Overview

Basenji puppies originated in Africa to be used for hunting. This breed hunts only by sight. Their hunting instincts are very strong and make them chase anything including cars. Their name is pronounced Buh-SEN-jee and they’re known for the fact that they don’t bark. While they don’t bark, they do carry a very distinct wail and yodel when they’re hunting or excited.

Activity

Socialize Basenji puppies at an early age to keep them from developing destruction issues if they’re going to be part of a home and family. This makes sure they will be good around children and other pets. This breed needs obedience training as they’re very alert and quite energetic. They need various training methods to hold their attention because they bore easily. Use firmness, variety and consistency in training and handling.

Care

Caring for the Basenji puppies is rather easy as they’re a lot like cats when it comes to staying clean and grooming themselves. There’s little to no shedding but they do need some grooming to keep their coats in good condition. Occasionally, using a firm bristle brush or a wire one to brush their coat works well in removing loose or dead hair.

Character

Basenji puppies are a bit withdrawn with strangers, which makes them rather suspicious. They’re a very intelligent and independent breed, and that makes training them difficult. This breed is alert, playful and rambunctious as well as being a great family pet. They do love being outside and does better with a large yard.

Coat

Basenji puppies have very short coats and don’t require a lot of grooming. Their hair is fine, short and a bit harsh. This breed cleans their own coat, which makes coat care quite easy for the owner. They rarely have any dog odor and produce little shedding.

Temperament

Basenji puppies are very alert and fun loving. But they need an experienced owner. They do have a tendency to be destructive if they’re left alone for too long at a time so they’ll need to be properly trained as well as confined. This breed is very patient and great with children but they need to be socialized when they’re young so they won’t fight with other dogs.

Training

To prevent any destructive behavior, Basenji puppies need to be socialized at a young age, especially if they’re going to be living in a home and around children and other animals. Obedience training is highly recommended for them as they’re quite alert and very energetic. There should be various training methods used to keep this breed interested as they get bored quickly. When training Basenji puppies, consistency, variety and firmness work best.