Basenji

• Dog breed group: hound dogs
• Life span: 10 to 12 years

As I said earlier, your dog can live more than 12 years if you take care of them and provide them with good food, regular vet check ups, affection and daily exercise. However, before adopting a dog, it’s crucial to educate yourself about the characteristics of that breed and how their needs change with each new stage in their lives, plus other maintenance costs.

Going back to the Basenji dog breed, they were originally bred to flush small game into hunters’ nets and to keep rodents away from people’s farms, but nowadays they make excellent companions for any type of family, especially those with allergies.

What many people don’t know about this dog breed is that they don’t normally bark, but they yodel, whine and scream instead. Moreover, they are hard to train, so this can be a big ‘no no’ for novice pet parents.

Speaking of novice pet parents, maybe a cat will be better for you. So, here are 7 Amazing Cat Breeds for First-Time Owners.