INTERPRETING THE BREED STANDARD
"Will the "real" Basenji please stand up!"
by Mary Lou Kenworthy The AKC describes the standard thus: "The standard portrays what, in the mind of its compilers, would be the ideal dog of the breed. Ideal in type, in structure, in gait, in temperament ideal in every way."
The original 'compilers' were people who knew the breed at it's beginning. They were people who actually used the dogs for specific jobs hunting herding guarding retrieving etc. They usually lived on farms and were surrounded by animals. This gave them the opportunity to see animals in action and to know which structures were most suited to the jobs to be performed. Unfortunately civilization, progress and fads have changed people's perception of the ideal. Most modern day breeders and judges have not had the opportunity to see the breeds in action and relate structure to performance. This makes it all the more important for them to understand, and rely on, the breed standard.
The biggest criticism of standards by neophytes is that they aren't clear enough or don't explain everything thoroughly. The standard is an outline and should not become an encyclopedia. Breeders, judges, exhibitors and interested owners must invest the time and effort to learn about their respective breeds. One of the best ways to understand a breed is to learn its history, its development and its intended use. Then, when admiring a certain trait in a dog, ask yourself, "Will this get the job done? Or is it just pretty and/or a show-winning fad?"
Many people have trouble understanding the standard for their breed but most clearly understand the unwritten "show standard". The problem with this is that the "show standard" is generic. Breed standards are specific to the original purpose of the breed. As has oft been said, "Form follows function." But what happens when a breed's only function for many generations is trotting around a show ring? Ask yourself, what breed originated for the sole purpose of trotting in a circle in a square made of baby-gates? The breeds are in danger of becoming generic show dogs and departing too far from the "breed standards".
The basenji is one of the natural breeds that evolved on their own over thousands of years. Shaped by nature and culled by an environment where only the most adept survived, the little barkless dog came to us in a form designed by its function. The original standard was drawn up to describe this dog.
In order to understand the standard let's go back to early Africa and determine what was important to the survival of this natural breed. Basenjis, although in association with man, lived free in the wild. They were jungle dogs that had to be on the alert for predators. They depended on their hunting skills to eat. A hunt, whether with a dog pack or with humans, could be a long grinding ordeal. Getting to where game can be found could take many miles of searching - sometimes the best part of a day. This was most efficiently achieved at a trot. When game was found, the basenjis had to have enough speed at the gallop to run it down. And after the hunt was over the basenjis needed to have enough endurance left to get back home while possibly dodging predators. There is little doubt that endurance is at the top of the list of qualities that have kept this breed surviving for thousands of years. Soundness goes without saying.
I his excellent book, Dog Locomotion and Gait Analysis, Curtis Brown says this of dogs and endurance, "In general, a somewhat long body is advantageous for either trotting or flexible back galloping, whereas a square body is advantageous for endurance galloping." So the compromise must go to the square body if the basenji is to get back home safely before the leopards come out.
The basenji is a multipurpose dog so the ability to both trot and gallop are important. The ideal trotting dog, theoretically, calls for a well laid back shoulder. However, a good galloping dog (like sighthounds) benefits from a shoulder that is10 steeper. The basenji must compromise and be a moderate dog in order to be efficient at both the trot and the gallop. The 'breed standard' calls for moderately laid back shoulders and moderately bent stifles in the hindquarters. Both, along with a shorter back, are essential to the overall 'square' dog that can endure.
Gait is described in the breed standard as "tireless", "smooth" and "effortless" further proof of endurance. The basenji has lost the ethereal quality of trotting on air that once was in the breed. This light-footed floating has been sacrificed for speed at the trot. Speed will sacrifice endurance.
At the gallop a basenji exhibits the double suspension that covers ground most efficiently - - endurance at the gallop.
The Nyam-Nyam and Manbourou tribes called the basenjis M'bwa M'kubwa M'bwa Wamwitu which translates to jumping-up-and-down dogs because when basenjis hunted in the tall steppe-grass of the African plains they had to constantly leap up into the air to see their quarry. Moderate conformation aids in this needed ability as well.
Endurance is further enhanced by the heart and lung capacity described by the breed standard that calls for a body with "Ribs moderately sprung, deep to elbows and oval", a "Chest of medium width" and "Slight forechest in front of the point of shoulder". All these aforementioned enduring qualities are vanishing from the majority of show basenjis.
Far too much importance is now being put on the "curl" of the tail. The tightly double curled tail is another 'fad' contribution that serves no functional purpose. It is actually a deterrent to hunting dogs as it can become caught in the brush and trap and/or injure the dog. African natives have been known to cut the tails off of their hunting dogs. On the other hand, the "set" of the tail is important - a good set is part of correct structure.
