The Basset Hound is a French breed first mentioned in print in 1585.
He was imported to England in the 1800s and recognized by the American Kennel
Club in 1886. He has been described as having the head and bone of a Bloodhound,
coloring of a Foxhound, and legs of a Dachshund. This body structure enables
him to be used to trail rabbits, hares and other game that can be trailed
on foot or taken to ground.
The Basset is gentle in disposition and devoted to master and family. He
has a deep, baritone musical voice that is loved by hunters but not always
by neighbors in an urban setting. Although normally placid, he has surprising
agility and energy on the hunt. He is an independent dog by nature so needs
discipline training in order to be an ideal housepet. He also needs a lot
of exercise to avoid obesity.
The Basset Hound's head is large and well proportioned. The skull is well-domed
with a pronounced protuberance of the occipital bone on top. The length
from this bone to the eye is the same as from the eye to the end of the
muzzle. The muzzle is deep and heavy with a scissors or even bite. The skin
over the head hangs loosely with distinct wrinkles on the forehead. There
is a well defined fold of skin under the jaw called the dewlap. The neck
is powerful and of good length. The eyes are soft, sad and slightly sunken
with the inner lining of the lower lid (called the haw) being visible. The
ears are long, low set and hang down along the neck. The chest is deep with
a prominent sternum. The legs are short, powerful, and heavy in bone with
wrinkled skin. The paws are massive and heavy with well rounded feet that
point slightly outward in order to balance the width of the shoulders. The
body is long with a straight, level topline. The hind legs are parallel
and not cowhocked or bowed. The tail is not docked and is carried gaily.
The coat is hard, smooth and short. The skin is loose and elastic. Any hound
coat color is acceptable. Acceptable height is fourteen inches or less.
Weight is between forty five and sixty pounds.
Fluter@37.com of Port Jervis, NY writes:
Very stubborn, smart and cute.
I've only had my Basset for a few weeks now, he is almost four months
old. The big mistake I made was getting him from a pet shop instead of
a good breeder, but he was so cute I couldn't resist. He chews on everything
that he can get his jaws on, whether it be his toys, the chair, dirt, or
even our skin. He is doing pretty good on housetraining, but everytime
he goes on the floor and I clean it up, he gets unbelievably hyper and starts
barking at me..He bites our hands rather hard and punishment just doesn't
seem to work, he just barks and barks and tries to bite us. I think it's
because he was probably taken from his mother too early.
He started responding to his name right away, and already knows what "come"
means. He does pull on the leash in the yard, but he is well behaved on
walks. He also cries when we leave him in his pen when we are gone, even
if we are right next to the pen, he cries to come out. I think my little
pup does have really good potential, though.. I will work with him as long
as it takes.
LilBeccaQT@aol.com of U.S. writes:
Cute, friendly, lovable, sweet.
I have owned a wonderful Basset Hound for a couple of years. He is so
cute and the whole town loves him. He does the cutest and funniest things.
He is obedient and loves people. The only thing that makes me upset sometimes
with him is that he is afraid of the camera so I have a hard time taking
pictures of him. A lot of people think that this breed drouls a lot but
this is not true.
dejajenn@rfcnet.com of Chicago, IL writes:
An unexpected wonder.
After two of our beloved cats passed away over the course of less than
a month, we decided we had to have another pet. The local vet's office referred
us to a family looking for a good home for a Basset Hound puppy. I had no
idea if I wanted a Basset or not, but our vet assured me these dogs make
wonderful housepets, and he was "free to a good home," as the
owners were unable to care for him. I took her advice and went to meet this
adorable tri-color four-month-old - and I knew right off I had to take him
home. And what a joy he is! After only one evening, he fit right in with
my two children, our older black Lab, and our kitty. The previous owners
had done very little in the way of training, but after only a day I had
him on a potty routine and he has not had an accident indoors since. I know
Bassetts can be difficult to housebreak, but this one was not. Perhaps it
was just pure luck, but he seems very eager to please and enjoys simple
praise as well as an occasional treat. He is very playful, will fetch a
toy and return it to us, and absolutely LOVES to take long walks with his
new family and dog companion. The two dogs will even play together with
no coaxing from us. He is quiet and attentive, only barks when the older
dog barks, and follows me around the house without getting underfoot. From
the first night with us slept through the night, right between us on our
bed. He does snore a bit when deeply asleep, so he and my husband make a
great nightly concert! Seriously though, I would highly recommend this dog
breed to anyone who wants a great housepet, a wonderful companion for children
and adults alike, and many, many happy moments of snuggles and cuddles from
a truly loving animal.
