New here :)

[lvoss]

The first thing I need to say is make sure that the parents of the litter you are considering has been DNA tested for Fanconi. Verify for yourself using the OFA website at http://www.offa.org that the parents are in the database and that at least 1 of the parents has tested Probably Clear.

Have you visited with basenjis? I really recommend doing so before deciding whether or not the breed is for you. I do breed education and invite people to come meet my dogs when they are thinking about adding a basenji. Meeting them in person really helps you to get an idea about some of the characteristics that just don't translate into words.

As for male or female, each puppy is an individual some will be more likely to push boundaries than others and IME this isn't determined by sex. A good breeder will match the puppy to home. They will talk with you about what your expectations are, what your household is like, what your experience with a dog is, and what your preferences are, and use those criteria to match you with a puppy.

Basenjis need positive reinforcement training, like clicker training. They need to go to a good puppy kindergarten class that emphasize socialization with both humans and dogs and reinforce good behavior. I am also in Northern California and may know some good positive reinforcement trainers in your area depending on where you are located.

[sharronhurlbut]

I believe you need a great sense of humor when you own a basenji.
If your wanting the obedience of a lab or shepard, you will be very unhappy, as will the dog.
These b's have the best sense of humor of any critter I have ever seen…and they can also know how to push your buttons.
So, make sure you do your homework when you decide to take one into your life.
For me, there is no other breed...but for many, its the dogs are too much to handle.

[BasenjiDiva]

@sharronhurlbut:

I believe you need a great sense of humor when you own a basenji.
If your wanting the obedience of a lab or shepard, you will be very unhappy, as will the dog.
These b's have the best sense of humor of any critter I have ever seen…and they can also know how to push your buttons.
So, make sure you do your homework when you decide to take one into your life.
For me, there is no other breed...but for many, its the dogs are too much to handle.

Amen to that. They are good training for having toddlers some day! They are incredibly wily. One of mine will create a diversion in another room and the other will jump up into my chair while I'm gone to see if I've left anything edible on the desk or table. They find things to chew on that I didn't know I had. And forget the "no shedding" myth. The weather has been erratic here and the dogs have been blowing some of their winter coat. The other day, I swept up enough hair to build a puppy! And they don't just yodel…there are some pretty strange noises that come out of them! But I swear I wouldn't own any other dogs. I even forgive them for the fact that they have put horrible gouges in my end tables and my coffee table because they insist on doing the basenji 500 straight over them. You not only need a good sense of humor, you need a slightly twisted one!!

Pat

[sharronhurlbut]

Oh, Pat your so right. My husband, who does love the b's hates it when we go out to dinner with dog folks cause he says Dog folks will talk about EVERYTHING, to the horror of the folks who can overhear us.
Poop and such aren't off limits.
Laugh.
So, humor and twisted…that be me!

[youngandtired]

I think Bs are the best of any breed, and to think I didn't know they existed until 3 yrs. ago when I got my Sahara. I will never have another breed, they are the most affectionate dog I have ever seen. They just want to be where their family is, my Sahara has been a handful at times, but I still love her to pieces, my hubby and son also. She has chewed my furniture, destroyed a few things, but they are stuff and stuff can be replaced or fixed. I wouldn't trade Sahara for all the stuff in the world, she is PRICELESS!!!!!:D

[BasenjiDiva]

@sharronhurlbut:

Laugh. So, humor and twisted…that be me!

Apparently, that's a lot of us. LOL. Someone will compliment the dogs and after I tell them what kind of dog it is, I'll tell them the "pros" to having a basenji. Their faces light up and they say "Oh, I want one of those." So, I launch into the negatives…which we all know can be pretty awesome some days. Then I look at their faces and it dawns on me ....They think I am stark, raving NUTS for actually owning 2 of these boll weevil/termites that masquerade as dogs! One man actually asked me why I decided I wanted to own a basenji if they did everything I said they did. I had no answer other than I didn't want a dog who blindly did what ever I told it to do. I could tell by the look on his face that he thought THAT was a stupid answer. So I said..."If you don't understand the attraction, you don't want a basenji."

