@shankara Oh yes, I've heard the stories! 🙂 Our first basenji chewed through the seatbelt of my mom's car on a road trip. He turned into a wonderful and patient dog though. I'm certainly looking into BRAT too.
We are looking for R/W puppy to join our family
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I understand what everyone is saying. I raised show and field trial Vislas about 20 years ago. I know how much it costs to maintain quality dogs. I have also raised and shown horses as well as cutter raced horses for a short time. The fact of the matter is I made a post asking if anyone had a respectable pup for $500. Nobody had to call into question whether I was able to properly care for the dog or not or explain the financial nuances of being a Breeder. Our ability to take proper care of the dog I would expect to discuss with the Breeder themselves, not on this Forum. I could be extremely well off for all any of you know. Just because I mentioned the price of $500 means nothing other than me simply putting out feelers to see if there are any dogs available in that price range. Apparently there are not so I will explore other options. I do apologize for insinuating that a runt may be born to a Basenji or that it may be possible to purchase one at a slightly reduced price, obviously neither of these is the case. I was going on the fact that if we had a worthy prospect for one of our Vislas we would go out of our way to help accomodate them even though it wasn't of any financial benefit to us. I appreciate everyones time and constructive criticisms.
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Fab, if I can call you that, wink, we have a lot of folks who post on the forum. Some are knowledgable as you are, some are just folks looking for a pet.
As we don't know you yet, we tended to, well, dumb it down, just in case that was needed… I can see its not. these are totally my words and not anyone else on the forum, so if I offend, sorry!
I have to tell you, I don't breed or show, I just do rescue. I love the good breeders I know in the Pacific Northwest. Some of them just when to Africa to bring back b's they hope will be added to the BCOA to help inprove the health of all b's in this country.
I would be happy to share my knowledge with you about the breeders I would recommend, if you wish.
Or you can do your own homework, and find the right one.
Ok, guess I just wanted to let you know I am here to help..if you wish. -
I am sure you found out that the breeder in OK, Sheila Maxwell does no health testing and the last time I checked her pups are advertised on Puppyfind.com as a bargain for $550 and are ACA registered, not AKC registered. Did she give you pedigree information for the pup?
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This was the reply that we received from her while asking about testing. She is rather vague about things. That is one of the reason we decided to not proceed any further with their pups.
we've never had any of the above test done other than the regular vet checkup where none have ever failed the health check. we've sold dogs to people and they had theirs tested but always came back negative. we've had this bloodline in our family for 17 years now and nobody has ever told us of any problems and i've never had to take one to the vet other than for a shipping checkup and health paper. our oldest dog is 13 years old now and we raised 8 pups on her last year our largest litter. but we've reired her and she's the comminity pet and don't look or act a day over 2. thanks, gary & sheila maxwell keota, ok. 918-966-3884 cell 918-775-1380 "SHEMAX BASENJIS" P.S. ODD HER MOM IS NAMED AFTER OUR GRANDAUGHTER "MACKENZIE"
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I cannot remember which kennel lines are in her dogs' pedigrees and that is the reason I asked about the pedigree.
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Fab, I have to tell you, almost anyone who will sell you a basenji without some type of personal contact, just with a credit card charge, is not anyone you want to buy from.
They are in it for the $$ not the dogs. -
I absolutely agree.
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Also, Pat and Lisa are on this list. Both from Ca. Very well thougth of. just fyi.
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our oldest dog is 13 years old now and we raised 8 pups on her last year our largest litter. but we've reired her and she's the comminity pet and don't look or act a day over 2.
Holy Crap…. they bred a bitch that was 12yrs old?.... and she had 8 pups? That to me, in one word says Pure for Profit breeder... period. And someone would brag on that?... not me for sure.
And what does "retired" to pet community mean? Well, that means that they gave her away or sold her cause they had no more use for her.... pretty sad...
My adults live here for their entire lives.... and sometimes it is not easy when they are elders and need lots of Vet care... We lost our elders at 17+ and 16+... but I know that they had wonderful lives.. and were members of the family for every one of their years... the good, the bad, and sometimes the ugly
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I know of a pup that came from SheMax, the pup was bought on line for about $500 at 7 months old by a man looking for a bargain. She arrived completely unsocialized and human fearful, more so than the feral ones here in Florida, to be quite frank. The man who had her for 3 months had her at the dog park one day and simply couldn't catch her, left her there overnight, we with another person (and a team of about 20 people at the park) finally caught her, the owner relinquished her and a dear friend has had her for over a year now. She is a darling dog but it is a rare day when we get to pet her, even with much positive training and work with a behavorist, she is fearful and skittish.
I would not recommend a dog from that breeder, even if she DID do testing on her dogs. -
Oh, those posts just break my heart. Shame on that breeder! Shame!!!
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There is a forum member that bought a pup from the Maxwells.
Less than a month after having the pup at home, he became sicker and sicker.
He was sickly when they got him off the plan but they hoped they could get vet treatment to make him better.
