basenji

basenji (bəsĕn`jē), breed of medium-sized hound whose origins can be traced back several thousand years to Africa and the courts of the Egyptian pharaohs. It stands about 17 in. (43.2 cm) high at the shoulders and weighs about 23 lb (10.4 kg). Its short, silky coat may be colored chestnut red, black, or black and tan, with white chest, feet, and tip of tail. The basenji has two unique characteristics: it does not bark but utters a sound that has been described as a chortle or whine, and, in the manner of a cat, it cleans its own body. Possessing a keen sense of smell, the basenji was used in its native Africa as a hunter but is now commonly kept as a house pet. See dog.

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basenji

Basenji

(credit: Sally Anne Thompson/EB Inc.)

Ancient breed of hound native to central Africa, where it is used to point and retrieve and to drive quarry into a net. Known as the barkless dog, it produces a variety of sounds other than barks. Its finely wrinkled forehead, erect ears, and tightly curled tail give it a characteristic alert expression. It has a short, silky reddish brown, black, or black-and-tan coat and white feet, chest, and tail tip. It stands 16–17 in. (41–43 cm) high and weighs 22–24 lbs (10–11 kg). It is clean and gentle.