Contents
History of origin
Basenji dogs are one of the most ancient on earth. This native breed is native to Central Africa. There, in the tropical forests that stretch along the banks of the mighty Congo River, the basenji, which were tamed by man, served the local tribes for centuries as driving dogs – they helped to track down and drive game. By the way, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, basenjis are still used for hunting, and they live, as of old, in small flocks next to a person.
The beauty and friendly nature of the basenji was appreciated not only by African hunters, in the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs there are images of these dogs, and several basenji mummies that belonged to the rulers of ancient Egypt, for example, Tutankhamun, have been preserved. There is a version that the basenjis served the pharaohs as a talisman against evil spells and witchcraft.
By the way, these dogs have a mystical meaning in their homeland in Central Africa. Basenji were also known in Nubia (the ancient name of Sudan), whose images were found by archaeologists in ancient tombs. But Europeans got acquainted with these African dogs only at the end of the 30th century. And this acquaintance was tragic – several Basenji dogs, which African researchers brought to the UK, quickly died – their immunity was not ready to overcome the infections of the Old World. And only in the 1937s of the twentieth century, the first Basenji took root in the UK. In XNUMX, they were shown for the first time at an exhibition as a “forest dog from the Congo”. In the same year, the Basenji was first shown at an exhibition in the United States under the name “Congo Terrier”, but only after the Second World War did full-fledged breeding of dogs begin in kennels in the United States and Europe.
The cheerful and energetic Basenji captivated people all over the world, and in 1964 the Fédération Cynologique Internationale approved the official standards for these amazing African non-barking dogs. The inability to bark is a hallmark of the basenji, although the dog’s vocal cords are all right and she is able to growl, howl, and whine, but these dogs do not make the barking sound characteristic of all her relatives. The exact reasons for this behavior are unknown to cynologists, most likely, experts associate the unwillingness to bark with the original purpose of the dog – to track down and drive game in the rainforests. Perhaps barking interfered with a successful hunt, and gradually the need for it completely disappeared. But this is just a hypothesis.
Breed description
The Basenji dog is graceful, light, with strong bones and well-developed long muscles, its body is balanced and proportionate. Basenji’s head is graceful, wrinkles are visible on the forehead, when the dog puts his ears in a pose of alertness, the distance from the occiput to the stop (transition from the forehead) should be slightly greater than the distance from the tip of the nose to the stop. The skull is even, flat, of medium width, tapering towards the nose. The color of the nose is preferably black. The jaws are strong with a scissor bite. The ears are pointed, small, slightly hooded. Set high and slightly leaning forward. The eyes are almond-shaped, large, obliquely set dark in color. The neck is well defined, strong and long. The tail is set high, twisted into a tight ring at the hip and tightly pressed. The forelimbs are straight and slender, the hind limbs are strong and muscular. Paws are small, narrow with deep pads. On soft skin, short, thin and dense hair grows.
Basenji dogs come in four colors: red and piebald, black and piebald, black and piebald with tan and brindle – with black stripes on a red background. All Basenji dogs should have white markings on the chest, legs and tip of the tail.
Photos
Character
“For many centuries, Basenji dogs have lived in Africa as pack animals, so they perceive their family as a pack and feel comfortable only in a pack,” says Marina Belonina, cynologist, owner of the basenji kennel “African Silent”. – Therefore, small puppies, up to six months old, hardly take root with the owners, who work all day and come home only in the evening. Puppies alone are scared, sad, they begin to howl, calling for help from their mother or other members of the pack. After all, in the jungle, if you are left alone, then you have been lost. You howled, asking for help, the members of the pack did not come, but predators can hear you and eat you. The instincts of puppies work in the same way: I am alone in the apartment, howling, the members of the pack did not come, so I need to save myself – hide from predators. And the puppy begins to smash the apartment in search of salvation. The owners who came home are terribly surprised, but such behavior of a young dog is quite logical for her. Therefore, I do not advise taking these super-sociable dogs to those who are not at home much and leave the Basenji alone for a long time. It won’t bring happiness to anyone.
According to cynologists, even a cat living in a house can become a “pack” for a basenji. Or kids who come home from school early. These African dogs need constant communication.
– From childhood to old age, inquisitive basenjis will be keenly interested in the world around them, follow the owner around the house or apartment, try to take part in all his affairs, lie indifferently on the rug – this is not for them, continues Marina Belonina. – Basenji for any party: a walk, a trip, a trip. This is a very active dog, eager to communicate. And the more active its owners, the more fun and interesting African dogs are with them. In my opinion, Basenjis are dogs with a unique combination of breed size and behavior: they are small dogs, but at the same time self-confident and even striving to protect their owner, very sociable and grateful.
The Basenji is not a guard dog at all – they have an instinct to gather their flock in a heap in the forest and follow it, but there are no security functions in them.
