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The Cretan Hound and its ?relation? to the Basenji

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  • Not a Basenji, but WOW!

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    Great find and thanks for sharing with others also. Fond lots of other links while watching the shared link so will watch after this post.
  • Could be a basenji

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    Very cool smart little dogs!
  • Would you marry your basenji?

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    MacPack: Yes, I know bestiality isn't illegal here - how stupid, and they did mention that on the radio. Also, the whole gang probably would platonically marry Topper, he is such a dear. My Shaye would REALLY like to marry Topper.
  • Hyena or basenji?

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    What an interesting group of pictures. I don't get a good feeling when looking at these pictures - I get a feeling that the animals look as if they are being exploited. The dog at the bottom right does looks a little like a basenji or pharoah hound or a mix of the two.
  • The Wonderful Cretan Tracer

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    Its difficult to tell you in short… i don't think i can set all historical and mythical aspects of the case here, its not just a story but many interelated ones that need to be studied and connected, so i can't set a whole history class in my 'quick reply'. the history goes back 10 000 years and all the breeds you mentioned are related to the cretan tracer.you see all primitive breeds that were the subject of trade in the ancient world( refering to Egyptians, Minoans, Phoenicians) are interrelated as they were neighbours. What -possibly- makes the cretan tracer a progenitor of the ones you mentioned is the fact that minoan civilization was prior to the expansion of the phoenician civilization and the dog had been isolated in crete and adapted to the certain environment for thousand of years- just as the basenji remained a pure primitive breed in Africa. also, there had been some scientific observations in its genome in the UNIVERSITY OF CRETE - MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY IN CRETE LABORATORY OF MOLECULAR SYSTEMS BIOLOGY. that conclude that the dog is a pure breed and i extract the final conclusion: The difference of the Cretan Tracer from the Wolf (Canis Lupus) concerning genes is between 2,8-3,1%. This means that it is a dog that developed differently in the history of dogs. (as it also appears in the diagram- I didn't set this, but you can read all if you click on the right subcategories under SCIENTIFIC ELEMENTS) (The difference between Canis Lupus and the coyote is 7,5% while the difference between humans and the chimpanzee is 0.5%) From the dogs that have been checked and from relative studies, appears that these differ from each other from 0% (that is to say they are identical) up to 0,05%. On the contrary, the Cretan Tracer differs from them at 0,3%. Still the difference between the already genetically tested dogs from the wolf (except for the Cretan Tracer) oscillates from 0,02% to 0,05%. Very interesting is also the fact that there is no differentiation in the Cretan Tracer from its original type, because of its isolation on the island. I also lay the following as found in the site so as to answer your questions about the other dog breeds you refered to The study on the genome of dogs is directed by Dr T. Ostrander from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Rersearch Center (USA) and is addressed to the national health institutions. In this program there are more than 10 researchers and technicians, collaborating with veterinarians, geneticists, molecular biologists, statisticians and computer scientists, in order to discover the possibly lurking genetic sensitivity of structures and illnesses in canine genome. CANINE GENOME 'The study on canine genome proves that Kelb tal fenek (nowdays called Pharaoh Hound or Hound of Malta) is not of ancient Egyptian origin; particularly, that the breeds Kelb tal fenek (faraon hound) and Podenco Ibicenco (Potenko of Ibiza) are not as old as we believed up to today. This fact results from a study on the canine genome, which was published in May 2004 by scientists of the Fred Hutchinson research centre for cancer in Seattle (USA). The genetic samples of 85 breeds (of pure breed dogs), were examined at the duration of this study, which was realised with the support of American Kennel Club (AKC). Scientists hope that this analysis will help make serious conclusions in fighting human illnesses. At least half of the almost 300 hereditary illnesses that occur in dogs, including various cancers - resemble particular human illnesses. “There are more than 400 dog breeds, each one being an isolated breed population that allows us to study a complex genetic problem”. An interesting effect of this study is that it helps to unravel certain myths: For example, Kelb tal- fenek, just as Podenco Ibicenco, was found to be not as old a breed as it was thought before- due to its resemblance with the dogs that are portrayed on ancient Egyptian graves. Their genes show that they have been developed in more recent years. Consequently, it can be said that the theory of the Egyptian origin of this breed does not have a definite scientific basis. Researchers determined two categories of pedigree that were premature in order to be excluded from the wolves. The first category includes the Asiatic breeds Shar Pei, Shiba Inu, Chow chow and Akita, and the other category include the seemigly different breeds :African Basenji, Siberian Husky , Alaskan Malamute, Afghan hounds and Saluki. Later, the majority of canines developed inτο three other clumps of dog variants, as they resulted from human lead reproduction: hounds, sheep dogs guard dogs. Certain breeds present very similar genetics: the Belgian sheepdog and the Belgian Tervuren, that are registered as separate breeds in AKC belong in fact to the same breed. Apart from these two breeds, the study presented also five pairs of breeds with very similar genetics: the Alaskan Malamute and the Siberian Husky, the Collei and the Shetland Sheepdog, the Greyhound and the Whippet, the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Great Swiss Mastif and Mountain Bull and the Mastif. Only four breeds failed to present consistent totals of common genes. Those were the Perro de Presa Canario, the German short-haired Pointer, Australian Sheepdog and the Chihuahua.' Now, the reason why we wish to call the dog a tracer and not just hound, is because hounds are the dolichocephalic sight hounds (the tall ones that race fast). the cretan tracer - due to the fact that it had to adapt to the harsh rocky cretan terrain to survive, it became through the passing of years, a tracer- meaning it traces through sensing the air and the ground its prey, pursues it, captures it, and brings it to its place -or owner. (a Basenji is a tracer too, not just a hound. We have all noticed how a tracer behaves cause we keep one!). So, to call a dog a hound while this is too general a term and refers to other kinds of 'work' and 'behavior' in dogs, it just lacks precision. that was the shortest i could do, for such a complicated matter. What i truly wish is for the official greek kennel club to be run by people who are not just interested in having the 'power' of decision and earn money, but to be more supportive to the people who are struggling for the rescue of such a unique dog, yet so unpopular amongst most of us.
  • So what did you do with your Basenji today?

