The basenji dog is native to central Africa and is one of the oldest dogs in existence today. The basenji is intelligent, balanced and has two peculiar characteristics: it never barks and the females go into heat only once a year. The absence of barking does not mean that the basenji is a mute dog, but rather that it emits sounds that could be defined as a mixture of yodeling and muffled laughter. Even so, he is a generally quiet dog.
The presence of annual heat, instead of biannual as in other dog breeds, denotes the phylogenetic antiquity of the basenji, since this characteristic is shared with wolves and with New Guinea singing dogs (dogs that don't bark either). Whether you are thinking of adopting a basenji or if you already have a faithful companion of this breed, in this tab on our site you will discover everything you need to know about the characteristics of the basenji, origin, character, education and he alth
Origin of the Basenji
The basenji, also known as the Congo dog, is a breed of dog whose origin dates back to Central Africa On the other hand, It has also been shown that the ancient Egyptians used the basenjis for hunting and appreciated them for their courage and devotion to work, so they are also part of his story.
At the end of the year 1800 an attempt was made to import the basenji to Europe, but distemper in dogs wiped out all imported specimens. Thus, it was not until the 1930s that this breed was imported to England and until 1941 that it was brought to the United States Although in the rest of the world the Basenji it is treated as a companion dog, in Africa it is still used to hunt small animals.
Characteristics of the basenji dog
The basenji is a dog elegant, athletic, small and unusual The basenji's head gives it an aristocratic appearance and its forehead has fine, well-marked wrinkles when the dog lifts its ears. Some of the characteristics of the basenji are:
- The skull: of moderate width, gradually narrowing towards the nose, the cranial vault is flat and the stop, although existing, it is not very marked.
- The eyes of the Basenji dog: they are dark and almond-shaped, set obliquely on the skull, and their gaze is penetrating.
- The ears: they are small and end in a point. The basenji dog carries them erect and slightly tilted forward.
- The tail: The basenji carries its tail tightly coiled on its back. This tail, characteristic of the breed, can form one or two loops on the side of the thigh. Check our article in which we detail Why dogs wag their tails and learn how to interpret it.
- The back: It is short, level and the chest is deep. The top line rises to form a clearly defined waist.
- The coat of the basenji: it is short and very dense, fine and shiny.
On the other hand, the ideal height for basenji males is around 43 centimeters at the withers, while the ideal height of females is around 40 centimeters at the withers. On the other hand, the weight of the males is around 11 kilograms and the weight of the females is around 9 and a half kilograms
Basenji dog colors
The accepted colors for this breed are:
- Black.
- White.
- Red and white.
- Black and tan.
- White with tan markings on snout and cheeks.
- Black, tan and white.
- Tabby (red background).
- The feet, chest and tip of the tail should be white.
Basenji Character
The basenji is an alert, independent, curious and affectionate dog. He can be reserved with strangers and can respond aggressively to provocations, so is not the best choice for families with young children.
Due to its predisposition to hunting, this dog is not usually recommended to live with pets of other species. However, the Basenji's temperament often makes them get along with other dogs. Of course, socialization from puppyhood is a must for this breed as it is for any other breed of dog.
The Basenji has a very active temperament and can be destructive if not given proper exercise. His hunting impulses make the basenji an independent dog, but that is why he should not be left alone for long. In fact, the basenji, like any other breed, also needs its human companions to pay attention to it, play with it and offer it affection. Although he does not like to be overwhelmed with effusive hugs, he does not tolerate indifference either.
On the other hand, the basenji is a dog slightly barking and tremendously clean. Likewise, the character of the basenji also highlights its naughty, playful and very stubborn personalityThis breed of dog needs a patient and constant companion in its education.
Can the dog be home alone for 8 hours? We tell you the answer, here.
Basenji Education
The basenji is a dog that requires a companion with a lot of patience and perseverance, it needs to practice obedience commands several times to internalize them. There are breeds of dogs with a faster learning process, such as the German Shepherd, and others with a slower response, such as the Basenji.
To obtain better results during the education of the basenji, it is best to train it using positive reinforcement In this way, the little dog little by little he will associate the commands with positive stimuli and will internalize them much faster. Traditional training, based on punishment, ends up generating stress, anxiety and fear in the dog, so it is never a good option.
We will start your education with the basic orders and we will go little by little, until you have internalized one we will not pass the next one. Check our article on the basic commands for dogs and discover the steps you must follow to teach each one of them.
In general, for the basenji to learn a command it usually takes between 30 and 40 repetitions, so don't be surprised if you see that after having practiced with him more than 10 times, he still does not understand it. Likewise, it is not recommended to carry out training sessions of more than 15 minutes, since it could generate anxiety and stress in the canine. So opt for short but consistent education sessions
Basenji care
Like all dogs, the basenji dog needs specific care that differentiates it from the others. These basenji care are:
- Food: the basenji dog is a dog that tends to be overweight, so taking care of its diet is very important. It is essential that we adapt the amount of food to their age and weight and, as a recommendation, we can offer them feed with insect protein, since it is easy to ingest. On the other hand, we cannot forget carbohydrates and fatty acids, which are essential for your nervous and immune systems.
- Exercise: the basenji is a dog that can live peacefully if given frequent walks and the necessary exercise to burn the accumulated energy. Does not require excessive physical exercise, but can easily get bored if not given enough mental exercise This often leads to behavioral problems such as destroying furniture or other items. Thus, the basenji needs two to three walks a daywhere he can walk, run, play and mingle with other dogs.
- Grooming: For those of you who are addicted to cleanliness or suffer from allergies to dogs, the Basenji has a huge advantage over other breeds. This dog loses very little hair, so it is considered a hypoallergenic dog Although it is not one of the most recommended breeds for people with a high degree of allergy, it is may fit when it comes to mild allergies. On the other hand, he has a habit of grooming frequently, like cats, he loves to always be clean. In this way, brushing and bathing the basenji requires much less time and dedication than other breeds. The basenji will need a bath when it is really dirty and will require one to two weekly brushings, especially during shedding times.
Basenji He alth
There are a number of common illnesses in basenji. To be vigilant and prevent them from developing, we show what they are below:
- Kidney problems: such as Fanconi syndrome.
- Progressive retinal atrophy.
- Intestinal problems.
- Obesity.
When going to the regular check-ups stipulated by the veterinarian, it will be essential to bear in mind the previous pathologies to pay special attention, since some of them are hereditary(renal problems). On the other hand, although we have commented that the basenji is an active dog, if he does not have the exercise that his body needs, he will end up suffering from obesity.
Overweight in dogs is a condition that can lead to serious consequences, such as impaired cardiac function. For this reason, we recommend consulting our article on How to prevent obesity in dogs and not neglecting their walks. Likewise, it will be essential to keep the vaccination and deworming schedule up to date to prevent it from contracting viral diseases.
We present a puppy deworming calendar so you can keep up to date with your dog.
Where to adopt a basenji dog?
As we have commented throughout this sheet, the basenji dog is a little seen dog and "rare" to find. Even so, if its characteristics have made you fall in love and you are looking for a basenji, we recommend that you go to a animal protection center or shelter to see if have any of that breed. On the other hand, looking into a basenji breed club may also be an option. This way, you'll be closer to finding one.
If despite the above recommendations you cannot find any Basenji dog, remember that the important thing is to give them a good life full of love, whatever the dog, regardless of breed and traits.
