Basenji are the only dogs that cannot bark.

What distinguishes dogs from wolves, in addition to a variety of appearance and friendliness in relation to humans? This is the ability to bark, which their wild ancestors lack. And even the famous Australian dingo dogs, which were once domestic, do not know how to bark, but can only howl. But the most striking thing is that among domestic dogs there is one breed whose representatives do not know how to bark. These are basenji bred in Africa.

This breed is not one thousand years old, as evidenced by the images of these dogs in ancient Egyptian frescoes, as well as the finds of their mummies in several burials. But the basenji were not derived in Ancient Egypt, they were brought into the country from the south, most likely from equatorial Africa. By the way, another name for the breed - the Congo Terrier - directly indicates the region of its primary selection. Experts believe that this breed of dog was bred about 5,000 years ago and was used by African peoples as a reliable assistant in the hunt. Today, many representatives of this interesting breed live in the homes of Europeans, Americans and residents of other countries.

Basenji are large moving dogs that can have a variety of colors, from saturated red with white markings to black and white spotted variations. Redheads are somewhat reminiscent of Australian dingoes. They are very smart and active, so the owners of these dogs have to devote a lot of time to walking and playing, as is the case with huskies. By the way, after scientists analyzed the genetic material of these dogs, it turned out that they, along with East Siberian huskies, belong to a separate group that is different from other breeds.

Basenji cannot bark, but they can rumble, growl and make unusual sounds peculiar only to this breed. In addition, the congo terriers are completely devoid of the smell characteristic of all dogs, which, along with the lack of barking, makes them simply ideal pets. Of course, this is possible only on condition that the owners can provide their four-legged friends with the necessary traffic volume. Basenji has another feature that distinguishes them from all other dogs. They are very clean, and some even wash like cats.