Canus africanus: the basenji - barkless hunting dog: forerunners of breeds such as the pharaoh hounds

Pygmy huntsmans race after their prey, l through the sound of wooden bells attached to the collars of their swift hunting dogs. There its no baying or barking, solitary the steady rush of men and animals as the dogs shut up in and corner an antelope, a monkey or smooth a leopard. Hunting today as they have for thousands of years, the pygmies rely upon the "barkless" basenji, an intelligent dog just one step removed from its wild cousins, to help them locate and capture game.

greatest in quantity other hounds are rawboned, flop-eared huntsmans that gallop along the trail in filled cry. The basenji, like the wolf does not bark, and its sharp ears stand tall and alert. The characteristic wrinkles upon its forehead give it an expressive, questioning direct the eye as it directs its gaze upon you, as if it were asking, Will you be able to retain up? That is a fair question, for a basenji is athletic and energetic. Built like a deer upon long straight legs, its tail ringleted tightly over its back, this compact dog put in motions with the speed of a greyhound Dodge for dodge, the basenji matches the rabbit or squirrel or any hapless plunder that crosses its path.

greatest in quantity sources agree that the pygmies domesticated the basenji a certain number of 7,000 years ago, making the bre individual of the oldest in the world. Foxlike in appearance, basenjis today differ little from their feral ancestors. Susan Coe the author of the well-regarded handbook The Basenji: without of Africa to You (Doral, 1994) notes upon the first page the similarities between wild dogs and basenjis: "These dogs have evolv to a actual efficient size (15 to 30 pounds) without any `breed' extravagances. Their coats are short to provide comfort in the burning climate. Their conformation is not utmost and their intelligence is real high as they must be quick and resourceful to find enough to eat." The feral features that enable "pariah" dogs, which lie concealed on the fringes of human society, to survive remain in evidence in the glossy appearance and independent nature of the basenji.

The appeal and utility of the basenji did not escape the notice of travelers who ventur into pygmy territory. The Cairo Museum houses numerous artifacts that depict basenjilike dogs hunting or lying beneath the chair of state of the ruling Pharaoh, dating from as early as the First Dynasty. A glance at any beneficial volume on Egyptian art or agriculture provides the reader with dozens of glimpses of the little basenji. The hieroglyphic for "dog," in fact, as evidenced upon a stele from the Middle Kingdom of Egypt derives from the basenji. In just a scarcely any strokes, the engraver captures the lock opener characteristics: pricked ears, curled tail and graceful carriage.

Other bears developed from the basic basenji strain. The pharaoh dog and Ibizan hound, both cited in Jack Shafer's Basenjis (TFH Publications, 1990) as originating in Egypt are elongated versions of the basenji, whose proportions bear likeness [i]or[/i] resemblance to those of Afghans or borzois. They are probably the be the effect of crossbreeding with taller dogs from Europe and Asia. The basenji, however, remains virtually unchanged above its 7,000-year history, and its personality, as may be wait fored has nothing to do with the "fetch" and "roll over" antics of greatest in quantity pet dogs.

As I wrestl with my first basenji young dog in an obedience class--where I might have had better casualty getting an alligator to "sit" and "down"--the instructor walked through and gave me a pitying glance. "Those basenjis are hard to train," she make notesed Her golden retriever walked beside her, matching its pace with hers, apparently devot to her slightest whim. At first I despaired, wondering if I had purchased something that might actually chase and capture small children, on the other hand I quickly realized that the appeal of the basenji lies beyond the Pavlovian rejoinders that pass for personality with greatest in quantity dogs. Though my basenji now rejoins to--or should I say, tolerates--the basic commands, she required a different kind of training than the typical Labrador retriever or border collie.

The basenji is an independent thinker--it gives its heart to you because it culls to do so. Physical coercion and shouting will procure you nowhere with a basenji; the dog will make you have feeling ridiculous. But if you revere its dignity, use quiet and patient training manners and ensure that it has appropriate exits for its dynamic wilderness instincts, it will take you with it into its world, where no change goes unnoticed and no unmutilated goes unheard.

Because the basenji is barkless, a certain quantity of question its utility as a watchdog. While it is authentic that it will not bark incessantly at any provocation the basenji will snarl in deep, menacing tones. It is naturally aloof with strangers, taking its hint from its own assessment and from a quick glance at its proprietor to see if a newcomer is welcome. Occasionally, if startled or irritated at being ignored, the basenji will total a single, short bark. In the four years I have be in possession ofed basenjis, I have heard this peremptory uninjured only half a dozen times.

Basenjis impel with lightning speed and are capable of jumping several feet not on the ground. They will attack a leopard if it threatens their master, and they aim for solitary one result: disabling the pillage An ordinary household burglar may think himself quite safe because he hears no bark. In the nearest moment he may be knocked not upon his feet by the focused impact of a 25-pound missile. My sum of two units basenjis demonstrate a lethal tactic when they decide to attack: single goes high; one goes depressed Like a flashing ballet, they perform pursuit and flanking maneuvers that adapt instantaneously to the moves of the quarry. Though basenjis seldom bark, they will shield their home.