This is fascinating stuff - thank you for pointing the way to it @sanjibasenji
Horses to Dogs
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Hi everyone,
I have been riding/showing horses for ~20 years now but I decided to take a break for a bit due to experiencing some burnout being a part time horse trainer, giving lessons, and having my own horses. I have my miniature horse still, he has a forever home with me and wants for nothing, but no current riding horse. [edited]
Dogs, particularly Basenjis, have caught my eye! I love them, their personalities, I love that they’re active, and of course they’re cute! [edited] I’m not really interested in being super competitive at this point, but knowing me, I might end up wanting to be competitive one day.I am currently living in an apartment, it’s a decent size one bedroom apartment and there is a dog run plus running trails on the property- I do enjoy running, hiking and exploring the parks in the area. I am an active person. I work in an office 3 days each week, it’s only 10min from my place so I am able to spend my lunch hour at home. [edited] Anyway, I am in Wisconsin, Milwaukee area. I was just wondering if anyone had recommendations for somebody nearby that I can kind of learn the ropes from as far as purebred/show dogs go?
I am willing to travel anywhere in the US for a great Basenji breeder and would be open to an online mentor kind of situation, but it would be nice to have someone in the Midwest who I can meet at a show and kind of see how a dog show operates and if it’s something I would be interested in doing eventually. If there is nobody in my area, also would be interested in anybody who is willing to kind of guide me through an intro to dog showing online or over the phone or whatever might be most convenient. I’m in no rush to get a pup and finding a breeder who is willing to share their knowledge and help me take the leap is my priority. Thanks!
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Go to www.basenji.org and you can find breeders by state that you can contact.
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@tanza I did take a look but there is only one person listed in Wisconsin- I am not ruling out contacting the one person listed, however I was hoping to chat with a couple of people! There is also an SE WI club page but it seems a bit outdated and most of the breeders listed are shown as no longer breeding. Was just hoping someone on this site might be able to tell me who is active in the area!
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@EmKayLyn - The person that is listed is a good responsible Basenji breeder. Not all breeders decide to join that part of the Basenji.org site for a number of reasons. But she can tell you about other breeders in the state or in neighbor states that you could contact.
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@EmKayLyn
Glad to hear that you’re doing your homework on Basenjis!
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@EmKayLyn Sorry for the late response. Busy couple o weeks. I got to be Best Man at one of my very best friend's wedding over the weekend. Cool part is we got to dress like cowboys!
Anyway... on to your enquiry... I've never met any breeder who wasn't willing talk about their Basenjis. Basenji people are pretty dang proud of the breed and their dogs. You might consider contacting an officer of the Basenji Club of Southeastern Wisconsin. They may be aware of breeders who are breeding but are not listed on their website.
Also, Google AKC Dog Shows in Wisconsin. I did and there are several that are coming up in August. Dog shows can be a tough place to talk with breeders if you go in with the wrong approach, but it can be a great place to see the dogs and meet breeders if you are careful...
AKC shows, based on my limited experience, are put on by one or two kennel clubs over a weekend. Each club seems to hold a show for two days. So a BIG show, a two-kennel club show goes for four (Thursday through Sunday). Saturday and Sunday are by far the busiest. My Google search turned up at least three shows.
I would consider choosing a day. You usually have to pay for parking, but not admission. First thing is to find the AKC info table and ask what time the Basenjis are showing and then ask for the ring number.
This next part is important... Don't even think about getting close to owners or handlers or starting a conversation an hour before showtime. This is game day. They're focused on settling their dogs down, last minute grooming, managing stress, coaching one another, etc. Stay out of the way! It's not personal.
But!!! If you find out ring time is 2:00pm... hike the show grounds and find the Basenjis. Check all the nooks are crannies. Sometimes strong clubs congregate. Sometimes people keep to themselves. They'll be inside buildings, outside, near RVs, cars, etc. You just have to hunt them down. If you get there early and find them well before ring time... you have a great chance of having meaningful conversations.
Again, just remember this is game day. Breeders who show are committed to the breed. Winning a show is validation that the direction they are taking their line is being validated by judges. It can be and is a big deal.
Another cool thing about going to a show is seeing the different Basenji models. Sorry, I'm a car guy, so that term works for me... Red and whites, Black and whites, Tris, Brindles and variations of those. You'll also be able to observe temperamental differences of males and females in the ring. It's really interesting.
Here's the tough part. The Google search won't tell you how many or if any Basenjis will be there. The only way I've ever been able to tell is when I've registered for a show. I registered for a show earlier this year only to learn that there wasn't any competition. That means no points for us even if we won anything. It was a 400-mile drive, so I just forfeited the entry fee and didn't go. Maybe one of our more knowledgeable members can shed some light on that?
I love shows and definitely want to encourage you. I love ALL the Basenjis! Shows are a great place to see them. Again, with a careful approach and a thoughtful plan... you'll meet some breeders face to face. Chances are you may even meet a potential momma and/or papa too! Hope this helped.
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@tanza That’s a great idea actually, thank you for your advice!
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@JENGOSMonkey thank you so much for your reply!
This is all great information. I will try to reach out to the SE WI club and see if I can get any recommendations!
I was not sure if non-showing spectators were allowed at dog shows, but if they are, I will definitely venture out to some and get a feel for what is going on! I totally understand not interrupting during the show, I am not a huge fan of people coming to horse shows and trying to chat with me before classes.
I so appreciate your time and thoughtful response!
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@Kembe I really want to make sure it’s going to be a positive experience for both myself and the dog! Definitely not taking the decision lightly.
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@EmKayLyn
Another suggestion - you should also read “Don’t Do the Breed a Disservice” and the “Zande Put-Off” @ https://www.zandebasenjs.com
