The Basset Hound is a hunting breed highly appreciated for its tracking skills for hunting . Due to their low profile and small stature, these dogs are often overlooked. However, they make the perfect hunting companion for humans, forming lasting friendships and displaying extreme levels of obedience. Here you will find all the information you need to know more about this unique and adorable breed.
- Size : 35 to 45 cm
- Weight : between 25 and 45 kilos
- Hair type : short and straight
- Character : friendly and familiar
- Health : delicate although it seems otherwise
- Life expectancy : between ten and twelve years
Origins of the Basset hound
France and England dispute the origin of the basset hound, but the truth is that this breed was born in the French country , as the first part of its name tells us, which means small in French.
It is possible that it comes from the Normandy region, since the Normandy artesian basset has a lot to do with its origin, although it also carries the blood of strong-bodied hounds such as the Saint Hubert Hound.
For a time he was the best bloodhound in France, so in the end he ended up being taken all over Europe. This is how it ended up in England, where we have documented its arrival at the hands of Lord Galway in 1866, who took a pair to the island, which gave rise to the first litter of basset in this country.
It seems that in the end the English appropriated it , since even in their standard it appears as of English origin, forgetting that it is French and that it was there where it originated from crosses with hounds.
Basset hound characteristics
The appearance of this dog is unmistakable, so although we do not know about breeds, we know that we are seeing one, many people calling it a " dachshund ", even though this name corresponds to the dachshund , which has a similar appearance, although more graceful
This breed has a very long body that is supported by very short legs , with a straight back that makes it elegant in its own way.
Although it may seem small to us, the truth is that it is very robust, as it can weigh more than 35 kilos and measure up to 40 cm at the withers in the largest specimens, which gives it a friendly but disproportionate appearance.
He has a huge head with wrinkles and a large dewlap, his upper lips falling down, covering his lower ones, with huge ears that fall to the sides of his head and almost touch the ground.
His expression is something that has also made him famous, as the lower eyelid is drooping and shows part of the conjunctiva. Thus, when he looks at us he seems sad, melancholic and serious .
The coat tones are a combination of white, black and tan, with a distribution of colors that is unique to each basset hound, accepting the colors that the hounds have without the need for them to be positioned in a specific way.
The hair is straight, very dense, hard and short, protecting it in the field from spikes, brambles and plants.
Character of the Basset hound
This is a family dog that loves to be with the members of its pack and play with children, who must be warned not to pull its ears, otherwise it may have a bad reaction if they hurt it. .
The serious face has nothing to do with his personality, as he is a fun dog to play with and walk through the countryside , preserving his hunting instinct, so we will have to be careful when we go out into open spaces.
At home he gets to live well with other pets if we have had good socialization since he was a puppy, and it is advisable that he have a few toys so that he does not get bored.
Basset hound education
He has a reputation for being stubborn , which he has earned hard, so it is always advisable to insist a lot on obedience training, despite the fact that he will not pay attention to us immediately as if he were a sheepdog.
Luckily, he is very smart and that means he learns quickly, especially if we use positive training techniques such as the clicker, using food when rewarding him, which will make him be more than attentive.
It is a hunting dog, specifically one that follows trails, so it is not unusual for it to get distracted as soon as it smells one and go after it, so you must always be attentive and reinforce the call, the order to to stop, etc.
In any case, training is not complex and it is a good dog to start with if we like its appearance, as long as we are willing to let it sometimes ignore us a little.
Basset Hound Health
It is not the best among dogs and the truth is that we can classify it as having delicate health . This is largely due to its unnatural appearance, which means it has to pay a certain toll in the form of illnesses or diseases.
The spine is long and the weight is high, so you can suffer from back pain, which is worse if you are a little overweight. We appreciate this, because suddenly he doesn't want to climb stairs or has a hard time getting to the sidewalk.
He also suffers from gastric torsion even though he is not too big. In order to prevent it, you must be careful when feeding it, since it is an acute disease that can lead to death if you do not act quickly.
Thus, it is better to distribute the food in several daily feedings and leave time between food and the walk, or between the arrival of the walk and the time to feed it.
Hip dysplasia can appear, more due to its weight than its height, and the appearance of herniated discs must be prevented by educating it from a young age so that it does not jump in order to get on a sofa or on top of someone.
It seems that the list of problems does not end, and due to the way his eyelids are (and due to inheritance) conjunctivitis can appear (it is a mild disease) and glaucoma, which can leave him blind if action is not taken soon.
Finally, and with this we close the health section, the basset hound has a tendency to gain weight. If we see that he is starting to gain weight , we can give him a light feed , always talking to his veterinarian first.
Basset hound care
He needs a lot of exercise to distract himself and so he doesn't gain weight, but nothing that has to do with jumping like Agility, which is very harmful for this breed.
The best thing is to go for a walk in the countryside for as long as we can and let him play with other dogs, something he loves.
Their hair is easy to care for, as a couple of weekly brushings are enough. Yes, you have to be more attentive to the slime and drool, which will have to be cleaned as they appear.
We finish with the ears. The interior must be checked frequently, since being always covered it is quite common for them to have otitis, something that we will realize when seeing them walk with their head tilted.
Adopt a Basset hound
Unlike other breeds, it is not uncommon to find a basset hound to adopt . At the end of the hunting season they are usually seen in animal shelters, and we can even ask the hunters, who sometimes want to give away some dogs that are not suitable for that activity.
If we adopt one, we must take into account that they are delicate dogs, which means that they need us to spend money on them both on good feed and on visits to the veterinarians, which can be frequent.
In addition, we must not forget that they are a little stubborn , so it is possible that they will have to be educated so that coexistence is the best and at least they obey on most of the occasions when we ask them to.
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