Updated 24.04.2010
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History of basenjis
(A compilation of various articles published in Basenjisanomat 1/96, 4/96 and 4/98) The basenji breed is a so-called natural breed: it is an ancient breed whose origins are still a mystery. The breed has not been developed with any systematic breeding programmes. As already stated, the exact roots of the breed are unknown. According to some sources, the history of the breed can be traced back all the way to the stone age, but mostly basenjis are connected to ancient Egypt. In old Egyptian sepulchral paintings dating from the 4th dynasty (c. 2700 BC) pictures of basenjilike dogs can be seen sitting under their owners' chairs. Also, some examinations of canine skeletons buried with their owners seem to indicate that there really were dogs looking like basenjis in ancient Egypt; the proportions of the skulls correspond to those of modern basenjis'. It was only in the 19th century that the breed was rediscovered. In 1870 some explorers found similar dogs in their original habitats in the fountainhead of the Nile and the river Congo. According to the descriptions of these explorers these dogs had short sleek hair, large ears, and curly tails like a pig. They did not bark, and they were extremely attached to their owners, which trait was highly appreciated. The natives would hang a small bell around the necks of these dogs so that they would be able to keep up with them during the hunting trips. Basenjis were used for tracking and hunting down game. In particular, they were used for hunting huge swamp rats whose bites caused people to become infected with blood poisoning. When larger animals (like lions) were hunted, the basenjis would be carried around their owners' necks to the place where the game was known to be. Then the dogs would be let loose as a pack to surround the game from all sides. The game could not scent the dogs, probably due to their odourless coats. In some areas (for example in Tanganjika) the natives would use the dogs for hunting apes, and on these occasions they would cut off the dogs' tails so that the apes would not get hold of them. Some tribes would also cut off the tail to prevent infections. The high level of appreciation that basenjis enjoyed among Pygmies can be seen in the fact that a Pygmy man could not set up a familiy unless he had a basenji, which would guarantee a regular food supply. Basenjis used to live in isolation, in villages a long way from each other, and this guaranteed that each basenji population retained their good health and stamina through natural selection. In the jungle only the best individuals could live long enough to have offspring. This is why even today a closer line breeding can be used with basenjis than with most other breeds. The first basenji came to the western world through England. Originally basenjis were called Congo terriers. In 1923 the first two basenjis were brought to England. Unfortunately, they died after having received the distemper vaccination. Also the next attempts failed as the dogs died of the vaccination. It was only in 1930 that the import proved successful. During these last few decades basenjis have spread around the world. The first basenji came to Norway in 1959, and to Finland in 1964 from Sweden. The first Finnish basenji litter saw daylight in 1967. The first breeder and progeny groups were presented in 1975, and in 1976 the borderline of 100 basenjis in Finland was broken. The Finnish Basenji Club was founded in 1972. |
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