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Basenji
| Other Names | African Bush Dog, African Barkless Dog, Ango Angari, Congo Dog, Zande Dog |
| Country of Origin | Congo |
| Weight | Males: 24 lb (11 kg ) Females: 21 lb (9.5 kg) |
| Height (at withers) | Males: 17 in (43 cm ) Females: 16 in (40 cm ) |
| Coat | The coat is short, shiny and fine. |
| Colour | Basenjis come in a few different colourations: red, black, tricolor, and brindle, and they all have white feet, chest and tail tip. They can also come in trindle, which is a tricolour with brindle points, a rare combination. |
| Litter Size | 4-8 puppies |
| Life Span | 12 to 15 Years |
| Origin & History | The Basinjis agility, compact strength, speed, and silence, made them valued hunting dogs for the tribes who used them for pointing, retrieving, tracking wounded quarry, and driving game into nets. The Basenji remained largely a natural breed for thousands of years, unmodified by humans as far as color, size, shape, temperament, and coat texture. However the traits that made them such great hunting dogs, meant that those less agile, strong, and stealthy (that is, less suited for hunting) were probably eaten by the tribes people. To this day Basenjis live among the Pygmies, who are themselves one of the oldest cultures in Africa, in virtually the same manner as they have for thousands of years. Basenjis are purported to be so revered by the tribes that the dogs cost more than a wife, have equal rights with their masters, and even at times sleep inside a hut while the owner sleeps outside. Author Edward C. Ash notes in his book, Dogs and Their Development, that in 1682 Father Merolla da Sorrento described in his travel writing a dog he saw in the Congo that was a match for the Basenji. Other explorers wrote about dogs in Africa as well, but it wasn't until 1868 when Dr. George Schweinfurth, traveling in Central Africa to study the flora and fauna, offered what is considered the first truly reliable description of Basenjis living among the Pygmies. There were several early attempts made in England to successfully breed Basenji’s, most of which met with failure. The first being in 1895, when Europeans brought Basenjis to England for the first time where they were exhibited at Crufts’ Show as African Bush Dogs or Congo Terriers. Unfortunately they died of distemper soon after the show. The next attempt in 1923 was by Lady Helen Nutting, while living in Khartoum, Sudan, she became intrigued by the little Zande dogs, she often came across in her travels. Expressing her interest in them, six of them would later be sent to her by Major L. N. Brown who had acquired them from the native peoples to the west of Meridi, between the rivers Ibba and Sueh beyond the Bahr-el-Gahazal region of the Nile, one of the most remote and inaccessible parts of Central Africa. Upon leaving the Sudan to return to England she decided to bring her 6 Basenjis with her, so they were placed in a large traveling crate, loaded aboard a ship and secured to the top deck for the long voyage to England. It was March of 1923 and although it was cold and windy from Marseilles to Tilbury, the dogs remained in perfect health. Upon reaching England the six dogs were placed in quarantine and all possible care and consideration was given to their welfare; however, after receiving their vaccinations, including distemper, all of the dogs quickly fell ill and died. It wasn't until 1936 that Mrs. Olivia Burn became the first person to successfully breed Basenjis in England. She exhibited the first litter of puppies to survive at Crufts’ Dog Show in 1937, where the Basenjis were a huge hit. She also wrote an article that same year on “The Barkless Dog of the Congo" which appeared in The American Kennel Gazette. In 1939 the first club in the world for Basenji enthusiasts, The Basenji Club of Great Britain, was founded. While on the other side of the ocean Basenjis made their ‘official’ debut in America in 1941 thanks efforts of the world renounced animal importer Henry Trefflich (the "Monkey King"), who along with his partner Phil Carroll, successfully imported two Red and White Basenji dogs from the Congo on Sept. 4, 1941. These two dogs, a male named ‘Kindu’(AKC number A984201) and a female named ‘Kasenyi’ (AKC number A984200); along with 4 others from later importers can be found in the pedigrees of nearly every modern basenji in the United States. 