I allowed that. While it's embarrassing as heck to admit here, it was just flat out unsafe. And, that's just a fact. That's on me. Don't be me. Never again. Today... the crate lives in the car. I live in a climate where it gets really hot in the summer. Temp soars inside a car within minute of shutting down the air conditioner. The seats never concerned me as much as the temp did. I've never left a dog in a car. I get that some climates are different and all people are not stupid.
Anyway... what a thread jack. Sorry @RJBasenji You've come here looking for a puppy. I was in you spot not that long ago. July/August 2020. I thought I'd have to wait till fall of 2021 to get a puppy. I was able to find two 2 year old's from a really good breeder. Don't discount a dog that's a bit older. There are many reasons a breeder might be willing to part with an older dog and none of them necessarily mean there's any problems with them, e.g. health, temperament, or behavior. I had more than one breeder explore if I might be interested in a dog about one to two years old. They're out there.
I personally prefer an older dog. I LOVE puppies, but I'm not so sure I want to live with one. Boy that sounds awful to type. My breeder had already taught them manners, and I loved that. My two grew up together. Anyway, I hope you find one. Don't give up! Keep talking to breeders and rescues. Get your applications done. Take pictures of your home and secure yard, and send those. If you don't have vet, find one and have the name ready. Learn about micro chips and how to register them. Find out your city requirements and be ready to license your dog quick cause Basenjis love to escape and are quicker. And, start learning as much as you can about how to train your pup.
Basenjis are work. They take effort, perseverance and stamina. It's a commitment. All that said... I LOVE them. I hope you join us!
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@tanza said in Looking for a Basenji puppy:
For safely of your dog regardless of the breed, they need to be confined in a car/van/SUV/RV.... Crates are the best.... Mine have always been in crates in a car, etc...
Mine too. I would NEVER have a Basenji loose in a moving vehicle. They ride in a crate - over time I learned safe stopping places to let them out for a comfort stop but then back into the crate they go.
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Thanks everyone for the insightful replies. I understand Basenjis are pretty demanding and I'm willing to keep up with the demands. My kids are still wanting a puppy and that prevents us from adopting. Hoping that a Basenji puppy comes our way soon.
Thanks again!
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@rjbasenji - this is the time to align with a responsible breeder for a pup maybe in 2021. Because Basenjis only come in season once a year and their litter size is only 4-6 puppies, it is difficult to find one especially will all the people that "want" one... If you can visit with a breeder that would help you or if not call them on the phone and tell them why you think that a Basenji would be a good fit for your family/lifestyle.