Name withheld by request of U.S. writes:
Loving, sweet, smelly, and smart (when they want to be).
We have owned Basset Hounds for twenty-plus years. They are absolutely
wonderful with children and other dogs! (The only time we've ever had a
problem was when we didn't purchase the pet from a reputable breeder. If
you have an aggressive Basset ... it isn't the dog's fault.) Bassets don't
have a mean bone in their bodies. They do shed! Their ears must be kept
clean. Even as complete housedogs, they tend to be a little smelly. They
are EXTREMELY SMART about getting "people food." (This is their
best trick and the only one that they need only three or four practice sessions
to master.) Don't expect them to do other types of tricks unless you plan
to do the SAME one every day for a year (and then do reinforcement three
to four times a week thereafter). Potty training requires patience and FOOD
reinforcement. They have to be kept close at home. They literally "follow
their noses" ... unfortunately their noses don't always lead them home.
This is a wonderful breed if you have small children; don't mind a little
shedding/smell (if you spend ABSOLUTELY NO time in grooming) and just want
a companion whose only desire is to be with you.
pierceranch@aol.com of Indiana writes:
One of the best breeds.
I rescued a Basset four years ago. She was shy when I got her, she wouldn't
stray very far from me and stayed away from other people. But now she is
my angel and loves people and kids. She is very loyal and loving but has
her own way of doing things. Bassets are not the easiest dogs to train,
but they make up for it in personality. They are great with kids; there
has not been one recorded bite case with Bassets. They do have a few health
problems and need exercise daily, but can adapt to any lifestyle.
skwirlwind@yahoo.com of South Carolina writes:
Great disposition.
I have a two-year-old female Basset Hound. She is friendly to everybody
and to other dogs. The Basset is very patient and tolerant of my small puppy.
She seems intelligent, but mine is not a great watchdog because she is so
friendly. The cutest dog in the world.
SthrnTami@AOL.com of Alabama writes:
Difficult to train, smelly, loud.
We owned a Basset for three years, and it was not a positive experience.
She chewed on everything in sight, and it did not end with puppyhood. We
had a swimming pool, and it was impossible to keep any kind of pool toy
or accessory intact. She even stole my prescription sunglasses from the
end table one day and proceeded to destroy them. We found it impossible
to housetrain her. Even more than that, we couldn't get her to understand
that she couldn't do her "business" on the wooden deck or in the
pea gravel under the kids' swing set (and yes, there was a large lawn which
was largely ignored). She also smelled terrible and barked excessively and
so LOUD! Needless to say, she did not work in our family, and we had to
give her up.
arlenehunt@eircom.net of Barcelona, Spain writes:
Good dogs but difficult.
I own a six-year-old male Basset Hound. As I type, he is slumbering
away at my feet, a place where he invariably seems to be no matter where
I am in the house. My reasons for reviewing this breed are to advise people
who may be thinking of buying a Basset to be prepared for the following:
Bassets are large dogs on short legs, do not think that they are little.
They are extremely stubborn and will test you regularly. Be careful when
feeding. Two smaller meals twice a day are better than one large one. They
are prone to bloat or twisting of the stomach, which, if not treated immediately,
will kill your dog (this happened to mine last year). Ears need weekly attention
and they do shed a lot. Mine sheds all year round no matter how often he
is brushed. They need regular excerise to maintain weight control. Do not
be fooled into thinking that because your dog likes to sleep he is lazy.
My dog goes out four times a day, and enjoys each and every walk. Bassets
can be aggresive. Mine detests children and large dogs and will not allow
anyone to approach me if I am out for a walk unless I make it clear it's
fine. If man-handled he growls with genuine menace. He, however, adores
our three cats and loves to lick them if they let him. I find Basssets to
be loyal, intelligent dogs, and excellent companions. It is a shame, because
of their comical appearance, that people treat them as idiots and ruin an
otherwise excellent animal. Treat your dog with respect, be firm, but above
all be loving without babying them to death and the rewards are tremendous.
twitterbeakers@telus.net of Canada writes:
Great dogs.
