The Basenji is a hunting dog and needs daily exercise. Some Basenjis do fine with a daily walk, while others require more enthusiastic forms of exercise. Basenjis raised with children often will spend their time wearing each other out.

The Basenji is not a dog who can be left unattended in the backyard. He's an accomplished escape artist, and an unwatched Basenji will soon become a missing Basenji. If you can provide him with a couple of 30-minute walks or play sessions every day, he's well suited to apartment or condo life. Always keep your Basenji on leash unless you're in a securely fenced area, and don't count on any type of fence to keep him confined. He'll use chain link as a ladder, and a wood fence is a deterrent only if you think to put the smooth side facing the yard where the dog is and then top it with an electric wire.

Another feline characteristic of the Basenji is his dislike of rain. Expect him to be grumpy if you walk him when it's wet out. The only time he might enjoy getting wet is on a really hot day.

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