Tail & Basenji Standard

[stazy]

I've got a red and white basenji with some black on his tail. Does this follow the breed standard or is it unusual? When his tail is curled you can't even see the black…Only when the tail unwinds is it visible. I don't really care either way...I'm just curious.

[Patty]

I don't know about your Standard - but it isn't a fault - the black on his tail usually means that he carries the tri gene.

[stazy]

@Patty:

I don't know about your Standard - but it isn't a fault - the black on his tail usually means that he carries the tri gene.

Aren't all basenji's perfect in the eye's of their owner? lol

I was just curious as to wether or not it was a fault in the eyes of the AKC basenji standard because I wasn't sure if the marking meant he wasn't a pure red and white.

[agilebasenji]

sometimes that sort of marking fades as the pup grows older. how old is your dog?

[Maya]

Not really too much help, but my first pug Delilah had a very dark, almost black section on her tail as a pup, but it faded by the time she was about 12 months.

[stazy]

@agilebasenji:

sometimes that sort of marking fades as the pup grows older. how old is your dog?

Almost 5 months. There is some red mixed with the black so maybe it's already starting to fade.

[pacificNWbasenji]

It's normal and is not considered a fault. As said above, it means your dog carries the tri gene and can produce the tricolor color in puppies.

It would not be faulted in the conformation ring in the US, I would assume the same in Canada but cannot advise myself as I haven't shown up there.

My r/w boy is 22 months and has the same marking (since birth), he has earned championship points in the conformation ring and lure coursing.

[Quercus]

Definitely normal…may not go away as the dog matures. Querk is going to be twelve and he has a very clear black patch on his tail, like the dog in the photo. I don't know if it makes a difference, but Querk's mom was a tri. All our other red dogs are also tri-factored (with the possible exception of Blondie) and they don't have the remaining black hairs in the tail, but they did have them as babies. And all of them had two red parents.

[Lysh]

Hope has same markings, if not blacker (since birth). The breeder told me that it means she carries the tri gene as stated in previous posts above. Hope is going onto 6 mths now and it hasnt faded. I actually quite like it :)

Both parents were r/w. But i think there was Tri's on the fathers side.

Hopes sisters (same litter) have gone on to win at shows so it doesnt seem to affect in the show ring. (Australia)

[Scoops]

As the others have said, means they are carrying the tri-colour gene. Cooper had a few on his tail when he was a pup, has since lost them. He has R/W parents but he has a litter brother and sister who are tri- colour. I find the colour genetics fasinating in all breeds.

It is not considered a fault in the UK.

[stazy]

Thanks for the replies everyone! :)