Africanis

 

 

 

     

 

  AFRICANIS  

The Africanis dog breed is an interesting choice for many owners: it offers a friendly dog, but with pronounced territorial behavior. The earliest record of a domestic dog in South Africa is dated 570 AD, on the farm Diamante in the Ellisras district, near the Botswana border. At the same time, domestic dogs lived south-west of Francis town, Botswana. By 650 AD the dog is found in the lower Tugela valley, and by 800 AD in a Khoisan settlement at Cape St Francis. Africanis dog training should be focused on the well-preserved social canine behavior that characterizes this breed. Every dog trainer should know that the Africanis is extremely cautious in approaching new situations and it often responds poorly to strangers (dogs or humans) if proper training was not applied. The African dog, or Africanis, is the original domestic dog of southern Africa, whose ancient origins can be traced back to the prehistorica wild wolf packs of Arabia and India. This unique and fascinating study recreates for us the journey of the dog's primitive canine ancestors, from their earliest presence at the fire of Stone Age humans, through the evolution from wolf to protodog to domestic dog and subsequent migration into the African continent with nomaid Neolithic herders. Absorbing, informative, packed full of intriguing insights based on the author's own extensive experience with the Africanis, the book builds a strong case for the recognition, re-evaluation and conservation of these special dogs, which deserve to be cherished both for their own sake and as part of the unique national heritage of southern Africa. The Story of the African Dog is a book which deserves pride of place on every doglover's bookshelf. Johan Gallant has been involved in dog breeding, training and judging for the past 27 yers. He is a welll-known authority in both local and international circles and is the author of several books on dogs. Gallant has been president of the Africanis Society of Southern Africa since its inception in 1989.

 

                                    

General Appearance : Medium-sized, slender built, dry and well muscled. Gives the impression of a swift, enduring and efficient dog. When in good condition the ribs are just visible.
Important Proportions :
The length of the body measured from the point of the shoulder angulation to the buttock slightly exceeds the height at the highest point of the withers.
Demeanour and Character :
Because the Africanis has for centuries roamed freely in and around rural settlements, it combines attachment to humans with a necessity for space and freedom of movement.
The people to whom these dogs traditionally belong do not tend to make body contact with them. However their settlements are seldom deserted from humans, other dogs and livestock, ensuring adequate socialisation and environmental adaptation. This also entails that the Africanis displays watchful territorial behaviour.
They are well-disposed without being obtrusive. When pushed around the Africanis can demonstrate reactive aggression.
The Africanis displays unspoiled social canine behaviour with a high level of facial expressions and body language towards congeners and humans. Therefore, when approached correctly, it is easily trainable.
Although it is a hound with a swift chase response, it is able to live in and around the homesteads in the company of livestock without ever harming it. This is a result of correct environmental adaptation and imprinting.
The rather demanding conditions, imposed by its environment, have over the years induced the Africanis into an energy conserving life style.
It has a steady nerve constitution but is always cautious in its approach to new situations. In other words it displays a high survival instinct.
During the hunt it is active and alert, shows great eagerness and toughness.
It is a great opportunist that easily adapts to modern western lifestyle without however losing its natural need for space and a certain degree of freedom.
It has to be noted that the Africanis has never been used to the western concept of dog obedience training. However, because of its innate subservience and a high sense of attachment to pack leader, it follows its handler in a natural way.

            

 

        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Head : : Indicating the Africanis’ ancient origins, its head simultaneously features particularities found in primitive sight- and pariah hounds. Although the head is streamlined, elongated and wedge shaped, it gives the impression of strength.
Top skull: Flat, moderately wide between the ears. Frontal furrow gradually becomes less pronounced across the upper head until it disappears when it reaches the not pronounced occiput. The top skull runs parallel to the ridge of the nose. Its skin may wrinkle when the dog is attentive.
Stop: Slight.
Fore face :
Muzzle : Prolonged wedge without exaggeration, about as long as the skull. Ridge is straight.
Nose : Rather large, full, pointed, usually black. (Note: partly unpigmented noses are sensitive to the African sun).
Lips : Usually black, clean with often a little bell in the corners. It seems to play a role in facial expression
Jaws: Strong.