Pat

[gneigum]

Hello & welcome to the group

@BasenjiDiva:

So, I launch into the negatives…which we all know can be pretty awesome some days. Then I look at their faces and it dawns on me ....They think I am stark, raving NUTS for actually owning 2 of these boll weevil/termites that masquerade as dogs!
Pat

They can be a handful! Today the 2Bs were doing the b500 while my wife was on the phone. 1 figured the stretched phone cord was to appealing - did the superdog thing grabbing it in midflight & bit right through it. Think my wife was tickled pink?:mad:

G

[janebond007]

Hey thanks for the warm welcome and tsjoe maybe we are related jk….I ended up paying a deposit to the breeder Candyce. She is in Texas. The pup is red and white and four weeks old currently, she says he will be ready to come home feb 9 or around there....so far i believe i have read up a lot on basenjis and my aunt owns one.....I plan to enroll him in some puppy obedience classes when he comes. I will try to include a picture of him currently the breeder sent me....the picture is a attachment...lol hope i did it right!

[sharronhurlbut]

The photo came through fine, cute pup.
Have the pups parents been tested for fanconis?

[Janneke]

@sharronhurlbut:

The photo came through fine, cute pup.
Have the pups parents been tested for fanconis?

I think this is the same Candyce as talked about in this thread: http://www.basenjiforums.com/showthread.php?t=5223&page=3 ?

[Janneke]

And of course: Big welcome to the forum!
Good thing you are trying to find out what 'keeping a basenji' means

[tanza]

@Janneke:

I think this is the same Candyce as talked about in this thread: http://www.basenjiforums.com/showthread.php?t=5223&page=3 ?

Yes, it looks to be one in the same. You might want to think about Fanconi testing…. since it seems the parents of these litters have not been tested...along with other testing (hips, eyes, thyroid...)

[janebond007]

Should i be worried? (Referring to the above linked post about the breeder candyce)…..was the main talk about the falconi test?

[tanza]

@janebond007:

Should i be worried? (Referring to the above linked post about the breeder candyce)…..was the main talk about the falconi test?

If it were me, I would be. Fanconi is a horrible affliction… and any responsible breeder should be DNA testing their dogs/bitches before every considering having pups. That along with other health testing. And socialization of the litter is very important.

[sharronhurlbut]

Yes, this test is done by all responsible breeders.
The test will show if you will lose your basenji early to this awful illness.
I do hope you reconsider this breeder and find one who does the testing before the pups are on the ground.

[janebond007]

so you think i should not buy from her? i already paid her an deposit….or should i get him and take him in to the vets for the test?

[Janneke]

@janebond007:

so you think i should not buy from her? i already paid her an deposit….or should i get him and take him in to the vets for the test?

From what I know.. I think you should not buy from her..
A responsible breeder will make sure the pups will get the best start possible.. health, socialization etc..

[tanza]

@janebond007:

so you think i should not buy from her? i already paid her an deposit….or should i get him and take him in to the vets for the test?

A vet can not do a Fanconi test. It is a Cheek Swab done by the U of Mo. Here is the link to learn about it www.basenjihealth.org

And as pointed out in the other post, IMO, since the person did not test before breeding, she should give you your deposit back since she can not show proof that DNA test for Fanconi was done. Or you could request that the test be done "before" you get the pup. However, if it were me, I would look for a responsible breeder even if it means you have to wait for a pup and not get one now. In the end, the quality (health, temperament, conformation) of the pup you get is what is important..

[sharronhurlbut]

I agree with Pat.
We are just trying to keep you from the heartbreak of having and loving and losing a fanconis dog.
I don't want anyone to go through that.

[tanza]

Also remember, according to what I have seen, these puppies are not American Kennel Club registered, but a registery that many puppy mills and Back Yard Breeders started because they didn't want to have to pay for the DNA parentage test that AKC requires for frequent breedings of dogs and bitches. AKC is really the only truly reconized registery in the US.