Today’s Basenji – The Breeder’s Perspective

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334 – May, 2021

By Amy Fernandez

Anyone who has worked with a breed long enough eventually fantasizes about some magical remedy to replenish the concept. The simple fact is that regardless of the modern tools now available to help us refine the selective process, polishing breed type remains a tricky, complicated tradeoff. That’s why we memorize pedigrees and basically devote every waking moment to that endless crusade.

However, very few of us are ever in a position to actually access a brand new source of genetic vigor. For starters, that sort of option rarely exists. More than a few modern breeds wouldn’t even exist today if not for organized, documented breeding. Just go looking for some ancestral Poodle stock in Germany. While you’re at it, pick up a few rugged, typey native Dachshunds.

Nuff said. The African Basenji project not only revived the breed’s modern gene pool but offers takeaway lessons for every breeder. Regardless of the individual quality of the imported dogs, one standout factor molded their genetic integrity–efficiency. Those African Basenjis were true to type simply because that was the only option. As Michael Work noted during one of our conversations, “The running gear and the bone structure was one of the main things that led breeders to use these dogs. We had bred out all the angles and everything was becoming straight in shoulder. The dogs over there were built for one purpose only. The best dogs were the dogs that survived. They needed to hunt.” He’s got a point. Don’t even attempt 10-12 hours of “smooth, effortless” trotting unless every bit of equipment is properly constructed.

Several African imports and their descendants have gradually reshaped the modern gene pool since their introduction back in the 1990s. Michael cites Kibushi Get Sirius as the most influential result of this extraordinary venture. Co-owned by Michael Work and Jon Curby, he has 27 AKC champions to his credit, but he is far from the only notable in this category. Ch. Changa’s Dan Patch JC, Am. Can. Ch. Zindika’s Johnny Come Greatly JC, and Am. Ch. Kazor’s Virtuous Virginia are a few that are worth mentioning. We will go into more detail on some of the specific dogs and their descendants in the next part. We can sum up their impact with these insightful remarks from Breeder Carole Kirk. She’s been breeding under the Possum Creek prefix since 1991, and her bloodline has incorporated this import stock from the get-go.

Click here to read the complete article
334 – May, 2021

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