- Excellent companion for long walks if it has a dynamic owner,
- excellent sofa companion for those who love to laze around the house.
Bassethound is a docile and affectionate companion dog.
Surely you will know it and have noticed it, it does not go unnoticed . An intelligent and affectionate dog, who also likes to play with children. Its history is interesting, starting with the name. Let’s start here.
Bassethound: the origins
The membership of this dog breed is disputed by multiple countries. Its origins are undoubtedly to be found in Europe, between France and England .
We also find this mix in the name, born from the union of two types of dog: bas , which in French indicates the ‘basset’ and hound, which instead refers to the English ‘ hound ‘.
Originally, in fact, the bassethound was a hunting dog .
The Bassethound is a dog suffering from a form of dwarfism , evident in very short limbs.
Unlike the dachshund, which is a proportionately small dog with a more elongated bust, the body size of the basset is normal.
It is a medium-sized dog , where the dystonia of proportions of the limbs is evident.
It is precisely from the French basset, to which the English breed of the Bloodhound was mixed , that the Bassethound derives.
Although this breed originated in France, its paternity was later attributed to the United Kingdom where the breed standards were defined .
Even the United States, however, claim paternity of the breed, having been present for a long time numerous farms.
Character of the Basset Hound breed
The basset hound is an animal with a sweet, affectionate, calm character, of balanced nature and very dedicated to its family.
It stands out as an ideal companion dog, since it establishes an extraordinary relationship with the members of its family, especially with children, with whom it is comical to watch it play.
In addition, thanks to its good temperament, it is always friendly with everyone, including strange people who come to the house.
Certain behavioral problems can only occur in the case of individuals who think that their place in the herd is higher than they actually occupy.
For this reason, it is important to make it very clear from the beginning what is the current hierarchy within the family nucleus and that the Basset learns immediately who is the leader whom it must obey at all times.
The basset hound is one of those dogs that needs no introduction, as its very image makes most people recognize the breed immediately. It has been widely used in both advertising and cinema. The expression of the basset hound is apparently sad, due to its calm and serious look, but the truth is that it is a fun and jovial dog, capable of performing the most unlikely gestures and postures.
Like many other breeds of hound dogs, this is a very intelligent dog with a lot of personality. It assimilates very quickly anything that is taught, but it is also capable of thinking for themselves and making the decisions it deems appropriate, becoming quite stubborn.
Therefore, its owner must provide a firm training, constant over time and governed by a coherent program. Of course, toughness should not be confused with harshness, as this breed does not tolerate unfair or abusive treatment. This would only end up provoking a reaction contrary to the objective pursued, since an abused basset becomes a shy, elusive, distrustful dog and totally removed from the prototypical temperament of the breed.
In short, a dog that is tenacious and determined and has the instinct to hunt in a pack sniffing the prey.
It has good resistance and great adaptability to all types of terrain, and its bark is deep and melodious. It is gentle and affectionate, and is never aggressive or fearful.
- Energy: Despite its structure, it is an active animal that needs to do some moderate exercise.
- Temperament: in the field it is a tough, tenacious, courageous, active and fast hound, but at home it is affectionate, sweet, affectionate and gentle.
- Adaptability: It adapts without problems to any environment, as long as it has the presence of its family.
- Sociability: Kind and affectionate, its relationship with human beings is exceptional, whether they belong to its family or if they are strangers.
- Health: Their biggest problems are obesity and excess loose skin, which can cause eye or skin problems.
- Longevity: It can live up to 15 years, or even longer.
- Utility: versatile. It was originally a hunting dog, but today it is used more as a companion animal.
- Use : hunting and company.
Basset Hound: Appearance
The basset hound is characterized by being one of the most mediatic dogs in the world, since its image is in everyone’s imagination thanks to its appearance in advertising campaigns, movies and television series.
Traditionally used for hunting, it is one of the beagle dogs that has managed to make the leap to a successful career as an excellent companion animal.
