Description

The Basenji is a breed of hunting dog. It was bred from stock that originated in central Africa. Most of the major kennel clubs in the English-speaking world place the breed in the hound group—more specifically, in the sighthound type. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale places the breed in its group five (spitz and primitive types), and the United Kennel Club (US) places the breed in its Sighthound and pariah group.

The Basenji produces an unusual yodel-like sound (commonly called a "baroo"), due to its unusually shaped larynx. This trait also gives the Basenji the nickname "barkless dog".

Basenjis share many unique traits with pariah dog types. Basenjis, like dingoes, New Guinea singing dogs and some other breeds of dog, come into estrus only once annually—as compared to other dog breeds, which may have two or more breeding seasons every year. Both dingoes and Basenji lack a distinctive odor, and are prone to howls, yodels, and other vocalizations over the characteristic bark of modern dog breeds. One theory holds that the latter trait is the result of selecting against dogs that frequently bark—in the traditional Central African context—because barking could lead enemies to humans' forest encampments. While dogs that resemble the Basenji in some respects are commonplace over much of Africa, the breed's original foundation stock came from the old growth forest regions of the Congo Basin, where its structure and type were fixed by adaptation to its habitat, as well as use (primarily net hunting in extremely dense old-growth forest vegetation).

The name comes from the Lingala language of the Congo, mbwá na basɛ́nzi which means 'villager dogs'.

Group

Hound Group

Country Of Origin

Zaire

Size

 

Color

Basenjis come in a few different colorations: red, black, tricolor, and brindle, and they all have white feet, chests and tail tips. They can also come in trindle, which is a tricolor with brindle points, a rare combination.

Coat

The short, glossy, smooth dense haircoat comes in black, tri-color, brindle, chestnut red-all with white feet, chest and tip of the tail. Distinct borders between colors are desired, and white should never predominate though it can be present elsewhere. They are low shedding dogs, with absent doggie odor and need minimal grooming. Longevity: 10-12 years.

Grooming

 

Life Expectancy

 

AKC Group

 

UKC Group

Sighthound

Height

• Female 40 cm (16 in)
• Male 43 cm (17 in)

Weight

• Female 9.5 kg (21 lb)
• Male 11 kg (24 lb)

 

Use Today

 

Points Of Conformation

The tail is carried over the straight topline in a curled position, head carriage is high, and the medium-sized ears are carried pricked up, with a furrowed brow. Eyes are hazel to brown. They have short backs, a definite waist and are well muscled with strong bone. They have a horse-like smooth running trot.

Recognized Behavior Issues and Traits

Reported characteristics of these high activity dogs include: Playful, smart, and are known to be courageous hunters. They tend to be fastidious about staying clean, washing themselves with their tongues like a cat. They are independently minded, and cautious around strangers, while being calm and friendly with family, including children. They like to be kept busy, and will do best with a household that provides lots of playtime, exercise and attention. They are considered a primitive evolved domestic dog.

Normal Physiologic Variations

Females go into heat once a year. Basenjis have lower resting T4 thyroid levels, similar to sight hounds. Check thyroid status with thyroid profiles.

Pelger-Huet Anomaly: Basenjis have been diagnosed with this autosomal recessive blood anomaly. Causes neutrophils with round, oval, or bean-shaped nuclei and only rare segmented nuclei. No obvious liability to disease seen in affected dogs.

Inherited Diseases

Fanconi Syndrome: Inherited defect in renal tubular transport. Causes glucosuria, hyposthenuria, metabolic acidosis, hyperchloremia, and reduction in glomerular filtration rate. Onset 3-11 years of age. Diagnose by finding glucosuria with normal blood glucose levels. Treat with medications and diet. Seen worldwide. Dorn reports an 11.48x odds ratio in Basenjis versus other breeds. Prevalence of 10% in the United States Basenji population. A linked marker test is offered by the OFA, which suggests an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. Genetic testing shows 6.3% affected and 41.2% carrier.

Hip Dysplasia: Polygenically inherited trait causing degenerative joint disease and hip arthritis. OFA reports 3.2% affected.

Patella Luxation: Polygenically inherited laxity of patellar ligaments, causing luxation, lameness, and later degenerative joint disease. Treat surgically if causing clinical signs. OFA reports 1.5% affected.

Elbow Dysplasia: Polygenically inherited trait causing elbow arthritis. OFA reports 2.4% affected.

Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (PK, Basenji Hemolytic Anemia): Autosomal recessive disorder causing severe hemolytic anemia, progressive osteomyelosclerosis, and hemosiderosis. Death occurs due to anemia or hepatic failure usually at less than five years of age. Occurs at a low frequency in the breed. A genetic test is available.

