06/11/2026
I was recently listening to one of my favorite episodes of Pure Dog Talk with Amanda Kelly, "Stud Dog Shopping," and she shared a quote from one of her friends that I found to be so simple, yet profoundly true:
"My dogs and my breeding program are designed to fill my eye with beauty, and what I consider beautiful might be slightly different than what you consider beautiful."
The more I thought about it, the more I realized how perfectly it captures one of the things I value most about preservation breeding. What I consider beautiful might be slightly different than what you consider beautiful, and those differences in perspective are not only valuable, but worthy of appreciation and thoughtful consideration. I believe they are essential to the future of our breed.
One of the things I love most about our breed is that there is room for appreciation of different styles, priorities, and interpretations within the breed standard. I won't always be drawn to the type of dog another breeder strives to produce, just as they may not always be drawn to mine. However, that doesn't diminish the years of thought, dedication, sacrifice, and passion that went into preserving and improving those lines. And I believe there's something beautiful about that.
Even when another breeder's vision of the breed differs from my own, I can still appreciate the commitment behind it—the countless decisions, the lessons learned, the successes celebrated, and the heartbreak endured, all in pursuit of preserving what they themselves find beautiful within the breed. That dedication deserves respect.
I believe that one of the greatest strengths of preservation breeding is that all we do not seek to create exactly the same dog. Our individual visions, when guided by a shared commitment to preservation and responsible breeding practices, help preserve diversity within the breed we have all dedicated our lives to protecting. What another breeder values may complement areas where my own program has room for growth, just as my dogs may contribute strengths to theirs. There is strength in those differences. They encourage collaboration, preserve diversity, and help ensure that no single vision limits the future potential of our breed.
I also believe that preserving a breed sometimes requires us to look beyond personal relationships. We won't always agree with everyone, and we may not always see eye to eye with every breeder in our community. However, our shared commitment to the breed should remain greater than our individual differences.
Respect does not require friendship. We all have experiences that shape our opinions and relationships within the dog community. There may be people we deeply disagree with or individuals with whom collaboration feels almost impossible with because of past experiences. Those feelings are valid. However, preserving a breed sometimes asks us to look beyond our personal differences and consider what is ultimately best for the breed we are all striving to protect—a breed that unites us despite our differences and whose future depends on the choices we make today.
This doesn't mean accepting poor ethics or compromising our values. It means recognizing that no single person, line, or breeding philosophy holds all of the answers. Sometimes another breeder's dogs may possess strengths that could benefit our own programs, just as our dogs may offer strengths that benefit theirs. When appropriate and ethical, being willing to work together despite differences can help preserve genetic diversity, improve overall breed quality, and protect the future of the breed itself.
I am not suggesting that anyone abandon their values, ignore their experiences, or change deeply held opinions. Rather, I am simply asking that we pause to consider whether preserving the future of our breed may sometimes require us to step outside of our comfort zones and consider possibilities we might otherwise dismiss. The choices that are easiest for us personally may not always be the choices that best serve the long-term future of the breed. Preservation breeding is not always about doing what is easiest or most comfortable, but rather striving to do what best serves the future of the breed to which we have all dedicated our lives to.
At the end of the day, most preservation breeders share the same fundamental goal: to produce healthy, sound, temperamentally stable Basenjis that honor the breed's history while ensuring its future. Working together—even when it isn't always easy—helps maintain genetic diversity, improve overall breed quality, and safeguard the long-term health of the breed we are privileged to preserve.
There is more than one way to create something beautiful. As long as we remain committed to health, temperament, soundness, and preserving breed integrity, our different perspectives are not weaknesses—they are strengths that help protect the future of the breed.
After all, we are not just breeding dogs for today. We stand as stewards of a breed shaped by the dedication of those who came before us, while carrying the responsibility of preserving it for those who will come after us. The legacy we leave behind will not be defined by our differences, but by our willingness and commitment to doing what best serves the future of the Basenji for generations to come.
