Basset Hound Dog Breed

The Basset Hound was produced to be not just a scent hound and for hunting, but to be a superior dog in that field. What would for most dog breeds be mutations that would be detrimental to the dog were boons to this canine. While they are outgoing, playful, and friendly, they are not the best dogs for first-time owners or as companion animals. They are extremely headstrong, they can be exceedingly lazy, and the problems caused by their refusal to be easily trained can be vexing.

Below is a list of the good and bad facts and information regarding Basset Hounds:

The basset hound is likely the shortest large dog breed. Adults can weigh as much as 65 pounds and still be 10-12 inches tall from ground to shoulder. Of course, nearly all of this weight is carried in their elongated bodies which makes it very difficult to pick up a basset hound.

Basset hounds are generally a mild mannered dog breed. They rarely get upset or snappy, which many people say is due to their laziness. They were bred to hunt game with a large pack of other dogs so the basset hound desires companionship and suffers from separation anxiety if left alone for too long. The breed is very friendly and does well with children and other pets.

The basset hound's coat is short, smooth, and waterproof, making it extremely easy to keep clean. However, regardless of how easy the coat is to maintain the breed is so low to the ground that their stomach can come in contact with a large variety of dirty things which may require their owners to bathe them more frequently. The breed does shed year round, but brushing the coat weekly can dramatically help reduce the amount of shed.

According to some breed clubs, the Basset Hound origin dates back to the sixth century AD and is one of the breeds that came from the St. Hubert hounds. It is believed to have been from a mutation in a St. Hubert's genes. The modern Basset, however, was developed in the mid- to late-19th century. During that vast period of history, quite a bit happened.

The first known record of a basset-style dog was in the late-16th century. It was found in a book about hunting and authored by Jacques du Fouilloux titled "La Venerie." By the 19th century, the breed was featured frequently in French illustrations.

Basset Hounds were highly valued by commoners in France as they were dogs that were perfect for hunting on foot. (Only royalty and upper class people hunted on horses.) The short legs, deep mouth (for baying), and large ears (to agitate scents) allowed them to easily find and track small game. In time, they became popular with royalty too. In the 1850s, Emperor Napoleon III kept Bassets. By the 1860s, the pooches had come international stars after they were shown in Paris at the first canine exhibition. It was shortly after that, in the 1870s, that semi-modern Basset Hounds were developed.

France was not the only place that Bassets were appreciated as well as developed. By the 1870s, the dogs were being exported to England. The person noted as the founder of the modern Basset was Everett Millais. He produced a much heavier hound using French and English Bassets. It was also in England that the dog's first breed standard was created.

It was not until the 1880s that Bassets made it to America. While the American Kennel Club started registering the dogs in that decade, it was not until 1916 that the AKC recognized the breed.

Technically speaking, the anatomy of the Basset Hound may sound as a composite of leftover dog parts that together are unbalanced: short, sometimes crooked front legs with big feet, an overly heavy-looking body, and remarkably long ears.

Regardless how the dog was developed, the legs, ears, and dwarfism that occurred remain this canine's best features. (As for why they are the best features is explained in Basset Hound History elsewhere on this page.) Starting with the long, boxy muzzle and big, black nose, the domed skull is made to look all the smaller by the contrast. The large eyes and sad face will pull your heart-strings, and the massive ears may make you laugh. The strong neck connects to a long body which is held up by squat, little legs that end in massive paws. The wrinkly skin is thick, which makes it perfect for protection against brambles and small game. The tail is thick and round, and it could be short and held somewhat straight back, or it may be long and held up like a scimitar.

The Basset's coat is short with dense hair that is water repellent if not nearly waterproof.

Centuries ago, a book called La Venerie made the first known recorded instance of what would become the Basset Hound, and it noted that there were approximately 12 variations of Bassets — including the Basset Hound. (The book is detailed in Basset Hound History elsewhere on this page.) That is no longer the case, however, as some of those varieties have died out, some were integrated into other breeds, and others became identified as separate breeds altogether.

Although rare, the long hair Basset Hound is a varietal that does still occur today. A litter may have one Basset pup with wavy hair that remains past the puppy stage and becomes a long-haired Basset. They may even have a tail that looks like a Golden Retriever and not believed to be a purebred dog, but they are.

If you hear about a Petit Basset, that is a shortened name for an altogether different dog breed: the Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen, which is French. They are sometimes called wire haired Bassets, and they should not be confused for Basset Hounds because they certainly don't look like them!

As for miniature Basset Hounds, this "breed" is not a breed and is also not a variety of Basset Hound. Mini Bassets are produced by down-breeding teh size of purebred Bassets, and such puppies may be expensive, unhealthy, and, in the long run, tragic. If you see teacup, toy, pocket or other tiny-type Bassets for sale, these may be even worse.

Otherwise, the only other real types regarding Basset Hounds is coat color, and these are discussed in Basset Hound Colors.

The Basset Hound temperament is a different type of dog personality. At first glance, the droopy eyes, long face, and massive jowls might indicate sad, lazy, and boring. That is not the case! These are friendly dogs who love to be with people, are devoted, and love to have fun. Sure, they can be extremely stubborn when it comes to doing things they don't want to do or learn, but they don't have aggressive traits. They simply lie down, and they tend to be tenacious in their refusal. Their behavior requires a lot of patience, and you may find that when you get upset over them, they'll still have a calm character.

Basset Hounds don't have many health problems, but they do have some that are serious, some that are chronic, and some that are both. The deceptive weight they carry can cause some of these problems, and you will have to work harder to keep a close eye on the parts lower to the ground. Some basic health issues, such as the dysplasia, can cause other problems too, such as back ailments and paw problems.

• Bloat
• Obesity
• Allergies
• Panosteiti
• Cherry Eye
• Otitis Externa
• Hip dysplasia
• Thrombopathia
• Patellar luxation
• Von Willebrand's Disease
• Intervertebral Disc Disease
• Eyelid and eyelash problems

The typical Basset Hound has an average life span of 8 to 12 years.

As Bassets are so ugly in a cute way, there's not really any such thing as an ugly Basset Hound. There are, however, loads of great, odd, and strange facts and information about this relatively unique breed!

While many of you may remember Droopy Dog from the cartoon series, "Tom & Jerry," you may not have known that the cartoonist, Tex Avery, conceived the character as a cartoon feature that was started in 1943 and ran to 1958.

There were many other many other Basset Hound celebrities. Victoria the Basset was, in 2011, elected to be a co-mayor for the Canadian city of Concord in Ontario. (The other co-mayor was also a dog: a Great Dane named Nelson!) The first U.S. president, George Washington, owned a Bassett Hound. There was a Basset puppy that made the cover of a February, 1928 edition of Time Magazine for that year's National Dog Day. The actress Marilyn Monroe, while married to the playwright Arthur Miller, had a Basset named Hugo.

The Hush Puppies-brand shoe was actually inspired by Bassett Hounds whose owners wanted them to "hush"! Besides being the company's mascot, the dogs actually had fried cornball applied to their paws by hunters. It was, of course, to keep the dogs quiet as they tracked game.