Basset Hound Dog Breed Facts & Basset Hound Information

Basset Hounds have lengthy, hefty bodies and large heads that seem as though they would fit a taller dog with much longer legs. Relatively speaking though, Bassets have regular sized bodies when compared to their head sizes when compared in ratio to one another. These hound dogs exhibit thick stubby, wrinkled skin legs that connect to oversized, chubby like flat paws. The Basset Hound breed has thick joints which are disproportioned to the point that it becomes considerably noticeable. Basset Hound dogs carry long, stern, straight tails which were bred to preferably have white tips to them so that these dogs could be spotted easily while hunting; this white tail feature also helped hunters distinguish their basset hounds from any wild game and other animals.

Basset Hound Coat & Grooming

These dwarfed looking Bloodhounds grow short, dense coats that are overall easy to groom, but Bassets do shed a decent bit during the late Spring and early Summer time, so just remember to keep that in mind. The Basset Hound breed typically ranges in coat color variations with mixed patches and splotches of white and tan, black, white, and tan, dark brown, white, and tan, red with white feet, honey and white, and a few color coat combos that fall somewhere within the styles listed above.

Basset Hound Facial Features

These canines carry exaggerated, caricature like facial expressions in which many individuals interpret differently depending on one's personal opinion. Some people say that Bassets have sad, lonely, puppy dog expressions. Other's will tell you that their look is very comical. Then there are those who just think that the Basset Hound dog has a facial expression in which is just downright adorable and charming. Well whatever the case, there's no doubt about this dog breed's face being by far an important part of the Basset Hound’s classic signature look which is recognizable worldwide.

Basset Hounds exhibit lengthy, somewhat oval, droopy ears that are low set on these canine's heads and tend to practically touch the floor in many cases. This purebred dog breed also displays semi long upper lips that overlap to slightly surpass this canine's lower jaw lines. The Basset Hound breed is virtually covered in wrinkles and folds on their faces, necks, and foreheads due to the abundant amounts of thick, heavy, excess skin which weigh down their entire faces; the extra skin and folds around the neck area are also referred to by a specific name called “dewlaps .” These canine companion dogs feature high set eyes that droop down to where the pinks on their eyelids are either slightly exposed to heavily exposed. Basset Hound dog's muzzles are sagged, oversized, and carry large black noses to them built for some of the finest canine sense of smell.

Did you know?

Basset Hounds have literally some of the strongest canine noses. The Basset Hound breed has such a strong sense of smell that these hound dogs only come in at second place behind Bloodhounds for having the strongest sense of smell! Basset hounds hunt tenaciously and follow scents of animals with their noses close to the ground. These canine companions have such fine noses in fact, that they can track down scents from animals, people, and more, in which are literally hours upon hours old!

Basset Hound Temperament & Basset Hound Personality

The Basset Hound breed are sweet and gentle dogs by nature that make wonderful family pets; Bassets in particularly get along well with children of practically all ages. When it comes down to it though, the average Basset Hound personality is simply wonderful; Basset Hounds make wonderful canine companions dogs which suite people of all ages.

Basset Hound Canine Training

Despite the fact that Basset Hounds are a highlyintelligent breed of dogs, they're actually quite difficult when it comes to canine training due to the Basset Hound personality style being as stubborn as it is. Basset hounds are also rather difficult to train because of their strong sense of smell that often distracts these hound dogs from paying attention to learning. Like many other hound dog breeds as well, not only do Bassets no respond that well at all towards canine training, but these canines are also prone to various obedience problems, so if you're the type of person whom likes a perfectly obedient dog, then a Basset hound is definitely not the breed of dog for you.

Basset Hound Health Problems

Basset hounds are for the most part healthy canine companion dogs, but like most purebred dog breeds, Basset hounds do have their hereditary health issues. Some of the more common Basset Hound health problems include ear issues, eye problems, eye clogging, faulty spines, yeast infections of the mouth, and obesity.

Finding a Basset Hound Puppy

Finding a Basset Hound Puppy that is of purebred parents and from a decent or highly quality breeder may not always seem like the easiest task to accomplish at first, but with the right information and knowledge prior to picking out between baby Basset Hounds will make the world of a difference in making your job of finding a good Basset Hound breeder. So here are a few tips and advice I have for those of you who are looking to bring home a Basset Hound Puppy or are considering choosing between some baby Basset Hounds as your next family member around the house.

Finding a Basset Hound Breeder

There are a number of ways that you can go about for finding a basset hound breeder, like your local newspapers or maybe you or one of your friends knows a good Basset Hound breeder, but personally I think that the best way to pick out from all the baby Basset Hounds out there is simply by searching the internet. Now, there are tons of really decent puppy websites to choose from, but I have to say that the predominantly purebred puppy website I recommend most to people is PuppyFind .com.

Remember though that on PuppyFind there are, for lack of a better term, some crappy dog breeders on the site (just like most puppy sites), but you just have to know how to pick out a puppy from a breeder of whom suites you and your standards. Anyway, overall the majority of the dog breeders on PuppyFind are fairly decent or even of the highest of quality. Just make sure that the Basset Hound puppy you're choosing out has all of its certified purebred dog papers and that the Basset Hound Puppy has all of its shots and a health examination performed by a Veterinarian prior to picking out your newest family member or members.

