Our family has decided that we are finally in a position where we can offer a great home to a Basenji. We have a great yard and do outdoor activities all year long. The wife is pretty well set on a R/W puppy but sex is not a concern. We will not be breeding or showing the dog but we would still prefer a healthy purebred pup. We have to watch what we spend as we may have to travel to get the new addition. $500 is about our limit. We live in Utah. I have had a few years of experience with Basenjis as a very close friend had a little boy and then she rescued an older female.
There are a lot of good breeders here, I do rescue…
I have to say, most breeders are not selling their puppies for that low of a price.
You can consider a rescue, by going to the BRAT site, www.basenjirescue.org
We did take in many puppies down in Florida not too long ago.
I understand that the going price is generally higher than that. We were thinking maybe a runt or something.
Why not continue saving your money until you can afford a responsibly bred puppy? The purchase price is such a small portion of the overall cost of dog ownership.
Responsible breeders invest a lot of time and money into each litter. Many are lucky to break even let alone make a profit on a litter.
A nice rescue dog could work for you as well. Just something to consider.
Yes, if you want to spend part of that on a trip to Florida, apply with BRAT, there are several litters of pups from the large feral pack, that will be ready for homes in the next few weeks. Certainly no pedigree, and many are strangely, but beautifully, marked.
I have been a member of BRAT since 1998.
So you know about the Fl b's and don't want to consider one of them? There are a lot of good breeders out there…some are on this forum...I am sure they will discuss this with you.
We would consider one of the Fl dogs but health and temperment is a concern. My wife found a pup that she had her heart set on that is owned by Sheila Maxwell but after doing a bit of research we decided that she may not be the best person for us to deal with. We basically decided we would go with a reputable breeder. If we have to wait then we will.
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.
Thanks for your input.
I think the intention was to advise that typically from a responsible breeder puppy prices are around 850.00 to 1000.00. And that is mostly Nationwide. And I can certainly understand your concens with price if then spending more on top to pick up that puppy, but bottom line is still the price is what it is… in Basenjis, very rarely is there a runt, just doesn't really happen in this breed, mostly because the litters are not that big, 5 puppies being an average.
There are breeders in neighboring states to Utah, have you checked out any of these breeders?
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"
