In The Beginning
We started out with two exceptional quality foundation bitches and originally used the African imports because we were interested in the brindle color. After we tried a few litters with the 1991 Foundation Stock, we decided to continue developing our American-African crosses because we were getting not only the brindle color, but we were also happy with a number of other particularly nice characteristics which appeared.
Ch Akuaba’s Busybody from KISA. Liz was our first basenji
Structure
The newer dogs imported from Africa gave us really good fronts and strong rears which we considered a good addition to our breeding program. The strong toplines our girls had helped compensate for the somewhat rolling toplines of many of the Africans. Now with the new Fanconi and PRA DNA tests we can line breed back to our foundation bitches to produce a shorter-backed, square body with more length of leg on a consistent basis.
Jethro – a Top Ten Basenji with several Group wins and sire of 3 all-breed Best in Show winners.
Movement
Once we had good fronts and rears that were balanced, good movement with level toplines followed.
Health
Adding the diversity of the new gene pool has helped us with some health issues found in the breed. We at Eldorado have used all the 1991 Foundation Stock that was bred from so we have a very diverse selection of genetic material to work with. When the new Fanconi marker test became available we tested in excess of 60 Eldorado dogs. They did well with over 70% of all tested being clear and the rest carriers with one indeterminate. Adding the gene diversity really helped in the health of our dogs. Additionally our breeding stock is tested for hips and eye health.
Avongara Ojo was imported from Africa to Eldorado
Head, Type & Attitude
The heads and overall type in our pups has been as diverse as the gene pool we have been accumulating. As we continue the work to have the structure we prefer genetically imbedded in our stock, we are now obtaining better heads and a square, leggier body type.
We have made great strides with show attitude by selecting for the outgoing personalities in the dogs we breed on from. These are better show dogs and better pets. Now with the ability to line breed more on our foundation stock we should have very outgoing and showy dogs.
Miss Stella’s typical head
Continuing Goal
Our challenge will be to maintain our gains while continuing to improve and consolidate the best features from each year’s litters. We would like to continue to line breed with an occasional out cross to the newest African imports registered in 2009 to produce a Happy, Healthy and Functional Basenji.
Click on each name in the Basenji List page to learn about the pedigrees and achievements plus to see photos of some of our individual dogs.