Basset Hound: Is it the Breed for You?

Basset Hounds always seem to be slow and sad. Nothing could be further from the truth. My in-laws have had two since I've been in the family. The first one, Baron, was just a sweetheart! He was ready to greet you at the door with a happy face on! Once, I was laying on the couch and he came charging into the room and pounced on me! I thought I'd been attacked by a sack of potatoes! He was so large, but so ready to play and to love. I want to share what I know about the Basset to help you decide if it's right for you.

They may be short, but they are a heavy breed. It has a large, rounded skull with the plane of the muzzle pretty much equal to the top of the skull. Of course, it has lots of loose, flappy skin on it's head and drooping around the mouth. This may cause him to slobber a bit. The ears are soft and velvety smooth, dragging to the floor. The ears help to sweep scents into the nose, making it a great hunting dog. His eyes may be dark brown to golden brown and have that sad look, but usually they will be kind and light hearted looking. He'll have a deep, broad chest displaying his strength. When this dog moves, it will be deliberate and sturdy, not sloppy or clumsy. His coat is slick, short and shiny. There isn't any strict rules on what color he may be, but most of the time you'll think of a Basset as being mostly white with brown and black markings. Some may even have a freckled look.

You won't find a more lovable dog. Baron was such the sweetheart - sharing kisses all the time. He was gentle with my children and always devoted to my mother and father in-law. This breed is deeply affectionate and is usually well-behaved. He's not a vicious dog, unless he doesn't have the proper leader. The owner must always make sure the dog knows who the alpha is in the family. Give him a chance, and the Basset will take over the alpha duties happily. If this happens, he may become an overly demanding dog. If Basset's are not socialized well, they can become aggressive, though. My in-laws current Basset, Scooter, wasn't around very many children very often when he was a puppy, so he's not always sure about them. Once he knows they mean no harm, Scooter settles in with the children just fine. As an owner of any Basset, though, you must be consistent and firm.

Bassets can be very entertaining. They love to do tricks for food and will even share their musical bark with you. At the same time, they can be very stubborn and hard to house break. Don't get mean with the dog, though. Just be patient and consistent and give positive reinforcement and he'll eventually learn to go outside.

Be careful with your Basset. Being a hunting dog, the smell of something will strongly distract him. No matter how well trained he is, if he's on the trail of something, he'll never even hear you call. Because of this, you need to keep him on a leash when you're in public areas. Otherwise, he may run off to track down the source of the smell. Make sure you have a secure yard if you do let him off the leash. Losing this dog would be a tragedy!

They don't get to be very tall dogs. Males grow to about 12 - 15 inches and females will grow to about 11 - 14 inches. But they sure can weigh alot! Males can get up to 65 pounds while females get to around 60. You must make sure you do not over feed them. They are prone to bloat because of the long body, so it's best to feed them two to three times a day with small meals. If they get to be obese, this dog can become lame and will have spinal problems.

Bassets can live just about anywhere. If you have an apartment, make sure you can commit to walking your dog daily. You do not want to do excessive exercise or play because of his back. You want to keep him in shape, though. So use common sense in exercising your Basset. Not too little and not too much. Exercise will also keep him mentally happy. Don't keep him cooped up all day and then expect him to be an angel. He will act out and destroy things if not given the chance to play and exercise. Try to keep him from jumping and stressing his back and legs, though. If you take proper care of him, he will live to be 10 to 12 years old.

Grooming is easy with this short coat. Just use a firm bristle brush and bathe only when needed. Keep his ears clean on the inside. Being so long, they will tend to trap moisture and bacteria. Also keep the nails trimmed. Keep in mind that the Basset sheds all of the time. If this bothers you, then you don't want a Basset.

Where does this breed come from? The exact origin isn't really known. Possibly they were bred down from other French hunting dogs since the word "bas" is French for low. We do know that it is an old breed and is related to the Bloodhound. They started to become popular in 1863 after it was shown at the Paris Dog Show. There has been a lot of bickering between breeders about whether it should be kept as a hunting dog or bred as a companion dog. Who cares, really. The dog naturally wants to hunt and naturally wants to be with humans. So, it doesn't really matter what the breeders want, the Basset is what it is because of it's own accord.

Because of their low stature, they have mostly been used to hunt small prey such as hare, fox, pheasant and opossum. They'll hunt in packs or do just fine on their own. It's all in how they are raised and taught. They aren't the fastest runners, which helps hunters out by not scaring the prey. Hunters are able to keep up with the dogs, too. Bassets are recognized by the AKC in the Hound group.

Being around the two Bassets in my family, Baron and Scooter, I have grown to love this breed. We lost Baron to cancer several years ago and Scooter has some back problems. If you are considering this breed, make sure you are ready to dedicate your love and time to him. He deserves it. You may have to face ailments like we have, but the love and companionship you get in return is worth it.