New Congo pups

[sharronhurlbut]

I got to see the new Congo pups from this last Africa trip this weekend.
Not only that, but I got to hold them as well.
Just little cuties.
I didn't get any photos, but there are several on facebook.
They are very basenji!

[Kipawa]

You lucky gal, Sharron! Can you provide the link (or name) to the Facebook site? I would love to see them!

[JoT]

Just got a peak at the pictures posted of her puppies. Oh My! They are so precious.
As someone who has always been very candid about my preference for black & whites … I am absolutely GREEN with envy <g>.
Am I correct in thinking that the little b&w is the very first one brought out of Congo?</g>

[Quercus]

Jo, from my conversations with Katie, I think that is correct. She said they saw SEVERAL black and whites while they were there

I am also green with envy!

[tanza]

I can't wait to see more pictures… the others are on the East Coast or so I heard....

[sharronhurlbut]

This isn't facebook but the site from James African list.
James writes…
At the Seattle Kennel Club show Bengi met some fellow Congolese! Katie Campbell had three puppies she brought back from her Congo trip with Jon Curby, et al, in the Evergreen Basenji Booth at the Seattle Kennel Club show. They were all bitches, one black and white, the rest red and white. Apparently the African bug has bitten her because she is keeping one of the red and whites! Three others were also brought back, 2 females and a male, and currently are on the east coast. I have posted some pictures of their visit to the EBC booth on the African list photos. Look for "Congo 2011" or follow this link if logged onto the African group on yahoo.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Basenjis_African/photos/album/1742174368/pic/list

James E Johannes
http://dibubasenjis.com

[Schouiffy]

Oh can we have the Facebook link please???

[sharronhurlbut]

I hope this does it. If not, maybe someone else can get it to you.
++++++++

James wrote:
"This is one of the imports Katie Campbell brought back. This one is going to another home. She is keeping the other red and white."

To see the comment thread, follow the link below:
http://www.facebook.com/n/?photo.php&fbid=1637364377298&set=a.1494209878525.165523.1332407696&mid=3e78c96G5a576ccdG275c7e8G10&bcode=CsUAykD3&n_m=brescue%40wavecable.com

Thanks,
The Facebook Team

[Nemo]

@sharronhurlbut:

I hope this does it. If not, maybe someone else can get it to you.
++++++++

James wrote:
"This is one of the imports Katie Campbell brought back. This one is going to another home. She is keeping the other red and white."

To see the comment thread, follow the link below:

Thanks,
The Facebook Team

That link doesn't work exactly. You probably want to edit it out as it brings up your email address in the Facebook login screen.

[Nemo]

I'm very excited about these pups. Particularly the b/w girl that Dr. Jo mentioned. Apparently they saw a decent number of b/w dogs over in the Congo this time compared to past trips where they really hadn't seen any in that general area. (I'm not really sure where they were this time compared to previous trips.) I guess since black is a dominant color it probably can spread pretty quickly if given the chance. Maybe Jon and the others were really unlucky seeing them in past trips? I find it fascinating.

Edit: Oops, Quercus already said some of this.

[Quercus]

@Nemo:

I'm very excited about these pups. Particularly the b/w girl that Dr. Jo mentioned. Apparently they saw a decent number of b/w dogs over in the Congo this time compared to past trips where they really hadn't seen any in that general area. (I'm not really sure where they were this time compared to previous trips.) I guess since black is a dominant color it probably can spread pretty quickly if given the chance. Maybe Jon and the others were really unlucky seeing them in past trips? I find it fascinating.

Edit: Oops, Quercus already said some of this.

That's okay Clay! I find it exciting and fascinating too…it doesn't hurt to repeat and keep the info fresh for people

[JoT]

@Nemo:

I'm very excited about these pups. Particularly the b/w girl that Dr. Jo mentioned. Apparently they saw a decent number of b/w dogs over in the Congo this time compared to past trips where they really hadn't seen any in that general area. (I'm not really sure where they were this time compared to previous trips.) I guess since black is a dominant color it probably can spread pretty quickly if given the chance. Maybe Jon and the others were really unlucky seeing them in past trips? I find it fascinating.

As I understand (and I am happy to be corrected), these puppies came from the same general area that the previous Avongara puppies have all come from; the location where the majority of native stock founder basenjis have come from now.

