Welcome, make sure the breeder you decide on does the testing for health that will give you a long lived companion.
There is a lot of info on this site re good breeders and health testing.
We are all glad to help you. Of course, there are also rescue dogs who need homes.
Khanis, the breeders I've come across in Alberta are Shamaron Basenjis (http://www.shamaronbasenjis.com) and just a brief mention of one in Lethbridge (http://www.yellowpages.ca/bus/Alberta/Lethbridge/LA-Dogs/3901660.html?what=Pet+Grooming-Clipping+%26+Washing&where=Lethbridge+AB&le=e43b56c4f6)
Sorry for the heinous link, they don't have a website, which is enough to sketch me out a bit, but I'm keeping an open mind at this point.
Sharron, thanks for the advice, we're definitely going to be asking lots of questions about their health testing, especially after reading stories of people on here who bought their puppies and found out that their parents hadn't been Fanconi tested/etc. I am so relieved I found this forum BEFORE I started looking at breeders, for the same reason.
The more home work you do before you get your new companion, the better for all.
We are sure here to help you with any questions you have.
Bs are very special dogs. It is really good you are doing research as basenjis are often gotten by people who think they will be as trainable as a german shepherd or take abuse from little kids like a golden retriever or can get by with a little ten minute walk a day– not!
I've had basenjis for 39 years, and breeders are not all the same. Search out breeders who are known for the reliable temperment of their dogs.
Older cats? A puppy is going to want to play with, jump on and mouth the kitties. The cats are going to need places where they can get away and look down on the little beastie.
I brought home a new puppy in 1998 when my Aby cats were 3 & 4 and ended up putting a cat tree in every room that did not already have a high piece of furniture as Belle "just wanted to play." They had grown up with another basenji, Binta, who was about 8 when they came to live with us and she never chased them and basically ignored them. So to all the sudden have a puppy after them constantly was a real stressor and one cat, Zaki started overgrooming and licked his stomach raw. We always crated Belle at night so the cats could feel safe sleeping with us, yet Belle could be in the same room with us. Worked well for 11 years.
Basenjis are really magical beings... can't imagine having another kind of dog.
Ethically, I can't say too much about the breeders, other than make SURE you meet all the dogs for the temperment (parents as well) and make SURE all health testing has been done.
Thanks for the kind welcomes, especially the tips about the cats!
Plato and Jersey (our kitties) are both pretty active and healthy for their ages, and they pretty much have run of the house ATM, so I'm not sure how they're gonna adjust to a puppy. They have a cat tree, but getting one for each room sounds like a great idea!
Poor kitties aren't gonna know what hit 'em. 
That is why I am waiting to get my first basenji, and doing all my research now. Two of my senior cats have shown that they don't mind dogs (one flirts with dogs), but the third has a distaste for them. They are wonderful family pets and so I am honouring them (the one in particular) by waiting to get my basenji.
Fran, if all new owners were like you, I wouldn't have a THING to do in rescue.
welcome, Yo live close to me.
Stay away from the breeder near Innisfail she is a byb. bad stuff.
I've known the breeder in question for over twenty years. Since I've known the breeder in question for over twenty years, we've shown together in the basenji ring many times over the years, and I have both bred to her dogs, and acquired two of them, I would have to say that the breeder you speak of, near Innisfail, is definitely NOT a backyard breeder. She is a long time reputable breeder who knows the basenji breed inside and out. Her dogs are beautiful, healthy, and of excellent temperament. What are, I wonder, the motives, behind such a blatant attack?
I did not attack anyone. I just reiterated what A breeder had told me and asked for advice. I didn't mention her name or the name of the kennel until someone had already.
Please do not accuse me of attacking anyone - I have never met the breeder in question, but yeah, I was pretty horrified by the fact that she doesn't bother to test her dogs.
Oh, apologies. I started another thread about my conversation with this breeder and I thought I was replying to that one.
http://www.basenjiforums.com/showthread.php?t=8624
I've known the breeder in question for over twenty years. Since I've known the breeder in question for over twenty years, we've shown together in the basenji ring many times over the years, and I have both bred to her dogs, and acquired two of them, I would have to say that the breeder you speak of, near Innisfail, is definitely NOT a backyard breeder. She is a long time reputable breeder who knows the basenji breed inside and out. Her dogs are beautiful, healthy, and of excellent temperament. What are, I wonder, the motives, behind such a blatant attack?
That breeder sold me a 4 year old dog with a horrable overbite and the dog was so under socialised that I had to turn it back to her. If she has changed her ways since 2000, then good for her but by the sounds of it I doubt it. The one dog she has on OFA has Fanconi so maybe you should be carefull. Ms. Corlett isn't a friend of mine.
The problem with bad breeders is the public is often not aware of them, until they get a dog who gets sick or a dog they are not able to keep.
IMO, its important to support good breeders and to inform the public about the ones who don't test or work on the dog temperment.
I know this person is a responsible breeder, who makes her own decisions based on the background of her own line. The dog listed on OFA as having fanconi, does not have Fanconi, in point of fact.
I have visited her many times over the years and I'm pleased to say I'm acquiring another beautiful puppy this spring. I was a breeder myself several years ago so I know what I'm looking at unlike some of the other posters.
Corion, are you saying that the OFA has it wrong?
All I have to say is this - she told me point-blank she doesn't test her dogs for fanconi, or hip or eye problems. This hardly seems like the behavior of a responsible breeder, whether or not her dogs are healthy. Past that, I don't know the woman.
Believe it or not, you don't have to have experience as a breeder to be able to tell what to look for, please don't condescend.
Sharron, all I can say is that he does not have fanconi,,
Here is a quote directly from these postings:
I spoke to Geoff Sampson at Crufts and the KC has no plans to include Fanconi testing as a noted health issue. They don't normally take action until an actual gene is isolated as there is no telling whether it is for a disease or merely a tendency to the disease (as some genes for a tendency to cancer, for example).
Sharron, all I can say is that he does not have fanconi,,QUOTE]
The OFA site and the Fanconi Linkage tests DO NOT SAY that they have Fanconi… it clearly states that in regards to genetics, they test Prob Affected for Fanconi "genes"... which can mean that have it at present or they have the gene and will prob get Fanconi sometime in the future. Even if it was a direct genetic test, it couldn't say that they "have" it only that they carry the genes to get it. Being late onset, it can begin at most any age... and some even as late of over the age of 10.
And in the US it is not a required test either, but recommended by the Parent Breed Club .... and responsible breeders test their Basenjis "before" breeding. Note also that there are over 3200 tested Basenjis for Fanconi and the results support the test fully, IMO.
Anyone can say "based on my dogs" .... but bottom line is if you don't test, you do not know. And this is for all health testing, not just Fanconi. There are many breeders that thought that Fanconi was not a problem in their particular lines until they started to test and saw all the carriers... if they had continued to breed as they had in the past before the test, they would have Fanconi affected offspring.