 

Teeth:   Normally a full set of strong, healthy, white teeth meeting in a scissors or pincers bite. (Dogs born in rural areas can show deteriorated teeth. This is usually due to an onslaught of distemper at a very young age).
Eyes : Medium to large, oval, slightly slanting, colours range from yellow to black. Often accentuated by a black rim and/or expressive eyebrows. Alert, mild and intelligent expression. No entropion, nor ectropion.
Ears : Set on laterally, V-shaped, of medium size, carried erect or drooping in any position. The most important facet is that they are mobile and linked to the dog’s awareness of its environment.
Neck :Clean, dry, well muscled and of medium length. Flexible - In stand and alert, carried at approximately 45° to a horizontal line, on the move, the neck tends to follow the body’s top line.


Body :     Slender, slightly longer than high.
Withers : Tips of shoulder blades wide apart and just perceptible above the thoracic vertebrae.
Back (Thoracic part of the spine): Slightly sloping towards the anticlinal vertebra.
Loin (Lumbar part of the spine): Strong, fairly broad, raises slightly to the first sacral vertebra.
Pelvic slope : Steep (±30-40°). Huckle bones are generally somewhat prominent, always equal to, or slightly higher than the withers.
Croup : Short, sloping to set on of tail.
Tail : Set on half way between huckle bone and ischial protuberance, harmoniously continuing the slope of the croup, reaching approximately to hock. The tail is closely coated, medium thick, narrowing to the gently upward curved tip (The tip of an entirely straight tail is prone to injury). Functionally mobile - carriage varies in function of mood and/or environmental stimuli. A darker triangle at the upper outer part of the tail, approximately one quarter from its onset, is often present. It indicates the place where the caudal gland used to be.


Chest :  Shallow, moderately broad, oval in shape, roomy. Ribs well arched, slanting rearwards. Sternum not reaching to elbows. (Depth of chest - sternum to ground : ratio 1 - 1.3).
Quarters:
Forequarters :
General : The fore legs are straight, long, dry, with strong big oval bones. Muscles and tendons are clearly visible. Seen from the front the upper part forms an inverted "V".
Shoulder blades: Wide apart, long and oblique, dryly muscled. Angle between shoulder blade and upper arm is obuse (±120-130°).
Upper arm: Equal in length to shoulder blade.
Fore arm: Longer than upper arm.
Pasterns: Strong, slightly sloping.

 

Feet:   Large, oval, strong, supple. Toes are well arched, neither splayed out nor cat-footed. Pads are thick, hard and pigmented. Unpigmented pads and nails are undesirable. The front paws larger in area than rear paws.
Hindquarters:
General: Hind legs are long and dry.
Upper thigh : Broad with well developed and dry muscles.
Stifle : Moderately bent - i.e. when standing normally with rear pastern vertical to the ground, the front edge of the paw is directly under the rear of the buttock.
Under thigh : Long, with well developed and dry muscles.
Rear pastern : Longer than the front pastern.
Hind feet : As fore feet but slightly smaller. Extra 5th toes or rear dew claws sporadically occur.

 

Gait :    Walk, trot, canter and gallop are common ways of moving. The Africanis normally uses the pace-like walk or the pace in the slower rate of travel. He should be able to trot and/or canter for long periods on rough terrain and in a hillside environment, going into gallop when real speed is required. The trot is light and effortless, with moderate stride. Viewed from the front or rear, the trotting movement reveals, as the speed increases, a natural tendency for the limbs to converge towards a central line of travel (nearly single tracking).


Coat : Texture :Compact short coated, harsh and thick, very short on head and limbs. The length and density of the undercoat varies with the seasons. Wire-haired dogs are possible. A ridge on back: (symmetric or non-symmetric of indefinite length can occur).
Colour : Any colour or combinations permissible.
Skin : dark and loose to body. (In the event of a superficial injury, a loose skin ensures that the damage remains skin-deep and that subcutaneous tissue and muscles stay intact.)
Size :For dogs and bitches usually between 50 and 60 cm at the withers, but even 2-3 cm smaller or bigger individuals can occur.



Description     of fixed and variable features :

(When after several thousands of years of predominantly natural selection, variables still occur in certain features, it only means that such characteristics are of no direct influence on the physical and mental well being of the dog. Tampering with them to obtain fashionable homogeneity would therefore simply be inappropriate).

Regions of Occurrence : Southern Africa (Similar dogs occur further north in the lacu- strine region and beyond. (In Swahili they are called Umbwa wa ki-shenzi or traditional dogs).

Specific suitabilities : Watchful companion in and around the homestead, able to work with livestock. Also a hunting hound combining sight and scent with great efficiency.



Copy right © Dutch Kenstaff Staffordshire Bull Terrier ® All rights reserved