Basenji
A red basenji
Alternative names
African Bush Dog African Barkless Dog Ango Angari Avuvi Congo Dog Zande Dog The Jumping Up And Down Dog
Country of origin
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Classification and breed standards
FCI:	Group 5 Section 6 #43	Stds
AKC:	Hound	Stds
ANKC:	Group 4 (Hounds)	Stds
CKC:	Group 2 - Hounds	Stds
KC (UK):	Hound	Stds
NZKC:	Hounds	Stds
UKC:	Group 3 - Sighthounds and Pariahs	Stds

The Basenji is a breed of hunting dog that originates in central Africa. It is considered by some, particularly in North America, to be a member of the sighthound 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.^[1] Although Basenjis do not bark per se, they can mimic sounds, and thus are able to mimic barks if raised among barking dogs.^[2] In behavior and temperament they have some traits in common with cats. Jiving Jasper (Jasper) owned by Jane Addis. ... Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) (English, World Canine Organization), is an international Kennel Club based in Thuin, Belgium. ... © The American Kennel Club (or AKC) is the largest registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. ... The Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) is the peak body in Australia responsible for promoting excellence in breeding, showing, trialling, obedience, and other canine-related activities and the ownership of temperamentally and physically sound purebred dogs by responsible individuals across Australia. ... The Canadian Kennel Club (or C.K.C.) is the primary registry body for purebred dog pedigrees in Canada. ... The Kennel Club in the United Kingdom is a club aiming to improve the relationships between dogs and their owners. ... The New Zealand Kennel Club is an organisation responsible for dog pedigree registration services in New Zealand. ... The United Kennel Club (or UKC) is the second oldest all-breed registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States and the second largest in the world. ... Categories: Dog stubs | Dog breeds ... Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domestic subspecies of the wolf, a mammal of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... The Whippet shows the characteristic long legs, deep chest, and narrow waist of a sighthound. ... © The American Kennel Club (or AKC) is the largest registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. ... The Kennel Club in the United Kingdom is a club aiming to improve the relationships between dogs and their owners. ... Image:DianaHound. ... There are several uses of the term Yodel: Yodeling, a form of singing Yodels, a cream-filled cake make by Drakes This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Binomial name Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758 Synonyms Felis lybica invalid junior synonym The cat (or domestic cat, house cat) is a small carnivorous mammal. ...

Appearance

Tri-colour with brindle points

Basenjis are small, elegant-looking, short-haired 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. Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 449 KB)Tri-colored brindle (Trindle) basenji at the hunt I give express consent to use this image for Wikipedia -- Mark Kahn 10/21/2004 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 449 KB)Tri-colored brindle (Trindle) basenji at the hunt I give express consent to use this image for Wikipedia -- Mark Kahn 10/21/2004 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Fawn and Stag redirect here. ...

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 withers is the highest point on an animals back, on the ridge between its shoulder blades. ...

The Basenji is recognized in the following standard colourations: red, black, tricolour (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 tricolour with brindle points, and several other colorations exist in the Congo such as liver, shaded reds(sables), "capped" tricolours(creeping tan) and piebald marked dogs. Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) (English, World Canine Organization), is an international Kennel Club based in Thuin, Belgium. ... The Kennel Club in the United Kingdom is a club aiming to improve the relationships between dogs and their owners. ... © The American Kennel Club (or AKC) is the largest registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. ... The United Kennel Club (or UKC) is the second oldest all-breed registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States and the second largest in the world. ...

Temperament

Like wild canids, Basenjis do not bark. They will, however, give the occasional single "woof." They also chortle, whine, squeal, howl, and make a Basenji-specific noise called a yodel or a baroo. Some Basenji screams, during times of distress such as being locked up, have been compared to the scream of a woman, the crow of a rooster; essentially, their ability runs the gamut of vocalizations. Though they do not bark, they are quite capable of making their voices heard. Genera Alopex Atelocynus Canis Cerdocyon Chrysocyon Cuon Dusicyon Fennecus Lycalopex Lycaon Nyctereutes Otocyon Pseudalopex Speothos Urocyon Vulpes Canidae is the family of carnivorous and omnivorous mammals commonly known as canines. ...

Also like wild canids, most Basenjis breed only once a year, usually in the autumn.