The breed has evolved a lot in the last fifty years. Especially physically, with specimens of larger size and heavier compared to lighter and more agile than the pure lines of dogs.
Looking at its appearance, it is a hound with a robust and elongated body, a straight, strong and wide back, and powerful shoulders. The wrinkles formed by the skin in the lower part of the extremities are characteristic.
Its head is elongated and the skull is dome-shaped. On both sides, the skin is loose and forms wrinkles that are accentuated by the dog’s movements.
The eyes are diamond shaped. They can be lighter or darker depending on the color of the coat. Its gaze gives off a sense of calm and serenity.
It has long and narrow ears. They are inserted very low, next to the lower line of the eyes, and are folded inwards. Its texture is fine and velvety.
The feet are solid and have strong joints. The pads are solid and the nails are large and strong. The skin on the underside of the legs forms folds.
It has a long tail, set high, in the same line as the rump; it is strong at birth and tapers towards the tip. The dog carries it high and curved, in the shape of a saber.
As for the coat, the hair is short, close to the skin and smooth. It can occur in combinations of two or three colors or in any of the typical hounds.
Let’s now see in more detail what the basset hound and the breed standard look like:
Basset Hound breed standard
- General appearance: it is characterized by having a long and robust body. It is a hound with short limbs and among whose characteristics is the presence of a certain amount of loose skin in different parts of the body.
- Size: small / medium.
- Height at the withers: between 33 and 38 cm for males and between 31 and 34 cm for females.
- Weight: between 25 and 30 kg for males and between 23 and 26 kg for females.
- Origin: United Kingdom.
- Body: it is robust, long and deep throughout its length.
- Head: it is elongated, with the upper part of the skull and the muzzle of equal length.
- Skull: domed in shape and with a prominent occipital protuberance, it is broadest in the region of the eyebrows and tapers slightly towards the muzzle.
- Muzzle: it is thin without being pointed, with upper lips covering the lower ones.
- Nose: it is completely black, except in light-colored hounds, which are brown or liver in color. The nostrils are wide and wide open and may extend slightly past the lips.
- Eyes: They are diamond-shaped and dark in color, although they can be medium brown in light-coated hounds. Its expression is calm and confident. In the lower eyelid the conjunctiva is visible.
- Ears: they are long and have a fine, velvety texture. Narrow throughout their length, they bend inwards.
- Nose-frontal depression (stop): moderately marked.
- Jaws: The jaws are strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite.
- Neck: muscular and well arched, has a pronounced double chin.
- Chest: the sternum is prominent, but without the chest being narrow or excessively low. The ribs, well rounded, project very far back.
- Back : it is broad and horizontal, with the withers and the loin approximately the same height.
- Forelimbs : they are short, powerful and with strong bones. The skin forms folds over the forearms. The shoulders are not heavy. The shoulder blades are inclined. The upper part of the forearm is tilted slightly inward, but not so much as to impede the free movement of the animal, nor that the forelimbs touch when the dog is standing up or moving. The elbows are well attached to the sides of the chest.
- Hind limbs: muscular and protruding, they have an almost spherical appearance when seen from behind. Folds can form between the hock and foot, and at the back of the hock joint, where a slight pocket may appear as a result of loose skin. Its knees are well angled. The hocks are low, with the pasterns slightly oriented towards the inside of the body. When the dog is still they remain vertical.
- Feet: solid, equipped with good pads, they distribute the weight of the body equally on all the fingers, so that they leave a footprint like that of a large dog, since no area devoid of pads comes into contact with the ground.
- Tail: well set and quite long, it is strong at the start and tapers towards the tip; at the bottom it is covered with coarse hair. In action, the dog carries it raised forming a smooth saber-shaped curve, but without rolling it up or resting it on the back.
- Color: the most common color combination is tricolor (black, tan and white), but bicolor dogs (white and lemon yellow) also abound. However, in this breed all the typical color modalities of hounds can occur.