Our Basset is only nine months old, so I do not consider myself an expert,
but I do know that we adore his little tri-colored body, from the tip of
his oh-so-cold nose that finds a vulnerable place on our naked ankle when
we least expect it, to the end of his astoundingly large and expressive
tail.
The first thing I really noticed about him is that when we take him anywhere,
which is everywhere, we end up making new friends. Some are two-legged,
some are four, all are enthusiastic and are met by him with the same level
of excitement and friendliness.
Our Basset is quite a bit like others I have read about, although we had
very few problems with toilet training. He has a stubborn streak a mile
long,and is not overly anxious to please, sometimes even if we are trying
to treat him. He loves to run away, but then he has made fast friends with
all, and I do mean all, of our neighbours and their pets. If we plan a fifteen-minute
walk with him, we are a fool. It will easily stretch to a 45-minute meander,
often through terrain that we were foolish enough to follow him through,
just because he seemed so darned sure that was the way to go!
He is however, sweet to a fault, suprisingly patient for a pup, a wonderful
traveller, long-suffering, remarkably resiliant, slow to anger, a fairly
reasonable sleeping companion, adores children, barks little, whines little,
shares his food and is ever-so-slowly beginning to come when he is called.
He knows "sit, stay, come, roll-over, up, down, go, walk, bath-time,
cows, horses, kitty, gotta clean your ears and where is mom, dad and grandma."
In the short time he has graced us with his presence we have formed an affection
and respect for our Basset that is immeasurable, and I can only wonder why
it is that this breed is so undervalued by sites that rate a dog's intelligence
by some silly human scale. I wish that when we began researching dog breeds
for the kind we wanted, they had not underplayed the Basset's intelligence.
'Cause he can outthink his people about three ways to Sunday!
steve.dbr@btopenworld.com of England writes:
Basset Hounds take over your life p; you'll never want another breed.
Our was a brilliant guard dog (that deep bark is a great deterrent to
burglars), 100 percent loyal, very stubborn; he liked his home comforts
(namely the sofa and bed if possible). When we had our first child, our
dog was six, from the day we brought him home, the dog was his protector.
Later, both our children could play safely in the front garden, with our
dog barking if any adult stopped by the gate. I could never go back to any
other breed. Bassets take over your life. He got cantankerous and tired
as he got older, but I still miss him every day.
kblanchard@thplaw.com of Standish, ME writes:
The "sweet" in sweetheart p; Basset Hounds are it.
I have a two-year-old, 45-pound, tri-color female Basset Hound. She
is the love of our family. She is intelligent and snuggly, easily one of
the best dogs our family has ever had the pleasure of adopting. She loves
our cats and even our fourteen-year-old German Shepherd mix male who wasn't
all that friendly until we got her. They are now attached at the hip at
all times. She was difficult to potty train at first and even now when she
is angry at you she has a "premeditated" accident on our bedroom
floor, but she hasn't been really that destructive, except the time she
pulled the crockpot off the counter and ate the entire roast, we aren't
counting that incident because we were able to get a new kitchen floor (minor
damage really, the house didn't burn down or anything). All kidding aside
(no, she really did that) she loves everyone even when she is begging my
husband in the morning to get up and let her out, then falls asleep in his
space in bed or when she is asking to go out at the back door and when you
get up (finally) she then runs to her treat box as if to say "Oh, while
your up!" Even with all those things, we love her with all our heart.
She loves to take walks and actually chases a tennis ball (and brings it
back to you, I kid you not!). I would recommend a Basset Hound to those
with patience, a sense of humor and those who love to have children in the
house, Because when she finally falls asleep at 9pm sharp, we smile down
at our little angel and threaten the rest of the family not to wake her
up or make any noise at all, unless it's to kiss her nose which we can't
help doing. I am serious, though, when I say that I love my Basset Hound
and wouldn't want to be without one, ever.
cherrycoke_babe@bolt.com of Colorado writes:
Cute n' loving.
I love my three-year-old Basset, because she is not aggressive at all,
she is good with children, she is the most loving and loyal dog I have ever
had, and is so very cute. I highly reccommend this dog.
Name withheld by request of Mississippi writes:
The best friend I have ever had.
