The Basset Hound is one dog of those dogs that if you don’t immediately fall in love with them, you better watch out because they’ll certainly “grow on you” if you give them a chance….
What, with their…
Long ears, mournful gaze, and pleading look, the Basset Hound reminds you of a child who has done something naughty and puts up a mournful look on purpose, so that you don’t get mad at him! It’s like they’re asking you…
“How can you not love me?”
But be warned…
The Basset Hound has a reputation for being a bit slow and a tad bit lazy too. And while he is a hunting dog that likes to go on long walks, he’s not going to break any land speed records.
And…
While on these walks that he takes, he’s also likely to take his own sweet time regardless of what it is you have planned for the rest of the afternoon. You see, Basset Hounds enjoy smelling the roses (after all, they are scent hounds) and simply aren’t in a hurry to get anywhere!
The Good news is…
That this “hang dog” lifestyle is what will eventually start to grows on you if you aren’t already “hooked”. You almost feel sorry for him, and will look beyond any minor transgressions.
But what really…
Makes most Basset Hound owners, owners for life is their inherent sense of humor that combined with their “clownish” appearance makes it really tough not to love them and… nearly impossible to stay mad at one despite how FRUSTRATING them can be at times!
But is a Basset Hound…
Going to be right for you? Who knows, only you’ll be able to make that kind of decision. But this is why we here at IndulgeYourPet have taken the time to write this brief article about the Basset Hound breed so that you might better understand the breed and determine if a Basset Hound is a good choice for you.
Basset Hound Fast Facts
Country of Origin: France
Original Purpose: Companionship, trailing small game
Height: 12-14 inches tall
Weight: 50 to 65 pounds
Life Span: 10 to 12 years
Dog Breed Classification: Hound Dogs
Origin of the Basset Hound Breed.
The Basset Hound can trace it’s ancestry back to France where the St. Hubert Hound and close cousin of the Bloodhound were very popular, and at some point in time right around the 15th or 16th century, a portion of the breed developed a “mutated gene” that caused some of the offspring to develop dwarfed or become “short-legged”.
And like today…
Folks who originally saw these “peculiar” little dogs fell in love and decided to continue to breed them for the sole purpose of having very short legs.
At first…
The Basset Hound breed was nothing more than curiosity enjoyed by the rich aristocracy living in France at the time. And it wasn’t until the French Revolution happened that these little dogs actually found their “true” calling when the “commoners” discovered that in addition to being great companion animals, they are also great trackers and hunters!
Then in 1874…
The Basset Hound was first brought to the UK by Sir Everett Millais. Where he started developing the breed in England and had it exhibited in many dog shows and introducing the breed to the world at large.
Then in 1882…
The Kennel Club in England accepted the Basset Hound as it’s own “official” dog breed and started the English Basset Hound Club two years later which is still in existence today!
Three years later…
The first Basset Hound (named Bouncer) was brought to the United States, which got the ball rolling towards it’s the breeds ultimate acceptance by the American Kennel Club (AKC) which took place in 1916.
Today…
Today, the Basset Hound is one of the most popular dog breeds in the country. But this still doesn’t really tell us much about wether or not a Basset Hound is going to be right for you, so let’s now take a moment and describe what it will be like to own a Basset Hound.
Basset Hound Temperament.
The Basset hound is a funny, almost clownish dog. He’s definitely going to have a bit of “selective hearing” – he listens to you when he wants to and pretends not to hear when he is not in the mood for it.
Which is why he can also be really frustrating to deal with (at times)…
But the truth is most of them are such sweethearts, you’re not going to be able to stay mad at them even when they are making you CRAZY! It also doesn’t hurt that he will also probably have very strong attachment towards his human family and will very likely be a very loyal dog.
For those familiar with the “hound family” of dogs…
It might interest you to know that the Basset Hound is often compared to his cousin, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, except that he (the Basset Hound) is more adaptive to a new environment and responds better to commands. This is also something you might want to remind yourself of when your Basset is driving you crazy… It could be worse, you could have chosen to have adopted a Petit Gasset Griffon Vendeen!
Now…
Despite what you might think, at the end of the day, the Basset Hound is a dog that is going to prefer to live indoors. In general, they don’t like to be kept in the backyard. He wants to be in the house as much as possible. He is also a big howler. His howling can get to you after a point of time.
And guess what?
If that howling (or baying) bothers you from time to time, imagine what you’re neighbors might be thinking. This is why we here at IndulgeYourPet don’t frequently recommend this breed to anyone living in an apartment or to someone who has really close neighbors because sometimes, even the occasional “bays” or “howling” can put you in a tough spot with your landlord or HOA.