- Hair: smooth, short and thick, although not too fine, with the contours of pure lines, without fringes or fringes.
- Movement: runs with ease and harmony; the forelimbs are efficiently extended under the powerful push of the hindlimbs. Never drag your fingers across the floor.
- FCI Classification: Group 6 – Bloodhounds, Trace Dogs and Similar Breeds. Section 1 – Bloodhound-type dogs.
Basset Hound Puppies
If you are reading this informative article about the basset breed, it may be because you are considering adoption you want to buy a basset hound puppy .
You can go to several shelters or animal shelters to adopt a furry companion that adapts to your characteristics. If you want to buy it, visit several basset breeders . Make sure they are responsible, visit their facilities and ask all your questions. Avoid excessively cheap prices .
The basset is a dog that exudes affection and affection to all the people in its environment and that, of course, also cares with great tenderness and dedication to its puppies.
Don’t be fooled by its appearance, it needs to exercise from a very young age. The body structure of the basset hound determines its movements a lot, but even so its gait is uniform, fluid, easy-going and with strong rear impulse.
On the other hand, it is very important to start your education and socialization as soon as possible. You must get them used to seeing other people and playing with other dogs. You can see more tips below.
In the same way, you should expose them to common situations and noises in life so that it gets used to them from a young age. This will prevent them from behaving in a nervous or uneasy way in the future.
In this breed the tricolor coat in white, black and tan is very characteristic; however, there are also basset hounds with a white and yellow coat, or any other color typical of hounds.
Basset Hound education and training
As for how to train a basset hound , you should not be confused by its appearance. Despite its peculiar structure, with a very long and low body and extremely short legs, the basset hound is a genuine hunting dog, a working animal that therefore needs to exercise daily to achieve fullness. physical.
The basis of the maintenance program are long walks on a leash , which are not enough anyway, since it is also necessary to do some free exercise session from time to time.
Even so, it is important not to release it in the open field if you are not absolutely sure that total authority is exercised over it, since the animal may have a tendency to follow any trail that it considers interesting and lose itself in the search, even reaching put yourself in serious danger situations.
Also, as a good pack dog, it hates being alone and needs the company of its family or some other dog to feel fulfilled.
So a good recommendation for any new owner of a basset hound is to try to have more than one dog. And, in any case, do not leave it alone at home for many hours so that it does not become an overprotective dog.
Thus, it will not acquire certain vices in its temperament , such as the tendency to hide certain objects, to destroy things or to make holes in the garden.
And the fact that it is a pack dog also makes its relationship with other dogs generally very good ; it enjoys their company and there are rarely episodes of struggle for hierarchy.
But with the relationship with pets of other species you have to be a little more careful, so that you do not try to hunt them, although if you get used to living with them from a puppy they can establish an adequate relationship free of problems.
As for its lifestyle, it is a dog that adapts perfectly to any situation , so it can live just as well in a small apartment in the center of the city or in a large country house, which really What matters to them is to always have the company of its family and that they pay the necessary attention to them.
With these needs covered, the basset can be a very wise choice for owners with little or no experience .
Although they must bear in mind that they will be able to obtain much more benefits from the breed if they go to a professional trainer who has sufficient knowledge. Or if they join a work club where they can share their experience and evolution in the education of their dog with other people in similar circumstances.
Basset Hound feeding
Regarding the feeding of the basset hound , if there is a problem that really worries all fans of this breed, not only because of its aesthetic impact, but fundamentally because of all the conditions that derive from it, that is obesity .
The basset hound is a large dog with short legs, and therefore its substance, its size and the amount of bone and skin it presents do not correspond at all to its height at the withers, so it is very important to control its weight , especially during the first year of life when its growth is very rapid.
On the other hand, their gluttony is known to all fans, and the combination of all these factors causes many Basset Hounds to grow obese, with the risk that this poses to their back and their joints.
