Incoming Puppy

[takamarou]

Hey all,

First off, I'd like to say that this forum has been a wonderful source for all the basenji reasearch I've been doing. Thanks!

Me and my girlfriend decided a couple weeks ago that we'd like to get a puppy. Her allergies required that we get a dog that has very little shedding, and it has turned out that a basenji is a great dog for us.

She is going this weekend to pick up the puppy. It will be a 9-week old male, coming from a backyard breeder.

I just have a couple questions on all of your experiences with your basenjis.

1. I've read several times that a bored basenji is a bad basenji. As a puppy, how much excercise does it take to tire him out? I know it varies by dog, but how much did it take for you guys?

2. I understand that a basenji is a very mischevious dog, and can't be left alone un-caged. Does this change with age/training? Will we eventually be able to leave the dog out when we aren't watching?

3. Do basenji's require any special type of : leash, collar, food, cage, etc.?

4. One place that I was doing research said that I shouldn't leave my basenji's collar on when I bring him inside. Is this true?

5. Are Basenji's particularly hard to crate-train or potty train? How long did it take you to train yours?

Thanks for all your help! I'll try and keep you all updated as I finally get to meet him this weekend.

Thanks,
Takamarou

[lvoss]

What did your breeder tell you when you asked these questions? They should know their line of dogs the best and be best equipped to tell you about the temperaments of their dogs. When you met their adults, how did they behave?

[takamarou]

We haven't had that much contact with our breeder. Our breeder is in Tennessee(apparently basenji puppies are hard to find), and we are in illinois, so we haven't met the puppies or the parents.

[Janneke]

If this is true: "I'd like to say that this forum has been a wonderful source for all the basenji reasearch I've been doing. Thanks!" Then why are you getting a pup from a BYB?

[Basenjimamma]

As Janneke asked, why BYB? however if that is what you are set on, did you, after doing all your research on here, ask the "breeder" about fanconi and if her/his parent stock has been tested for it, not striptested but DNA tested? If, not, or if you do not know about fanconi, you should read up on it..as a quite a few BYB dogs tend to carry fanconi.
Has your girlfriend been around a basenji at all, since they might be Ok for some allergic people, but they are not hypoallergenic as stated on a lot of websites.

[tanza]

@takamarou:

We haven't had that much contact with our breeder. Our breeder is in Tennessee(apparently basenji puppies are hard to find), and we are in illinois, so we haven't met the puppies or the parents.

It should be your breeder that would give you answers to your questions… and I would have to also ask, Why are you going to a BYB?... There are many responsible breeders in your area. Granted this is not the usual time for puppies as most are born Nov/Dec... but as they say, good things to all that wait.... and you get what you pay for.... Also if there could be allergy problems, remember Basenji DO shed... maybe not as much as other dogs, but some bloodlines certainly shed more then others... and can be quite heavy at least once a year. If she has not personally visited with Basenjis before getting a pup.. that could be a big mistake.

And please make sure that the sire and dam have been DNA tested for Fanconi. Make sure that you check it out for yourself at www.offa.org and not just take someone's word that they are clear of Fanconi. And there are other health concerns in the breed that you would learn about and then ask the breeder about. You can learn about them at www.basenjihealth.org. Another good resource on how to find a responsible breeder is at http://www.basenji.org/learn/ScreeningBreeders.htm

[Rita Jean]

Please listen to everyone on here. I did my homework as far as what the dog was like. With that having been said I did not check on Fanconi but we got lucky Jaycee is healthy and clear on Fanconi. They are other things to check also but at least I did spend time when we got Jaycee. We were there almost 4 hours got know puppies and parents and people.

After being on here I have learned lots and more to learn. I not saying I always like what I have been told but experience and knowledge is best and I am a hard head.

Rita Jean
Rita Jean

[lvoss]

Basenjis are not a rare breed but most only come into season once a year so typically basenji puppies are really only available during a narrow window of time. Most go to their new homes in Feb/Mar.