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    Sure! I have only worked with UKC at this point, but there are others out there. http://www.ukcdogs.com/WebSite.nsf/WebPages/DogWeightPull The dogs are divided into classes by weight. Placements are given out in each class, although they really don't matter much. The weight classes are 15 lbs apart for smaller dogs and 20 lb increments for big dogs. For example, the Basenjis bascially fall into the 30 lb class. (anything from 16 to 30.9 lbs) There are two ways to calculate placements, and it is decided ahead of time by the clubs holding the event. Format A is by most weight pulled. Format B is by most weight pulled per pound of body weight. It is calculated as a percentage. Most clubs do format A one day and format B the next. Also each day there is an overall winner for both the most weight pulled and most weight pulled per pound for all classes combined. I have seen everything from an American Bulldog to an Italian Greyhound win the most weight pulled per pound. :) All titles in UKC are earned by each dog's individual pulls compared to their own body weight. So classes and placements really don't matter, except for fun. There are 3 types of carts/surfaces to pull with, and each has their own point scale. Snow pulls are the hardest, so it doesn't take as much weight pulled in those events to earn the same amount of points as say a pull with a rail system. Wheeled cart pulls are inbetween, and the rail carts are the easiest to pull. Therefore it takes more weight to earn points. For example, a qualifying score for the first title takes only 3 times the body weight on snow to earn. It takes 7x the weight if its a wheel cart, and then 10x the weight on a rail track. Then to earn championship points after your first title, you only need to pull 5x body weight on snow, but you must pull 10x weight for wheels and 20x weight on rails! The more you pull the more points you earn, up to a max of 20 pts per event. Some titles can be earned by pulling on any of the surfaces. Other titles are for showing off versatility and the dog must earn so many points in two or all 3 of the surfaces to get them. There are 6 titles total you can earn. IWPA is another organization just for pulling, and they accept all breeds. I have never pulled with them however because the closest pulls in my region are over 3 hours away, up North. We have enough to do with everything else in the dog world that I don't need to make those kind of drives for this. lol http://www.iwpa.net/ APA is another one I just found this winter doing some googling. They have some pulls very close to home this summer so I am looking forward to going. I don't think they're a very big or influential organization to bother pulling with, at least for Basenjis, but will be nice to check it out. http://www.weightpull.com/ I think these are all the ones that will accept all breeds. Both IWPA and APA I think give points based on class placements, so I know they have some different formats than UKC. The only thing you really need is a custom fitted harness. It's an investment of about $50 -100 depending on who you go with and what you make of it. There are 3 harness makers that I've either used or know others personally who have, and they all do nice work and come highly recommended. Missy Kehler - The Working Canine (she's in the middle of redoing her site) http://www.theworkingcanine.com/ Harnesses By Carol http://harnessesbycarol.com/ CD Pits http://www.itsmysite.com/cdpits/ Most of these sites also have links to training articles, so search thoroughly. :) Our club got to host the "national" snow pull this year for UKC, organized by UNWPA. Here's a link to my little Roxie placing 4th in her class of 8, beating out 4 other Basenjis. This was only two weeks after her very first pulls. (And yes, there's more than one of us crazy Basenji people out here!) And two of those placing Staffies flew out from CA for this! lol Our lovely frigid below freezing MI temps were so welcoming. :) And check out our little racing friend BJ, the IG! http://www.unitednationalweightpullassociation.com/2009%20shows/UNWPAsnowpull2009.htm