Therefore, if there is a problem, and your pet stops eating, it would be an unequivocal sign that something is wrong.
In addition, obesity can also cause respiratory, cardiovascular and dermatological problems.Therefore, the basset hound’s diet is an essential part, probably the most important, of its health program, as it must guarantee all the essential nutrients but avoiding any excess.
Therefore, the best thing that can be done to maintain the health of this dog is to combine a balanced and healthy diet with an exercise program appropriate for its age and condition, so that the animal grows as a healthy and fit individual.
Fortunately, in recent times the main dog food brands have launched different lines of specific food products for this type of dog. You can buy them in specialized stores or online.
Hush Puppies Health and Diseases
It should not be concluded that the basset hound is a troublesome, weak and sickly dog. Quite the contrary, it is a breed with an above-average longevity .
The cases of specimens that are well over 15 years of age with a good diet and veterinary care are very common.
It is also highly advisable for all owners of this breed to contact a trusted veterinarian as soon as possible to take care of their pet’s health.
Likewise, it will be the person of reference that you can go to whenever a question, doubt or concern arises about any question related to your dog: food, hygiene, care, etc.
The truth is that, in recent times, concern for the health and well-being of purebred dogs has led different organizations to place emphasis on the selection of healthy and functional individuals, as well as beautiful ones. And the basset hound is no exception, so the specimens of this breed are becoming healthier and healthier.
The English Kennel Club, which is the entity that has the international patronage of the standard of this dog, has established, based on the proposals of a breed council made up of representatives of the different clubs of the same existing in the United Kingdom , the essential points that focus the concern of breeders, hobbyists and breeders around the health of this peculiar animal.
One of the problems that usually cause more disorders to these dogs is the excessive amount of loose or loose skin that occurs in many dogs . The result of an upbringing based on the selection, as well as on the exaggeration, of the typical characteristics of the breed, and that can be a cause of discomfort, in addition to causing the appearance of certain skin conditions .
Another negative effect of this excess skin is a malformation of the eyelids that can end up causing irritation and eye problems of various importance.
Ears that are too long are another consequence of the tendency of breeders to try to obtain hypertypical dogs, that is, with exaggerated characteristics of the breed.
The excessive length of the auditory pinna is something that, in addition to being totally dysfunctional, can also cause frequent ulcerations and infections.
Likewise, it is also convenient to act preventively by going regularly to the veterinarian to complete the relevant vaccination programs, external and internal deworming and general control of the dog: ears, mouth, eyes, hair, skin …
- Osteochondritis dissecans: it is a necrosis that affects a part of the articular cartilage, with inflammation and formation of necrosis. Diagnosis is not always simple and the remedy is necessarily surgical.
- Gastric torsion syndrome : not to be confused with simple gastric dilation. It is a sudden increase in the volume of the stomach, accompanied by a rotation on itself. If not treated immediately in the emergency room (where however there are equally significant mortality rates, up to 30/40%) our friend Bassethound is destined for sure death. To avoid the possible onset of this pathology, several good rules must be followed , starting from the fact of not giving too abundant meals.
- Elbow dysplasia : This is an alteration in the formation of the dog’s elbow joint. This pathology favors the onset of arthritis .
- Von Willebrand disease : this is the most common hereditary coagulopathy in dogs, present with a certain frequency in this breed. Since it is a serious hereditary disease that can be latent and asymptomatic, it is good to have your dogs tested if you intend to have a litter.
- Even the ‘ Obesity is a common problem in the breed. Pay attention once more to the correct nutrition of the dog .
Specific care of the Basset Hound breed
As for how to care for a basset , it is necessary to dispense with this dog is to ensure that the areas of its skin that present folds and wrinkles are always dry and clean, but otherwise its aesthetic maintenance is very simple .To make its coat look splendid, weekly brushing and a sporadic bath is enough when the animal is very dirty. Therefore, there is very little care and many satisfactions that this breed gives. This has made its fame continue to grow day by day.