It finally happened! My boy got the last placement he needed to finish his grand championship last weekend in Tallmadge, OH. Sorry It's huge!

GCh. Meisterhaus Jadaka Don't Stop Me Now

A good vet is a good vet even if they aren't "basenji experts"! The good ones will be willing to learn about the breed but at the end of the day, a basenji is still a dog. ANY dog can be quirky!! My vets never saw basenjis before mine and I've had zero issues. They are patient, kind people who care about their patients. (My dogs are show dogs and very easy patients though! used to standing still while someone examines them). A good vet will be willing to listen to you!

Ask local friends where they go and get a few recommendations. REMEMBER!!!!!!! It's 100% OK to decide a vet isn't the right fit. There is no shame in shopping around! Don't keep going to a place you don't love. It's up to you to train your new baby to be OK with being handled/examined. Work on playing with paws, opening their mouth, gentle restraint, etc. I also belive that muzzle training is a good idea. If your dog (any breed!!!!) is ever hurt/painful they might try to bite the vet OR you so having them used to a muzzle is a wonderful thing. Make it positive so going to the vet is no big deal!

Good Luck with your baby!

My current ones are OK with standard $10 baby gates but my first boy jumped over them like they weren't even there. One of mine CAN jump them but just doesn't. (tris are weird lol) My parent's girl climbs them so they have a tall metal one she can't get over.

Has he been around cats before? They LOVE to chase cats and its even worse when they don't grow up with them. It's good to give the cats a lot of areas they can escape if they need to!

Every dog is different and it might be trial and error!

I don’t know her personally but I’ve seen her at dog shows and yes she is a legitimate breeder.

@debradownsouth said in Basenji Personality:

@crazysenji said in Basenji Personality:

I’m a firm believer that there is no such thing as a “1st time dog breed “.

I wouldn't place a Rottweiler, Chow, Akita and a lot of dominant dog breeds with a first-time owner. There are breeds that generally do need a more experienced owner. I also believe there are people who don't need to own a dog because their life situation simply doesn't make room for care of a dog.

But I absolutely agree that you're better getting the breed you want instead of what other people say you should get! I would choose a puppy owner in love with a breed and willing to make adjustments so it works over someone picking a dog for convenience any day.

If they do their homework and know what they are getting into I think they should get the dog they want. If someone has always dreamed of an Akita how many labs must they own before they can have one? Level one lab, level 2 GSD, level 3 Akita? Nah. Sure there are people who are drawn to powerful breeds and have no business owning a dog at all let alone a more challenging breed. I know a lot of great dog people who’ve started out with them and do wonderful. Right person who gets the right dog from the right breeder.

My experience with the breed is that house training isn’t easy. You have to be diligent and take them out every few hours. I never exactly taught them to give me a signal. After a while they learned where the back door was and they will spin and or paw at it until I let them out. My puppy just turned a-year-old and he stopped having accidents maybe around six months.

I’m a firm believer that there is no such thing as a “1st time dog breed “. I grew up with golden retrievers but I personally have only owned basenjis. There really is no other breed for me! I can’t tell you how many people tried to talk me out of it. Get the dog that you want that fits your lifestyle!

They aren’t all escape artists that need a bunch of exercise. If you found a good breeder they will work with you and will find you the right dog for you and your family. I have three boys and while one does everything he can to find a way out of the yard to go chase more squirrels, I have another that wants nothing more than to be in the house on my lap. My oldest and youngest love to run and do doggy sports and my middle boy likes to be a show dog and hang out with me. Sight hounds like to go fast and then nap hard!

Good luck with your future pup!

SLOWLY!!! It's not always easy introducing two adult dogs and basenjis in particular can be a little rough. He has been your only do for 3 years and his "intruder alert" alarm is active. He wanted it and went for it. If she isn't in heat her being intact probably has little to do with the behavior but yes having her spayed is a good idea.

I would recommend feeding (including treats, especially REALLY good treats) be done separately. Do they have kennels? If not you can use baby gates or separate rooms. Feed them in their kennels, give them treats in their kennels, etc.

I have 3 boys and two are OK with each other going near food and respect the "GO AWAY" growl. My puppy is.. a puppy and ignores them and dives in. They don't appreciate it at all. Luckily no injuries have happened but puppy gets all food in his kennel. A quick "gone in a second" treat is fine but if it's a good chewy or something of "high value" there could be a battle.

Another thing they argue over are beds. Have many places for them to lay because right now they might not want to be snuggle buddies. That could never happen! They may learn to live in harmony but might not be best friends. We do our best but you can't fully change a dog's personality.

I’ve worked with breeders that aren’t great with communication but this is crazy :(. If she cashed that deposit check that means she has a puppy for you and should be in contact.

Most of the breeders I know personally are in the Midwest.

Sure you can message me. You deserve to know if there is no puppy for you this year. Keeping you in limbo isn’t right. I’m hoping the breeder is still evaluating puppies and just hasn’t contacted everyone yet.