1941 would also mark the first year that first Basenjis were successfully bred and raised in the United States. The ‘unofficial’ debut of the Basenji in the United States actually occurred 4 months earlier on On April 5, 1941, when a small female, later named ‘Congo’ managed to successfully stowaway aboard the West African Line freighter,West Lashaway. The very emaciated dog was discovered among the ship’s cargo of Coco-Beans when it docked 21 days after its departure from Free-town, Sierra Leone in Boston, Massachusetts. An excerpt from the April 9th, 1941 article in the Boston Post titled "Barkless Dog Ship's Stowaway": "Stowaway found on Ship" On April 5, 1941, the American-West African Line freighter West Lashaway docked in Boston after arriving from Freetown, Sierra Leone with a load of cocoa beans. When the hold was opened more than cocoa beans where found down below. A female Basenji was discovered half-starved after surviving twenty-one days in the hold. According to the ship's crew, while they were loading cocoa beans in Monrovia, Liberia two barkless dogs played about the ship. The crew thought all the animals had been chased down the loading runways. Apparently, she had stowed away in the hold of the ship and when the hatches were battened down could not escape. During the rest of the journey the hatches were not removed. She was able to get water by licking condensation and some food by nibbling on cocoa beans." World War II caused a temporary interruption to the breed's development in both England and the U.S. Veronica Tudor-Williams helped jump start Basenji breeding again in Great Britain. In the 1950s she imported more of the dogs from Africa "to freshen up the European stock" after encountering them on an expedition in South Sudan. She wrote about her experiences in her book Fula--Basenji from the Jungle. Veronica Tudor-Williams also wrote Basenjis, the Barkless Dog, first published in 1946 and updated in new editions in 1954, 1966, and 1974. These books form the major source material for the early history of Basenjis outside of Africa. Basenjis were officially recognized by the American Kennel Club(AKC) in 1944; the Basenji Club of America (BCOA) was established in the mid-1940s. In 1987 and 1988, Jon Curby, an American, organized trips to Africa. His purpose was to acquire more Basenjis to increase the available gene pool for breeders, in order to improve the overall health of the breed. His travel groups returned with brindle, reds, and tri-color dogs. Prior to this time the brindle colored Basenji had not been bred outside of Africa. In 1990, the AKC stud book was reopened to allow 14 of these new imports at the request of the Basenji Club of America. The stud book was reopened once again on January 1, 2009 to allow the entry of selected imported dogs; it is slated to close December 31, 2013. In 2010, another expedition to Africa was orchestrated to in 2010 to collect breeding stock in the villages of the Basankusu area of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The breed has come a long way since the 1940’s and currently ranks 89th in popularity out of 167 breeds according to the AKC’s “2010 Most Popular Dogs” list. |
| Personality | The Basenji is alert, affectionate, energetic and curious. It loves to play and makes a good pet, as long as it is handled regularly from an early age. It is very intelligent and responds well to training with a strong desire to please. It can be reserved with strangers, so socialize well. The Basenji is somewhat reserved, but can still form strong bonds with humans. It should not be trusted with non-canine pets. It does best with children who understand how to display leadership toward the dog. The Basenji dislikes wet weather. It likes to chew, so giving it lots of toys of its own would be a good idea. The breed likes to climb and can easily get over chain wire fences. It has the unique properties of not barking (it makes a low, liquid ululation instead) and of cleaning itself like a cat. It can be described as speedy, frisky and tireless at play. Most Basenji problems usually involve a mismatch between owner and pet. The owners mistake the adjective "quiet” to mean inactive instead of noiseless; thus, they become harassed by an active, though relatively silent, dog. Basenjis need daily exercise to release mental and physical energy. Basenjis are very clever at getting their own way; they succeed less by obstinacy than by charm, and therefore need an owner who displays natural authority. one who makes rules and sticks to them. Calm, but firm, confident and consistent, Basenjis who have meek or passive owners, or owners who are not consistent with the rules will become demanding. The dog will assume the role of pack leader and behavior problems will arise, especially when left alone. An owner who understands canine behaviors and treats the dog accordingly will find them to be wonderful pets. |
