My first basenji was a pet store dog. I had researched the breed and knew what I wanted. I just didn't "know" about breeders I just (wrongly) assumed the only way to get a dog was through a pet store, or adopt with a rescue/shelter. I am now better educated and my 2nd basenji came from BRAT. She was rescued from a BYB. I am fully on board with NOT buying from a pet store. Even though Cody my first dog is beautiful, heathly boy and I love him, I now see basenjis popping up all over at my local pet stores. I know if no one bought them they wouldn't continue to get them. I know many of us want an "older"(not a puppy) dog. Please utilize rescue groups for adoption of basenji. The dogs are screened and placed where the dog can achieve a happy full life. My 2nd dog Aurora is now 9yrs old and the love and affection we have shared had greatly enriched both of our lives.
There are still so many people that think that the only place to get a puppy is a pet store, the key is education. Of course now with the internet it is much harder to educate… however, many responsible breeders are posting on the internet at many of these sites, like puppyfind. Hopefully by reading what people are writing about their pups, people are reading. Also breeders have their own sites...
I don't think the rescue dogs are " problem dogs" I just think the buyers didn't know what they were getting, so that makes the dogs a "problem".
Imagine not having a clue you were getting a smart, pretty, disobedient, dog who can tear up your couch and then sit besides you on the remains and look at you with love.
I mean, yeik!!!!!!!!
The don't know what the play bow is, the paw is, or the unique way these dogs talk to us each day.
Some might be committed enough to learn from the local breed club what they have, or they might be the ones to open the front door and say, run free little basenji.
Either way, education is the key to helping them keep the dog, or helping them rehome the dog.
This is also not unique to basenjis. Many people who get dogs seem to have no clue about the realities of dog ownership. Today was an especially emotional day at the shelter. The one that was breaking everyone's heart was a golden/sheltie mix. He was left in the night deposit with a note saying he is 11 years old, likes kids but is annoyed by yappy dogs. This dog will not be given a chance by the shelter for adoption because of his age and the fact that his coat is so badly matted that he aesthetically unappealing to the public. His only hope is that rescue can find him a foster home in less than 24 hours. This dog has done nothing wrong, he is sweet and good natured, his only problem is that his previous owner did not keep him in good condition by providing basic care like brushing.
Many of the "issues" that cause dogs to end up in shelters and rescue are ones that can be improved with a committment to training and willingness to access available resources. For some people, they do not know how to find those resources. For other, they have already made the decision that the situation is too overwhelming and will not give anything a real chance to work.
One of the most important things that responsible breeders and rescue groups provide is support for owners to help them through the rough spots. It still takes a commitment by the owner to see those rough spots through but having someone there to talk to and have when times are tough can make a real difference.
I don't think the rescue dogs are " problem dogs" I just think the buyers didn't know what they were getting, so that makes the dogs a "problem".
Let me clarify what I meant… I'll continue to steal dogs from BRAT, because, there seems to be an overflow of problem people who are 'pet stupid' and don't honor their committment to their dog, subsequently abandoning them or dropping them at the pound.
I talk nicely to the manager and tell them I can help the new basenji owner with behavior issues, share about the lure coursing, local basenji clubs, try to make it informative, nice and something the owner will put with the b's paperwork.
Mostly, I put my contact info all over the sheet so that if they decide to get rid of the dog, they will contact me.
Good luck.
I have done this, and then cried all the way home…cause I had to leave the pup there..sigh!
I agree Sharron…you have to kill them with kindness. If you come in there and act negative at all about their operation, or puppymills, or anything they are going to dump your info in the garbage.
I also agree that the most important info to put on there is BRAT contact or other contact information for when the puppy doesn't work out. Also the BCOA website, my info, and probably now this website. I haven't had to do it in years, because our only local puppy selling store closed. And they only had one B in the years they were open. It took them months to sell her, they dropped her price well over half; and she was turned over to BRAT before she was a year old.
<>
BRAT doesn't pay any money for rescues...so, no they wouldn't be supporting mills. Buying supplies from a store that does purchase puppies from mills is supporting mills.
Places like Petsmart etc. don't sell dogs and cats, they help place them. They take no money for them, only the rescue agency. Also the rescue agencies SCREEN potential adopters, unlike places like PetLand. That is GREAT! I support them all the time.
