Basenji

Description:
The very good-looking Basenji has a short back and has a thin build. They can be easily identified by the way they pucker their brows and by their curled up tails. These dogs don't bark very much, it's not that they can't bark, but when they do it sounds like they are yodeling. The Basenji has a very elegant and intelligent expression and they walk with their heads high up. They're eyes are obliquely almond shaped, and they're eyelids are dark. The ears are small, pointed upwards, and they sort of resemble a hood. The skull of this dog is flat and its face goes getting thinner from the eyes down to its nose. Its short back is balanced by a very compact body that seems to end on its waist. The Basenji has a medium sized chest in width and its tail curls up over one side of its back. It has a short and fine coat and its skin is flexible. The Basenji's feet, chest, and tip of the tail are white; the rest of its body can either be reddish, brown, blackish etc.

Ideal owner:
The Basenji is a very fast dog and keeping up with this little pooch can be quite the job, but it is certainly worth it. These dogs are very intelligent as well as very affectionate with its owners, however it is a little reserved when it comes to strangers. Training one of these dogs is not the easiest task and a lot of patience is required to pull it off. Part of the reason for this is that it's a very nervous dog and it gets bored quite easily. The good thing about this dog is that it is very clean; it cleans itself all the time; it's kind of similar to a cat in that way, some of them can even climb up fences and trees. If you are the owner of a Basenji it's recommended to get close to it little by little and to treat it with lots of respect because it is a very sensitive animal. Since this dog does not bark much, it isn't very useful as a guard dog.

Growth:
A Basenji's average weight is in between 170 to 230 grams at birth. Its nose is red when it is born but it changes to black as it grows. The bottom of their paws also darkens, as they get older. A brown basenji will turn red, as it becomes an adult. If you are thinking about acquiring a basenji make sure that its mouth closes correctly, because a protrusion of the jaws tends to worsen as it get older.

General health:
Basenjis are quite delicate when it comes to their health and it has been observed that they can have some very outstanding problems. One of these problems is persistent pupil membrane, which is the persistence of pigmentation over the pupils. It has also been seen that they suffer from congenital anemia, which is hereditary, and it causes death. Hemolytic anemia, kidney stones, dystrophic retina, and lymphangiectasia (which is a hereditary disease and causes poor absorption of the red blood cells), are all diseases that breeders are trying to get rid of. Basenjis are also more prone than any other breed to suffering from enteritis, which is a bacterial infection in the intestines. Umbilical hernias are also very common in puppies. Most basenjis are also prone to allergic reactions to insecticides (so if you own one, make sure to keep all insecticides put away). Don't let this stress you out though, basenji's are very healthy and active dogs that can live a long time, on average until about thirteen years of age. These dogs need a lot of playtime and exercise in order to stay interested, happy, and healthy. Female basenjis only ovulate once a year.