The Norman artesian basset or Normandy artesian basset is a rustic and strong dog, longer than it is tall, with short legs and long, drooping earsIt is very similar to the basset hound breed but differs from it in that the Norman artesian basset is less heavy. They always are bicolor or tricolor and have short, tight fur. They adapt well to small flats or houses but they must do physical and mental exercise daily to become he althy and happy dogs.
If you are interested in this breed file on our site or you want to adopt an Artesian Basset from Normandy and you want to know everything about this type of dog, keep reading and find out everything you need to know to adopt one. pet of this breed.
Origin of the Norman Artesian Basset
In 1870 the breeding of the French short-haired basset began to be regulated. From that decade, two varieties of short-haired French basset emerged: the Artois basset or artesian hound that had straight front legs, and the Norman basset or Normandy basset that had semi-crooked front legs.
It is in 1924 that a single name Norman artesian basset, or Normandy artesian basset is established for this breed.
Although originally the breed was created to participate in hunting, especially rabbits and small game, but little by little it gained popularity as a pet. Thus, today there are many Norman Artesian Bassets that have never hunted anything, but provide love and joy to their human companions.
Physical Characteristics of the Norman Artesian Basset
The Norman Artesian Basset, or Normandy Artesian Basset, looks similar to the Basset Hound, but is lighter. With short legs and a long and robust body, the length of this dog almost doubles its height, which is between 30 and 36 for both males and females centimeters. The weight varies between 15 and 20 kilograms.
The Norman Artesian Basset's head is powerful and domed at the top. The occipital crest is well defined. The stop is accented, but not exaggerated. The nose, black and wide, protrudes a little beyond the limit of the lips. It has wide nostrils, as in any bloodhound. The muzzle of the Normandy Artesian Basset is about the same length as the skull and the bite is scissor. The upper lip completely covers the lower lip, but does not hang excessively. The cheeks of this dog have one or two folds of skin. The eyes are oval, large and dark. In adult individuals, the conjunctiva (inner portion) of the lower eyelid can be seen. The look of this basset is serene and serious, and can give the impression of a sad or nostalgic animal. The ears are long and corkscrew-shaped. Set low and ending in a point, they hang from the basset's head. The neck of the Norman Artesian Basset is long and has a slight dewlap that should not be too pronounced.
The body is elongated and powerful, with a broad, firm back and a long, well-developed, oval chest. The ideal length of the body should be 1.6 times greater than the height at the withers. The tail of the Norman Artesian Basset is thick at the base and gradually tapers to a point. During activity, the dog carries it curved in the shape of a saber, but without bending over the back.
This basset has a short, tight coat. Two color varieties are accepted, tricolor (fawn with black and white) and bicolor (fawn and white).
Norman Artesian Basset Character
The character of the Norman Artesian Basset is Friendly, sociable and courageous It is a good hunting dog, but it also makes an excellent pet. Due to its sociable character and its great resistance, it is usually a good dog for children. He also tends to get along well with other dogs, although as with all dogs, it is necessary to socialize him correctly from when he is a puppy so that he does not have problems with other dogs in adulthood. His hunting nature does not make him very fond of small pets, but he can get along with them if socialization has been good.
He is a dog that we could say quite affable and sociable with both adults and children with whom he also shows great resistance to their games heavy. It will not be very difficult to educate, although we should not follow traditional dog training, but rather positive reinforcement methods. He can reconcile his relationship well with other dogs, the rest of the pets may awaken his hunting instinct which is what he was bred for in the beginning but if from puppyhood he we socialize we can get to get a good coexistence also with the felines or the rabbits that we have at home. Nowadays it is raised as a pet and it really provides a lot of affection to those who take care of it.
The Basset Artesiano de Normandía is a dog historically used for hunting activities and is particularly specialized in hunting small rabbits and hares, although it is also effective in hunting deer. It follows the trail of its prey with a noisy bark, penetrating the undergrowth thanks to its short legs. Its technique consists of venting its prey, which it recovers safely, by means of a movement that is not too fast but is orderly and noisy. Above all, he works alone, although he can also do it in pairs or groups.
Care for the Norman Artesian Basset
Although the Normandy Artesian Basset tends to be a he althy dog, his disproportionate build makes him susceptible to back problems, and more specifically spinal problems, so this dogneeds physical and mental exercise like any other dog, but does not require extreme physical exercise. Still, he adapts easily to small apartment life as long as he gets his daily walks. It is advisable to walk him on a leash because he is a sniffer dog and may follow scent trails while ignoring his owners.
Coat care is simple, as this Basset's short coat is easy to maintain. However, the ears must be cleaned regularly to avoid infections because being so long, they are continually exposed to getting dirty, and it is important to pay attention to the length of the nails as well. Finally, it is necessary to bathe the Norman Artesian Basset only when it is really dirty and/or needs it.
Education of the Norman Artesian Basset
The Normandy artesian basset is a stubborn and tenacious dog that also has a great tracking instinct by nature, so it is advisable to educate it properly so that it follows the basic orders for dogs at least, for a good relationship with ourselves, with the environment and with other people. It is recommended to spend between 5 and 10 minutes a day to review the commands already learned and learn new ones. To make him happy and have a good attitude, it is advisable to encourage intelligence games, new experiences and stimulate the physical and mental development of the animal.
This basset hound is an easy-to-train dog,but he doesn't accept traditional dog training very well, so it is preferable to train him using traditional methods. positive and avoid punishments, bodily harm or choke collars. The only thing that we will achieve with this is to leave serious physical and mental consequences to our pet.
Norman Artesian Basset He alth
The Norman Artesian Basset is normally a he althy and strong dog but, due to the length of its body and the drop and length of its ears, the most common diseases it can suffer from are those related toback and ear problems Therefore, it is very important to frequently check the spine of this animal and clean its ears regularly to check that some fungi and bacteria that form due to humidity and thus avoid ear infections, dirt or parasites. This dog can also suffer, but less frequently, from conjunctivitis or keratin-conjunctivitis, among other eye infections.
To prevent and quickly detect any he alth problem, it is important to visit the vet every 6 months and properly follow the vaccination schedule.