I guess you can do it if you want to, obviously...but most of us feel pretty strongly about it.
Nobody here is saying you MUST go to a responsible breeder if you can't afford it. Rescue is great, shelters are great.....but we are saying, if you are paying $500 and up, you might as well go to a responsible breeder, because you will get more for your money. Most irresponsible breeders and petstores charge MORE than responsible breeders...so it is kind of a moot point.
do you even realize the amount of dogs on the internet for sale? puppyfind.com had over 350 basenji puppies on it when i looked at it in january. even if Pet stores were not around they would still get sold. until you can shut down every website that is used to sell dogs nothing will ever change. i dont think you realize that.
and nina, im not saying that adopting a dog is the same as purchasing a puppy mill puppy.. youre just getting the same stock. temperment, and all that is unknown in adopting just as bad as if you are buying from a pet store. and if youre breeding a dog well then yeah, health is important, but if youre getting your dog fixed, it doesnt really matter what conditon the dog MAY or MAY NOT have.
Uh…yeah, we realize that. It is a difficult situation, but every little bit of education for the public helps. BCOA has an outreach committee, and a public education committee...and that is pretty much what we do...try to reach people to help them make educated choices about where, when and how to add a Basenji to their family.
Yes, poorly bred dogs of every breed will still get sold..always. Puppymills are probably the most dire situation because of the way the breeding dogs are kept...they get the most attention because it is easy to say 'these poor dogs'...internet sellers are often what we call 'backyard breeders' that have a smaller operation. The dogs are often kept in better situations...like outdoor kennel runs, instead of the tiny cages of puppymillers. The BYB dogs often have human contact with the humans, and often puppies are raised inside the house. So that IS better than mills. It is often hard to convince a buyer who wants it NOW to not buy of the internet, and instead wait months for a carefully planned litter. Or to convince someone who was turned down by a responsible breeder to try another one, instead of going to the internet.
But, yeah we know all about puppies being sold on the internet. The goal isn't really to stop people from buying from who aren't 'just like us'...the goal is to help people become educated about how to get the best pet for their dollar...and therefore be happy and satisfied with their pet thru its whole life.
i agree. i just dont understand how someone can say the only way to have a dog is to buy from a breeder.. or adopt ( which is the same type of stock that would be found in a pet store and theres NO information on the dog at all) im not saying puppy mills are okay, because they arent. But to say that its a consumers fault that they are still around is completely mind boggling to me. Shouldn't it be the governments fault? the USDA or something along those lines ? To blame consumers for puppy mills existing is crazy to me.
Well…it is supply and demand...economics. But the only consumers who are truly at fault are those that KNOW the realities and choose to support irresponsible breeders anyway.
That is why breed education, outreach groups, etc are trying to reach and educate as many people as possible...so the buyers can make good decisions. When you know better, you do better 
How early do you think one should begin looking for a breeder if they want to get a basenji from somewhere reputable?
Just curious on opinions since again, usually pet stores attract those impulse buyers. As is the internet, which when I searched puppyfind.com this AM & it found around 130 basenji puppies…sad, very sad.
Corky is from a pet store. He did not come from a mill. He came from a BYB who I'm guessing breeds basenjis for tha cash. He was $600. Before I continue, I do not support this situation AT ALL. I will never get another dog from a pet shop.
To continue my story, I do not in any way regret buying Corky!!! No, we did not know anything about the breed when we got him. And, unfortunately neither did the people at the pet shop. All they had on the breed was the description in an AKC book. We later found out that it didn't even scratch the surface of basenji behavior. After bringing him home and researching the breed (Yep, BACKWARS, I know…now) we took him back. The main reason was that we had just put in a new chainlink fence and were scared he would climb it, escape and eventually be stollen or worse killed. Well, the next day we talked about it and cried about it and decided that we had made a commitment to that puppy and it was wrong of us to go back on it. We were both seasoned dog owners and were willing to raise him as best we could. Today Corky is beautiful, well behaved (for a basenji) and very much loved not only by us but by our family and friends. Oh, and he would NEVER climb the fence and escape because he wouldn't be able to survive without his brother Buddy.
Back to the pet shop, exactly a year later they had a little black and white girl. So, I'm again assuming that the BYB breeds her stock (who knows how many) regularly.
