The decision to join the ranks of those whose lives are made more complicated and restricted by pets is not to be undertaken lightly. There is no doubt that owning a dog does place restrictions on the freedom to come and go. Dogs have to be fed, exercised, groomed and, above all, loved, every day of the year, Christmas and Bank Holidays included. It matters not whether you feel like getting out of your chair, because when supper or walk time comes around, your furry friend will be there looking at you expectantly - and don? let anyone tell you that they cannot talk! A slogan which you often see on car stickers, says 'A Dog is for Life - Not Just for Christmas' and this maxim ought to be borne in mind by those about to buy a dear little cuddly puppy, whatever the time of year. Do think long and carefully about the characteristics you require from such a companion who will be sharing your home and hearth for many years to come.
There is no excuse for buying a puppy from the pet shop or market. When you buy from a dedicated breeder, who is breeding for future champions, you have a better chance of acquiring a well bred, properly raised puppy offered at a fair price. Although not all the litter will be SHOW quality, they should still all have the excellent show temperament, which makes the Basenji an excellent pet. Many breeders recommend that you spay or neuter their pets. This way, you will have the best pet possible.
To purchase a puppy there are basic rules to follow. It is most important to find a reliable breeder where the mother can be seen. Her behaviour will give you an insight into the temperament of the puppies. If she is happy and friendly her puppies should be also. The breeder may also have the father of the litter and again assess his behaviour. Also make sure that the surroundings where the puppies have been raised are clean and that mum herself looks healthy.
No puppy should be sold under 8 weeks of age and should have had its first vaccinations. The breeder should provide you with a vaccination certificate, and also the puppy should have been wormed on a regular basis since birth. A healthy puppy is plump but not pot-bellied. The skin should be soft and pliable with no bare patches of dry scurfy look. The eyes are bright and no discharge should be evident and the puppy smells fresh.
Breeding is not mating together two registered dogs to produce puppies. It is a creative art that requires the study of genetics, conformation, bloodlines and veterinary procedures. The responsibility for future generations lies with the breeder. The mating of outstanding champions will produce many pets, so if dogs that are not outstanding are bred, can you imagine what will happen as time goes on to the beautiful Basenji. A healthy well adjusted dog is bred for; it doesn't just happen! Please consider carefully.
A "Show Dog" is a rare animal that with proper training, nutrition, environment, coat-care and handling, can and does win in the confirmation ring. As such an animal is obviously most select, much sought after, it is generally beyond the scope of most "pet" breeders. All puppies look cute. Buy from a breeder who is producing and showing their own stock. They have the expertise and experience to recognise the potential of a puppy. But there are no guarantees. But they will help you learn the ropes of ring craft.
Why We Choose Your Puppy
Whether sold as a ¡°pet¡° or as a ¡°show/breeding prospect¡± your puppy has been bred from the best breeding stock available and is a product of a great deal of care, research, hard work and love. He/she is a good representative of the breed and is structurally and temperamentally sound. Your puppy is suited to be a wonderful companion for hunting, obedience, agility or therapy work. He/she has received lots of care and socialization from us. We are very proud of the puppies we produce! Our hope is that you enjoy your puppy as much as we enjoy your puppy¡¯s parents. When this happens then we have fulfilled a large part of our goals as breeders.
Most experienced breeders will choose the puppy you get, instead of letting you make the choice. This is NOT because you are getting the ¡°last pick¡± (which many people worry about), or because we don¡¯t care about what you want. It is because we care a great deal that you get the kind of puppy that will make you happy, and that each puppy goes into the right kind of home for that particular puppy, that we make the choice. Years of experience and the time spent watching them grow up gives us a much better chance of matching puppies to the proper homes. If you want a very quiet puppy, you might visit on the one day that the quietest o ne is being a terror. Or if you want an extremely ¡°spunky¡± puppy, you might visit on the one day that the feistiest little munchkin in taking a loooooong snooze or has a belly full of breakfast. I know it¡¯s hard, but try to trust us! Tell us as much as you can about what you want and your lifestyle, and let us do the best we can in choosing the right puppy for you. Our potential families have always been happy with the puppies we have chosen for them. If for some reason you don¡¯t like the puppy we¡¯ve chosen for you, you are under no obligation whatsoever to take him/her home, and we¡¯d prefer you didn¡¯t .... No Hard Feelings, your being happy with our little bundle of joy is of utmost importance to us.
