The dog basset houndbelongs to the group of hounds and comes from Saint Hubertus, France, where a noble hunting enthusiast chose to this breed for his private hunts. The fashion spread throughout the country until it reached Great Britain. Once in England they continued with the breeding of these dogs that ended up adopting an English origin.
They have a unique appearance that makes them admirers all over the world because they are dogs noticeably longer than they are tall, designed to follow the trail of preyon rough terrain. They are excellent companions for hunting, although today most animal lovers prefer to adopt them like any other pet, regardless of these qualities.
In this breed file on our site we are going to show you all the information you need to know to have a dog basset hound.
Origin of the basset hound
The word basset comes from the French term "bas", which means low. For this reason, some authors suggest that the basset hound comes from dwarf dogs born in litters of French hounds. Other authors indicate that the basset hound originated from bloodhound lines.
In either case, the breed is prized for its trail-following qualities. Today, and popularized throughout the world, this dog breed fulfills both hunting dog functions and companion dog functions.
In addition, its charismatic appearance has led companies like "Hush Puppies" to use the basset hound image for their logo.
Characteristics of the basset hound
The basset hound's most significant attribute is its physical appearance, very striking and unique which, together with its sad appearance, makes it adorable. Basset hounds have the following characteristics:
- This dog's body is long and thick compared to very short legs. It is deep throughout. The back is straight and level. The chest, although deep, is not exaggerated. The sternum is prominent.
- It is robust and despite its small size, between 33 and 38 centimeters at the withers, it weighs between 35 and 40 kilograms. As a whole we speak of a physical appearance somewhat disproportionate but not unpleasant.
- The head is large and elongated with a rounded cranial vault and a pronounced occipital crest. In addition, she is covered with wrinkles on her forehead and eyes.
- The tail, long and set in the middle, is similar to that of the Normandy artesian basset. It forms a curve like that of a saber blade, but the dog never carries it on its back or curls it. It is wide at the base and gradually narrows to a point.
- The upper line of the muzzle is parallel to the top of the skull.
- We highlight the large double chin and the upper lips that fall loosely over the lower ones, making the latter not visible.
- Around his face we see how two large ears droop. The basset hound's velvety ears should be so long that p they can be brought together in front of the dog's nose. They are low insertion and should not be flat. On the contrary, they must present folds.
- The nose is black and wide, with wide nostrils to aid tracking.
- The muzzle is deep and heavy, with strong jaws that give the basset hound a perfect scissor bite, regular and complete.
- Eyes must be dark brown, but slightly lighter shades are allowed for light-colored dogs.
- The expression of the look of basset hound dogs must be calm and serious. The conjunctiva of the lower lid can be seen, although not exaggeratedly. This gives the basset hound a sad facial expression but friendly.
- The neck is powerful, long and arched.
Basset Hound Dog Colors
The loose, elastic skin of the basset hound breed provides the ideal surface for the coat, which should be smooth, hard, short and dense. Regarding the colors of the coat, we must emphasize that each specimen will have a unique coloration and something different from that of the rest of its brothers, although it could be very similar. They usually have a tricolor combination that includes white, black and tan and, although we can also see them white and brown, any characteristic coloration of the hounds is accepted, without give importance to the distribution of the spots.
Basset hound character
The basset hound breed is affable, funny and with a good humor, something that does not match its sad and lonely appearance. He is very familiar and loves to enjoy games, walks and excursions with his family. In general, we speak of a breed that accepts the company of the little ones and puts up with their pranks patiently.
Still, it is important that we educate our children not to pull their long ears, thus avoiding any negative reaction from our pet. 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 should always provide distractions such as various toys so that you have "things to do".
Although it is a hunting dog, the basset hound is a breed that can have a very good relationship with other pets inside of the home and is that by applying good socialization, our new pet can become friendly with whoever we want.
Don't hesitate to consult this article on our site about Dog socialization.
Basset hound care
This breed needs exercise, both mental and physical. However, it is a breed that can live quietly in an apartment. Of course, daily walks are necessary. We must encourage and maintain its muscles correctly and it is a dog that tends to put on weight easily. For this reason, the best exercises for a basset hound are:
- Long and frequent walks.
- Allow you to run.
- Play with other dogs.
The jumps can be very harmfulfor the dog due to its morphology. Sports such as Agility are not recommended for this breed. It is better to give them the opportunity to follow tracks or, if not, provide them with enough and varied toys and teethers to divert their tracking instinct, which can cause some other damage to their learning and growth. If you spend a lot of time away from home, perhaps you should think of another pet, because the basset hound does not tolerate loneliness particularly well.
Regarding brushing, basset hounds need a brushing with some regularity because they lose a lot of hair (2 or 3 times a the week), and thus we will keep its nice and shiny coat. We will also offer you a monthly bath and care for your slime and legañas. It is advisable to pay attention to the ears and nails of basset hound dogs, since the former are susceptible to infections and the latter can grow a lot if they are not worn or cut regularly.
How to bathe a dog at home? Discover the answer to this question and some Recommendations for brushing my dog's hair in these other two articles that we suggest.
Basset Hound Education
The basset hound breed is sweet, gentle, friendly and very sociable. During the hunt, however, it is tenacious and stubborn, able to withstand harsh conditions. These dogs are easy to train to hunt, as hunting is in their blood. Obedience training, on the other hand, can be difficult and time consuming using traditional methods. Positive techniques, such as clicker training, are more recommended.
Although we are talking about a moderately intelligent dog, his predisposition to please his family will make him less stubborn and stubbornof what at first it usually appears. Through positive reinforcement, correct physical activity and a lot of affection from their owners, we can confirm that the education of the Basset Hound breed is not going to be complicated.
Check this post about the Clicker for dogs: everything you need to know about it or Positive reinforcement in dogs to learn more about the subject.
Basset Hound He alth
Looking at its physical characteristics we can see that the characteristics of the basset hound make it a long dog that, together with its weight, it is easy to deduce that it can suffer from pain back We can easily detect this problem by observing whether or not he is reluctant to climb stairs. These problems can be accentuated if the dog is overweight. In the face of reluctance, the most appropriate thing to do would be to go to the vet. In addition to potential back problems, this basset hound is susceptible to gastric torsion.
It may suffer genetic or hereditary problems throughout its life and that is because the continuous crosses between relatives that occur in this breed they make them prone to suffering from a complicated situation such as hip dysplasia among others. Prevents it from climbing onto sofas, people or other surfaces so that a possible herniated disc does not occur.
The basset hound is a breed that can also suffer glaucoma or conjunctivitis if its needs are not controlled and basic care is not followed, and it is that although it may not seem like it, it is a delicate dog. Control your diet so that it does not contain a lot of fat and thus you do not become overweight.
We recommend that you read the following article on our site on Common Basset Hound Illnesses for more information on this breed of dog.
Where to adopt a basset hound dog?
There are many reasons why we might adopt basset hounds. Among them, his kind and affectionate character, his tracking peculiarity and his unique physique. Although in our day to day we can see this breed of dog on the street, adopting it is different. It is worth mentioning that the stubbornness of basset hounds can be complicated for guardians, so you must be aware that you will have to be constant with the education of your new furry friend.
It will be common to find mestizo dogs of the basset hound breed that are up for adoption, even so, despite the fact that we feel a special attraction to this breed, it should be noted that the most important thing when adopting is not the breed, but the o opportunity to offer the dog a new home where it can be given the necessary care and comfort. When we are clear that we want to adopt him, we recommend going to protectors, associations and animal shelters that may have this furry friend.
