Origin: Great Britain

Description: The Basset Hound is an old breed, originating in France. The word "Basset" comes from the French word "bas" meaning a "dwarf" or "low thing".
The Basset was first used and developed as a badger hunter, and it was known as a "badger dog." The Bassett then became popular in the hunting smaller game such as hare and rabbit.

In the mid-1800s, the friars of the French Abbey of St. Hubert developed the breed by the selective breeding of other French hounds. Their aim was to develop a dog that was lower-set and therefore a slower-moving dog and easier to follow on foot. Their large feet helped steady them, and heavy bones made them sturdy. The purpose of the long ears was to stir up the scent on the ground. The folds of skin under the chin, and wrinkles on the head and face helped trap and hold the scent.
The French Basset was first imported to England in 1866 by Lord Galway. There was no real interest in the breed in England until the 1874 imports by Sir Everett Millais. He is considered the "father of the breed" in England. He first exhibited a Basset at an English dog show in 1875, but it was not until he helped make up a large entry for the Wolverhampton show in 1880 that a great deal of public attention was drawn to the breed.

The name Basset Hound comes from the French word "bas" meaning low. Some sources suggest the Basset Hound may have originated from genetic dwarf dogs presented in litters of other types of French hunting hounds, however, we do know that it is a rather old breed, descended directly from the Bloodhound. Shakespeare described the Basset Hound with the following poetic image: "Ears which sweep away the morning due." According to research, the true fame of the Basset Hound began in 1863, when it was presented at the Paris Dog Show. Its popularity spread to England where a lively dispute arose between two factions of breeders: Those who wanted to keep the Basset Hound a hunting dog, and those who wanted to transform it into a companion dog. Situated between these two factions were the American breeders who proceeded to develop an extremely pleasing companion dog without sacrificing any of the qualities of the hunter. The breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1885. Its natural bent is for hunting both in the den and in the open. It is therefore, used for the hunting of fox, hare, opossum, and pheasant. Bassets can hunt in packs or alone. It has an excellent sense of smell, but its reflexes are a bit slow. Their slow pace is convenient for hunters on foot and keeps game from being scared out of reach. The Basset's nose is almost as outstanding as the Bloodhound's. George Washington may have owned Basset Hounds given to him by Lafayette after the American Revolution.

The head is large, with a rounded skull and pronounced occiput. The plane of the muzzle is parallel to the top of the skull. The skin is loose-fitted and falls in folds on the head. The velvety ears are very long and should meet beyond the top of the nose. They should fold and not appear flat. The large teeth should meet in a scissors or level bite. The lips hand down with loose flews. The sad brown eyes should show prominent haw. The expression should be kindly without any harshness. The Basset has a very pronounced dewlap. His chest is very deep and extends in the front of the forelegs. The paws are big and the hindquarters are round. Dewclaws may be removed. The dog's movement should be deliberate, but not clumsy. The coat is short, hard and shiny. There are no rules concerning color, but it is usually white with chestnut or sand-colored markings.

Utilizaton: Scent Hound.

Behavior/Temperament:
Tenacious hound of ancient lineage which hunts by scent, possesses a pack instinct and a deep melodious voice, and is capable of great endurance in the field.  Placid, never aggressive or timid.  Affectionate.

The Basset Hound is sweet, gentle, devoted, peaceful and naturally well-behaved. They fit into family life well. Their temperament should always be friendly with never an indication of sharpness or viciousness. They are mild but not timid; very affectionate with its master and friendly with children. It is incapable of biting, but it may be a bit stubborn. They like to do tricks for food. It has a deep musical bark. Housebreaking is difficult, but they do well with gentle patient training and positive reinforcement. With proper training, they are obedient, but when they pick up an interesting smell, it's sometimes hard to get their attention.

Moderately active, Basset Hounds require a good walk every day to keep them fit and happy. They do have a tendency to continue wandering instead of coming home. Therefore when not leashed, a basset might decide to follow his nose and get himself lost. To be safe, always keep them on a leash and make sure you have a well fenced yard/garden. Care must be taken to not over-exercise when pups are young because of their heavy bones.

Back injuries are common in Basset's because of their long back and heavy bones. For preventative measures they should never be allowed to jump off furniture, grooming tables, the back of the car etc.

