If told you guys how much we have spent in vet bills for our cats and parrots over the last 26 years, you guys would gasp!! Those $300 ****atoos are now worth a small fortune. If one of our birds becomes ill, an $800 - $1000 vet bill is not uncommon. For the cats, 2 years ago we had an $1100.00 vet bill for radioactive isotope therapy (for the tyroid). So, I concur with MDSPHOTO. I don't think anyone here is being uppity, more likely realistic.
Wow, I have never been called uppity before! I'll take that as a compliment since most people who know me think I'm very low brow. The reality is dogs/basenji's are a commitment not just in time & love, but also financially. There are hundreds of dogs in shelters and on Craigslist abandoned by people who did not stop to think how much time, money and effort is required to raise them so they just give them up. As was pointed out earlier, breeders spend a ton of money on testing for their puppies and regardless of the size of the dog, i.e., runts, they are not going to discount them, nor should they.
Not to question your ability, but if you can't afford another $300 to get a puppy from a reputable breeder, do you have the means to give the dog the proper care it will need. If I look at what we have spent on the puppy since we got her from our breeder we have probably paid an additional $400 (Vet bills, shots, crate, food, treats, obedience class, sweaters, toys, collars, etc.). Dogs can be an expensive proposition you should really think about the total yearly costs to care for the dog not just the acquisition price. I see the BRAT rescue as a great alternative if you are cash strapped right now.
If told you guys how much we have spent in vet bills for our cats and parrots over the last 26 years, you guys would gasp!! Those $300 ****atoos are now worth a small fortune. If one of our birds becomes ill, an $800 - $1000 vet bill is not uncommon. For the cats, 2 years ago we had an $1100.00 vet bill for radioactive isotope therapy (for the tyroid). So, I concur with MDSPHOTO. I don't think anyone here is being uppity, more likely realistic.
Both of these posts are right on. The initial purchase price is only a small fraction of the cost of an animal.
As for breeder's prices, when you are doing the health testing, providing excellent care for the bitch and her pups, etc, the $700-$1000 price isn't always even covering the costs of the litter. To further reduce the price of puppies would mean either cutting corners or losing even more money which in these economic times many don't have to give.
To summarize the breeder costs given in other threads:
Health testing for 1 parent:
OFA Hip x-rays $75 + $30 OFA fee
OFA Patella Check $10 + $15 OFA fee
OFA Thyroid Panel $81 + $15 OFA fee
Fanconi Marker Test $60
CERF Exam $35 + $8 CERF fee for renewal
Brucellosis Test $65
Total for health testing 1 parent = $394
Travel Expenses to get the Bitch to the Stud
At least $300 either in shipping and boarding expenses or in gas and lodging expenses, often times more if shipping.
Stud Fee $750-$1000 (Usually the cost of puppy)
Prenatal care $125 for either ultrasound or x-ray. Some breeders do both in order to confirm pregnancy and then to have a good count of what to expect during whelping.
Post whelping expenses (Assumes an average sized litter of 4)
Dew Claw removal and wellness check for mom and puppies - $90
First Shots + Microchip - $310
CERF Exams - $140
Second Shots - $115
Registration - $140
Now most breeders will also send home a puppy kit of some sort and these costs don't factor in the food, bedding, clean up supplies, and extra electricity costs. This estimate also does not include any emergency fees which can quickly escalate the cost.
Total is $2364 - $2614. Which would put a low estimate of cost per puppy at $591 - $653.40.
We really aren't ganging up on you..just sharing what we know.
Go to the BCOA site, and check for breeders around your state.
Once you see one or 2, check out if they do the health testing..they can't just "say" they do, they should give you results.
Then you can decide if the price is something you can live with.
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.
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?
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"
I cannot remember which kennel lines are in her dogs' pedigrees and that is the reason I asked about the pedigree.
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.
Also, Pat and Lisa are on this list. Both from Ca. Very well thougth of. just fyi.
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
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!!!
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.
Fab, did you ever get a little basenji, or are you still looking? This thread is rather interesting, but dated… 
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.
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
@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!