I hope and pray that Corky stays healthy and will never get a dog from a pet shop again. If we get another basenji he will come from a reputable breeder or BRAT.
How early do you think one should begin looking for a breeder if they want to get a basenji from somewhere reputable?
Just curious on opinions since again, usually pet stores attract those impulse buyers.
The minute you make the decision to be owned by a basenji. The better the breeder the longer the wait.
Corky is from a pet store. He did not come from a mill. He came from a BYB who I'm guessing breeds basenjis for tha cash. He was $600. Before I continue, I do not support this situation AT ALL. I will never get another dog from a pet shop.
To continue my story, I do not in any way regret buying Corky!!! No, we did not know anything about the breed when we got him. And, unfortunately neither did the people at the pet shop. All they had on the breed was the description in an AKC book. We later found out that it didn't even scratch the surface of basenji behavior. After bringing him home and researching the breed (Yep, BACKWARS, I know…now) we took him back. The main reason was that we had just put in a new chainlink fence and were scared he would climb it, escape and eventually be stollen or worse killed. Well, the next day we talked about it and cried about it and decided that we had made a commitment to that puppy and it was wrong of us to go back on it. We were both seasoned dog owners and were willing to raise him as best we could. Today Corky is beautiful, well behaved (for a basenji) and very much loved not only by us but by our family and friends. Oh, and he would NEVER climb the fence and escape because he wouldn't be able to survive without his brother Buddy.
Back to the pet shop, exactly a year later they had a little black and white girl. So, I'm again assuming that the BYB breeds her stock (who knows how many) regularly.
I hope and pray that Corky stays healthy and will never get a dog from a pet shop again. If we get another basenji he will come from a reputable breeder or BRAT.
Who is the breeder? And is this a chain pet store? I only ask because 99.9% of the time, chain pet stores only get their pups from a Puppy Mill…
How early do you think one should begin looking for a breeder if they want to get a basenji from somewhere reputable?
Just curious on opinions since again, usually pet stores attract those impulse buyers.
It is never to early to talk to breeders and find out their breeding plans….
How early do you think one should begin looking for a breeder if they want to get a basenji from somewhere reputable?
Just curious on opinions since again, usually pet stores attract those impulse buyers.
I would research now and contact the one's you find appealing to see what they're upcoming breeding plans are.
Hmmm interesting. I only ask because although we have only had Dallas now for 2 months we are already talking about getting a second [a female] in January & thought about trying to research breeders now but I thought maybe it was too soon…
I don't think I contacted Midge until July for Dallas' litter & she wouldn't even take a deposit of any sort until Lia actually had the pups so she knew how many.
But good to know I should think about it now. Perhaps I will email Midge for breeders she recommends. Do any of you recommend B/w, Tri or brindle breeders? We want a B/w but would get a Tri or Brindle. I live in Florida so nothing too far 
Once again, there really is no such thing as a "color" breeder… you just need to contact breeders and talk to them. Go to www.basenji.org and then breeder directory and also remember to use the link to How to find a responsible breeder.
Gotcha That's how I found Midge actually.
Anyone heard of Wakan Basenjis in VA? I contacted them prior to Midge but ended up going with Midge since she's in Florida. However by then we may be living back up in VA, if not though a trip "home" would certainly happen between now & Jan anyway.
Hmmm interesting. I only ask because although we have only had Dallas now for 2 months we are already talking about getting a second [a female] in January & thought about trying to research breeders now but I thought maybe it was too soon…
I don't think I contacted Midge until July for Dallas' litter & she wouldn't even take a deposit of any sort until Lia actually had the pups so she knew how many.
But good to know I should think about it now. Perhaps I will email Midge for breeders she recommends. Do any of you recommend B/w, Tri or brindle breeders? We want a B/w but would get a Tri or Brindle. I live in Florida so nothing too far
Don't let distance deter you.;) We drove 7 hours to get our first B.
You can look at the BCOA breeder directory which has them listed by State.
Naturally I'm partial to our friends at Kisa Kennels and Eldorado Basenji. They're are some good breeders right in your area…..I think Robyn Dubbert/
Sherwood Basenjis would be an excellent choice as well.
Lot's of time, contact many of them and make the decision based on what you feel looks like the best situation for you. If they aren't fanconi testing.......move on.;)
Hope this helps.
