About Us

As a preservation breeder, we are dedicated to the careful selection of successful show dogs, breeding only those that excel in superb health, desirable temperament, outstanding conformation, and excellent minds, that are both eager and intelligent. By having such high standards geared towards specificity in areas of breeding, we aim to produce puppies that are easier to train and live with, that live longer healthier lives, and that draw attention to their breathtaking prance that is the Basenji.

We also raise each and every puppy with Puppy Culture (PC) and we do Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS), which equips every puppy with the ability of having a greater tolerance to stress, greater resistance to disease, faster adrenal system, and a stronger heart rate and stronger heartbeat!

We spend countless hours working with each puppy, building confidence and communication (via “the communication trinity,” PC), developing social cues, obedience, crate training, potty training, manding, and positive reinforcements so that each puppy has the best start and best life possible.

We also offer 24/7 breeder support to any and all buyers of Amore bred dogs. We have a private Facebook Group which we invite ALL Amore owners to, which we post lots of helpful materials, videos, information, and allow other buyers to interact with each other to help make this the best experience possible! We’re family now, We’ve got you!

Whitney Podhradsky

Owner and Founder of Amore Basenjis

Back in 2000

I met and became blessed with the ability to own my very first Basenji, Missy. Little did I know, she would change my life forever.

The next big step

Fast forward to 2010. After years of searching for the right puppy, I was finally given the chance to buy a Basenji and get into the show world that I had so longed to be apart of. Several months later, I was blessed with a second puppy, from a different line. I carried on, through their breeder mentors, gained knowledge, insight, went to dog shows, health tested my two “puppies,” and met new amazing people that I clicked with.

2012

I had my first litter of puppies under the helpful eye of my mentors at the time. (Unfortunately after several years of being betrayed, used, misguided and taken advantage of, I walked away from those two mentors, at my own discretion). It was not without fail, though, as by losing their mentorship, I met new Basenji breeders and gained new mentors that advocated more towards my beliefs and helped me become even better. They were far more suitable fits for the future I saw ahead of me. I continued on my path, showing and being the best that I could.Always trying to do the right thing and do what I believe was best for my dogs, my puppies and myself. I had a lot of ups and downs, but all of them were worth the experiences I was able to encounter and they made me who I am today.

Miss Lola was the 3rd one, lightest brindle

Major success and unimaginable joy

After I grew from my first two mentors, and met other like minded individuals, my growth in the breed ignited and my thought processes changed. I ended up meeting some amazing people that are still very much apart of my life. I was winning, doing well, and for the first time in my life, I felt like I was on cloud nine!

My first bred by bitch, Lola, finished her American Championship by just 10 months old, including a hound group 2, a Breeder owner handler group 1, and finishing with 4 majors. 3 of those majors were all within ONE show weekend, where she gained 9 of her 15 points at just 7 months old. In addition, it was ALL done entirely by me, all BREEDER/OWNER/HANDLER shown, which I got a beautiful medallion that will forever mean so much to me. Lola retired after having two litters and now lives just an hour away where we get to have play dates and I receive update photos from her owners all the time. She was renamed Koda, and she is so happy with her new family! I could not be more happy for her!

Not to be outdone, she produced a gorgeous litter where I carried on with my second generation and continued the amazing fun and wins! My boy, Nemo, took 1st in his class at our BCOA national specialty!! He also took ASFA NBQ ribbon, and snagged a Highest Scoring Singles in AKC lure coursing. He went on to get 2 blue ribbon in his FCAT, leaving him close to an FCAT title. He then managed to achieve his JC and QC titles later on that week! All of this was his very first time out coursing! His show career was equally as impressive when he got 1 major at his very first show at just 6 months old, and 2 more majors at the next show he went to! While we were unable to show during the pandemic, we were able to work on our trick dog titles! Nemo has accomplished his Novice, Intermediate, and his Advanced Trick Dog titles!!! He also finally went on to finish his American AKC championship in October of 2021. He’s a very good boy and has since retired and will continue to live with us until he departs this earth!

The future looks bright!

The most valuable thing you can make is a mistake –

you can‘t learn anything from being perfect.

Adam Osborne.

After going through some rough stages in my life and realizing things were not where I wanted them to be, I decided to take a huge step back from breeding and showing. I spayed Lola and shifted focus on getting Nemo’s trick dog titles (since we werent able to get out and show due to Covid.) I eventually finished him and he retired! I’ve learned from past mistakes, listened to mentors and their advice, and realized I needed a change, and took steps to make it happen.

It’s been a few years since I stopped breeding. I am finally now on the up and up. I’ve changed many things in my life, made some major life decisions, and I’m finally happy again- I was able to go back to school to become a Veterinarian Technician, among other things that have made my life so much happier!

It is now my time to shine again and I am beyond excited!!

Amore Basenjis is now making a come back and I am beyond estatic to get back to the passion, devotion, and determination that Ive never fully been able to walk away from. With an even better head on my shoulders this time around, I look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead. I’ve learned lessons, built relationships, learned what I wanted and what I didn’t want, and grew from who I was.

Now, I am ready to get back in the saddle and do what I was destined to do. Dogs have always been my life’s passion and that will never change. So it is here that I start fresh and do it even better than I did the first time. I re-branded my new logo, with interchangeable colors for the dogs. (You can see this logo with any of the 4 accepted colors on it!). Reasons behind my logo: The main dog is “crafted” to be as close to a perfect Basenji as I can get. The main dog’s markings is a replication of the markings of my heart dog, Missy. The puppy next to her is to represent my strive for producing well mannered, happy, healthy future puppies from Amore. The background of stars and galaxy is to represent my past dogs that I learned so much with; Lola and Nemo, who both have “star” in their registered names. Purple and blues colors represent my favorite colors and the color of my heart dog (everyone is color coded here!) The BISS ribbon in the O of Amore is there to give me hope and determination to someday achieve such a noble win! My kennel name is Amore and will always be Amore because I LOVE basenjis! <3 I am in love with my logo and it was done so phenomenally well, Danielle Robinson really captured everything I wanted! With a new logo, a fresh start, and an optimistic mind, I am so happy to once again be able to do the things I am passionate about and with great conviction and dedication! I cannot wait to see where God leads me on this new journey and continued love and passion in my life.