Did you know that the Basenji is one of the oldest and most prehistoric of all breeds of dogs? Yes and this dog were discovered by Pygmy hunters in the African Congo. Earlier tribes actually used them as pack hunters which assisted in driving small game into net traps.

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England began to see Basenji dogs brought to their country during the 1800s and well into the 1900s, but most of them didn’t survive because of distemper. On the other hand, sometime during the mid-1930s, several Basenji’s were successfully brought to England and became the source for all future breeds that took place outside of Africa.

It was at this time period when the word "Basenji" was made the official name of this particular dog breed. "Basenji" means "bush thing". A huge amount of these dogs were imported to England and finally they came to the United States of America.

The Basenji began to grow in popularity at a very fast pace and became a very common household pet. Sooner or later, fanciers of this breed started entering them into dog shows, which soon influenced a book about Basenji and even a Hollywood movie which starred a dog.

The Personality of a Basenji

Basenji dogs are known to be very aggressive and often show behaviors that are similar to Terriers. These animals are extremely bright, curious, intelligent, and stubborn at many times. Several dog aficionados compare them to the attitude of a feline cat, which are reserved, yet independent.

This dog totally enjoys chasing and hunting any chance it can get. Its genetic ancestry is that discover that this breed does not bark that much at all, but when it does bark it comes out as a short yelp-like sound.

Taking Care Of Your New Basenji

The Basenji is a fairly easy dog to take care of and easy to keep healthy. As I stated before, this type of dog has to a have a lot of exercise on a daily basis. This includes both mentally and physically. You can meet your dog’s needs by taking him on a brisk walk and energetic dog games, such as chasing and playing fetch.

It is strongly recommended that you keep your Basenji indoors with the family during the evening hours. During the daytime hours, on the other hand, this dog enjoys having the freedom to wander around outside. If you have the comfort of a large fenced-in yard, then allow your Basenji to play outside, experts advise, just as long as there is plenty of water for him to drink and shade during hot weather.

Health Information for your Basenji

Were you aware that Basenji dogs have a lifespan of up to 15 years? Not only that, the average time is between twelve and thirteen years. One of the biggest health concerns of a Basenji is that they’re seen amongst Basenji’s are Basenji enteropathy, PRA, and Fanconi syndrome. Smaller concerns with a Basenji include umbilical hernias, PK, PPM, and hypothyroidism.

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Your dog could be suffering from a luxated patella or a slipped kneecap. If so, the best thing to do is take him to the vet as soon as you can. Even a slipped kneecap may not seem like a serious health problem to your young dog, it is a progressive disorder and can be debilitating if left untreated.

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A friend of mine has been noticing that his dog was limping around the house for about 2 to 3 weeks. After telling me the symptoms, I told him that he should bring his dog to his vet immediately. Three days later, I asked my friend how his dog was doling and he told me that it was fine and he didn’t feel he needed to take him to the vet. Two days later, my friend had no other choice than to bring his dog to the vet. His dog was diagnosed with a slipped kneecap.

Five Common Symptoms Of A Slipped Kneecap

Most symptoms begin to appear when the dog is young between the ages of 6 months to 1 year. However, in some dogs, symptoms can even develop as early as around 8 weeks of age, but remains unnoticed until the dog reaches maturity. Signs include:

• Problems squatting down.
• Problems climbing stairs.
• Intermittent skipping or limping during a routine run.
• Sluggishness on the leg, especially on the rear, that happens frequently and ends suddenly.
• Unexpected yelping out in pain while walking or running, usually lasting for 2 to 4 steps.

In more serious cases, the kneecap dislocates more often and lasts a long period. Your dog will show uneasiness and pain, seems bowlegged, and will display a crouching way of walking.

Luxated patella is categorized in four grades, depending on the severity of the condition:

Grade I: This is when your dog’s kneecap manually dislocates but goes back into place once the pressure is free. This is considered as a mild case with treatment not required. On the other hand, you need to keep a watchful eye on your dog in case the condition gets worse.

Grade II: Your dog’s kneecap dislocates more often, either manually or automatically, when the joint is being flexed and continues to be dislocated until the joint is extended and the leg is twisted into the opposite direction of the dislocation. Considered as middle ground between mild and severe, dogs with grades I and II should be closely monitored in case the condition gets worse.

Grade III: The kneecap dislocates more frequently, whenever the joint is flexed and extended. Dislocation happens when the joint is extended. This is referred to as severe enough for surgery.

Grade IV: The kneecap is permanently dislocated and is unable to be manually be put back into place. This is happens because the groove is too deep or, in some cases, completely missing. At this point, surgery is needed to correct this problem.

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