– Many do not understand – why this dog? She won’t protect, she won’t lay … But she will recognize a stranger outside the door, and with her agitated behavior will make it clear to the owner that the danger is nearby, ”explains Marina Belonina.
Care and maintenance
– Keeping a basenji at home does not require large expenses. These are dogs whose coat does not need constant grooming, you can comb the basenji during molting to help them get rid of dying hairs – and that’s enough, – Marina Belonina explains. “By the way, even wet basenjis don’t smell like a dog.” But the assertion that the hair of these dogs does not cause allergies is a delusion.
Basenjis, according to most owners, are very neat dogs. On walks, they try to bypass all the puddles or muddy areas. The cleanliness of these dogs is also manifested in the cute habit of rubbing their eyes with their front paws in the morning, like cats.
– Basenji comes from warm Africa, so they do not tolerate wet and cold weather well – they try to shorten the walk and end up in a warm house as soon as possible, – says Marina Belonina. – Of course, so that the Basenjis do not freeze, they can be dressed in overalls or vests, but not every dog is ready to walk dressed. But in the summer they are able to walk at least all day – everything is interesting to them, everything causes surprise and joy.
But it must be remembered that these African dogs are driven animals, accustomed to chasing prey at high speed. Therefore, basenjis can only be walked on a leash, fortunately, now there are roulette leashes up to 8 meters long, which will allow dogs to run around without any unpleasant consequences.
“The Basenjis simply don’t notice the cars driving nearby when they are enthusiastically running somewhere,” explains Marina Belonina. – According to American statistics, basenjis die more often than other dogs under the wheels of cars. Therefore, they cannot be walked without a leash. Not only cars are dangerous, but also dogs – basenjis smell differently, and dogs often perceive this smell as hostile. And the basenjis themselves are not always friendly with relatives of other breeds.
As for the nutrition of the basenji, here, of course, the choice is up to their owners. Because of the convenience and practicality, most dog owners choose commercial food that promises a balanced diet for their pets.
– I think that natural food is much better for basenjis, – says Marina Belonina. – This is an aboriginal breed that has lived for thousands of years in the wild, and was not bred by man through selection, so it should eat natural food, which is similar in composition to the usual one. In my opinion, industrial feed is fast food, you will not feed pizza or hamburgers to children, will you? Therefore, for puppies, pregnant and lactating dogs, as well as older animals, natural food is a must! I believe that industrial dog food affects the health of dogs, and in order for your pet to avoid tumors, allergies, I would feed all dogs with natural food. This is how we do it in our nursery. As for the diet of an adult basenji, two feedings of 300 g of food at each meal are enough. The diet should consist of three equal parts: meat or fish, cereals and vegetables.
Basenjis have been earning their own food for centuries, so all the products that the owners left on the table are their prey. You need to remember this and put food in those places where these smart hunters cannot get it.
Education and training
“There is an opinion that Basenji puppies develop faster than dogs of other breeds,” says Marina Belonina. – The earlier the future owner takes a puppy (this can be done from day 45), the better the baby adapts to family life, gets used to its routine. A little later, he begins to explore the territory, so for the successful socialization of the dog, the owners must accustom the basenji to the street, show how trams ring, how highways hum. Then the puppies successfully adapt to the world around them.
Basenji, whose parents grew up in families, get along well with a person, perfectly perceive the rules of behavior and commands.
“But you need to understand that basenji training should be playful, like a fun joint game with the owner,” explains Marina Belonina. “These dogs won’t lie down five times in a row on command if they don’t understand why they need it. But people who already had dogs, albeit of other breeds, in my opinion, will easily teach the basenji the rules of behavior if they are patient, persistent and affectionate with them.
Health and disease
Basenji dogs are generally a healthy breed that tolerates being kept well at home. But there are a few genetic diseases that prospective owners should look out for.
“Unfortunately, basenjis are prone to Franconia syndrome, a genetic kidney disease that occurs after 4 years of a dog’s life,” says Marina Belonina. – Before taking a basenji from a kennel, future owners should ask for the results of the puppy’s parents’ tests for Franconia syndrome, the absence of this disease in mom and dad ensures that the puppy does not inherit this serious illness. Another hereditary disease is progressive retinal atrophy.
Of course, like all dogs, basenjis need to be regularly vaccinated against rabies, viruses, and anthelmintic therapy. Monitor the condition of the eyes, ears and teeth.
“And I also advise the owners to learn the correct first aid for the bites of bumblebees, wasps, especially snakes and always have a kit with the appropriate drugs, especially if you go to nature or to the country,” advises Marina Belonina. – The Basenji is actively interested in all the surrounding living creatures, trying to catch – you can’t get away with the hunting instinct, but insect and snake bites can cause serious intoxication and allergies, so the owner should be able to provide first aid to the dog.
Popular questions and answers
She shared with us tips on keeping dogs of the Basenji breed veterinarian, zoo engineer Anastasia Kalinina.