The Basenji is one of the oldest breeds of dog, an ancient breed that has not been altered by man, it is breed created by Mother Nature herself.

The Basenji was a palace dog to the Pharaohs and was sculpted in stone as far back as 4000 BC. He was found in Mesopotamia many centuries later and the Metropolitan Museum of Arts owns a bronze statue of a man and a Basenji-like dog, including curled tail and wrinkled forehead....this is identified as Babylonian. Ancient empires crumbled and disappeared, as did the Basenji.

In the 17th century, Father Jerome Merolla, a Catholic missionary to the Congo, left behind this written description of the Basenjis he saw living a feral state: “These dogs, notwithstanding their wildness, do little or no damage to the inhabitants. They are red-haired, have small slender bodies and their tails turned upon their backs.” Some time later, in the latter half of the 19^th century, Basenjis were re-discovered in their original habitat – the headwaters of both the Nile and the Congo, in the heart of Africa. There, they are hunting dogs of the native tribes and so highly esteemed that they are regarded as having equal rights with their masters. These small, swift dogs with short coat and plaint skin were well adapted to hunt in the thick brush. Their far seeing eyes could spot prey easily and hooded ears could pick up the slightest sound. Since silent on the trail, the tribesmen outfitted them to wear a hunting bell made of wood, iron or the Borassus nut and they would help the tribesmen drive game into their nets.

The British made many attempts to bring Basenjis to England but they were not successfully acclimated there until 1937. In 1938 they were introduced into the United States and Canada. The Basenji Club of America, Inc., an organization of Basenji breeders, is dedicated to the preservation of the Basenji as an aboriginal dog and in the image of its African prototype.

Basenjis are classified as sighthounds but actually hunt by sight and scent. An owner must always remember that these dogs still have their primitive instincts and most have a very high prey drive. Because of this, they should never be trusted around small animals or birds. Many do live successfully with cats but there is no guarantee and great care must be taken to keep the cat safe during the introduction period.

Basenjis are active dogs and if bored can be very destructive and noisy. They need physical as well as mental stimulation. A fenced yard with appropriate fencing is a must as some are known to easily climb or dig out. Outside the home they should always be on lead as even a well trained Basenji will forget everything if there is a squirrel or rabbit to chase. They are also known for bolting out front doors and unfortunately many are killed getting hit by cars.

Although some are totally silent, Basenjis do possess vocal chords and do have a voice. They have a growl worthy a dog twice their size, they snark, which is their version of swearing, and they can scream, which can eerily sound like a child being tortured. Some will talk to their owners and others are yodelers. There is nothing sweeter than having your basenji yodel for you.

The Basenji is a thinking dog, very intelligent but not necessarily easy to train. One must be firm but fair with a Basenji and harsh training methods should never be used with them. They do well with clicker training and treat/praise based training. They are not a dog that wants to please by doing your bidding, you must find a way to train them that they see as beneficial to them. Above all, one must keep their sense of humor when training a Basenji and remember that they will be the one to decide when and if to do what they have learned.

The Basenji is immaculate, grooming themselves much like a cat and are practically odorless. Because of this they do not need to be bathed often. They have a sleek coat and some shed much less than others, but they do shed. They also like to groom their people and lick off water and lotions. Many on-line sources list them as hypo-allergenic and while a person may not react as much to a Basenji as another breed of dog, it will depend on the allergies a person has. If one has allergies, it's best to spend a good amount of time around the breed before bringing one home.

Basenjis and children? There is no definite answer to that as they are all individuals and every household will be different. Basenjis will be better with gentle, well behaved older children that they are socialized with early on. They will not tolerate poking, prodding, ear and tail pulling, so having young children or toddlers that don't understand these things could lead to the dog feeling the need to defend itself. Much care must be taken to teach both dog and children proper behavior.

Basenjis and other dogs? Again, there is no clear cut answer to this as each dog is an individual. As a puppy they will be fine but as they mature, they may want to be the dominate dog. They tend to do better with opposite sexes in general but can be fine with the same sex, especially if spayed or neutered. If problems arise it is best to call in a qualified behaviorist to help. Basenjis are also known to be leash aggressive so training to avoid or correct that should be started young and may be something that is never 100%.

Females usually go into heat only once a year, mostly in the fall with litters arriving around the holidays. Litters are usually small with an average of 4-6 puppies. There are occasional off-season litters but the majority of puppies are still born around the fall/winter holidays. Your best place to look for a reputable breeder is through local breed clubs, the national breed club or check out Basenji Rescue and Transport if you want to go that route. Beware breeders that won't give you information on the sire and dam, won't let you come meet their dogs or see how the puppies will be/are being raised. There are a lot of scams out now so please beware.

There are many sports today that Basenjis excel at. Aside from conformation showing, there is lure coursing, straight line racing, oval track racing, agility, Barn Hunt, Scent Work and some even delve into obedience. They are very versatile dogs and new sports are always being added that the basenji can excel at.

Basenjis are not a breed of dog for everyone and if you think they will be a "regular" dog, you are wrong. People that fall for this breed are willing to live with a primitive thinking animal and respect that about them. Your lives will never be the same if you choose to love a Basenji.