Our experience is that you will actually find that it is much easier for us to choose the puppy for you, than it is for you to make the decision for yourself.¡°Pet Quality¡± vs. ¡°Show Quality¡±
The differences between pet quality and show quality puppies are not usually obvious to the inexperienced eye. Sometimes there are no differences, as most breeders usually have more pet homes than show homes available for any given litter. And since the grading of puppies is an educated guess, even the very experienced eye is not infallible. Sometimes the difference is something about the bite, the way the puppy moves or stands, an angle of the shoulder blade that we feel in our hands, or that indefinable ¡°something¡± that makes us guess/hope that ¡°this one is a show puppy.¡± And sometimes we¡¯re wrong! In any case, if we want to keep something for ourselves to show and/or breed, or if we have show homes available, we take our best shot at picking the best candidates for the job. The rest of the puppies are really the lucky ones! They are the ones that get to go home with you and lie on the sofa and play ball with the kids instead of working for a living. This is why I like to refer to pet dogs as companion dogs. That is there first and most important job..... to be your companion, in your house and on your bed. They have received the same careful breeding and raising, usually look just the same, and sometimes when we see them six months or two years later we wish we¡¯d kept them....... It makes us very proud to have our puppy buyers come back with beautiful dogs that fit the standard and are good representatives of the breed.
Limited Registration vs. Full Registration
Responsible breeders sell puppies as pets on Limited Registration and spay/neuter contracts. This is out of a sincere concern for the overpopulation of pets and because we believe that breeding should not take place ¡°in a vacuum.¡± The dogs involved should have something to contribute to the breed, perhaps have distinguished themselves in some way (in conformation, obedience, agility or field work); and the people involved should have educated themselves on the breed standard, health problems in Goldens in general and in the various lines, and be very knowledgeable about raising puppies and in finding and screening good homes for them. We take continuing responsibility for what we produce, and hope that none of our puppies is ever accidentally or carelessly bred.
Limited Registration is a tool offered by the American Kennel Club for responsible breeders to protect their breeding programs and their puppies. Limited Registration is just like ¡°Regular Registration", except that Limited Registration dogs may not be shown in conformation, and their offspring may not be registered with the American Kennel Club. They may be shown in obedience, agility, and hunting tests and can obtain titles in all of those areas.
Limited Registration is reversible to ¡°Full Registration", but only by the breeder of your puppy. If you happen to join a dog club, start going to shows and then get bit by the show bug; Or, perhaps you go to an obedience class where experienced dog people see your dog and exclaim, ¡°He¡¯s gorgeous! This dog must be shown and shared with the world!" We can of course talk about changing the registration to a full registration. We¡¯d like to see your dog, talk to you about conformation classes and made sure you know what you¡¯re getting into if you think you want to even attempt to do this. Dog showing is not for the faint of heart, or those with limited weekend time to travel or money to spend. You should know by the time to have you puppy spayed or neutered whether this show bug has bitten you, and we can consider amending the contract; otherwise you will be expected to fulfill its terms and spay and/or neuter your friendly companion. If you request to have ¡°full registration¡±, then upon receipt of a letter from your vet on letterhead stationery stating that your puppy has been spayed or neutered, I will change the registration and you will get a new certificate from the AKC with a purple border instead of an orange border. (That¡¯s the only difference for pet dogs.)
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF
YES/NO
Can you afford to buy a puppy from a reputable breeder?
Can you afford veterinary costs for immunisations, worming and the unexpected complaints or accidents?
Can you afford to spay or neuter your pet? Be aware that it can sometimes cost in excess of $200.00.
Are you aware that the first year can cost considerably more than for an adult dog in veterinary costs, extra food and additives?
Do you have the time to devote to a new puppy?
Are you able to exercise your new puppy?
Do you have secure fences around your property?
Are you able to devote a small amount of time weekly to training your dog to be an obedient, loving member of the family?
Are you able to find and pay for suitable housing and care for a dog when you go away on holidays or business trips?
Do you work all day?
Are ALL members of your household happy for you to own a puppy?
BUYER BEWARE
1. Be very sure the breed of dog you choose is absolutely right for you and your family needs.
2. Know the breeder. Visit him, talk to him, get acquainted with his stock and his breeding record.
3. Look for good temperament - check the parents, if possible and choose a puppy that is inquisitive and playful, NOT oppressive or shy and retiring.
4. Check his kennel for cleanliness, odour, clean drinking and eating utensils and the care and housing he gives his hounds.
5. Ask if the puppies have been wormed, immunised and tattooed or microchipped.
6. Make sure the breeder you buy from is going to be available to you after you buy your puppy, to answer questions and generally help if you need it. If you have a problem always contact the breeder first, it may save you a trip to the Vet.
7. Make sure you receive a diet sheet, immunisation and worming cards when you buy your puppy.
8. Look for a healthy, well fed, content, clean puppy.
9. If a breeder offers you "Breeders Terms" when buying a puppy be extremely cautious and read carefully and question any contract you are asked to sign.
TOP