Basset Hound | Dog Breed Information & Facts – Pictures

The basset hound belongs to the group of hounds and comes from Saint Hubert (France) where a noble hunting enthusiast chose this breed for his private hunts. Fashion spread throughout the country until it reached Great Britain. Once in England, the breeding of these dogs continued, which ended up adopting an English origin.

These dogs have a unique appearance that makes them admire the world, because it is a dog notoriously longer than tall, designed to follow the trail of a prey in difficult terrain. They are excellent companions for hunting, although nowadays most animal lovers prefer to adopt it as another pet, regardless of these qualities.

It has a unique appearance which makes it admirers of the whole world, because the Basset Hound is a notoriously longer than large dog, designed to follow a dam in difficult terrain. It is an excellent hunting companion, although today most animal lovers prefer to adopt it as another pet.

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Basset Hound photos

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Physical characteristics

The Basset Hound is a stocky, short-legged breed of hound. These are dogs following the trail, they have a great sense of smell. The name Bassett comes from the French word “bas” meaning “low” or “dwarf”.

These dogs have a curious and very memorable appearance due to a large excess of skin on the neck and on the head, long ears, giving the muzzle a gently melancholy expression.

The growth of an adult basset hound is 30-38 cm, its weight is 18-27 kg.

Dog-characteristics-Basset-Hound

Distinctive features

  • Head: Dome-shaped with a prominent nape. With jowls from which flow drool or liquid food, water. The muzzle is elastic, there are wrinkles under the eyes and on the eyebrows.
  • Jaws: The teeth are strong and strong. The bite is correct.
  • Ears: Long, below eye level, hanging almost to the ground.
  • Eyes: They are not deep. The iris is always dark in color.
  • Torso: Has a strong body. Well developed chest. The abdomen should be tucked up and not hang down so as not to interfere with movement.
  • Legs: Short and thick with strong bones. On the paws are strong pads for a smooth gait and springy thrust.
  • Coat: Short. The classic color is brown, white and black spots. There are two-colored and gray dogs, but this color is a sign of genetic disorders.

Note

The long ears of the Basset Hound are not an ordinary decoration, but a hunting tool. The spikes collect odors which help the animal not to lose track.

They are stocky dogs, with short, thick legs and a long body that is not very proportional to them. They have smooth, short coats and tricolors (black, red and white), red and white, or lemon and white, although less common.

Character and behavior

Despite his tacit and serious appearance, he is a sociable, calm and playful dog. The basset hound is affectionate with people, loves children and gets along with other dogs and pets. He is cordial with strangers, but if he perceives a danger, he barks loudly.

The basset hound is an affable, funny and cheerful dog, something that does not correspond to his sad and lonely appearance. He is very familiar and enjoys playing games, walks and excursions with his family. In general, we are talking about a breed of dog that accepts the company of little ones and patiently endures their pranks.

However, it is important that we educate our children so that they do not pull their long ears, thus avoiding any negative reaction from our animal. The games between the two will be active and fun, if your idea is to share this dog with your whole family, we assure you that you will enjoy a very special dog. Of course, you still need to provide distractions in the form of various toys so the basset hound has “stuff to do.”

Although it is a hunting dog, the basset hound can have very good relations with other pets inside the house and it is that by applying good socialization our new animal can become friends with whoever we want.

Health

The Basset Hound dog breed has a number of diseases associated with its body structure, in addition, there are hereditary diseases.

  • Gastric dilated volvulus, also called gastric bloating or torsion, sometimes commonly called volvulus;
  • von Willebrand’s disease, an inherited condition that causes blood clotting problems;
  • Panosteitis – also called wandering or transient lameness;
  • Glaucoma;
  • Local dislocation of the patella;
  • Thrombopathy;
  • Problems with eyelids and eyelashes;
  • Intervertebral Disc Disease – Basset Hounds are particularly prone to spinal problems. It can be due to genetics, inappropriate movements, falls, furniture jumps.
  • Otitis;
  • Obesity ;
  • Hip dysplasia;
  • Cherry eye.

Life expectancy

Basset Hound has the potential for a full life of 12-14 years.

Care

The Basset Hound requires regular brushing once a week, and you will also need to carefully examine his ears and clean them of dirt 2-3 times a week. After all, the air under the ears practically does not circulate, which contributes to the appearance of various infections and the reproduction of bacteria.

Mucus also accumulates in the corners of the dog’s mouth, which must be cleaned from time to time, since it does not completely dry out, which is why pathogenic microflora forms there.

Another problem area is the eyes. Due to the sagging of the skin, dust and dirt accumulate there. Therefore, the eyes should be cleaned at least once a day, if not twice. The claws are trimmed every 10 days, the animal is bathed 1-2 times a week.

Exercise

It requires about an hour of exercise a day. The Basset Hound tends to be lazy if he has the slightest chance, but he needs to exercise to prevent him from gaining too much weight, which could cause spine problems when mature.


During periods of rapid growth, however, exercise should be limited, as complications can arise with the joints. Due to the length of his body, he should not be allowed to go up or down stairs before the age of 18 months.

Fun facts

  • Basset Hound drools too much. Due to the loose skin around their mouths, they tend to make a real mess when drinking or eating. If you’re a picky owner who can’t stand drooling, the Basset Hound isn’t the best choice for you, so you might want to look around and choose another breed of dog.
  • Obesity is a real problem for Bassets. They love to eat and often overeat when given the chance.
  • Basset Hound dogs aren’t very good swimmers, so keep an eye out for them near bodies of water so they don’t get into trouble.

History of the breed

Basset Hounds are bred in the UK. According to one version, their ancestors were Bloodhounds. The breed is believed to have a long history. Even William Shakespeare described basset hounds in his works spilling dew with their long ears.

The breed was recognized by the English Club in 1883. After that, work began to improve the breed, thanks to which the basset hound became not only hunting dogs, but also decorative dogs.

Basset Hounds were and are used to hunt pheasants, opossums, hares and even foxes. These dogs have an excellent sense of smell, in addition they run very fast. However, the high hunting characteristics of the breed do not prevent these dogs from being sincere pets, companions and nannies.

It is a breed of dogs according to the 6th group of the FCI.