It is very important that you verify on the OFA site that the parents of any puppy you consider have been tested for Fanconi and at least one is Probably Clear. There are four health tests recommended by the Basenji Club of America, they can all be verified on the OFA website, hips, eyes, thyroid, and fanconi. You need the parents registered name or their registration number to search the OFA database, http://www.offa.org

Please take a moment to read some of the thread by the owners of Fanconi dogs so you understand how important it is that the parents be tested.
http://www.basenjiforums.com/showthread.php?t=6000
http://www.basenjiforums.com/showthread.php?t=5833
http://www.basenjiforums.com/showthread.php?t=5736
http://www.basenjiforums.com/showthread.php?t=3095

The best way to know what to expect from your basenji is to visit with breeder and see what their dogs are like in a home setting. Visiting is especially important when a member of the household has allergies. It is also best to make a couple of visits since often the first visit goes fine and the reaction doesn't hit until the second visit.

[takamarou]

Well,

I took all your advice and went to double check on the fanconi thing. While I was looking up the listing for the puppy we were looking at, I saw that there was a new listing for basenji's in our area.

A breeder(not BYB) had just posted that she has 8 new puppies, just 7 weeks old. We really quick called and went out to meet the new pups.

We loved the puppies, her allergies turned out fine, and we found out that the parents have no history of fanconi. We are going tomorrow to see the pups again, and hopefully bring one of the boys home with us!

Thanks for adivising me on the fanconi thing,
Takamarou

[agilebasenji]

You really, really do not want to bring a puppy home that is younger than 8 weeks old. In many states it is illegal AND the puppy misses out on learning valuble puppy skills, most importantly bite inhibition. Many breeders even suggest taking a new puppy home around 10 weeks.

[lvoss]

Were you able to verify on the OFA website that at least one parent has tested Probably Clear? There are some breeders who will say there is no family history but have not done the DNA test so it is very important that you are able to independently verify that the parents are in the OFA database.

Also, as Kim said, 7 weeks is too young for pups to go to their new homes. 8 weeks is the minimum age in most states and most breeders prefer to send pups home at 10-12 weeks old so they have had adequate time with littermates and their dam to learn bite inhibition and social skills.

Here is a BCOA Affliate club's breeder directory with several breeders in Illinois, http://www.bcosw.org/breeder.html

[khanis]

Who in IL has pups that are only 7 weeks old ??
Becky has her pups, but they are 9-10 weeks and she has a litter of 5, but she is in Dayton, OH.
I can't think of any BCOA member with pups in that area right now.

Read the links that Pat posted. Email me and I will send you a few articles about living with Fanconi and why you want to verify the parents of the pups have been tested.

Don't neglect looking up other health-test results. You don't want to go near Hip Dysplasia or PRA either. It is very rare to find HA [Hemolytic Anemia, also called Pyruvate Kinase Defiency] in a well-bred dog, but it is very much around in BYB and puppy mill pedigrees.

Don't go with the intention of bringing home a puppy… any breeding pushing a puppy on you when you visit is the kind you should stay clear of... they are what I call puppy pushers.
As a good breeder, they should be doing a home visit too... checking out your home, calling your references, vet, etc.

Read and listen... you will learn so much hear... and ask questions...

[Nemo]

@lvoss:

Here is a BCOA Affliate club's breeder directory with several breeders in Illinois, http://www.bcosw.org/breeder.html

This is a really nice group of people and I'm sure any of them would be happy to talk to you about future puppy plans.

[tanza]

@agilebasenji:

You really, really do not want to bring a puppy home that is younger than 8 weeks old. In many states it is illegal AND the puppy misses out on learning valuble puppy skills, most importantly bite inhibition. Many breeders even suggest taking a new puppy home around 10 weeks.

This is SO TRUE!!! 7 wks is way to young to be bring home a puppy and taking it from his/her littermates…. I don't let puppies go till they are 10wks...

And please do not just take someone's word for it that there is no Fanconi.... please check it out for yourself. This is not to say that people are not honest.. but as they always say "Buyer Beware".... it is your responsibility to verify. Also were there any other health tests done?

As Kathy pointed out, most of the responsible breeders all know each other... so I would have to ask the same thing? Who has 7wk puppies? I have not heard of a litter.....