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BASENJI — BREED DESCRIPTION & INFORMATION
Breed Description / Health Issues / Breed Standards / Training / Grooming / Additional Information
Breed Description
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| Breed Registries: |
· Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) - Hounds
· American Kennel Club (AKC) - Hound Group
· United Kennel Club (UKC) - Sighthounds and Pariah Dogs Group
· The Kennel Club [U.K.] (KC) - Hounds
· Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) * - Standard No 43 |
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Note: The breed registries indicated above are the most recognized all-breed registries. The breed may be recognized by other registries not indicated here. For further details about dog registries, please see the document: Dog Breed Registries in North America.
* — The Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) is the World Canine Organisation, which includes members (one member per country) that each issue their own pedigrees and train their own judges. The FCI recognizes 332 breeds, with each being the "property" of a specific country. The FCI is not a breed registry nor does it issue pedigrees. |
| Origin: |
Central Africa |
| Height: |
Males: 17 inches; Females: 16 inches |
| Weight: |
Males: 24 lbs; Females: 22 lbs |
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The Basenji, commonly known as the "Barkless Dog", is a small athletic dog with many unusual traits. He is short-haired with a wrinkled forehead. His coat is smooth, fine, shiny and comes in chestnut red, pure black, tri-colour (pure black and chestnut red), and brindle (black stripes on a chestnut red background). His feet, tail point, and chest are white. The Basenji's ears are erect and opened to the front. The Basenji proudly carries his head high and possesses a look of dignity. The gait of the Basenji is distinctive, resembling a horse trotting as he moves with elegance, ease and agility.
With his keen eyesight and remarkable scenting ability, the Basenji hunts using both sight and scent. He is a high energy dog who enjoys such activities as lure coursing, tracking, conformation, obedience, and agility.
One of the oldest breeds, the Basenji appeared on ancient Egyptian engravings dating back to 3600 BC. He was preserved in his native land of Central Africa where he was highly regarded for his intelligence, courage, speed, keen scenting ability, and silence. He does not bark but instead makes yodelling sounds. He is somewhat cat-like in his mannerisms, in so much as he is frisky, agile, and cleans himself like a cat does. The Basenji is an intelligent, independent, but affectionate and alert breed. He is known to be aloof and cautious with strangers, calm and gentle with friends, and loving with children.
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Health Issues:
Some of the health problems found in the Basenji breed include: Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), Hypothyroidism, and Fanconi Syndrome which is a kidney disease that strikes the middle-aged dog and is often fatal; however with new treatments many dogs are able to survive. Another health concern for the Basenji is Pyruvate Kinase (PK) Deficiency in Basenjis, this is an inherited lack of the PK enzyme in the red blood cells of an affected dog. Dogs affected with PK deficiency leads to lifelong anemia. DNA-based testing is available through VetGen.
The average life expectancy for the Basenji is 10 to 13 years.
If you are considering the adoption of a Basenji puppy, or any breed, it is very important to be selective in choosing a responsible and reputable breeder. Ensure that the prospective puppy's parents have all health clearances. Breeding of any dog should not be done until after they have been proven to be free of evidence of significant hereditary diseases. (For more information on selecting a breeder, see the articles on the main Breed Listing and Breeders page.)
Additional Health Resources:
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Breed Standards:
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Training Resources:
The Basenji is known to be a very intelligent, though not always obedient breed, who learns quickly through positive reinforcement. Puppy classes and basic obedience are strongly recommended.
- Training — For information on training your Basenji, see this growing section of Canada's Guide to Dogs for tips, articles, as well as listings of training centres across Canada.
Lucy the Basenji - Training the Untrainable Dog on DVD
— When Bill Spicer brought his Basenji home for the first time, he knew he had a spirited puppy that needed some serious training. His success lead to the creation of this informative video about training a breed that is notorious for being difficult to train.
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Grooming Resources:
- Grooming — Grooming Information, tips and techniques for all breeds.
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Additional Information:
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Note: If you have a photo that is a good representative of this breed and would like to have it shown on the top left section of this page, please e-mail it to us. In order to give proper credit, please include the dog's full name (including titles if any), the owner/kennel name as well as the website to be linked if available.
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All content, including graphics, on the Canada's Guide to Dogs Website is Copyright©P.Mitchell,
unless otherwise noted, and may not be copied or reproduced without prior written permission.
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Last Updated: 1 April 2008
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Lucy in her snow coat, Ellicott City, MD
