Basenjis don’t bark, but they have a variety of vocal sounds, sometimes accompanied by expressive body signals. What says the voice of the Basenji to us? Their yodel, a demonstration of enjoyment, is well known to many Basenji owners. It can happen that the dog signals his presence and his needs. Basenjis yodel when they want to reinforce the cohesion in the pack or when each member has to rejoin the group. I do it in the same way with my loudly yodelling. It works very well. My Basenjis return when they are off their leash. Unfortunately, for many Basenjis yodeling is not encouraged. They learn it in the pack. Nowadays the human owner has to be the teacher and has to show the dog how to yodel. Sorry to say some Basenjis do not like to yodel or are not allowed by the alpha dog.
Many people hold the misconception that Basenjis are "silent" dogs because they don't make a barking noise like most dogs, they are by no means quiet. The vocal cords of the Basenji are unique and unlike others of the dog world. They allow the Basenji to make a howling noise, a baroo or a yodeling noise, and in some cases even a muted bark. With such an vocal repertoire at their disposal, each Basenji is unique in the noises it chooses to make, and not all Basenjis choose to howl or even yodel. Our BRAT boy Sanji does a very loud yodel when he wants something that is out of his reach. He also screams as high as a young child, if he is imposed upon or someone steps on his foot accidentally. In the evening when the boys are settling down, Sanji will do a high pitched growl to get Gumbo to hold still so that he can clean his ears. The growls of a loved Basenji are generally not a warning growl like the sound a dog makes before a bite, but more like a grumbling old person.
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