Basset Hound
Narrated from: Dog Breeds
Everyone’s heart melts at the sad face of a Basset Hound! He is short and heavy with a long body and droopy ears that can sometimes drag on the floor. His brown eyes can pull you in and wrap you around his little toe in seconds. His coat is short and dense but when he is healthy his coat will carry a beautiful shine. While there are no real rules about his coat colors you will most likely find him in a Beagle type tri-color pattern. You can count on him to be sweet and loving, very gentle, well-behaved and friendly. They are rarely ever moody but consistently content. He will be mild but not timid and can even be a bit stubborn at times. He needs a calm assertive owner that can set rules and stick to them.
Patience and gentle training is needed with housebreaking. This breed is not easy to housebreak at all. Crate training and positive reinforcement works best. In other area you will find him to be more than willing to learn and he loves doing tricks for food. Do not allow him to over feed. Any extra weight puts too much undue pressure on his joints and will cause health problems. They are obedient dogs once properly trained but will at times get distracted by an interesting odor and try to mindlessly follow it. He is, after all, a scent hound.
The Basset Hound is short and stocky in build and they rarely grow taller than about 15 inches at the shoulder. He should not weigh in at more than about 60 pounds. His lifespan, if he is not allowed to get overweight, is about 12 years. They can become lame if they get too heavy and it can progress to paralysis. They are also prone to a condition called bloat so feed him two or three smaller meals per day instead of one large meal. Make yourself aware of the symptoms of bloat so you will be able to catch the problem as soon as possible and get him to the veterinarian so intervention can be done.
He can live comfortably in an apartment or small house but make sure he gets the exercise he needs. If you have a yard you can play ball or Frisbee with him to help get the exercise in for the day. Try not to encourage him to jump or place undue stress on his front legs or back. If you do not have a yard for him to play in make sure you take long leisure walks with him. He will enjoy exploring as you walk around the neighborhood. He will also enjoy meeting the neighbors!
His short hair makes him easy to groom but he is a constant shedder. He is not a good choice for family members with allergies to dogs. Make sure to clean the folds in his skin every week and trim his nails regularly. If he develops an odor you can wipe him down with vinegar and water to cut out the hound smell and his coat will shine and look very healthy!
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