doggiestylish

Basset Hound History

Basset Hounds trace their early origins to France. The French word BAS means low. The dog that you see today was cultivated by Sir Everett Millias of Britian starting in 1874. Bassets were bred primarily to be a "gentlemans hunting dog" since it was low to the ground and slower than most hounds, it could be easily followed on foot. Their primary quarry was small game like rabbits.

Basset Hound Temperament

Basset Hounds are very sweet tempered, good natured dogs that love to be around humans and other dogs, therefore they do not make very good watchdogs. They make excellent house pets and love to lounge on the couch with their owners. They are fairly easy to train, but sometimes need patience to achieve results. They are excellent with children and make a great pet for the first time dog owner. Due to their hunting heritage, they will follow any scent that they find interesting, so they must be kept in a fenced yard.

Basset Hound Appearance

Bassets are a short, yet very powerful dog. They usually weigh between 60 to 80 pounds and stand 11 to 15 inches at the withers. They have very short, sleek coats and very loose skin , especially around the face and neck. They also have extremely long, leathery ears. Bassets are generally tricolor (black, tan, and white), open red and white (red spots on white fur), closed red and white (a solid red color with white feet and tails), honey And white (honey coloured back, light brown spotty nose and legs, light brown tails with white tip) and lemon and white.

Basset Hound Grooming

The Basset hound is not an easy dog to keep! Since they have a lot of skin folds, they tend to get smelly rather quickly and need frequent baths. Their ears need special attention, as well. Since they drag on the ground and hang in food dishes, they must be cleaned daily or serious ear infections can occur. Bassets also drool a lot and need their jowls wiped down frequently. They are also quite heavy shedders.

Basset hound Life Expectancy and Health Problems

Bassets are prone to a variety of health problems such as Epilepsy, Glaucoma, Luxating Patella (slipped knee caps), Thrombopathia, Von Willebrand disease, Hypothyroidism, Hip Dysplasia, and Elbow Dysplasia. Since they have long dangling ears, serious, sometimes fatal ear infections are not uncommon. They can also have eye problems beacuse of all of the hanging folds of skin around their eyes. Dirt can get easily trapped underneath the eyelids and cause problems like infections.

The typical lifespan of a Basset Hound is 10 to 12 years.

Famous Basset Hounds

Roscoe P. Coltrane from the 80's TV show The Dukes of Hazzard, had a Basset Hound named Flash.

Fred the Basset Hound from the movie Smokey and the Bandit.

Basset Hounds have also been used in numerous ad campaigns, with the most famous being the the Hush Puppy Dogs repsenting Hush Puppy brand shoes. Maytag also used Basset Hounds in their commercials.

Basset Hound Pros and Cons

This simplified list may help you decide if a Basset Hound is a good fit for your lifestyle.

Do You Want

• a dog that makes an excellent house pet?
• a dog that is good with kids and other animals?
• a dog that needs a moderate amount of exercise?

Do You NOT Want

• a dog that slobbers and drools a lot?
• a dog that takes a considerable amount to time to groom?
• a dog that can be difficult to train?
• a dog that will follow his nose when he finds an interesting scent?
• a dog that sheds a lot?
• a dog that farts a lot?
• a dog that has an array of chronic health problems?

Useful Basset Hound Links

The Basset Hound Club of America

The Basset Hound Club of Canada

The Basset Hound Club of Great Britian