• Does anybody's Tri have these patches of light coloring? I have had a tri before but no light patches like this. It's just on his sides.


  • yes!!! JOnny b. did that in the early fall. it lasted a few weeks and then he went back to normal. did not do anything different before or after…. weird. not real attractive either. but he is solid black again.


  • Isn't it just blowing coat? IDK, it just looks like what I've seen when that happens.


  • He's been like this since I've had him for 7 months, even pics from the Basenji rescue showed he was like that. It's a little more now actually.


  • Eddie has some red in his shoulders but nit nearly that light-colored. "Grecian formula for men", perhaps?


  • @MacPack:

    Eddie has some red in his shoulders but nit nearly that light-colored. "Grecian formula for men", perhaps?

    I'll have to loan him my Just for Men. 😃


  • Jet the try-ing has one spot like that, but it's where he's been itching and chewing. otherwise, have you tested his thyroid? have you noticed him itching? is the hair really a different color, texture, or is it just sparser?


  • It does look like my dogs fur if they have a ichy place and do a lot of scratching.


  • I've heard double-recessive blacks have muddy-colored fur on occasion. I wonder whether it would apply to tri's as well? How about it, experts?


  • I noticed yesterday and you can see in the pics that the lines are right where the nylon harness goes around and the area around the back of his neck the hair is thin from the nylon collar too. So it looks like I'll have to go with a better collar and harness made from leather.


  • I think you're right and it is caused by his harness which has actually damaged the fur. Once you get a correctly fitting harness I would think his new coat will be better. Personally I don't like nor use nylon collars or harnesses.

    Pulsatilla (homeopathic) is good for improving damaged patches of fur.


  • @Patty:

    I think you're right and it is caused by his harness which has actually damaged the fur. Once you get a correctly fitting harness I would think his new coat will be better. Personally I don't like nor use nylon collars or harnesses.

    Pulsatilla (homeopathic) is good for improving damaged patches of fur.

    Thanks Patty!


  • I don't believe it has anything to do with a harness.
    I have seen MANY dogs that wore a harness and it usually just makes a slight indentation and breaks the coats down… it can't change the color of the coat.

    I have seen many tris like this... it just isn't a great coat.
    I have seen many tris with fabulous coats that are NOT like this...
    even some from the same litters where one had it and one did not.
    Some dogs have good coats.. others do not.

    I haven't ever seen it in a black, brindle or red... as this is a diff color under the black. I am sure it is possible that it could happen, I just haven't seen it.


  • @khanis:

    I don't believe it has anything to do with a harness.
    I have seen MANY dogs that wore a harness and it usually just makes a slight indentation and breaks the coats down… it can't change the color of the coat.

    I have seen many tris like this... it just isn't a great coat.
    I have seen many tris with fabulous coats that are NOT like this...
    even some from the same litters where one had it and one did not.
    Some dogs have good coats.. others do not.

    I haven't ever seen it in a black, brindle or red... as this is a diff color under the black. I am sure it is possible that it could happen, I just haven't seen it.

    My point and shot camera doesn't take a great shot. It makes his fur look worse than it is. A lot of that is reflection from the flash. He actually has a pretty thick coat that's mostly black but not a show dog coat.


  • @nobarkus:

    My point and shot camera doesn't take a great shot. It makes his fur look worse than it is. A lot of that is reflection from the flash. He actually has a pretty thick coat that's mostly black but not a show dog coat.

    I see all the tan bleeding through the black… that the flash of a back light.
    Like I said, it can't possibly be from the harness, because a harness cannot change the color of the coat.
    A good tri coat will be black all the way through.
    A dog that is dealing with extreme weather conditions will generally end up with an undercoat, hence a tri will get tan bleed-through... a red will usually get a lighter shade of red... a black usually just gets a fuzzy black undercoat... the brindles usually get a fuzzy tan/light red undercoat.
    This has nothing to do with being a show dog or a companion, as all basenjis should have the same kind of coat.
    Unfortunately, some coats are not great, even show dogs.


  • I saw a discussion on the forums somewhere about recessive blacks. I can't find it now or I would link to it. I believe the question on the discussion had to do with some red bleed-through on the recessive black's coat during coat transition times.

    If I remember it correctly, the questioner asked whether it was "normal" for a recessive black to look "muddy" at times. There was no mention of the animal having a poor coat. Rather, again, if I remember correctly, the individual was seemingly congratulated on having a rare recessive black. And it was indicated that during transition, the coat of a recessive black will occasionally appear muddy, as Buddy's coat does right now. His coat looks pretty good to me in all the other photos I've seen of him.


  • He has lost hair on the back of his neck from the nylon collar. I'm going to change from a nylon harness anyway. That hair is a fuzzy light tan. The red and white I had did have coat changes. When I first got him he was not in the best health and his coat was a very light red with some light patches. At 2-1/2 he looked old. Then I really changed his diet and with the sun it turned a solid dark red/orange. Even the black and white I had would at times seem the coat had a very slight brownish tint to it and sometimes would be just a dark black. Depending on the health and time of year.


  • Yes, diet will affect hair… on both people and dogs.
    I see tan coming through this dogs black on his rear legs.
    I don't see how the harness would rub back there as well.
    I assume this is the dog in your avatar?
    It looks to me that this dog DOES have melon pips, does he not?
    If he has pips, he cannot be a recessive black, so I am not sure why that would be suggested.
    If he were a recessive tri, he would have looked like a 'normal' tri as a youngster. As they age, the ten gets bleed through [through the black] on the legs, around the ears, and throughout the entire back.

    I see no reason to suspect this dog is either a recessive tri or recessive black. I believe he is a tri that doesn't have the best of coats. I am sure the coat could change with either a new diet, climate control, or the Fur-minator.

    I think you are taking what I am saying personal about your dog. Don't… I am just telling you what I see in this dog. I have been around basenjis my entire life... and showing them for 35 years. I believe I have quite the knowledge base in the breed and am giving you my opinion based on that knowledge. If you don't feel I am right, that is quite all right with me. I am a big girl and don't mind people not in agreeance with me.

    I could look through all posts, but that would be more time than I really have... so do you mind sharing what is pedigree is, if you have it?


  • I didn't mean to sound argumentative, Ms. Kathy. I was just trying to ask whether there were recessive tris and whether it could be a remote possibility. I think you just answered my first question and I appreciate that.


  • Dan - previous postings seems to have gone from the subject slightly.

    Change the harness, and the diet, - I'm sure these would make a difference whatever the quality of his colour. Does that matter after all? He is the same beloved basenji whatever.

    Having not seen him in the flesh, I can't comment on the various previous posts and I'm not going to trade experience as in my opinion we can all learn from each other whether novice or experienced! (I'm not meaning to be offensive here - only concerned with your worry)

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