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Basenji dog Facts

Basenji dog Facts
Basenji dog is a type of sighthound. It was created in central Africa 4000 years ago to facilitate hunting of small animals and to keep rodents under control. Basenji dog was kept as a pet in the palaces of various pharaohs and it can be seen on many pictures and sculptures from that period. Europeans discovered Basenji dog in the 19th century, but they weren't able to introduce it to Europe and America until 1930s due to various diseases. Basenji is still popular as hunting dog in Africa, but it is mostly kept as pet in the western societies.
Interesting Basenji dog Facts:
Basenji dog can reach 16 to 17 inches in height at the shoulder and 22 to 24 pounds of weight.
Basenji dog has short coat that can be chestnut red or black in color, tri-color, or red and covered with black stripes. Feet, chest and tip of a tail are white-colored.
Basenji dog has small, muscular body, erect ears, almond-shaped eyes, wrinkled forehead and tightly curled tail.
Basenji dog has excellent eyesight and sense of smell.
Basenji dog is very intelligent, endearing and curious dog, that is also very stubborn. Thanks to its independent nature, it doesn't like to execute commands.
Basenji dog is good family dog which demands plenty of time and attention. It tolerates other dogs and it can learn to live with cats, but not with gerbils, hamsters, mice and small birds.
Basenji dog likes to play. Unlike the ball and Frisbee, Basenji dog will enjoy to chase lure such as plastic bag in the field. Basenji is also very good at agility training.
Basenji dog can be keep both in the houses with yards and in the apartments. It requires plenty of exercise, regular daily walks and playing sessions. Basenji dog doesn't like to walk at night and when it is very wet (it becomes grumpy when it needs to go for a walk when it rains).
Basenji dog is reserved with strangers. It is courageous and it will always try to protect its family from potential danger, but it is cannot be used as a guard dog due to its small size.
Basenji dog is excellent climber and it can easily escape from the fenced backyard.
Basenji dog does not bark, but it produces variety of other sounds. It often yodels, screams, whimpers and growls.
Basenji dog is odorless and very clean dog. It takes good care of its hygiene (almost like a cat) and doesn't shed much.
Basenji dog can produce offspring only once per year, unlike other dogs that often produce two litters per year. Basenji dog gives birth to 5 puppies on average.
Basenji dog can suffer from blindness, kidney disorders (Fanconi syndrome), malabsorption, hemolytic anemia and hypothyroidism.
An average lifespan of Basenji dog is 10 to 12 years.


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