Basset Hounds are independent with a sense of humour, intelligent, affectionate, loyal and entertaining. They have a very gentle and lovable temperament and are therefore great with children of all ages. They make excellent family pets, and will get along well with other animals. The males are also not male aggressive as they were bred to hunt in packs.
One of the most common reasons Bassets are given up for adoption is that they drool too much, and make a mess when drinking. If you don't want a dog that drools this is not the breed for you.

Playful and silly by nature, these funny hounds appear to have a carefree attitude about life and can lack an obedient nature. They are rarely in a bad mood and always eager to go follow their noses. True to the hound group they have a desire to roam therefore having an impermeable fence is a must with this breed. They are great family dogs.

Coat: Smooth, short and close without being too fine.  Whole outline clean and free from feathering.  Long-haired, soft coat with feathering highly undesirable.

Colour: Generally black, white and tan (tri-colour); lemon and white (bi-colour); but any recognized hound colour acceptable. 

Height: Dogs 12-15 inches (30-38cm) Bitches 11-14 inches (28-36cm)
Weight:Dogs 50-65 pounds (23-29kg) Bitches 45-60 pounds (20-27kg)

Health: Do not overfeed these dogs because extra weight places too great a load on the legs and spine. A problem area is possible lameness and eventual paralysis because of short legs and a heavy, long body. As they are prone to bloat, it is also wise to feed them two or three small meals a day instead of one big large meal. The dog should be kept observed for several hours after eating a large meal.

Bloat (gastric torsion), though not a hereditary condition, this has been known to affect the Basset. This is a very serious condition. When a dog bloats, the stomach can turn and block, causing a build up of gas. Unless treated quickly, bloat can be fatal. Signs of bloat include futile attempts to vomit and to salivate. Bloat, which may lead to cardiovascular collapse, usually occurs when exercise too closely follows eating. The incidence of bloat may be lessened by feeding adult dogs twice a day and, of course, by allowing a dog time to digest before taking him for a run in the park.

Hip dysplasia: a malformation of the hip joint resulting in a poor fit between the head of the femur bone and the hip socket. This condition can be alleviated by surgery, at some cost to dog and owner. Because dysplastic dogs often produce dysplastic puppies, buyers should ask if both the sire and the dam of the puppy in which they are interested have been rated clear of hip dysplasia. Do not take yes for an answer without seeing a certificate, and ask for a copy to take to your veterinarian.

Glaucoma: is a leading cause of blindness in dogs. It is the result of increased fluid pressure within the eye. If the pressure can not be reduced, there will be permanent damage to the retina and optic nerve resulting in visual impairment. Treatment: surgery.

Von Willebrand's Disease (vWD) - is an autosomally (not sex-linked) inherited bleeding disorder with a prolonged bleeding time (somewhat similar to hemophilia in humans) and a mild to severe factor IX deficiency. A DNA test for vWD is now available. Carrier-to-carrier breedings, in theory, will produce puppies that are 25% clear, 50% carriers, and 25% affected. Ideally, only clear-to-clear or clear-to-carrier should occur, so that no puppies will be affected. Not all dogs that are vWD affected will have severe bleeding problems, but they ARE at risk whenever they need to have surgery or have an accident. Some unlucky affected dogs will actually bleed out from a needle stick or minor wound.

Paneosteitis: (also known as wandering lameness or growing pains) is occasionally seen in young Bassets. There is inflammation in the long bones of the front and hind legs. Attacks can be brought on by stress and aggravated by activity. This disease generally resolves over time. During the episodes of pain and lameness, your veterinarian may prescribe medication to help alleviate the pain, and restricted exercise for your dog.

Ear Infections: The long, drooping ear predisposes the Basset to ear problems. The ears must be kept clean and dry.

The Basset's large paws are prone to inter-digital cysts, abscesses and fungus infections between the toes Life Expectancy:About 10-12 years

Grooming: Grooming requirements are minimal - a good weekly brushing will keep the coat shiny and free of dead hair. The Basset Hound's eyes and ears need must be cleaned and checked regularly to prevent infection. Bassets nails must be clipped very regularly. If they grow too long their paws will spread out causing spine and joint problems.

Good with children: yes
Good with dogs: yes
Good with other pets: yes