Still, how can one not like a Basset Hound?
He is such a cute dog! And while some may call him names or even UGLY, we here at IndulgeYourPet find the Basset Hound extremely distinguished! And dare we say it, quite HANDSOME!
That said however…
There are a few things you should know about the Basset Hound aside from the fact that they are going to have a long body, short legs and really long ears.
Which is…
These dogs do have a tendency to drool, and if you’re not careful, they can get pretty “chubby” when their owners don’t monitor how much they eat on a daily basis.
Oh, and one other thing…
Basset Hounds have a tendency to snore too! But that’s not something that bothers a TRUE Basset Hound owner, in fact we here at IndulgeYourPet feel it just adds to their character!
The good news…
Is that overall, the Basset hound is a petty easy dog to take care of. They’re not going to require a ton of exercise and aren’t going to be begging you to play with them. And when it comes to grooming, the Basset Hound isn’t going to require much which is a good thing particularly why you consider just how much loose skin that they have.
So…
If you can get around the “drooling” and “snoring” your pretty much home free when it comes to actually owning a Basset Hound.
Basset Hounds and kids.
Because the he Basset Hound has one of the nicest temperaments you can expect to see in a dog, they are are fantastic pets to introduce to a family with children. They are also quite well behaved with cats and other dogs as well.
Basset Hound Training.
As we’ve mentioned before, Basset Hounds do have a bit of a stubborn streak. The good news is that if you Basset Hound decides not to listen to you, it’s not like he is going to run all over the place and create havic throughout the house.
What’s more…
Likely to happen is that you’ll ask your Basset Hound to do something and he or she will just sit down, or he or she will just stare at you with their silly face and just make you laugh!
Now what we’ve found…
Is that small healthy treats can often be a great “motivator” for these little guys so rather than go INSANE yelling, just begin your obedience training early, use plenty of positive enforcement and always have a few treats in your pocket!
Is the Basset Hound Breed Healthy?
Now because Basset Hound has a longish back, he/she is pretty much always going to be vulnerable to back injuries. And you’ll want to watch out for the intervertebral disc disease as well.
He is also susceptible to obesity which can exacerbate these risks and/or make the symptoms associated with these conditions worsen, so don’t spoil him by offering him a treat every so often.
Plus…
As the Basset Hound gets older he can also get much heavier – up to 70 pounds. He might not be able to climb a long flight of stairs at an advanced age.
He may also be susceptible to:
- A variety of different eye problems, including glaucoma.
- Ear infections,
- Bloat,
- Von Willebrand’s disease,
- And hip dysplasia.
For this reason…
You should ask the breeder for a certification…
From the Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF) and Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF) for these conditions before buying the puppy from them. You should also avoid purchasing a puppy from any breeder that:
- Won’t guaranteed the health of your puppy,
- Allow you to see the parents of the puppy,
- And offers a variety of different dog breeds as this might be a clue that your breeder is not a responsible dog breeder and is instead one of a growing group of “puppy mill’ breeders.
Now we say all of this…
Not to scare you or try to “convince” you not to purchase a Basset Hound puppy (or better yet adopt a Basset Hound rescue dog), rather we just mention it to make you aware of what could go wrong if you do choose to make a Basset Hound your next family member.
We also say this…
So that you might be encouraged to take a moment and explore what it might cost for you to purchase a pet insurance policy, just in case something does go wrong, you won’t be fully responsible for paying for the vet bill when it arrives.
For more information about who we feel offers the “best” pet insurance policies on the market right now, we would encourage you to check out our Best Pet Insurance Companies article.
I’ve had Bassets my whole life ever since I went on a school trip to a tv studio in Burlington VT. when I was 10 There was one there for a hush puppie commercial it was the first time I’d ever seen one but it was love at first sight. A couple years later after moving back to Jersey I got one for Xmas she was a direct descendant of the Tukesberry sp?foot basset and she was the most beautiful pup I’d ever seen. I now have my 5th basset Baxter and couldn’t recommend a better dog for companionship or anything especially naps. They can be very trying at times but that’s all part of their charm.
Craig,
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with this awesome dog breed. One thing we here at IndulgeYourPet can say is that while none of us have actually owned a Basset Hound before, we all do seem to have very fond stories centering around those Bassets that we’ve had the good fortune to meet!
Thanks,
IndulgeYourPet
Hi,
If you can get through the first six months with your Basset the rest will be smooth sailing. They will push every button you have, stay with it, in the end you will experience a love like never before.
Joanne,
You’re experience seems to be a common one. It’s sort of one of those things that you either “get it” or you don’t. For those who do, there really isn’t any other dog breed out there for them.
Thanks for sharing,
IndulgeYourPet.