We got our Basset seven years ago and I have never regretted it since
that great day. We loved him so much that we got another one; she was also
a great dog, too. I don't care what people say about their stubborness,
they are the best dogs we have ever owned. That is why we have had six Bassett
Hounds over the past twenty years. They are great pets for a kid to have,
even if they don't play a lot, they are so gentle and caring to people.
Now they may not like to sleep on the floor (ours have two couches a bed
and some pillows) but other than that they are the best breed of dog I have
ever had.
jenniferkfox@hotmail.com of Texas writes:
Bassets own you!
I have owned my Basset for three years now. She is truly the best friend
I have ever had. Although stubborn, she has a way to make my worst days
turn out to be my best. Bassets have a strong aura about them that I cannot
explain in words. Once they look at you with those sad eyes, you just want
to melt. I have had many dogs and she is undoubtedly the best breed I have
had the pleasure of raising. I strongly recommend this breed to anyone who
does not want a highly active dog, but a loving companion.
Name withheld by request of Fort Collins, CO writes:
Pure love and friendship.
I have a sixteen-year-old, yes sixteen-year-old, Basset that is a wonderful
companion. She is stubborn and surprisingly brave. She is completely incapable
of biting or hurting anybody friendly, but responds when she doesn't recognize
a smell or sound. When my brother brought his four-month-old son home for
Christmas, she immediately recognized him as family and would lie by him,
I think guarding him, as he lay on a blanket. Great dogs, period.
chuckyogle@yahoo.com of Lewisville, TX writes:
Most lovable dog on earth.
I have a male Basset eleven months old and a whopping 70 pounds of pure
love and devotion. He is spoiled to the core. He wakes me at 5:30am by jumping
onto my bed and laying on me, all the while looking in my face and saying,
"It's me daddy, do ya wanna get up huh, do ya, ya know ya do and could
ya feed me, huh, could ya, daddy?" I absolutely love this dog! My whole
family loves him. He is full of energy and loves to go for walks where he
can use that big sniffer of his. He is great with all kids and people. Contrary
to what some people think, he is not oily and odorous. Just like people,
they need a bath on occasion. They require a lot of touchy-feely love and
in return will give you back ten times the enjoyment and love. I highly
recommend this breed to anyone who wants a low-slung, big loving dog. They
do get big so they can unintentionally knock down small children when playing.
Hey, it's not their fault, they just love everyone!
sjhill35@hotmail.com of Texas writes on 8/6/01:
Medium sized dog with EXTRA LARGE personality!
I have had one Bassett Hound for about two years. He is literally my baby.
I received him and three of his siblings when they were two weeks old and
bottle fed them for six weeks until they were weaned. This was an effort
to releive the mother from the strain of nursing so many puppies. During
this time, he adopted me. I found that he and I were very much alike. He
was a very active dog and very eager to please. However, he was prone to
short bouts of stubbornness. The most difficult task was housebreaking.
I have been told that this is indicative of the breed. But he and I made
it through it all. I personally have had no trouble with him running away.
But remember, Bassetts are scent hounds and do have a tendency to follow
their nose. When taking them for a walk, they should be controlled. If you
do not have the luxury of a dog who responds to voice commands, then please
be responsible and keep them on a leash.
He was finally housebroken, HE created a schedule for walks. He wakes me
every morning at 5:30 AM to eat breakfast and go for a walk. He is very
persistant if I do not rise from bed in a timely manner.
He has been great with other animals and all people. I've never seen him
display any aggression. But he was socialized or introduced to people and
other animals on a regular basis from an early age. When looking to adopt
an adult dog, find out what environment he or she is accustomed to and use
your HEAD instead of your HEART to decide if you can provide that environment
in your home.
I have had many breeds of dogs since childhood and I have found that I enjoy
the personality and characteristics of Bassets more than others. From my
heart, I must say, that in having any animal, you must be willing to make
a committment to that animal that you will give 100% of your patience. If
you are not willing to shed tears, experience heartache, and test your patience,
don't get any animal. Don't get an animal because you want a companion,
get an animal so you can BE a companion.
Name withheld by rquest of El Dorado, KS writes on 4/24/01:
Best dog I've owned.
