Basenji, the "Dog of the Pharaohs"

Considered one of the oldest dog breeds, the Basenji had his portrait painted in the Egyptian pyramids 5000 years ago. The great pyramid Cheops has paintings of Basenjis at the feet of their masters.

The Basenji is said to have gazelle-like grace, is smart, lovable, frisky, and disobedient; he also has been know as one of the two quintessential, "Brat Breeds."

Yes, the Basenji is right up there with Pharaoh Hounds and Izban Hounds. It has been theorized that the Pharaohs got these dogs from central Africa.

Deep in the forests of Zaire, the B-dog can still be found hunting with his masters, and not simply hunting, but hunting with a rattle around his neck. The dog's masters do this because the Basenji cannot bark, but he can make a sound that no other dog on earth can, the Basenji can yodel!

A good hunting Basenji is prized more then a good wife in central Africa; as the natives see it, it?s the dog that helps put food on the table.

Now, because it's the Big-B that helps with the food, they have reportedly been bred to Jackals to try to increase their speed and leg-length. An English woman that lived in Zaire for 6 years said that half Basenji, half Jackal pups just look like mutts and are really no better at hunting then purebred Basenjis.

English explorers found the Basenji and imported him to England in 1937; the B-dog was then taken to America where he has become a well loved pet.
Right around 1987 people started getting concerned about the limited gene pool of the American and English Basenjis. So a group of Americans went to Zaire and brought back 14 Basenjis. They were accepted by the American kennel club and used to bring down the risk of genetic problems in the breed.

Now in the U.S. selective breeding of the Brat-Dog began in 1941, but the AKC didn't accept the Basenji for registration in the Stud Book and approve the standard until 1943. They must have been impressed when the Basenji stole the "Best in Show" at a famous dog show in Great Britain. That was the first time a Basenji got that award.

This beautiful dog has a square head, picks ears, is about 17in. at the shoulder, and weighs around 24lbs. A tightly wrinkled forehead and a tireless gait are common to the breed. The whole demeanor oh the Basenji is one of elegance, poise and alertness.

The Basenji in a good watch dog even though they can't bark, they are weary of strangers, and when you first meet one they will most times appear aloof.

The Basenji is not called the "Brat-Breed" for nothing, they are easy to house train but that is about it. If they are not crated when their owner is away, they will destroy the house, chew up the furniture, bring down the curtains and just about anything else they can think of.

One explanation of this attitude is: "A domesticated dog knows that his food and safety come from learning how to please his master. Wild dogs provide food and safety for themselves and really don't care about their masters? opinion of them."

Basenjis have been around for 5000 years and still have the , " wild dog " mentality, they have the metabolism of wild canines and not of domestic canines and they cannot bark, this brings them one step closer to all dogs relative, the wolf, who cannot bark either.

Because the Basenji feels that each new day brings them something new to see and explore (it does not matter if they explored it three or four times already) they are never trustworthy off a leash because, when you call them, they can suddenly go deaf.

Never put a chain-link fence around your yard because the B-dog will see it as a ladder to the world outside.

Basenji is able to race with greyhounds, loves lying in the sun, loves fighting with other dogs and are totally obsessed with keeping themselves clean.

This is it, if you want a complete beauty, a dog that can outthink you, outrun you, digs, climbs, trashes the house and does it all with a happy gleam in his eye, the Basenji is perfect for you!