Care Requirements
| Health | The most well-known health concern for Basenjis is Fanconi Syndrome, a kidney disease affecting the body's ability to process sugars and proteins. The kidneys spill electrolytes and nutrients into urine instead of reabsorbing them. Fanconi Syndrome is usually diagnosed in dogs between the ages of four and seven. Thanks to Dr. Steve Gonto of Savannah, Georgia, Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine (human), who developed and authored the "Fanconi Management Protocol for Veterinarians," the life expectancy for dogs with Fanconi Syndrome has increased and their quality of life has improved. In fact according to Dr. Gonto, the outlook is exceptionally good with early detection and treatment, even though the condition cannot be cured, it can only be controlled. Glucose test stripping at one-month intervals is highly recommended for Basenjis of any age to test for Fanconi Syndrome. A dog's urine can be checked with glucose test strips from any drugstore. This form of testing can detect the disease long before overt symptoms appear such as: frequent urination, excessive water-drinking, and loss of weight. These symptoms are easily mistaken for diabetes, but the blood glucose level will be low rather than high if the dog has Fanconi Syndrome. If the glucose reading is low, a venous blood gas analysis is needed to confirm the diagnosis and to apprise your veterinarian of the current stage of the disease. The earlier Fanconi Syndrome is detected, the easier the treatment and less permanent the damage. No one can guarantee that your Basenji puppy won't develop Fanconi Syndrome since some dogs develop it without any history of it in their lineage. However, since it has a hereditary component you can reduce the odds that the puppy you purchase will develop the disease. Reputable breeders should tell you whether the disease is in the pup's lineage. A DNA Linkage Test was developed in 2007 by Dr. Gary Johnson of the University of Missouri. This test is not 100% accurate, but its accuracy rate is fairly high. It is available now and breeders are encouraged to test dogs before breeding. Prospective owners should request proof of the test on the parents of any puppy they are considering purchasing. Another health concern is IPEB, formerly called IPSID, a systemic intestinal disease. This autoimmune intestinal disease causes intermittent anorexia, chronic diarrhea, and debilitation. It is a fatal condition that affects multiple organ systems including the skin, liver, endocrine system, immune system, and gastrointestinal tract. The disease is inherited, but with proper treatment, symptoms in the Basenji suffering from IPEB can be alleviated and the dog's lifespan can be extended. Progressive Retinal Atrophy, or PRA, is a major concern for Basenjis. It causes slow damage to the retina leading to blindness. Early in the disease, affected dogs are night-blind, lacking the ability to adjust their vision to dim light. Eventually their daytime vision also fails. As the retinal disease progresses, the pupils of the dog's eyes become increasingly dilated, causing a noticeable shine in their eyes. The eye lenses may become cloudy, or opaque, resulting in a cataract. Diagnosis of PRA is made by ophthalmoscopic examination. Like Fanconi Syndrome, there is a hereditary factor. Knowing if PRA is in the dog's lineage helps decrease the chances of it occurring in your dog, but there are no guarantees. Other health issues for Basenjis include: •Hemolytic Anemia •Hypothyroidism •Coloboma •PPM •Umbilical Hernia •Hip Dysplasia |
| Grooming | The Basenji has a short, fine, odorless coat that doesn’t shed much. It’s extremely easy to groom, one of the upsides to living with this mischievous dog. A quick brushing with a soft bristle brush, hound mitt, or rubber curry brush will remove any dead hairs and distribute skin oils to keep the coat shiny. The Basenji is also self-cleaning, grooming himself like a cat. He rarely needs a bath. The rest is basic care. Trim the nails as needed, usually every week or two. Brush the teeth frequently for good overall health and fresh breath. |
| Exercise | The Basenji needs vigorous daily exercise. They have a tendency to become fat and lazy unless the owner is consistent about it. This breed needs a long daily walk. |
| Other Considerations | The Basenji will do okay in an apartment if it gets enough exercise. It is very active indoors and a small yard will do. The Basenji is happiest when it is kept with two or three other Basenjis; they will not fight among themselves. |