A portrait of a basenji pup, showing the breed's characteristically wrinkled forehead.

Basenjis are fastidious about their personal grooming, even washing themselves with their paws as cats do. Like cats, most Basenjis have a strong dislike for contact with water, and will go to great lengths to avoid getting wet. On the other hand, they are extremely inquisitive dogs, and can temporarily be completely oblivious to the pouring rain if something piques their interest. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 380 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (444 × 701 pixel, file size: 67 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Basenji Metadata This... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 380 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (444 × 701 pixel, file size: 67 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Basenji Metadata This...

Basenjis are highly intelligent and learn quickly, but they also have a cat-like independence and "self-motivation" which can make them somewhat casual about obedience. A healthy Basenji is a mischievous and good-humored animal, and is not above testing the limits of its environment and owner just for sport. They can be aloof with strangers but form strong bonds with their owners. If not supervised or trained properly, Basenjis can become bored and destructive when left alone. Basenjis are also expert climbers, and have been known to scale chain-link fences as much as eight feet high. Basenjis also have a very strong sense of territory, and they consider their home plus the whole area where they are regularly walked their territory. Because of this, they can be very hostile towards other dogs in those areas. Females are more likely to tend to do this over males.

Quick and fast on their feet, Basenjis love to run and chase, so much so that they are sometimes competitively run in lure courses. There are few creatures a Basenji is likely to encounter (including its owner!) that it does not believe it can outwit or outrun. This, combined with the breed's typically fearless approach to the world, makes it a good idea not to allow a Basenji to run free in an unconfined area or where it may get into trouble.

A clear way to tell if a Basenji feels something is a threat or prey is when it circles around the object/person/animal. Usually this happens with animals in packs, but Basenjis do not have to be in a pack to circle around their prey. When they are circling, usually they are determining how to kill the threat or prey, and they will also do this to humans with whom they are unfamiliar.

History

A brindle Basenji

The Basenji is one of the most ancient dog breeds. Originating on the continent of Africa, it has been venerated by humans for thousands of years. Basenjis can be seen on steles in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs, sitting at the feet of their masters, looking just as they do today, with pricked ears and tightly curled tail. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 343 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Basenji ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 343 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Basenji ... Fourteen ancient breeds of dog have recently been identified through advances in DNA analysis. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... Ancient Egyptian funerary stele Suenos Stone in Forres Scotland A stele (or stela) is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected for funerary or commemorative purposes, most usually decorated with the names and titles of the deceased or living—inscribed, carved in relief (bas... This article refers to the historical Pharaoh. ...

The Basenji had almost totally disappeared from the West when Europeans came across it in the Congo in 1895. There, the Basenji was prized by locals for its intelligence, courage, speed, and silence. They were assistants to the hunt, chasing wild game into nets for their masters. The Azande and Mangbetu people from the northeastern Congo region describe Basenjis, in the local Lingala language, as mbwá na basɛ́nzi. Translated, this means “dogs of the savages”, or “dogs of the villagers”. In the Congo, the Basenji is also known as "Dog of the Bush." The dogs are also known to the Azande of southern Sudan as Ango Angari.^[3] The word basɛ́nzi itself is the plural form of mosɛ́nzi. In Kiswahili, another Bantu language, from East Africa, mbwa shenzi translates to “wild dog”. Another local name is m’bwa m’kube m’bwa wamwitu, or “jumping up and down dog”, a reference to their tendency to jump straight up to spot their quarry. Year 1895 (MDCCCXCV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The Azande (plural, Zande in singular) are a tribe of north central Africa. ... The Mangbetu or Monbuttu are a negroid people of Central Africa living to the south of the Azande in the Welle district of Congo-Kinshasa. ... Lingala is a Bantu language spoken throughout the northwestern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Congo-Kinshasa) and a large part of the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), as well as to some degree in Angola and the Central African Republic. ... Kiswahili is an alternative name for the Swahili language, derived from the expression lugha ya Kiswahili, which is what speakers of Swahili call their language. ... Bantu is a language family that belongs to the Niger-Congo group. ...

