Basenji Buyer's Guide
Introduction
Whether
you are looking to
add a basenji as just a family companion or are interested in trying
out
performance or conformation events it is important to find a
responsible
breeder. A responsible breeder breeds
for health, temperament, and conformation, is involved and active in
the
basenji community, and is responsible for their puppies from the time
they
begin to consider breeding a litter through the lifetime of each dog
the
produce. This guide will help you learn
about each of these characteristics so you can make an educated
decision about
the quality of breeder that you choose.
Health
All living things carry genes
for defects,
dogs are no exception. In purebred dogs,
a responsible breeder should be aware of what inherited disorders are
found in
the breed and use appropriate health testing and breeding strategies to
reduce
the likelihood of producing a puppy with a disorder.
Without a gene test for a disorder, a breeder
must rely on health tests of the dogs they are breeding and their
siblings and
other relatives to get the big picture of what genes may be present in
their
family of dogs.
In basenjis there are several
disorders
that a breeder should be aware of and discuss with potential buyers. They are Fanconi Syndrome, IPSID, Progressive
Retinal Atrophy, Hemolytic Anemia, Hip Dysplasia,, Thyroid Problems,
and
Persistent Pupillary Membrane. Full
descriptions of each of these can be found on the Basenji Club of
America website
at, http://www.basenji.org/?q=node/17
As
a buyer it is important that you ask
the breeder about the disorders listed above and what their breeding
plan is to
reduce the incidence of these disorders.
For many of these disorders there are tests that a breeder
should be
doing. For Fanconi Syndrome the breeder
should be strip testing urine for glucose for every dog over 3 years
old. The Basenji Health Endowment, http://www.basenjihealth.org,
has
funded research to find the gene for Fanconi Syndrome and a test may
soon be
available. Check the BHE website for the
most current information. For
Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Persistent Pupillary Membrane, and other
eye
anomalies breeders should have dogs and puppies examined by a
veterinary
Ophthalmologist and obtain a certificate from the Canine Eye Registry
Foundation (CERF) for each dog with passing eyes. CERF
certification can be verified on the
CERF website at, http://www.vmdb.org/cerf.html. For hip dysplasia breeders should have
an
Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, OFA, certificate obtained after a
dog has
reached its second birthday. OFA
certification can be verified on the OFA website at http://www.offa.org.
Thyroid should be tested yearly to verify
that the thyroid is functioning normally and there are no signs of
inherited
thyroid disease and an OFA certificate should be obtained.
Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency Hemolytic Anemia
has a gene test available. Responsible
breeders should either have had their dogs tested or be breeding dogs
only from
families that have already been tested as clear of this gene.
Responsible breeders are
proactive when it
comes to the breed’s health. This means
they may have additional certifications such as patellas, elbows, and
heart so
they can catch a potential disorder before it becomes widespread in the
breed. They also support health research
by donating
to the Basenji Health Endowment, http://www.basenjihealth.org,
and sending samples to the DNA bank to help future research efforts.
Temperament
This
trait is often the most important for
the pet owner but is also one of the more complicated for the breeder. A dog's temperament is influenced by both
what traits it has inherited from it parents and by its environment.
To get an idea of the inherited
portion
the best way is to get out and meet dogs from different families. By doing this you will see some
characteristics are common to all basenjis and some are common to some
families
of basenjis. It is normal for a breeder to invite you to visit with
their dogs
so you can see if their family of dogs has traits that will be
compatible with
your home.
The environmental factors that
affect a
dog's temperament start with the early socialization it receives at the
breeders. It is important to ask the
breeder what their routine for their puppies is. It
is important that puppies are handled
everyday. They should also be exposed to
the hustle and bustle of an everyday household.
From the time their eyes open until about 7 weeks old they
should also
be exposed to different situations like surfaces to walk on, feeding
dishes,
sounds, people and locations. This early
exposure is what allows puppies to grow into adult dogs that are not as
bothered by new places or things. Many breeders have their puppy people
come
over and visit during this time to help with the socialization process.
It is also important to understand that each dog is an individual and will have traits that make it more or less compatible with a household. A responsible breeder will ask questions of a person inquiring about a puppy to determine their expectations for a puppy. Breeders will use the information provided by the family and their observations of the puppies during the first 7 to 8 weeks to determine which puppies would fit best with each perspective home. Sometimes there might be two puppies that would be equally suitable sometimes there may only be one that has the traits that would make it a good fit. For these reasons it is important to work with a breeder that you feel comfortable talking to and can keep lines of communication open. This early communication will also lay the foundation for a relationship that will last for the life of the dog.
Conformation
The
correct conformation for a basenji is
described in the standard that was written by the Basenji Club of
America and
accepted by the American Kennel Club.
The purpose of the standard is to describe what a basenji’s
structure
and appearance should be based on its historical function.
In basenjis, this function was as a small
hunting hound that could flush game into nets and hunt independently
small game
like local rodents. The traits that make
the basenji a good hunter also make them a good active, athletic
companion. A responsible breeder breeds
to the standard to produce dogs that are structurally sound. They prove this through conformation showing
and participating in performance events that demonstrate their
structural
soundness such as lure coursing, sprint racing, or agility and
companion events
such as obedience and rally. Basenjis
should be competitive in performance and companion sports even as
veterans, dogs
over the age of 7 years old or over the age of 6 for lure coursing. This means that basenjis should also remain
active companions as veterans.
Involvement
in the Fancy
There
are many ways that breeder can be
involved in the fancy. Active
involvement in the basenji community is another way that responsible
breeders
help preserve the breed. Some ways to be
involved are club membership and participation and helping with rescue
efforts.
Responsible breeders are
members of clubs
such as the Basenji Club of America, local basenji clubs, and local all
breed
clubs. They do not stop at just being
members, they are also active in the club’s events and efforts. They serve on committees that help address
the concerns in the breed. They help out
at the events sponsored by their clubs.
They are informed about current events and news that affects the
breed.
Responsible breeders also help
rescue
organizations. There are always many
jobs to be done by volunteers for rescue groups. Responsible
breeders not only keep track of
their own dogs so they do not end up in rescue they help the dogs that
do not
have that support. Some of the ways they
may help is by doing evaluations, home visits, transportation,
fostering, and
helping to locate the dog’s breeder when known.
A
Lifetime Commitment
After
all the time, love, and work that a
responsible breeder has put into a litter it is important to them that
their
puppies have wonderful homes for their entire lives.
Since many things can happen during the
lifetime of a dog a responsible breeder uses a contract that states
that if at
any time during the dog’s life the owners can not keep it the breeder
will be
contacted. This is important not only so
the dog does not end up in the already overburden rescue system but
also so the
breeder can provide support for the new owners.
A responsible breeder will stay in touch with you for the
lifetime of
the dog. They are there for support when
you encounter the various situations that arise during puppy rearing,
when you
want to share a story about how your puppy is fitting into the family.