Sorry, I posted this in the wrong thread!
I must say, when I first started in B's, there was no one that I could find around. I didn't have much direction, but what I did do was go to the internet. I researched the breed to death, (still don't know everything, and if anyone EVER says they do, they have rocks for brains) and found my breeder-in Georgia! She is 15 hours away. The internet is a wonderful tool, but again not perfect. I did eventually find a mentor here, but again, not perfect. While in many ways, she has been very helpful, not in everyway. Over the years, I've started to realize, I have to make my own decisions, whether or not I have approval of the people up here. I've learned to listen more to opinions and have formed my own from those opinions.
That being said, Ms P does need help, but she also needs to realize that while she is being given advice, much of it the same from many people, it's not good if she doesn't take the advice and try it, or, at the very least, try to incorporate it into her own opinion, or start to ask questions about the advice being given. I would want to believe she needs help in making good choices, but again, she needs to listen to some of the older people with experience. Personally, I believe there is no stupid question, only the one not asked.
Here again, we go back to the internet. While it's a great tool, so is the telephone. You can only go so far with the written word, and it does not always convey correctly what someone is trying to say. The tone of the written word can be very different from the stated word and far different still from seeing someone and talking to them and seeing their body language. Truly, I am sorry to say this, but Ms P is very young and, from the tone (again this is something that comes across to me, but may not want to be the tone she conveys) of what she has written, is impatient and looking to move forward into breeding rather quickly without wanting to learn and wait to breed from a mentor. I know one girl who took about 12 years before she bred. She wanted to learn as much as possible. For myself, although I have been in dogs (different breeds) for a long, long, looooong time, (yeah, I feel that I'm older than dirt) things happened and I didn't breed basenjis as quickly as I wanted to originally. Crap happens. It put me back a few years, but I'm glad I waited and didn't delve into it when I wanted to. I learned so much more in those few years. I'm in the 'bad' books with some people up here, because I've struck out on my own, breeding wise, (some people just don't like my dogs) and have made decisions that I feel are in my best interests. Again, these are my decisions based on what I have learned, but I also didn't rush it.
I wish Ms P would take a step back, breathe deeply, and realize that many of the people here are not out to get her, but to inform her based on what they have learned over the years. Yes, the written word does sometimes come off rude, ignorant, seems like people are on their high horse, etc., but you also have to be able to come back and ask questions as to why they stated something like they did. Sometimes it's not what you think. I also have been on both sides of this particular fence. Sometimes I think people have been rude, but sometimes I have been rude as well. When people are passionate about something, their words seem to take a deeper meaning than what the reciever wants to hear. Everyone wants approval, sometimes, you just have to decide what you want, do it, and suffer the consequences. People will still be here for you when you make a bad decision, some of those people will tell you, 'I told you so' and some of the people will still support you even though they believe the decision you made was a crappy one.
Ms P, if you are still reading, take a step back, breathe deeply, and start to ask QUESTIONS! But don't be in such a hurry to think badly of the people, some of the people simply don't want you to make the same mistake twice, or the same mistake they have already made. We all make mistakes, it's just how you handle them in life that makes the difference. Life is still a huge learning experience and no one, NO ONE, is correct 100% of the time.
Woofless id LOVE for us to have a basenji play date! I am VERY excited about this!!! You should email me sometime and we can set something up! email me at podhradsky@live.com. When i read that you were close that made me so excited, you have NOOOO IDEA!!!! !:D 
Once you email me, ill email back and you will have my number. then we can bring out 'Senjis out to play! EEEPPP!!! You have no idea how much i love getting together with Basenji people! !!!!!
Thank you for posting and give me a shout next time ur in town!
NoMrBdDogs. Thank you for putting it in kind words. I understand where you are coming from and I have been waiting. And Im not saying im even going to breed once I get this puppy. Its possible BUT im not saying I will. Alot of people think that just because I am getting a puppy means i will be breeding. Im not saying i MIGHT not…but im saying that of course i will wait. and i have been researching and doing my part to learn more about the breed. I think i have finally found a mentor that will help me. We have talked on the phone for hours on end and she was actually a Vet assistant. She is a very nice lady and has been in the business for over 30 years. She is kind when telling me things i need to know and helps me with the things that I know alot about--just need to improve.
Its not that I dont listen, its that I dont listen to people who are constantly rude when you dont have to be when you want to get a point across. I will take your words into consideration because you have been kind about it and i feel that you are not totally against me--even if no one else is...tho i know some are. I do want to learn and i do want to do what is best but I find it very hard to learn from people who treat me badly. And alot of people dont understand that but that is how I am. That is how I feel. I have always been the type to think deeply about the things that people who I feel strongly about say to me. For instance my brother. I am VERY fond of my brother. he is alot older than me and I feel that when he has something to say its important. I know alot of people dont understand this and im sorry if i am not like everyone else. I learn in a different way and if someone wants to be nice about explaining things to me then ill listen but once someone is rude and gets me hot, i cannot listen or believe one word they say, even if its the truth. I just wont bcause i dont deserve to be talked to in a rude way. I hope everyone understand.
