Basset Hounds are adorable dogs with sad eyes. And if you want to have such a pet, then first you should familiarize yourself with the features of this breed. Here are 6 qualities of a basset hound that will surprise you
Smell
The specific smell of a “wet dog” emanating from the Bassets will become a constant companion: the house, clothes, shoes, hair, accessories will smell. It will be felt not only by the owner of the dog and his family members, but also by all people with whom he will have to communicate.
The impression will be frankly spoiled. Males have a stronger odor. Basset Hound dog handlers recommend bathing at least twice a month. After washing, the acrid smell intensifies – the result of wet wool. Any walk in the rain – and again the strengthening of the “flavor”.
Experts recommend bathing your pet with tar shampoo or water mixed with acetic acid. But these funds do not completely solve the problem. The clogging of the paraanal glands of the dog also contributes to the strengthening of the smell – this happens often in the Basset.
The increased sensitivity of the representatives of this breed also contributes to the widening of the spectrum of “aromas”: the Bassets do not forget even minor grievances. A puddle in the middle of the hallway can become revenge.
Dirty belly
Low body position on short legs does not leave a single chance for the dog to have a clean belly. After any walk, this part of the body will have to be washed. In good weather – from dust and residues of greenery, in bad weather – from dirt.
If the pet has an enviable appetite and low mobility, the distance from the belly to the ground will be completely negligible. By the way, the paws will be completely covered with mud.
Drooling
Basset salivation is increased. The muzzle is constantly wet. Drooling will be in all corners of the apartment where the pet passed. Such a fate will not escape the clothes with shoes and the hands of the owner. You will have to wipe the dog’s face and the entire surrounding space. People with increased requirements for cleanliness should seriously think about choosing this breed.
Ears
Basset hound ears are a topic for another discussion. It is certainly beautiful when they flutter in the wind at the running dog. But while eating, these visible body parts will dip into all the food bowls. When a well-fed bassette, after eating porridge, goes to sleep at the opposite end of the house, its movements can be tracked by food debris dripping from the ears.
Before each meal, your pet’s ears will have to be tied up with an elastic band. These cute animals eat extremely sloppy, spraying water and liquid food at a decent distance. Wet cleaning after feeding should become a habit. If on a walk a basset hunter “took the trail” and runs with his head lowered, his ears will pick up all the rubbish that comes along the road.
Needless to say, the dog may even trip over them. Long, hanging ears, in addition to the listed troubles, require constant care: they need to be examined every day – for inflammation, infections, parasites. Ventilate the ear funnels. When bathing, make sure that no water gets there.
Internal psychological conflict
English breeders in the 19th century crossed undersized French greyhounds with bloodhounds to add national flavor to the breed. The result of this strange incest is the modern day bassets. The instincts and needs of greyhounds and hounds rest on physiological limitations – short legs and a large body.
A dog cannot embody what is inherent in it by nature, and this does not in the best way affect the state of the nervous system. Stress is a constant companion of the Basset. This is the reason for increased vulnerability, and intolerance to offenses, and periodic unmotivated aggression.
Provocative behavior
Representatives of the breed certainly love the owner, but do not intend to adapt to the “strange” requirements. At home, in England, these dogs are called “couch athletes”, because of the increased craving for comfort. If the bassette likes the master’s chair, you can be sure – without a long war, the dog will not give up the owner the right to a comfortable corner.
If the basset is not satisfied with the daily routine, then he will do everything to change the existing state of affairs. The rules of conduct for this breed are not something immutable, but something with which the dog temporarily agrees.
Basset hounds will only obey commands, accept the norms of behavior if it corresponds to their own ideas about correctness and comfort. From puppyhood, dogs of this breed will not miss the opportunity to put their order in scattered shoes, low hanging clothes. The order, in the concept of a basset, is to gnaw everything that is available.
Cynologists advise to start training these animals from a very early age in order to put in their heads the concepts of subordination and the rules of behavior. True, they themselves admit that the result is not durable and not guaranteed.
Before you go to a specialized kennel for a Basset Hound puppy, you should evaluate the pros and cons of these non-standard dogs and your own readiness for a lot of troubles and problems.