Keep in Mind:

Always make sure to see any puppy you purchase in person first, and that the other baby Basset Hounds aren't ill or appear as though they're sick.

Take a through look at the parents of the baby Basset Hounds. How do they look? Have they ever suffered from any illnesses or diseases in which are hereditary?

Check to see if the Basset Hound Breeder you’re choosing from specializes in owning and breeding baby Basset Hounds specifically. Also, often time’s legit breeder will even have websites of their own going into further detail about their dogs and breeder qualifications. Usually if you want, you can even choose from Basset Hound Breeders who breed show dog quality baby Basset Hounds.

Basset Hound Breed Grades

Basset Hounds Good with Children = A+

Canine Training = D

Overall Basset Hound Breed Obedience = D

Gets Along Well with Other House Pets = C

Gets Along Well with Other Dogs = A

Suitability for Apartment Life and City Living and Lifestyles = C-

Suitability for Suburban and Metropolitan Living and Lifestyles = B+

Suitability for Farm and Country Living and Lifestyles = A+

Guard Dog Capabilities = D

Watch Dog Capabilities = B+ to A-

Hunting Dog Capabilities = A

Herding Dog Capabilities = D-

Average Basset Hound Personality and Temperament = A+

Loyalty towards Their Owners and Families = A+

The Basset Hound Breed Requirements from 1 -4 (1 = Easy to Minimal Care Requirements, 4 = Difficult or Lots of Care Requirements)

Exercise = 2

Grooming = 1.5

Feeding = 2

Living and/or Backyard Space Needed = 2 to 2.5

Human Attention and Company = 2.5 to 3

Basset Hound Mix Breeds

As popular as purebred Bassets are, Basset Hound Mix breeds are becoming a common growing trend within the canine community. One of the reasons why Basset Hound Mix breeds are becoming such a popular choice with dogs owners is because they often times want many of the sought after qualities of the Basset Hound Breed, but they are also looking for other positive qualities from different breeds of dogs. Not only do Basset Hound Mix dogs often times take the better qualities of their purebred parents, but they commonly lose many of the more negative qualities from their purebred canine relatives, like hereditary health problems.

Beagle Basset Hound Mix

Beagle Basset Hound mix dogs are perhaps the most popular interbred form of the Basset Hound. Beagle Basset Hound mix canines are not only absolutely adorable, but they also make some of the finest of hunting dogs out there. The Basset Hound Beagle mix can tend to take on more of the swift and lighter built qualities of the Beagle, but Beagle Basset Hounds also feature an "even" finer scent for tracking down scents since Bassets have slightly keener senses of smell than Beagles.

Lab Basset Hound

The Lab Basset Hound mix are slightly more rare than the Beagle Basset Hound mix, but the Lab Basset Hound mix dogs are just as much of a high quality to the Basset Hound mix, in their own individual way. Lab Basset Hounds often times have a more special and unique appearance which tends to vary more so from dog to dog, than that of the Beagle Basset Hound mix. Personally, I have to say that I love the Lab Basset mix, especially when the combination is done my interbreeding a Basset Hound with a Black Lab. The Lab Basset mix not only carries an interesting look of appeal to it, but they also have the nose of a basset, but the Lab Basset mix are also display the learning and canine training capabilities of the Labrador Retriever; plus because Labrador Retrievers and Basset Hounds are great hunting dogs, the Lab Basset Hound mix makes an extremely fine hunting dog.

Basset Hound Dachshund Mix

One thing that I love about interbred dogs in general is the surprise appearances that they come in. You just never know what you're going to get, even more so for canines like the Basset Hound Dachshund mix. The Basset Dachshund mix can vary in looks that range from excessively large Dachshunds, mini smaller boned Bassets, long haired Basset Hounds, and dogs that do not seem to resemble or feature all too many similarities to that of the Dachshund or the Basset hound. Just like the Beagle Basset Hound Mix though, the Basset Hound Dachshund mix can be a very difficult when it comes to canine training, since Dachshunds are not a terribly easy dog breed, from the standpoint of canine training either. That being said, Basset Hound Dachshund mix bred dogs and Beagle Basset Hound mix bred dogs still have many fine qualities and traits to them that tend to heavily outweigh the negatives for many dog owners.

German Shepherd Basset Hound Mix

I have to admit, out of the Basset mixes the German Shepherd Basset Hound mix definitely wins the gold medal for funniest looking dog. Although sometimes German Shepherd Bassets can display an extremely beautiful and handsome exterior, the German Shepherd Basset Hound mix tends to look rather comedic, but obviously someone out there has got to love these canine companion dogs since they're by far one of the most popular types of Basset mixes. Just like the Lab Basset Hound mix, the German Shepherd Basset Hound mix takes on the nose of the Basset Hound but has the brain that usually shares more similarities with the German Shepherd; this is also a great attribute of the German Shepherd Basset Hound mix, since as I've stated multiple times in this blog, Bassets are definitely not at all a walk in the park when it comes to canine training.