I will be thinking about this and I will dig deep into everything when learning about this breed. I have been researching since 2002 when i got my first girl, Missy. She taught me alot about the breed. And then of course I have read up on it since then. Yes alot of people will say im jumping into it if i were to breed in 2-3 years...but in honesty, I wouldnt be to an extent. I have done the research, talked to the breeders, now i have finally found that mentor i have been searching for for a long time! If I do decide to breed, it wont be a jump into it kind of thing. I will be talking to my mentor and reasearching (as i feel you can never research enough. You learn something new everyday) Sure i will make mistakes, but everyone makes them. And with the help of the breeders I have been talking to, maybe ill make less mistakes than i need to.
Anyways for now I am just having a companion pet. Missy and this new puppy I am getting will be a companion too. They will live in my home and sleep in my bed as they always do. I love my dogs, they are my family first. I want to start showing her and possibly breeding later on in life if things go in that direction. I know that for sure not before two years old will she be bred if i do it. She will have:
Fanconi Syndrome test Brucellosis test
Thyroid disease test Hip dysplasia test
Inherited eye diseases test Hemolytic Anemia test
Coloboma test PMM (persistent papillary membrane) test
and then Malabsorbtion test.
If there is a test that tests these things it will be tested for because these are the ones which mainly affect Basnejis. These are the ones I want to test for and tho some May not be necessary, i will be doing them. Because the health of my dogs are most important.
Anyways thank you for being kind about it. I will think hard about everything and do even more research and Basenji talking. I hope you have a nice day. 
Hips can not be done until after they are 2yrs old, only prelims are available before 2yrs. Recommended age for breeding is not till at least 3yrs by most responsible breeders. Coloboma would be know "before" you got a puppy if the breeder is responsible and has eyes checked before placement as would PPM. And Fanconi DNA status should be known before placement also…Brucellosis is normally required by any stud owner, however not only should be bitch be tested but the stud dog too. Add to your list, elbows and patella's should be done. Patella's can be done at 1yr by your regular Vet and forms can be found on OFA site to have the Vet fill out and then you pay the fee and send it to OFA. Elbows can be done when you do the hips.....
For MissP, there is a thread on the forum about pet insurance. That might be something you want to look into. If putting out one large amount of $ for insurance is difficult, try to save some money every month ($25-$50) so when testing or care is required, it won't be such a financial strain on you.
MissP
Don't forget to ask about the health history of any related dogs. You can check on www.offa.org to see if the dogs have been tested for these things. You can find related dogs by researching on the B Pedigree Database.
I do not pay the fee to have the test results for my dogs on the OFA website but I keep all records. The Fanconi test results are automatically put on it though as one does not have a choice. My Bs are not breeding dogs though.
My B that I think may be related to yours is Jen's Bambi Surprise or the sire of her pups, Benji Boy J. They are listed in the Pedigree Database. She was rescued from a breeder in SD and is APRI registered though not by me. Her breeder had a last name of Kuehne and I believe lived in Western MN.
I rescued a couple of the Hofer Bs and they were also from SD.
Jennifer
Jennifer, maybe you can tell Miss P re the fanconi issues for some of these Hofer b's…
I can see why MissP feels a bit ganged up on in this thread, but honestly I failed to see any name calling or anything really mean. Conformations shows are the last thing I'd suggest for anyone thin-skinned or overly sensitive.
Also, you have said you have studied the breed and are ready to show/breed (or possibly breed?), but your choice in Marli as your foundation and first show dog points to a lack of knowledge. If you're going to show dogs and want to win (and let's face it, showing and continually loosing is NO fun), you choose a dog with that sort of pedigree. My first basenji was beautiful, at least to me. I was about 19 when I got her and she was the first pedigreed dog anyone in my family owned. Neither her sire or dam had their championship, but there were ch's in her grandparents and some farther back. Looking back, I see all sorts of conformation faults in that first basenji of mine, but my eye wasn't trained and there were so many things I didn't know. I did not breed her, but I was hooked on the breed.
My second basenji, Idlewild-Jerlin's Digital (please look up his pedigree on Zande's website) was my first show prospect. I went to a basenji specialty and talked to several breeders. I talked to people who had this breeder's dogs in their homes as pets. I put my hands on her dogs. I liked what I heard about this breeder and when I got home I mailed her a letter and eventually decided on Digital. You can see the ch's in his pedigree. Honestly, he's a little more line-bred that I would breed, but he's been a lovely competition/show/agility/coursing/therapy/etc dog.
A few months later we got Jet (Jerlin's Saint or Sinner) as our second conformation dog. Again, look up his pedigree. This is the type of pedigee you want for a potential show dog. LOTS of champions there. Like begets like. If you wanted a Ch lab, you would not buy a lab out of hunting lines with no Ch's. I hope some of that makes sense.
And sometimes doing right by your dog, your family, yourself, means waiting. Dogshows get to be expensive, not just the entry fees, but the classes, the travelling, the hotels, etc. Health testing is also a bit of change. (Of course that adds up to less than I've spent on agility, but that's another story and I refuse to add that number up.) And, heaven forbid there's some sort of medical emergency. I've been very lucky in having to go to the e-vet only twice in the last 7-8 years or so. And both of those times were relatively minor emergencies. It's not fun to wait; I know, I waited 6 years for my little red/white girl. Of course I do think a 6 year wait is a bit excessive and feel certain it won't be that long for you to meet your goals, but waiting for the right dog at the right time is well worth it.
Very will put Kim…. thanks for that post.... and I totally agree...been there .....
Thanks Pat. I hope it will do some good somewhere.
After I posted it, I said to myself, "holy crap, I wrote a book"