Disease Predispositions

Persistent Pupillary Membranes: Strands of fetal remnant connecting; iris to iris, cornea, lens, or involving sheets of tissue. The later three forms can impair vision, and dogs affected with these forms should not be bred. PPMs can be associated with corneal opacity or coloboma in this breed. Dorn reports a 110.61x odds ratio in Basenjis versus other breeds. Identified in 47.64% of Basenjis CERF examined by veterinary ophthalmologists between 2000-2005. Of these, 9.47% were iris to cornea, 3.71% were iris to lens, and 0.47% were iris sheets. PPMs are shown to be inherited in this breed, but the mode of inheritance has not been determined.

Hypothyroidism: Inherited autoimmune thyroiditis. 10.8% positive for thyroid auto-antibodies based on testing at Michigan State University. (Ave. for all breeds is 7.5%).

Corneal Dystrophy: The endothelial form is associated with persistant papillary membranes in this breed, and can cause edema, keratits, and loss of vision. Basenjis with the endothelial form should not be bred. The epithelial-stromal form causes opacities on the surface of the cornea. Unknown mode of inheritance. The endothelial form is identified in 2.70%, and the epithelial-stromal form is identified in 2.23% of Basenjis CERF examined by veterinary ophthalmologists between 2000-2005.

Cataracts: Posterior and capsular punctate cataracts predominate in the breed. Identified in 2.41% of Basenjis CERF examined by veterinary ophthalmologists between 2000-2005. CERF does not recommend breeding any Basenji with cataracts.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA): Progressive degeneration of the retina, eventually causing blindness. Typical age of onset between 4 to 10 years, with some reported between ages 3 and 13. Presumed autosomal recessive inheritance. CERF recommends that any Basenji with PRA should not be bred. 1.62% of Basenjis CERF examined by veterinary ophthalmologists between 2000-2005 are labeled suspicious for PRA, and 0.65% are identified with generalized PRA. No genetic test is available.

Demodicosis: Dorn reports a 2.07x odds ratio of developing demodectic mange versus other breeds. This disorder has an underlying immunodeficiency in its pathogenesis.

Optic Nerve Coloboma: Congenital cavity in the optic nerve that can cause blindness or vision impairment. Affected dogs should not be bred. Identified in 0.79% of Basenjis CERF examined by veterinary ophthalmologists between 2000-2005. Can be associated with persistent pupillary membranes in this breed.

Immunoproliferative Enteropathy (IPEB, IPSID, Lymphangiectasia): Inherited disorder causing chronic diarrhea, progressive emaciation, malabsorption and maldigestion. Biopsy findings include villous clubbing and fusion, increased tortuosity of intestinal crypts, and diffuse infiltration of mononuclear inflammatory cells. Lymphangectasia may be secondary. Treatment with immunosuppressive drugs and diet. Unknown mode of inheritance.

Cystine Urinary Calculi: Seen at an increased frequency in the breed secondary to cystinuria from Fanconi syndrome.
Epilepsy, Retinal Dysplasia and Umbilical Hernia are reported.

Isolated Case Studies

Intrahepatic Venous Obstruction: Intrahepatic post-sinusoidal obstruction, similar to congenital Budd-Chiari syndrome in human patients, was diagnosed in a young Basenji dog.

Genetic Tests

Tests of Genotype: Phenotypic test for Fanconi Syndrome is available from PennGen.
Linked marker test for Fanconi Syndrome is available from the OFA. Direct test for pyruvate kinase deficiency is available from HealthGene, Optigen, PennGen, University of Missouri, and VetGen. Direct tests for color alleles is available from VetGen.

Tests of Phenotype: CHIC Certification: Required testing includes hip radiographs, thyroid profile including autoantibodies, CERF eye examination (each year until 6, thereafter every 2 years), and linked marker test for Fanconi syndrome from OFA. (See CHIC website; caninehealthinfo.org).
Recommend patella evaluation, elbow radiographs, and cardiac evaluation.

Miscellaneous

• Breed name synonyms: Barkless dog, Congo dog, Congo Terrier
• Registries: AKC, CKC, UKC (provisional), KCGB (Kennel Club of Great Britain), ANKC (Australian National Kennel Club), NKC (National Kennel Club)
• AKC rank (year 2008): 85 (774 dogs registered)
• Internet resources: The Basenji Club of America: basenji.org

Basenji Club of Canada: basenjiclubofcanada.com
The Basenji Club of Great Britain: basenjiclubofgb.org
The Basenji Health Endowment: basenjihealth.org