Boston Basenji

Our latest litter will arrive December 3, 2023.  All are reserved for this year.  Our next litter will be in December of 2024.

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Join our email update list by sending and email on the Contact page and we will update through the litters and reservation process.  Note, we do not take reservations until the puppies are born.  Read more for the adoption process....

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When the puppies are born, we send an email to our update list and take reservations (by return email) on a first-come first-serve basis to qualified families.  This gives everyone a fair chance at getting a puppy.  Puppies are typically all reserved within a few days of birth and sometimes within a few hours or minutes of the email going out, so you will want to get on the list and respond quickly to the reservation email if you wish to reserve one.

 

Our puppies are sold with first shots, health guarantee and AKC pedigree paperwork.   A 50% deposit and qualification discussion and decision with the breeder (Boston Basenji) is needed within a week of reservation request to finalize any reservation.  The choice of exact puppy (including color, gender, etc) will be chosen at the "puppy draft" by reservation order at approximately 6 weeks of age, whereby the first reservation has pick of the litter, the second reservation has the next pick and so forth.  

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For more details see Q&As below.

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Q: How many puppies are you expecting in your next litter? 

A: Only God knows.  Typical litters are between 3 and 6 puppies.  Medically we can do expensive ultrasounds or X-rays, but they literally only tell the number and provide no real health information or drive any health actions, so we just let it be a surprise.

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Q: Can I visit before the puppies are born to test that allergies are not a problem for a family member?

A: In the past I have hosted special visits to test for allergies and allergies have never been an issue, even for people that claim they are severely allergic to most other breeds.  Some have even stated they adopted a puppy of another breed that was purported as non-allergenic and they had problems and had to remove the puppy from their family, which is sad.  Given this, it is important to test allergies before getting a puppy.  So I suggest that any family with this concern can still reserve a puppy and test for allergies to Sahara and the puppy within 2 weeks of birth and withdraw their reservation if there is any concern and get a full refund.

 

Q: How does the reservation process work?

A: I start taking reservations for puppies only after they are born.  To keep the process fair and even, this is how it works...  Within a day or so of the litter birth, we send an email to the email update list and take reservations by email response on a first come first serve basis to qualified families.  Puppies are typically all reserved within a few days of birth, so you will want to watch your email and respond quickly if you wish to reserve one.  I take as many reservations as there are puppies plus a couple families are put on waitlist in case a reservation is canceled.  Families with reservations come to my home and visit with the newborn puppies. I talk with them during this visit to qualify them as having the ability to raise a puppy, then they typically sign the adoption agreement and place their deposit.  The puppy agreement paper and 50% deposit is due within 7 days to confirm and hold the reservation.

 

Q: How do you determine a "qualified family"?

A: It's important that any puppy be placed in a home that is ready and capable of caring for a puppy.  Puppies are a lot of work and a 12-15 year commitment, so the decision should be made carefully.  I simply get to know the prospective family and ask about their abilities to care for a puppy and their long-term intentions.  It is also important that the family knows the qualities and limitations of the Basenji breed.

 

Q: If I get a reservation, when and how do I pick my puppy?

A: Families with reservations are scheduled to visit the puppies approximately every 2 weeks while the puppies develop.  When puppies are approximately 6 weeks old, we have a "puppy draft".  On puppy draft day, all families meet together with the puppies and discuss their interests and preferences as they see fit.  Then each family selects a puppy in the order of their reservation.  The first reservation has the pick of the litter, the second reservation has the next pick and so forth.  Puppies go home at about 8 weeks of age in mid-February. 

 

Q: What comes with a puppy purchase?

A: Our puppies are sold with first shots, health guarantee and AKC pedigree paperwork (which comes a month or two after the adoption). 

 

Q: What is the adoption fee for a puppy?

A: Basenji puppies are rare and pricing varies between breeders.  Boston Basenji pricing includes many things often not available from other breeders.  This includes a high-end home nurturing environment for of the puppies, visitation opportunities for adoptive families to visit and interact with the puppies several times from a few days of birth through their puppy development, health guarantee, first shots, medical records, and AKC registration.  With all this included, the puppy adoption fee for 2023 is $3200.