Jennifer, I really did not know anything about "African dogs" before Bowpi. This mural at a local pet store basically sums it up for me:
I'm kind of surprised that Ridgebacks don't even place on their mural, given how popular they are around here. What initially piqued my interest about Basenjis was less their place of origin, but their breed characteristics β cleanliness, elegance, personality, etc. But it does stir the imagination to think about where they fit alongside others like the "painted" African wild dog, whom I guess commanded more attention from Jane Gooddall and the like.