Yesterday we took Sanji, 15 weeks, to local dog training center for his first swimming lesson. Did great! Jumped off the floating dock, swam to ramp, four times.
We began getting him accustomed to water early with mini showers in our kitchen sink to rinse off mud from walks. A lick pad smeared with a banana helps a LOT!
Took out for play in light rain yesterday. He didn't even notice!
By happy coincidence, Zulu's owners and I met on this site when they contacted me after seeing the same birthday and location of breeder in North Carolina. Small world!
First pic is Sanji, second is Zulu and Teki. Sanji and Zulu are brothers.
Hi all -
Looking forward to hearing of others' experiences with Basenjis. We had a cockapoo who was tragically killed by a car last December. I'm an avid mountain biker and took him often, though he wasn't really the right breed. But he did great. Researched and discovered the Basenji breed and was impressed: the only non-shedding short hair "active" breed very suitable for mountain bike rides. We drove from Michigan to N. Carolina on Feb. 5, when he was 6 weeks. If I'd have known then what I know now, I would have insisted on picking up at 10 weeks. I trained our last dog 9 years ago, but this time began an online course, "30 Days to Puppy Perfection" (DreamDog) with Michelle Lennon and it's been a BIG help.
Sanji is, at 12.5 weeks, largely crate trained and potty trained, and we're doing well with sit, down, stay (for up to 30 seconds), come, and "heel" while short leash walking. But we're working on puppy biting. He's definitely different than a cockapoo. So fast, smart, and agile. It's almost scary. When energized, he's a "devil dog." When he's tired, he's a cuddly cute guy.
Took Sanji (8 months) to a friend's little pool. He loved it!
I've posted a link to this article on a Facebook Basenji site. Reposting here with addition info in case you haven't seen it.
The link to the interactive article is at bottom. One can select Basenji and see that only two other breeds have some Basenji dna, the Rat Terrier and the Azawakh. But not much. Out of a 100, the RT is 4.7 and the Azawakh at 1.7.
The data shows that Basenji's are not only the oldest breed, but were relatively isolated for a long time after being bred into existence. They appear to be the only dog in their own "clad" or grouping based on genetic similarity.
Heidi Parker, an author of the article replied to a reader's question in the comment section, "What does it mean if there is only 1 dog in a section [clad], such as the Basenji?" that, "It means that those breeds don't share significant ancestry with any one group on the tree. Sometimes they share with multiple groups and sometimes it may be that we haven't identified their closest relatives, yet. In the case of the Basenji it may be a little of both since they are unique. We can see haplotype sharing (supplemental DF1) with the Azawakh (another African breed) and the rat terrier, probably a recent event." In other words, those latter breeds were bred later and have some Basenji DNA as noted.
I wrote to one of the authors, Elaine Ostrander, to confirm the above and inquire if she knows of scientific research on the Basenji rut. I'm guessing there isn't any.
Based on that landmark genomic study, the Guardian created an interesting interactive.
"Interactive: see how your favourite dog breeds are related to each other"
You can select Basenji and it shows the connection to the Rat Terrier and the Azawakah noted above.
Not sure if I posted this one. Chromosome-length genome assembly and structural variations of the primal Basenji dog (Canis lupus familiaris) genome
Here's the key takeaway in my view for the breed's history.
"Basenjis are an ancient breed that sits at the base of the currently accepted dog phylogeny [10 {above article}]. Basenji-like dogs are depicted in drawings and models dating back to the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt [11] and they share many unique traits with pariah dog types. Like dingoes and New Guinea Singing dogs (NGSD), Basenjis come into oestrus annually—as compared to most other dog breeds, which have two or more breeding seasons every year. Basenjis, dingoes and NGSDs are prone to howls, yodels, and other vocalizations over the characteristic bark of modern dog breeds. One explanation for the unusual vocalisation of the Basenji is that the larynx is flattened [12]. The shape of the dingo and NGSD larynx is not reported.
Basenjis were originally indigenous to central Africa, wherever there was tropical forest. Primarily, what is now the DRC Congo, Southern Sudan, Central African Republic and the small countries on the central Atlantic coast. Today their territory has shrunk to the more remote parts of central Africa. The Basenji probably made its debut in the western world in around 1843. In a painting of three dogs belonging to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert entitled “Esquimaux, Niger and Neptune”, Niger is clearly a Basenji. In total, 71 Basenjis have been exported from Africa and, to date, ~ 56 have been incorporated into the registered Basenji breeding population."
Here's a link to that painting, unfortunately, a monochrome reproduction.
@margiem said in 4 months old and difficult potty training:
I do praise her ...where the pee pad is. ...:
Pee pad? Well that's a BIG mistake that explains a lot. A pee pad only teaches her it's OK to go inside. Get rid of it immediately. The above advice is all good: crate train, keep potty visits short not fun so she gets the purpose. Praise when doing it, not when get back inside; only scold inside while doing it, never after. Weather is irrelevant. Here in MI I was taking out 6 week old when it was 8 deg. See this and all of Michelle Lennon's videos.
Now at 6 months, the earlier pool training is paying off. He likes romping in the creek.
The no-leash training and plentiful socialization pays off already by 4 months. Here's to Michelle Lennon's training program (and sticking to it).
I've posted a link to this article on a Facebook Basenji site. Reposting here with addition info in case you haven't seen it.
