Mary Allen
Depictions of the curly canines can be seen in ancient bas-reliefs and sculptures. The first illustration of the breed was found in tombs at the Pyramid of Cheops; the dogs can also be found on shields, walls, and drawings, and there are even some mummified Basenjis. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York owns a Babylonian bronze statue of a Basenji and his owner.
Basenjis were bred for hunting. The canines were used to flush animals out of hideouts and into hunter’s nets, and they were also helpful in finding and pointing egg hiding places and keeping villages rodent-free. Most dog breeds hunt by either sight (like greyhounds) or scent (like beagles), but Basenjis use both sight and smell to find their prey.
In Kenya, the dogs are used to lure lions out of their dens. Masai hunters use about four of these dogs at a time to find lions and release them into the wild. Once a lion leaves the safety of its den, hunters will form a circle around the big cat.
Below you will find the 12 best Basenji dog tattoos:
