Not really sure that this is the right place to put this in, but, its seems right…
Looking at websites from all over the world, over the last few days, and I came across a colour description that I hadnt heard of before... Could someone please enlighten this 'newbie to the breed', what a Fula Tri is, please ??? Also the genetics behind it, but, you will have to tell me the genetics part in 'baby speak', cos Im a bit of a numpty on genetics 
o:o...
A fula tri is a "slang" name for a tri that has a black bar through the tan cheek patch..so it looks like a little tan island on the cheek. It is NOT a mismark, just a different tri pattern. Some people will indicate it is somehow 'less than', but liking it or disliking it is more of a personal preference. I believe that the genetics of it are just a variation of the more common full cheek patch tri, but I am hazy on that. I don't think a 'fula' or 'barred' tri will pop up in a breeding where it is not been seen before in the pedigree. But I don't know if there can be fula tris and regular tris in the same litter. Maybe somebody here can clarify that.
This is a good question because I saw a Fula tri at a show recently. My question is does the term come from a specific kennel name whose dogs had that particular pattern and hence can be found in the pedigree?
Pat can probably give the right answer to this question.
I think Fula is a tribe/ethnic group of people in africa, maybe the name came from them?
I am sure somebody knows for sure though..
Dobermans usually have a a black bar on the tan of their cheeks, if that helps give you a visual. (I couldn't find a pic of a Fula Tri)
I found a website that has a dog down the page named Chopper that is fula tri.
http://www.angelfire.com/oh3/bcoc/
Genetically, we don't know for sure what it is. One theory is that these dogs carry the gene for recessive black that is found in other breeds. If two dogs that carry the gene are bred you would get recessive blacks. The other is that the dog carries a modifier for the tri pattern and if bred to another with that modifer can produce a dog that appears to be a recessive black. These dogs are referred to as "Fula Blacks". A "Fula Black" appears to be a black and white but often, though not always, will develop tan bleeding in their coats usually on the back of the ears or legs though it can be in other places. There is a test for the gene that causes recessive black in other breeds so it is something that someone could test. I believe in other breeds there is no tan bleeding in the recessive blacks.
Thanks guys for all the info…
On the website, (thanks Basenjimamma), I can clearly see that Peaches appears to be a lovely rich tan clear Tri. Then I can also see that Chopper has the bar across his cheek, making him a Fula Tri, and it is clear to me, Thank Dog... Where I am confuddled is that they say that Deano, the puppy, is also a Fula Tri, but, I cant see his barring on the cheek o. Am I correct in saying he is a normal Tri, not a Fula Tri ???
Ivoss, you must be psychic, cos of course I was about to ask about the Fula blacks, next :D. I think I understand the genetics of these dogs, kinda, sorta :o... Am I right in saing that if you have a Fula black, you CAN test the dog, to confirm whether it is a Fula black, by its recessiveness ??? Also if there is no bleeding in the coat, then how do you know it is a Fula black ???
What happens if you breed with these dogs, what colous will you get ??? Black to black, I mean... Sorry about all the questions. Its always the way, the more you learn, the more the questions you have !!!
If you go to this website and scroll down you will see Deano as an adult and see the bar. http://www.hicotn.com/availadults.html
Fula Blacks are recessive. In order to produce it both parents must carry the genes for it. The easiest way to know is when you have a black and white born and neither parent is black and white.
There is a test for recessive black "a" but I do not know if any Fula Blacks have ever been tested to see if they are truly recessive blacks or if they are a modified tri. Meaning the lack of tan is controlled by a different gene series than the agouti series.
Renaultf1 The Fula tris are so called because they were first encountered in the UK in the offspring of Fula of the Congo imported by Veronica Tudor Williams.
The term 'Fula Tri' was coined by Veronica and referred to tricolours without melon pips. How this has been altered to its present usage in the US I can't say but it was never used to mean a barred tri here. I have no knowledge as to how the term Fula black arose but it was taken to be erroneous as the dogs so called, all have some tri markings. It suddenly became the vogue to call Fula tris Fula blacks among some people here.
They are registered by the UK Kennel Club as black/tan/white without melon pips.
I find it very interesting that the USA definition of Fula tri is so different from ours. How are tricolours without melon pips designated in the USA and other countries?
Fula tris crop up every now and again in the UK but they occasionally have other problems associated with the colour.
When I can get to be able to put pictures on computer I have a photo of my Fula tri (long dead) who as a puppy was pure black and white (although we knew genetically he couldn't be). As an adult he developed a red undercoat especially in the summer.
Thanks Patty…That makes sense now - "Fula" was a bitch...and I just did a search on the African Stock Project and saw "Fula of the Congo". In the litter in 1960 it says one of the pups was a "Fula Black".
http://www.basenji.org/african/Fula.htm
Just to make this more confusing, the website has my fula boys misnamed. The one that is labeled Deano is really Chopper, and Chopper is really Deano. Both were very definitely fula tris.
Fascinating thread, i learn something new every day on here 
Do they not look rather stern without the melon pips?lol I think they soften Maya's expression somehow…
Do they not look rather stern without the melon pips?lol I think they soften Maya's expression somehow…
I completely agree!
The 'Fula tris' expression is not normally stern in my opinion. The hardness in some Basenji expressions often comes from the eye colour - lighter eyes seem stern I think, especially if very light. I'll try to remember to bring a photo to the next show (please excuse if I forget though - I've got a lot to deal with at present). I do agree with you that melon pips can soften expression though.