Several attempts were made to bring the breed to England, but the earliest imports succumbed to disease. In 1923, for example, Lady Helen Nutting brought six Basenjis with her from Sudan, but all six died from distemper shots they received in quarantine.^[4] It was not until the 1930s that foundation stock was successfully established in England, and thence to the United States by animal importer Henry Trefflich. So it is that nearly all the Basenjis in the Western world are descended from these few original imports. For a fascinating account of the importation of the Basenji from Africa, read "The History of the Breed",^[5] a letter to the AKC in support of opening the stud book to admit new African imports. The breed was officially accepted into the AKC in 1943. In 1990 the AKC stud book was reopened to several new imports at the request of the Basenji Club of America. Basenjis are also registered with the UKC. Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto)1 Unified  -  by Athelstan 927 AD  Area  -  Total... Distemper can refer to Canine distemper, a disease of dogs Other forms of the distemper virus A mixture, used by artists, of paint usually with parts of an egg This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Henry Trefflich (January 9, 1908–July 7, 1978) was an animal importer and dealer. ... A breed registry, also known as a stud book, is an official list of animals within a specific breed whose parents are known. ... UKC is an abbreviation that can have several meanings: UK Coalition of People Living with HIV and AIDS, a UK charity run by and for people living with HIV. UKClimbing. ...

Basenjis in popular culture

The title character of the 1954 novel Good-bye, My Lady, by James H. Street, is a Basenji. It's the story of a young boy in Mississippi who takes in a most unusual stray. The book was made into a movie of the same name in 1956, with a cast that included Brandon de Wilde, Walter Brennan, and Sidney Poitier.^[6] Good-bye, My Lady is a novel by James H. Street about a boy and his dog. ... James Howell Street (October 15, 1903-September 28, 1954) was a journalist, minister, and writer of Southern historical novels. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Brandon de Wilde (April 9, 1942 – July 6, 1972) was an American actor born into a theatrical family in Brooklyn. ... Walter Brennan (July 25, 1894 – September 21, 1974) was a three time Academy Award winning American actor. ... Sir Sidney Poitier KBE, (IPA pronunciation: ) (born February 20, 1927), is an Academy Award-winning Bahamian-American actor, film director, and activist. ...

Veronica Anne Starbuck's 2000 novel Heart of the Savannah features a Basenji named Savannah. Savannah narrates this story about her adventures as an African-bred dog brought to America. Starbuck also wrote a sequel titled August Magic.

Simon Cleveland wrote a novel titled The Basenji Revelation^[7] published by Lulu Press in 2004 in which a government agent suffers amnesia and undergoes a change in personality after inheriting a Basenji from his late mother. The book delivers insightful facts about the ancient origins of the breed. Amnesia or amnæsia (from Greek ) (see spelling differences) is a condition in which memory is disturbed. ...

The true story of a Basenji named Trumpkin was featured in the episode The Cat Came Back^[8] on the radio program This American Life. In the process of choosing a new pet, Trumpkin's family, the Blumbergs, decided upon a Basenji after researching to find the ideal dog, one that wouldn't bark, shed or smell. Trumpkin soon acquainted the Blumbergs to many of the characteristics which his breed is also noted for, such as their destructiveness, disobedience and aggressiveness with other animals, and the family found him a new home on an out-of-state farm. Ultimately, it would be Trumpkin's supreme tenacity and skill as an escape artist which restored him to the Blumberg household and guaranteed him a permanent home there. This American Life (TAL) is a weekly hour-long radio program produced by Chicago Public Radio. ...

Health

Very young Basenji puppies

There is apparently only one completed health survey of Basenjis^[9], a 2004 UK Kennel Club survey^[10]. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 532 pixel Image in higher resolution (1280 × 851 pixel, file size: 158 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Basenji Metadata This... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 532 pixel Image in higher resolution (1280 × 851 pixel, file size: 158 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Basenji Metadata This...

Mortality

Basenjis in the 2004 UK Kennel Club survey had a median longevity of 13.6 years (sample size of 46 deceased dogs)^[10], which is 1-2 years longer than the median longevity of other breeds of similar size^[11]. 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%)^[10].

Morbidity

Among 78 live dogs in the 2004 UKC survey, the most common health issues noted by owners were dermatologic and urologic^[10]. (Urologic issues in Basenjis can be signs of Fanconi syndrome.)

