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Basenji Dog
Basenji
Dog
Very intelligent
and affectionate, the Basenji has a playful and curious
disposition. The Basenji is a dog that is eager to
place, and is energetic and alert, and although these
dogs do not bark this enables them to be effective as
watchdogs. The breed is not always suited to younger
children that may tease it, and should only be housed
with other pets if he has been properly socialized.
The Basenji is a handsome, short,
muscular dog who is also known as the African Barkless
Dog. "Basenji" means "bush thing" in African dialect.
They should not bark, but they are not mute. Basenjis
repertoire of sounds range from a pleasing throaty crow
to a keening wail made when they are lonely or unhappy.
Basenjis are often compared to small deer because of
their grace, intelligence and beauty. The Basenji dog
are about the size of a Fox Hound, and very proud. One
of the oldest breeds of dogs, they are native to Africa
where they are used to assist beaters in flushing game
out, which are then driven into nets strung up against
trees. The Basenji dogs were highly prized in Central
Africa for their intelligence, silence, speed and
hunting power. The Basenji has a short, fine coat that
tends to become more course in colder countries, but
without losing its gleam. Wrinkled on the forehead, they
also have a curly tail that swirls to one side of their
body. Known to be much like cats, Basenjis will
sometimes clean themselves by licking all over, and are
said to be nearly odorless. Basenjis will make good pets
as long as they are handled from puppy hood on a regular
basis. If properly socialized from puppy hood and
supervised, the Basenji dog should get on well with
children and other pets that they consider in him pack.
The Basenji dog comes from Zaire and the Congo (Central
Africa) The earliest samples of these dogs were given as
gifts to Pharaohs of ancient Egypt. Basenji-type dogs
are depicted on the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs and date
back to early 3600 B.C. Many details of their origins
are unclear, but the Basenji is thought to have come
from a purebred dog used by the Pygmies for hunting in
the Congo. A pair of Basenjis were taken to England by
an explorer in 1895, but unfortunately fell ill to
distemper and soon died. In 1937 the Basenji was
introduced successfully into England, and around the
same time Mrs. Byron Rogers of New York City brought a
pair of them to America. A litter of puppies was born,
but unfortunately all died due to distemper except for
Mrs. Rogers' older male, Bois. A female Basenji named
Congo was then brought to the United States from Africa
in 1941 by Alexander Phemster of Massachusetts, and soon
the two Basenjis produced the first litter of Basenjis
to be born in America and live. Soon other Basenjis were
imported from England and Canada, and the breed grew in
size and popularity in America.
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