All for not, this pup died.
The Maxwells offered another pup for a reduced price.The folks contacted me, and we talked about the sick dog.
They told me they were given an offer from the breeder.
My comment was "do you really want to get another pup that came from the same place as that sick puppy?"They made a wise decision and told the Maxwells they wanted their money back as they couldn't take the chance on getting another sick puppy.
They insisted all pups were healthy [sick healthy perhaps??]They came back to me and I sold them a yearling that had been tested as a Fanconi Carrier, for more than they paid for their previous pup. My boy came from good stock with lots of health testing behind him. They did not balk at all about paying the price for one of my dogs. Sure, they wanted a puppy to begin with… but they got far more than they bargained for when getting a SHE-MAX puppy!
I can guarantee you that they would not recommend the Maxwells.
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Fab, did you ever get a little basenji, or are you still looking? This thread is rather interesting, but dated…
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I contacted SHEMAX kennels once about a male they got. Said it was from Hestekin Hills kennels and it was registered and all. I asked Teresa and i cant remember what she said. I think she had sold it to someone and they must have sold him to the owner…ANNYWAYS they sent me pictures and i was horrified at the sight of the dog. Poor thing! It had cuts and scrapes...seeing Teresas dogs and that one i couldnt believe it was one of hers! I felt so bad! Teresa keeps her dogs in good condition and that dogs was just...sad! and he said he had like 40 pups for sale at the time...can you say puppy mill?! andthey were all kept in outdoor runs. The females he had were not in much better shape than the stud...It was sad to see...anyways I read the forum about their reply to health testing, they said the same thing to me...I quickly stopped contacting them...I would NOT recommend them to anyone NOR would i buy a puppy from them.
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I will say that dog auctions are one way that some of these breeders acquire their dogs and also how they get rid of them. I met the Maxwells at an auction.
Jennifer
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@dcmclcm4
I want to let everyone know that I also don't agree with "bad breeding" practices. And, I prefer rescue, which is how i have obtained all of my babies. Interestingly enough, however, my Tootsie, from Sheila Maxwell in Keota, OK, (I got her through B rescue, as I was a volunteer at the time) Is 12 this month, and has NEVER had one health issue in her whole life. She is not a "looker" for sure, but my well bred Basenjis died at age 3, of Cancer, and 10, of a brain tumor, and at 12, of Cancer. Tootsie is as strong and nutty (and with an extremely even, sassy but sweet ) personality. Her previous owners paid $400 for her and she was shipped out to Mass from OK. Strange! -
@tanza
However, again - you get what you pay for. If someone is looking for a pet basenji, there isn't as much cause to do the testing beyond making surethe mom is ok to have pups. I DO AGREE that 12 is insane to breed a dog and have her deliver pups. This woman is obviously treating her dogs as farm animals, and that is not good. Still odd to me that my one dog (rescued from the first owner) is my longest lived B to date, and has NEVER had a health issue. -
@boosenji If you ever had a Basenji with Fanconi, I believe you would change your mind about health testing... regardless if a show dog or a pet. And with DNA, there is NEVER a reason again to produce a Basenji that will develop Fanconi. Same with PRA... health testing is important, period
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@boosenji said in We are looking for R/W puppy to join our family:
@tanza
However, again - you get what you pay for. If someone is looking for a pet basenji, there isn't as much cause to do the testing beyond making surethe mom is ok to have pups. I DO AGREE that 12 is insane to breed a dog and have her deliver pups. This woman is obviously treating her dogs as farm animals, and that is not good. Still odd to me that my one dog (rescued from the first owner) is my longest lived B to date, and has NEVER had a health issue.Pet or show, there is every reason to do testing. "making sure the mom is ok to have pups" includes massive genetic testing. Just being "okay to breed" doesn't mean she's okay to actually produce puppies. Pet or show, you want puppies to be healthy. Testing for heart, Fanconi and other genetic disorders is a minimal.
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I just happened to back up on this post from 10 years ago, and my response in 2017.
It’s amazing, because although I understand people‘s concerns about Sheila Maxwell, I believe my Tootsie was born when her mother was about nine or 10, and no I don’t agree with that. My only point was that my other three Basenji‘s all died younger one at 3 (!) at 10 and one at 13, (a respectable age, but developed health issues at age 11)
Sheila Maxwell‘s Oklahoma backyard bred Basenji, Tootsie, is still alive and well at 15 1/2! She’s had kidney disease for two years (!) but other than that has had no health issues, so my only point is that some of these purebred dogs of all breeds, come with many more issues than a mixed breed, or a not so well bred purebred. Tootsie most likely will not see 16 years of age, but she has been an incredibly healthy (albeit not good looking ) dog. We’ve had the same luck with German Shepherd’s, the ones that came from extremely reputable breeders, still died younger and with more health issues than our rescued 2 1/2 year-old straight backed German Shepherd, and I do believe that unfortunately, most of the breeders have to breed for certain traits, which sometimes are severe detriments to the health of the dog.