This unusual breed originated in central Africa, but in the middle 1930’s they were brought to Europe and became quite popular.
A remarkable feature about this small dog, that weighs about 22 pounds, is the fact that it cannot bark. Instead of barking it makes a strange whining sound. Another distinctive feature of this breed is the unusual gait, which can best be described as the prancing of a pony.
It is a very intelligent animal, friendly with children, but a feature of its temperament is the fact that it does not like cats.
The Basenji has a short, silky coat. Another unusual feature of this breed is that the coat does not have the usual dog smell and so grooming is a very simple matter.