Fanconi Syndrome

Fanconi syndrome, an inheritable disorder in which the kidneys fail to reabsorb electrolytes and nutrients ^[12], 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^[12]. Fanconi syndrome is treatable and organ damage is reduced if treatment begins early^[12]. Basenji owners are advised to test their dog's urine for glucose once a month beginning at age 3 years^[12]. Glucose testing strips designed for human diabetics are inexpensive and available at most pharmacies. Fanconi syndrome (also known as Fanconis syndrome) is a disorder in which the proximal tubular function of the kidney is impaired, resulting in improper reabsorption of electrolytes and nutrients back into the bloodstream. ...

Other Basenji health issues

Basenjis sometimes carry a simple recessive gene which, when homozygous for the defect, causes genetic Hemolytic Anemia^[13]. 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. Hemolysis (alternative spelling haemolysis) literally means the excessive breakdown of red blood cells. ...

Basenjis sometimes suffer from hip dysplasia, resulting in loss of mobility and arthritis-like symptoms. All dogs should be tested by either OFA or PennHIP prior to breeding. This article covers Hip dysplasia, a condition affecting the hip joint, which occurs in humans but is more commonly associated with animals, especially dogs (Canine hip dysplasia). ... The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals is an organisation that aims to research and prevent orthopedic and Hereditary diseases in animals. ... PennHIP (an acronym for University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program) is a diagnostic technique for evaluating the hips of dogs for laxity, as well as a network of veterinarians that use the PennHIP method of evaluation. ...

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. Malabsorption is the state of impaired absorption of nutrients in the small intestine. ... Anorexia (deriving from the Greek α(ν)- (a(n)-, a prefix that denotes absence) + όρεξη (orexe) = appetite) is the decreased sensation of appetite. ... Types 5-7 on the Bristol Stool Chart are often associated with diarrhea Diarrhea (in American English) or diarrhoea (in British English) is a condition in which the sufferer has frequent watery, loose bowel movements (from the Greek word διάρροια; literally meaning through-flowing). Acute infectious diarrhea is a common cause...

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). Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is a genetic disease of the retina that occurs bilaterally and is seen in certain breeds of dogs. ... A coloboma (also part of the rare Cat Eye syndrome) is the term used to describe a hole in one of the structures of the eye, such as the lens, eyelid, iris, retina, choroid or optic disc. ... Persistent pupillary membrane (PPM) is a condition of the eye involving remnants of a fetal membrane that persist as strands of tissue crossing the pupil. ...

References

1. ^ Adapted from the book "Why Pandas Do Handstands," 2006, by Augustus Brown.
2. ^ http://www.basenji.org/african/tudor885.htm
3. ^ http://www.basenji.org/african/tudor59.htm
4. ^ http://www.basenji.org/african/nutting.htm
5. ^ http://www.basenji.org/african/jone8908.htm
6. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049271/
7. ^ http://www.amazon.com/dp/1411612507/
8. ^ http://www.thisamericanlife.org/pages/descriptions/06/316.html
9. ^ http://users.pullman.com/lostriver/breeddata.htm Dog Longevity Web Site, Breed Data page. Compiled by K. M. Cassidy. Retrieved July 8, 2007
10. ^ ^{a b c d} http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/570 Kennel Club/British Small Animal Veterinary Association Scientific Committee. 2004. Purebred Dog Health Survey. Retrieved July 5, 2007
11. ^ http://users.pullman.com/lostriver/weight_and_lifespan.htm Dog Longevity Web Site, Weight and Longevity page. Compiled by K. M. Cassidy. Retrieved July 5, 2007
12. ^ ^{a b c d} http://www.basenjiclub.com/?q=node/36 Basenji Club of America Fanconi Syndrome web page. Retrieved July 14, 2007
13. ^ http://www.basenji.org/healthha.htm

See also

• Pariah dog

Kritikos Lagonikos, a. ...

External links

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Basenji

• Basenji Club of the SLOVENIA-LJUBLJANA
• Basenji Club of America (BCOA)
• Basenji Club of Canada
• Basenji Club of Southeastern Wisconsin
• Learn about Basenjis
• Basenji Club of the Netherlands
• Basenji Breed Council
• BCOA African Stock Project
• Basenji Forums