We had our first Basset for almost nine years and had rescue her from a
humane society with no guarantee that she would live due to her having severe
diarrhea and was not eating well. But you would of never guest that after
a year. We did found out that she had a corn intolerance. She was very smart
but didn't do tricks; she figured out how to open doors, push chairs away
from the dining room table to got to the cookies and butter, and she was
great at opening Tupperware containers with out leaving teeth marks. She
was very popular in the neighborhoods we llived in. There she had the preschoolers
come to the door and ask "Can Muffin come out to play." Her favorite
activities were going for car rides, going for a walk, playing with kids,
and taking naps on the couch. This is the best dog I have ever seen around
kids at any age they could do anything to her and she would just take it.
they could even give a treat and take it out of her mouth while she is eating
it and give back to her. I saw this happen with the same dog biscuit given
and taken away from her about 8 times with a four year old and a one year
old.
Name withheld by request of Seattle, WA writes on 3/8/01:
Really cute but not a good house pet.
I adopted a 2 year old dog from a family in the neighborhood. She was really
cute but I found out that these dogs have a tendency to have oily skin (bad
body odor), a desire to follow their noses (run away), and little desire
to please (hard to train). This dog also had a food sensitivity to corn
products and required a special diet, which was pretty easy to accomodate.
This particular dog was not very good with young children either-- she did
not like to play and she was very clumsy, always stepping on human feet
which would make the kids cry. Basset's also seem to have a fear of things
falling on them and get nervous when a child sits near them. And, if you
have very young children, at some point, you will have to make a decision
to either chase after an escaping dog or watch after your children's safety.
The woman at the Basset rescue organization told me that to train a Basset
you must first think like a Basset - funny, I thought that dogs were suppose
to be companions to humans not vice versa.
dvancamp@amsoil.com of Poplar, WI writes on 11/10/00:
A genuine pet.
I own a Bassett Hound and she's my baby. Her name is Askher. (People have
asked me "what's your dogs name" and I reply: Well, ask her. Get
it? ASK HER (Askher).
She is loved very much and I stongly feel that she understands what you
say at times. Once I was talking on the phone and I happend to mention to
the person on the phone that I was taking Askher for a walk, and when I
was done talking, and as soon as I got off the phone, she was just jumping
and looking at the door before I got her walking leash. (She sees the blue
leash in my hand, she knows that she's going for a walk or a ride). Its
like she will understand what I'm saying or even before I decide to take
her for a ride or walk at the last minute with out planning to take her,
she seems to know ASAP that she's going somewhere. Sometimes I think she's
telapathic. (not for real, but its amazing how she does that). Its like
she'll know before I know or even decide to take her with me.
She is a wonderful pet and adds laughter to mine and my husbands home.
Overboard@hotmail.com of Waghram, NC writes on 10/6/00:
Great dog.
The Basset Hound is a great dog because it saved my life. I was in a burnig
building and the dog turned into Superman and pulled me out.
ntroop@mindspring.com of Lancaster, PA writes on 3/30/99:
The friendliest, most gentle animal on the planet.
Our Bassetis a true member of our family. How many other dogs can you find
snuggled up on the couch with a 7 year old girl, a cat and a bunny rabbit.
He loves people .... he won't even bark when someone comes to the door.
He welcomes them with a wagging tail and my wife swears he's smilling. He's
not lazy nor rambunctous. A true gentleman....in a Basset kind of way. We
take him everywhere we go.
Okieshaman@hotmail.com of Oklahoma writes on 3/30/99:
A loveable darling pal.
We have owned two Bassets in the last ten years. Our Basset is entertaining
and oh so much fun to be with. He has a boyishly cute face and can run like
the wind! He loves to play with our horses and cattle. They run and play
together every day. I would strongly recommend this breed to any family.
richard.lewendon@virgin.net of the UK writes on 2/5/00:
Loveable, faithfull, naughty - but nice.
You either love them or hate them. I have had six Bassets to date and have
three at the moment so I guess i love them. As a school boy i always wanted
one it was my ambition to own one someday.
I remember when i was thirteen I was bought a pair of hush puppy shoes by
my parents and there was a picture of a Basset on the box thay came in,
And that was it for me, I knew I just had to own a Basset one day. The Basset
Hound is loveable, soft, and naughty - but nice, Thay like their home comforts.
They will get on the sofa and sleep in your bed (if you let them). They
will take you for long walks. To take three Basset Hounds for a walk is
a bit like organized chaos.