Welcome to Saorsa Basenjis

"Saorsa", pronounced "seer-sha", is Irish Gaelic meaning "freedom";

The Basenji, for those unfamiliar with him, is an African breed of hunting dog. They are small in size, lightly built, and whole lotta dog! Very clean and agile, one of their most notable characteristics is that they do not bark. They are not, however, mute, and have a full range of vocalization from a melodious yodel, to a deep rumbling growl.

The Basenji is not a dog for the faint of heart. They are bold little dogs, who must respect you if they are to go along with your wishes. It's difficult to do them true justice in summing up their characteristics with a few sentences. They are humorous, out-going, friendly if you're deemed interesting, tough, clever, inquisitive and stubborn. They are never so much your pet as your companion and friend. Don't expect to be your Basenji's master. Once your dog respects you, he will want to do as you ask, as long as you keep it reasonable. A sit or down on a cold or wet floor is NOT a reasonable request in the mind of a Basenji. Would you do it? Didn't think so.

Now, how does one gain the Basenji's respect? By being a fair pack leader. Never yell at or browbeat a Basenji. They must be treated as you yourself would be treated, or as you would treat a young child. Fair but firm is the key. These dogs learn quickly, so take care to be consistent, and don't let them push your buttons, or YOU will be the one who is trained.

The Basenji is a primitive breed, dating back thousands of years ago. Exactly how many thousand is subject to debate, but we all agree that Basenjis were around long before many of today's modern dogs. In the tombs of Egypt, one can see depictions of what might have been Basenjis, or at least Basenji like dogs. They were used for hunting river rats, and probably much as they are used today in Africa: as game driving dogs, to track and flush prey and to dispatch small animals. There are many small villages today in Africa where Basenjis are still the local dog of choice, and can be seen running about. Basenjis are not kept and bred in the same manner as the kennels of yore (or today) of Europe, and the idea of a specific "breeding program" is & was much looser. So Basenjis, being shaped mainly by nature and their ability to hunt, still retain most of their wild characteristics, one of which is the barklessness. Basenji females only go into estrus once a year, in the winter or rainy season. Usually between September and November in the northern hemisphere, and March to June in the southern. They are also very pack-oriented, and do not respond well to traditional, negative reinforcement based training methods. Clicker training, operant conditioning and positive reinforcement work best.

Anyway, enough rambling on my most favorite breed of dog, and on to talk of my dogs...