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Basenji: dog food and breed portrait

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Basenji

The Basenji is a medium sized dog that originally comes from Central Africa. He is partly also called Congo Terrier and is listed by the FCI in group 5, section 6 (dogs of the original type). The patronage of the Basenji has been taken over by Great Britain. The Basenji was originally used as a hunting dog. However, he also proves to be a lovable and bright family dog, which is only conditionally recommended for beginners.

History of the Basenji

It is assumed that the Basenji is descended from ancient Egyptian Tesern or their ancestors. His original home is Central Africa, where he was and still is used as a hunting dog by the natives.


However, the first specimens of the Basenji did not reach Great Britain until the second half of the 19th century, after being discovered by researchers in Africa. In fact, breeding according to a uniform breed standard only began in the 1930s.


A German breeding association was finally founded in 1977 with the 1st Basenji Klub Deutschland e.V. While the Basenji still plays an important role in hunting in its original home country, in Europe and the USA it is a pure show and companion dog.

Features of the Basenji

The life expectancy of the Basenji is usually 12 to 16 years. He is one of the dogs of the original type and, unlike most of his conspecifics, hardly barks at all. Instead, his typical sounds are more like a mixture of yodelling and gurgling laughter. 


From the outside the Basenji resembles a Spitz. Male dogs reach a shoulder height of 43 centimetres and a weight of 11 kilograms. Females grow to about 40 centimetres and weigh 9.5 kilograms. 


The Basenji's physique is balanced with a short back and deep chest. He is quite tall and has a strong neck as well as a flat head of medium width and a strong jaw with scissor bite. 


The Basenji carries his small pointed ears upright. His almond-shaped eyes are dark and set at an angle. According to the breed standard they should have an inscrutable expression.


The Basenji has a short and dense coat with a beautiful sheen. The paws, chest and tip of the tail of the Basenji always show white markings. Apart from that the coat of the Basenji may be red and white, black and white, tan and white and brindle.

Activities with the Basenji

Basenji nature and character

The Basenji is a very self-confident and intelligent dog. He is very independent and tends to be quite stubborn. However, a strict upbringing is no solution. Because it only leads to the Basenji becoming disobedient and shy. 


The Basenji's education is therefore rather for more experienced dog owners. It should be done with sufficient love and empathy. If this is successful, the Basenji will prove to be a lovable and uncomplicated roommate who builds up a close relationship with his owner. 


At home the Basenji is usually relatively quiet. He always observes his surroundings with watchful eyes. Towards strangers he usually shows himself distant. As soon as it goes outside, the Basenji's great urge to move reveals itself in the form of exuberant romping around and extensive discovery tours in the surroundings.


A special feature of the Basenji, by the way, is its great cleanliness, which is almost as good as grooming a cat. 

Activities with the Basenji

Even though there are not as many animals as there used to be, the Basenji is still used as a hunting dog in its home country. In Europe and the USA, however, he has no significance for hunting. Instead, he enjoys increasing popularity as a family and companion dog.


In experienced hands he is very well suited for this purpose. However, prospective owners should always be aware that the Basenji is not only not a typical dog, but also requires a lot of exercise and occupation.


In addition to long walks with shared romping and playing, dog sports are perfectly suited to satisfy the needs of the active four-legged friend. Here he can let off steam, for example, with agility or coursing, although both are not equally well accepted by all animals.

Basenji diseases

Although the Basenji is a lively and active quadruped, there is an increased risk for a number of diseases. Prospective owners should therefore purchase their puppies exclusively from reputable breeders.

Among other things, Basenji is predisposed to the following health problems:

  • Basenjis suffer comparatively often from umbilical or inguinal hernias.
  • Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are a common problem in this breed.
  • Eye diseases (especially coloboma and cataracts) can also occur quite frequently in the Basenji.
  • Quite many animals also suffer from urinary tract diseases.

The right diet for the Basenji

A balanced diet is essential for the wellbeing of your Basenji and for the prevention of health problems. 


As the Basenji has a slight tendency to be overweight, it is also very important to ensure that the amount of food you eat is appropriate to your needs. What exactly this means depends, among other things, on the age and activities of your four-legged friend. 


Irrespective of this, we recommend that you feed your Basenji our dog food with insect protein, which provides your Basenji with an optimal supply of important proteins and other nutrients. At the same time the food is particularly easy to digest and is also easily digestible for nutritionally sensitive animals.


If you have digestive problems, we recommend supplementing with Bellfor Shiimun Gastro. The natural preparation based on shiitake can help to reduce a variety of complaints, such as diarrhoea, flatulence or stomach pain.

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