Mary Allen
The Basenji – affectionately called “Bongo” – is an ancient breed of dog from the jungles of Central Africa. Independent dogs differ from the breeds known to us in many ways. In the profile, you get information about the history, keeping, and care of unique companion dogs.
History of the Basenji
Due to a lack of records, little is known about the origin of the Basenji. He is one of the primeval dogs. Researchers assume that he descended from the Egyptian Team. The descendants of these dogs, the so-called pariah dogs, still live semi-wild in African villages. They do not maintain direct contact with humans and are not pets. In the rain forests of the Congo region, on the other hand, some of the nimble dogs served the Pygmies as watchdogs and hunting dogs. The term “Basenji” comes from the language of the pygmies and means “little wild thing from the bush”.
In 1870, British colonizers discovered the dogs and named them “Congo Terriers”. The first breeder in Europe is Olivia Burn, the wife of a British colonial ruler. In the 1930s, the British established a breed standard and began showing the dog at shows. In 1964 it was officially recognized by the FCI. Today the dogs belong to the FCI group 5 “Spitzen and dogs of the original type” in Section 6 “Original type”.
Essence and Character
The Basenji is an independent and intelligent dog that looks attentively at the world. On the one hand, he is reserved and cautious, although he can be shy around strangers. On the other hand, in its familiar environment, the African dog is calm and basically relaxed. Due to its pronounced independence, the spirited dog tends to stray.
His nature is basically more comparable to that of a cat. His hunting instinct is strong and he is a social pack animal. He gets along best with other representatives of the breed, but also with other dogs. Its humans can also take on the role of the pack. Consequently, the dogs are reluctant to be alone at home. With good socialization and familiarization from puppyhood, the dogs also live with cats.
The Appearance of the Basenji
The Basenji is a slightly built, medium-sized dog. Its proportions are harmonious and it looks elegant and graceful. The legs are long compared to the body and the gait is energetic. The tail is curled tightly and lies on the back. He proudly holds his head up. The skin on the forehead and sides of the head lies in characteristic, fine folds.
The dark eyes are almond-shaped and slanted. The distinctive erect ears are set high and pointed. The dog’s coat is short and lies close to the body. It can appear in black and white, red and white, tricolor, and brindle colors.
Education of the Puppy
The African dogs are relatively stubborn and stubborn. Their upbringing is correspondingly demanding. The self-confident dogs initially try to assert themselves and put their own needs first. A successful upbringing succeeds with the help of mutual trust and clear rules. You should therefore be patient with the Basenji, especially in the first few years. However, don’t give up and work consistently on your upbringing. You should see it as a challenge to convince the dog of your leadership.
Activities with the Basenji
The lively Bongo is not a dog for demanding dog sports. Nevertheless, he needs a lot of exercises and a demanding job. He loves to run around in nature and can get really fast. Since many representatives of the breed are not fans of being called on command, you should only leash him to a limited extent.
Fetch games aren’t their thing either if they don’t see the point in them. The agile dogs are still great sporting companions. They can easily keep up with jogging or cycling. Long walks are the order of the day, although the dogs prefer to avoid bad weather. Otherwise, the dogs make a detour around the water and are not enthusiastic swimmers. Although the breed is athletic and lively, the Bongo also enjoys lounging around the house with its pack.
Health and Care
Basenjis are clean and tidy dogs that don’t require much grooming. They don’t have a strong odor and shed little hair. Some representatives of the breed even groom themselves like a cat. Since the dogs come from a tropical country, they are relatively sensitive to cold. In bad weather and cold, a dog coat is therefore recommended, but not a disguise. In terms of health, some genetic defects occur in dogs due to one-sided breeding. Thus, severely overbred representatives of the breed have a predisposition to eye diseases and problems with the metabolism. However, reputable breeding combats such hereditary diseases.
Is the Basenji Right for Me?
The Basenji is a special breed of dog that differs from other dogs in many ways. His independent nature makes raising the African dog a bit more complicated. The proud and elegant dog, therefore, belongs in the hands of an experienced owner. The dogs also feel comfortable in a city apartment if they are given enough freedom to roam. They like to live together with conspecifics. In general, the Bongo is only recommended for people who have the time and desire to seriously deal with the peculiarities of the breed.