The Basenji A Dog of Africa
The Basenji
The Basenji is a breed of hunting dog that originates in Africa. It is considered by some, particularly in North America, to be a member of the sight hound family; most kennel clubs, including the American Kennel Club and the Kennel Club of the United Kingdom classify it as a hound.
The Basenji produces an unusual yodel-like sound, due to its unusually shaped larynx. Although Basenjis do not bark per se, they can mimic sounds, and thus are able to mimic barks if raised among barking dogs. In behaviour and temperament, they have some traits in common with cats.
Basenjis are brats no doubt about it, they love to play, and are very intelligent. They will usually think before obeying you, and can be very destructive.
Basenjis are a dominant dog. Owners of these wonderful dogs should place them in obedience classes. If you are ready for a loving and deeply devoted companion, please consider the Basenji.
Appearance
Basenjis are small, elegant-looking, shorthaired dogs with erect ears, a tightly curled tail, and a graceful neck. Some people consider their appearance similar to that of a miniature deer. A Basenji's forehead is wrinkled, especially when the animal is young. Basenji eyes are typically almond shaped, which gives the dog the appearance of squinting seriously.Dogs typically weigh 24 pounds (11 kg) and stand 17 inches (43 cm) at the withers. Bitches are 22 pounds (10 kg) and 16 inches (40 cm). They are typically a square breed, which means that they are as long as they are tall. The Basenji is an athletic dog and is deceptively powerful for its size. They have a graceful, confident gait like a trotting horse, and
skim the ground in a"double-suspension gallop" when running flat-out at their top speed.The Basenji is recognized in the following standard colorations: red, black, tri-color (black with tan in the traditional
pattern), and brindle (black stripes on a background of red), all with white,by the FCI, KC, AKC and UKC. There are additional variations, such as the "trindle", which is a tri color with brindle points, and several other colorations exist in the Congo, such as liver, shaded reds (sables),"capped" tri-colors(creeping tan) and piebald marked dogs.
Health
There is apparently only one completed health survey of Basenjis, a 2004 UK Kennel Club survey. Basenjis in the 2004 UK Kennel Club survey had a median longevity of 13.6 years (sample size of 46 deceased dogs), which is 1-2 years longer than the median longevity of other breeds of similar size. The oldest dog in the survey was 17.5 years. Most common causes of death were old age (30%), urologic (incontinence, Fanconi syndrome, chronic kidney failure 13%), behavior ("unspecified" and aggression 9%), and cancer (9%) Among 78 live dogs in the 2004 UKC survey, the most common health issues noted by owners were dermatologic and urologic. (Urologic issues in Basenjis can be signs of Fanconi syndrome.) Fanconi syndrome, an inheritable disorder in which the kidneys fail to reabsorb electrolytes and nutrients, is unusually common in Basenjis. Symptoms include excessive drinking, excessive urination, and glucose in the urine, which may lead to a misdiagnosis of diabetes. Fanconi syndrome usually presents between 4 and 8 years of age, but sometimes as early as 3 years or as late as 10 years. Fanconi syndrome is treatable and organ damage is reduced if treatment begins early Basenji owners are advised to test their dog's urine for glucose once a month beginning at age 3 years. Glucose testing strips designed for human diabetics are inexpensive and available at most pharmacies.
Other Basenji health issues
Basenjis sometimes carry a simple recessive gene that, when homozygous for the defect, causes genetic Hemolytic Anemia. Most Basenjis today are descended from ancestors that have tested clean. When lineage from a fully tested line (set of ancestors) cannot be completely verified, the dog should be tested before breeding. As this is a non-invasive DNA test, a Basenji can be tested for HA at any time.
Basenjis sometimes suffer from hip dysphasia, resulting in loss of mobility and arthritis-like symptoms. All dogs should be tested by either OFA or Penn HIP prior to breeding.Malabsorption, or immunoproliferative enteropathy, is an autoimmune intestinal disease that leads to anorexia, chronic diarrhea, and even death. Special diet can improve the quality of life for afflicted dogs. The breed can also fall victim to progressive retinal atrophy (a degeneration of the retina causing blindness) and several less serious hereditary eye problems such as coloboma (a hole in the eye structure), and persistent pupillary membrane (tiny threads across the pupil).
Main Page
Basenji Home
History
The Basenji
Appearance
Health
Temperament
My Dog's page
The Brats Page
African Stock Project
Basenji Club of America
Basenji Club of Canada
Important of sites
- Canadian Kennel Club (CKC)
- American Kennel Club (AKC)
- United Kennel Club (UKC)
- Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI)
- Basenji Club of Canada (BCC)
Gail LeFort-Bignell
July 17,2007