This Is The Dog Breed That Can't Bark

Wherever you go in the world, the language of dogs will probably follow a recognizable bark pattern namely, a single syllable that gets vocalized twice in quick succession, such as woof-woof or arf-arf.

However, every rule has an exception, and there's one exceptional dog breed that doesn't typically bark at all. Unimaginatively dubbed the "Barkless Dog", that canine anomaly is the Basenji, and according to the American Kennel Club, it actually yodels.

You might assume that a yodeling dog would hail from somewhere like the Swiss Alps, but the the Basenji's roots actually lie in Africa and those roots go far back in time. In fact, the Basenji could be the world's oldest dog breed, a theory consistent with Libyan cave paintings from 6,000 B.C. that appear to depict a Basenji-like canine. Experts believe the first domesticated dogs probably resembled the Basenji, too. Characterized by a short coat, tightly curled tail, wrinkled forehead and almond-shaped eyes, these canines were given to Egyptian pharaohs as gifts, and they've also been depicted in ancient Mesopotamian art.

But the Basenji outlived those ancient civilizations, eventually becoming the best friend of African tribesmen. Natural-born hunters, this breed boast excellent eyesight, lightning-quick speed, a strong sense of smell, and a phenomenal vertical leap. The four-legged yodelers also tend to be very quiet because of their unique vocal cords, which inhibit barking. In some cases, these silent killers wear hunting bells so their owners can keep track of them. But Basenjis aren't actually entirely "barkless." While they do seldom bark, some video evidence suggests that they possess the ability to, as does the 1965 book, Genetics and the Social Behavior of the Dog. Authors John Paul Scott and John Fuller found that the Basenjis they studied barked when "sufficiently excited" or asserting dominance over other dogs. In the latter case they usually gave only one or two low 'woofs.' It simply appears that it may require more elevated stimulation to get basenjis to bark, compared to other dogs.

Scott and Fuller acknowledged that they could only speculate as to why this trait has developed. However, the authors offered one plausible-sounding explanation: they evolved in a way so as not to sound like dogs. Barking may not have benefited basenjis living in African forests, given the presence of predators like leopards, which are reportedly fond of dog meat. The authors further noted that travelers have reported hearing basenjis make "yowling" and "crowing" sounds at night so it could be that their nocturnal crowing is supposed to be unappetizing to leopards.

If you buy a basenji expecting the barkless dog to act like a typical canine, you might be barking up the wrong tree. Obviously, different breeds have different behavioral tendencies. But the basenji tends to behave like a different species of animal. As Modern Dog Magazine contributor Kelly Caldwell once jokingly asked: "Is this breed half-cat?" Basenjis are meticulous self-groomers that don't show an interest in traditional dog activities.

Don't expect to teach this old dog breed many new tricks either. As The New Complete Dog Book puts it:

"It is advisable in your training to be consistent and persevere with patience and humor."

Basenjis may respond to repetitive commands with little more than a bored look. Because hunting is in their blood, they need plenty of exercise and plenty of fencing to prevent them from running into traffic when they find something they want to hunt. So all in all, they rarely bark, don't play fetch, and respond to your orders with total boredom. Apparently, it's probably best thinking of this barkless dog as more of a meow-less cat than anything else.

#Basenjis #DogBreeds #Dogs

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