The link to the interactive article is at bottom. One can select Basenji and see that only two other breeds have some Basenji dna, the Rat Terrier and the Azawakh. But not much. Out of a 100, the RT is 4.7 and the Azawakh at 1.7.
The data shows that Basenji's are not only the oldest breed, but were relatively isolated for a long time after being bred into existence. They appear to be the only dog in their own "clad" or grouping based on genetic similarity.
Heidi Parker, an author of the article replied to a reader's question in the comment section, "What does it mean if there is only 1 dog in a section [clad], such as the Basenji?" that, "It means that those breeds don't share significant ancestry with any one group on the tree. Sometimes they share with multiple groups and sometimes it may be that we haven't identified their closest relatives, yet. In the case of the Basenji it may be a little of both since they are unique. We can see haplotype sharing (supplemental DF1) with the Azawakh (another African breed) and the rat terrier, probably a recent event." In other words, those latter breeds were bred later and have some Basenji DNA as noted.
I wrote to one of the authors, Elaine Ostrander, to confirm the above and inquire if she knows of scientific research on the Basenji rut. I'm guessing there isn't any.
Based on that landmark genomic study, the Guardian created an interesting interactive.
"Interactive: see how your favourite dog breeds are related to each other"
You can select Basenji and it shows the connection to the Rat Terrier and the Azawakah noted above.
Not sure if I posted this one. Chromosome-length genome assembly and structural variations of the primal Basenji dog (Canis lupus familiaris) genome
Here's the key takeaway in my view for the breed's history.
"Basenjis are an ancient breed that sits at the base of the currently accepted dog phylogeny [10 {above article}]. Basenji-like dogs are depicted in drawings and models dating back to the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt [11] and they share many unique traits with pariah dog types. Like dingoes and New Guinea Singing dogs (NGSD), Basenjis come into oestrus annually—as compared to most other dog breeds, which have two or more breeding seasons every year. Basenjis, dingoes and NGSDs are prone to howls, yodels, and other vocalizations over the characteristic bark of modern dog breeds. One explanation for the unusual vocalisation of the Basenji is that the larynx is flattened [12]. The shape of the dingo and NGSD larynx is not reported.
Basenjis were originally indigenous to central Africa, wherever there was tropical forest. Primarily, what is now the DRC Congo, Southern Sudan, Central African Republic and the small countries on the central Atlantic coast. Today their territory has shrunk to the more remote parts of central Africa. The Basenji probably made its debut in the western world in around 1843. In a painting of three dogs belonging to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert entitled “Esquimaux, Niger and Neptune”, Niger is clearly a Basenji. In total, 71 Basenjis have been exported from Africa and, to date, ~ 56 have been incorporated into the registered Basenji breeding population."
Here's a link to that painting, unfortunately, a monochrome reproduction.
I found this graphic on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Dog Genome Project, showing Baseji's as the oldest breed. First really scientific evidence I've encountered besides a short clip on a Nova episode, Dog Tales.
https://research.nhgri.nih.gov/dog_genome/study_descriptions/study-genomics_dog_breeds.shtml
Indeed Sally. I was inspired by your advice months ago to find a big bone for him. Finally did. Thanks!
We have two butcher shops. Jack's (a very local small chain) and LaLonds.
But I found in Kroger's a really good dog Prosciutto bone ($6) that's cheaper than the butcher bone ($7), and it's got more meat on it. Not quite as big, but Sanji loves it. Ate all the meat, still chewing on the bone.
@zande said in Basenjis and their nails...:
huge rump-bones every Friday
Incidentally, I got Sanji a big bone from the butcher (they're not free here, $6 per bone). But due to the fatty grease and oils, I let him chew on it only in the crate, typically while we eat dinner. That turned out to be a serendipitous move. I no longer have to feed him a treat while he's in there, he stays busy chewing, and he looks forward to getting in each night. When he's done, I wash his feet and keep the crate closed.
@tanza said in Basenjis and their nails...:
Plaque Off
Sounds not only like a dental treatment, but like something I want to say to someone when they cut in front of me on the highway. : - o
OK experts, please tell me if you have a cure for "frito feet."
"Frito Feet is a thing. ...Arlington Animal Hospital explains ...The answer to why your dog’s feet smell like fritos is relatively simple. That corn chips smell is caused by naturally occurring bacteria...the Pseudomonas and Proteus bacteria ...and both are completely harmless.
It appears to cause a purple discoloring deep in the paws as well. When that goes away, so does the smell.
It could be a cause for concern if...
None of these apply in our case. Sanji isn't excessively licking his fee. So I don't believe it's an allergic reaction to food or something else.
I just don't like the smell, and it's muskiness causes my sinuses to close up a bit.
Remedies I've tried:
It might be my patience. Maybe I have to do the apple cider treatment everyday for two weeks to see.
But none of the above kill the bacteria effectively in a short time. Suggestions?
Agreed. It also takes time to teach one's dog to sit for this, and takes time to master cutting right, not too short.
@eeeefarm said in An Ancient Breed Indeed:
That was typical of Eisenmann's dogs, so either he was telepathic or the dogs understood his words.
Wow.
@tanza said in An Ancient Breed Indeed:
and many don't even have enough time for their kids let along a pup.
HA!