African Dog Breeds
If you were to ask someone about African dogs, you would likely get one of two answers. For those familiar with individual breeds the Basenji would spring to mind. Those that know little of dogs may imagine a sweeping desert landscape full of pyramids and the jackal God Anubis. His name may be unknown, but they would recognize the statues of this God’s canine form.
Neither answer would be far apart from the other. The ancient Egyptians revered and deified the dog. Often they were mummified to join their masters as they made the journey into the underworld. These dogs that litter hieroglyphs and artifacts became known as the Tesem. The earliest depictions show dogs similar to the Mediterranean sighthounds such as the Ibizan and Pharaoh Hounds. Later, they resemble a ‘true’ sighthound such as the Saluki, Azawakh, and Sloughi.
For the wandering nomads these sighthounds are their livelihood. They mean food and protection, even in the modern world. Not just for one family, but for the entire encampment. They are invaluable, precious as human children, and rarely sold to outsiders.
Some authors believe the Tesem lived on, still present in the most remote tribes. They became scavengers and pariahs while some held onto the role of hunting companion. The Basenji was once one of these dogs before being ‘discovered’ by Europeans in the Congo.
Native pariah dogs are rarely deemed a breed, but the Africanis may soon gain that title and recognition from a kennel club. If there is a direct descendant from the Tesem the Africanis must be among them. A true African dog, they have been bred for centuries without human intervention.
In the 1800s these native dogs were mixed with European breeds such as early mastiff and bulldogs to create the little known Boerboel and its close relative, the Rhodesian Ridgeback. However, the African dogs also influenced dogs back in Europe. It is possible the Aidi, protector of tribe and livestock gave rise to the Great Pyrenees. While the Sloughi almost certainly was used in the development of the Galgo Español.
Even the African islands left their mark on the world of dogs. The small Royal Dog of Madagascar, the Coton de Tuléar is one of the many surviving bichons today. While the Canary Islands are home to the Bardino Majorero, Podenco Canario and Perro de Presa Canario.
Neither answer would be far apart from the other. The ancient Egyptians revered and deified the dog. Often they were mummified to join their masters as they made the journey into the underworld. These dogs that litter hieroglyphs and artifacts became known as the Tesem. The earliest depictions show dogs similar to the Mediterranean sighthounds such as the Ibizan and Pharaoh Hounds. Later, they resemble a ‘true’ sighthound such as the Saluki, Azawakh, and Sloughi.
For the wandering nomads these sighthounds are their livelihood. They mean food and protection, even in the modern world. Not just for one family, but for the entire encampment. They are invaluable, precious as human children, and rarely sold to outsiders.
Some authors believe the Tesem lived on, still present in the most remote tribes. They became scavengers and pariahs while some held onto the role of hunting companion. The Basenji was once one of these dogs before being ‘discovered’ by Europeans in the Congo.
Native pariah dogs are rarely deemed a breed, but the Africanis may soon gain that title and recognition from a kennel club. If there is a direct descendant from the Tesem the Africanis must be among them. A true African dog, they have been bred for centuries without human intervention.
In the 1800s these native dogs were mixed with European breeds such as early mastiff and bulldogs to create the little known Boerboel and its close relative, the Rhodesian Ridgeback. However, the African dogs also influenced dogs back in Europe. It is possible the Aidi, protector of tribe and livestock gave rise to the Great Pyrenees. While the Sloughi almost certainly was used in the development of the Galgo Español.
Even the African islands left their mark on the world of dogs. The small Royal Dog of Madagascar, the Coton de Tuléar is one of the many surviving bichons today. While the Canary Islands are home to the Bardino Majorero, Podenco Canario and Perro de Presa Canario.