Just because black is the dominant color on the locus of the carrier, does not equate to black as a color "dominating" the population. It is entirely dependent on selection pressures of the population. A dominant gene doesn't spread (increase in frequency) unless favored by selection. To increase in frequency of a population there has to be selection in favor of one or another color. There needs to be some "advantage" to the color (either real or perceived) by the population who make the breeding selection. What you have is a relatively uncommon gene which happens to be dominant and thus readily apparent when it is present. Since the presence of homozygous individuals does NOT increase the frequency of the gene (absent selection, or genetic drift), the proportion of black individuals in the population should remain approximately constant over time unless there is some dramatic shift in the selection pressure. Dominance does not equate to prevalence in population genetics.
And of course we know that black is a mutation of the beta defensin gene.

[Nemo]

@JoT:

As I understand (and I am happy to be corrected), these puppies came from the same general area that the previous Avongara puppies have all come from; the location where the majority of native stock founder basenjis have come from now.

Just because black is the dominant color on the locus of the carrier, does not equate to black as a color "dominating" the population. It is entirely dependent on selection pressures of the population. A dominant gene doesn't spread (increase in frequency) unless favored by selection. To increase in frequency of a population there has to be selection in favor of one or another color. There needs to be some "advantage" to the color (either real or perceived) by the population who make the breeding selection. What you have is a relatively uncommon gene which happens to be dominant and thus readily apparent when it is present. Since the presence of homozygous individuals does NOT increase the frequency of the gene (absent selection, or genetic drift), the proportion of black individuals in the population should remain approximately constant over time unless there is some dramatic shift in the selection pressure. Dominance does not equate to prevalence in population genetics.
And of course we know that black is a mutation of the beta defensin gene.

Thanks, Jo for the genetics correction and lesson. I believe they said that red was still the overwhelming color present so I guess any changes in the relative percentage of black dogs in the population as a whole are still pretty small. I was just looking at it from a little too simplistic perspective knowing that by chance, you sometimes you get all black (or vice versus) when breeding to a red in a litter, so over a few years span you could locally have a relatively larger number of blacks appear. But that fluctuation probably would correct itself over a pretty short period of time.

So, I'm guessing the "they were unlucky seeing them the previous trips" is the prevailing hypothesis then?

[LindaH]

I, too, would be interested in the Facebook link in order to see pictures. I'm not a member of the Yahoo Group, so can't view pictures there.

[Basenjimamma]

I want to see pics too..but none of the links worked for me..

[Basenjimamma]

Ok, so I finally saw the pics James posted on the group page…wow...adorable..the b/w is super cute..well, so are the r/w's..:D

[JoT]

@Nemo:

Thanks, Jo for the genetics correction and lesson. I believe they said that red was still the overwhelming color present so I guess any changes in the relative percentage of black dogs in the population as a whole are still pretty small. I was just looking at it from a little too simplistic perspective knowing that by chance, you sometimes you get all black (or vice versus) when breeding to a red in a litter, so over a few years span you could locally have a relatively larger number of blacks appear. But that fluctuation probably would correct itself over a pretty short period of time.
So, I'm guessing the "they were unlucky seeing them the previous trips" is the prevailing hypothesis then?

I apologize if my remarks sounded "teachy" or as if I was correcting you. That was not my intent. In actuality, I think your comments are spot on target.
Yes, I understand that red was still seen as most often. But, I was told that black & white was the second most common (but, as you pointed out far behind in numbers compared to red) color seen ubiquitously … from the very first day and during the whole trip; in almost every settlement even when separated by miles; and of all age groups on this trip. Black and whites were "abundant" on this trip.
It will certainly be very exciting when they start publishing stories and details. I am thrilled about their finds. In my opinion, they all three are beautiful little basenjis.

[YodelDogs]

Anyone else having issues logging into Yahoo Groups? It was telling me that my sign in name was not accepted? (The same name I have been using for many, many years.) Then it kept asking me to register but kept refusing my email address. I finally got it to work somehow but I don't know why it was such a pain.

I am happy that more pups were brought back and even happier that one is a black/white. I hope we get to see more of these pups soon.

[tanza]

I agree Jo, they are all lovely puppies complete with Breed Type

[YodelDogs]

Sharron,
Whose facebook name or what group are these dogs being written about? I want to follow them.