Good wrinkle is important because it shows that the basenji has the proper looseness, toughness and flexibility of hide that is important to the survival of a 'jungle dog'. Proper looseness of skin is also being lost. If a basenji was grabbed by a predator, such as a leopard, he must be able to maneuver around in his skin to fight back so he can get away with his life at the cost of a mouthful of hide.
More emphasis must be put on the correct basic structure and running gear of the basenji. The angluation on both ends must match in order for the basenji to have a floating, effortless gait. All the 'icing' in the world will fall flat if there is not a solid 'cake' under it.
So why are basenjis becoming so exaggerated? The words medium and moderately are used many times in the breed standard to describe the basenji - yet this is being completely ignored. Most of today's better show specimens are but caricatures of the true basenji.
Some of the very early basenjis exhibited short second thighs and straight rears. The "long second thighs" in the standard corrected this. But there are always some who think that if 'a little is good a lot is better' and now the pendulum has swung to the other extreme - we now have overly long second thighs and over-angulated rears. This fault is made even worse by the short upper arms and the too straight fronts that spoil the balance. The breeders (and judges) must know enough to correct deviations from the standard without going too far the other way.
"FALTS: Any departure from the following points (standard) must be considered a fault, and the seriousness with which the fault is regarded is to be in exact proportion to its degree."
All standards allow a little laxity (call it breeder/judge personal preference) but how far can this go until it 'crosses the line'? Once one understands the importance of a basenji being a 'moderate' dog the severity of the departure from the correct basic structure should be obvious - it's a matter of survival.
So how do today's 'show' basenjis fall short of measuring up to the standard? If a 'show standard' was put in writing today based on the average basenji appearing in the ring in the United States it would look like this:
General Appearance: Rectangular and weedy much longer than tall. Should 'stand over a lot of ground' with front assembly tacked on as far front as possible and the exaggerated rear stretched as far back as possible.
Head: May be long and narrow to fit the body.Body: Long, narrow, shelly, and slab sided. Topline should sag and may be
higher in the rear than in the front especially when moving. Bottom line
should cut up before it reaches the elbow with the deepest part of the
girth being an inch or more behind the elbow. No chest (sternum) should
show in front of the point of shoulder. Viewed from the front the chest
should appear hollow as if both legs come out of the same hole.
Forequarters: Shoulder lay-back may be at various angles as long as the forearm is short and perpendicular to the ground. Placed as far front on
the body as possible (should fall directly under the ears, not under the
body).
Hindquarters: Extreme angulation at hock aided by an overly long second thigh
with feet standing well behind the body to add to the 'rectangular'
appearance. Like the front, should not support the body and interfere
with the 'sway bridge' effect.
Color: Colors not covered in the standard and mismarks with a predominance
of white are becoming part of the 'fad'.
Gait: Must be so fast that the legs blur to hide the facts that the dog is out of
balance, its two ends don't match and its timing is off. Care must be
taken to not backslide to the floating, natural gait of the original Basenji.
Why is the incorrect type winning? Because they are in the majority! Insecure judges who do not know a breed as well as they should tend to follow a pattern. They look at all of whatever breed they are judging and determine the average. Then they select their placements from the average. This method saves them the embarrassment of putting up the worst specimen in the ring (usually). But it also keeps them from recognizing that they have sent a truly correct specimen out the gate with the worst of the lot. This method sends the wrong impression to the breeders, exhibitors, spectators and other judges while causing a gradual but study decline of the breed's quality.
Why are these incorrect types being shown? Because they are winning! It's a vicious, continuous circle. The breeders will copy, and breed to, the dogs that are winning. The main responsibility of judges is to preserve the breed by rewarding those dogs that come closest to fitting the breed standard. The main responsibility of breeders is to preserve the breed by breeding dogs that fit the breed standard. There are grave lapses of responsibility on both sides. Is this because of ignorance of the breed or is 'winning' so highly desired that some are willing to sacrifice the preservation of the breed to achieve a few pretty colored ribbons?
Show basenjis are beginning to look more like shrunken Ibizan Hounds than basenjis. If breeders wish to copy something from the Ibizan Hounds it should be the part of their Code Of Ethics that reads:
"No member will breed an animal for the purpose of improving that animal for the show ring; showing will always be secondary to the preservation of the breed according to the breed standard."
A breed that has survived naturally for thousands of years should be preserved - not changed according to the whims of man. Likewise, a man-made breed should also follow their standard and not depart from it to follow some 'show' fad. Hopefully there are enough conscientious breeders and judges who will put the welfare of their breeds first and reverse this trend that is taking dogs further and further from their original purposes and breed standards.
