General Height: 40 - 43 cm Weight: 9 - 11 kg Colour: Usually black, red or black and tan with white feet and chest Coat:Short and fine coat Hound group Temperament The Basenji is intelligent, very alert and can be anxious. This combination of traits makes them quite difficult to train. They are an exceptionally clean breed; this is down to their personal habits and short, neat coat. They should be socialised a lot when puppies, especially with other dogs as there is a tendency to become aggressive and fight. Basenjis have been specifically bred to hunt rodents; this would almost certainly mean small pets probably will not be best friends with this breed type. This aristocratic, loyal breed is a fantastic family pet; they like to show affection and tend to cling to one family member. Basenjis do not bark. Exercise Basenjis need plenty of exercise to stimulate both body and mind. They have a tendency to gain weight. Once bred for stamina and long distance hunts, Basenjis require a daily walk or run for around 20 – 30 minutes. Grooming A weekly groom of the Basenji with a firm bristle brush is recommended. Only bathe this breed when necessary as they are naturally very clean dogs. Health There is a number of health problems associated with the Basenji, including; kidney problems, digestive problems, Fanconi's Syndrome, eye defects, thyroid problems and hip dysplasia. Life Expectancy 10 – 12 years History Basenjis are one of the world's oldest "pure" breeds of dogs. Carvings have been found of this breed in the tombs of Pharaohs in ancient Egypt. The Basenji originated in Zaire, and was not created by man like most of today’s breeds, but instead was created by Nature itself. Nature selected the animals who would be worthy of reproducing the next generation by "survival of the fittest". In 1937 the Basenji established a breeding stock here in the UK. This is a rare breed; in fact Basenji numbers have been in decline since 1997 in the UK. The Basenji is one of the breeds most closely related to the ancestral wolf. (Others are the Shar-Pei, Lhasa Apso, Alaskan Malamute, Samoyed, Afghan Hound, Pekinese, Shih Tzu, Akita, Siberian Husky and Chow Chow)