My Basset Hounds

What can I say? I love Basset Hounds. Those long ears, short legs and sad eyes always get me. We started with Brandy, who was a gift from my sister.

A few years later my niece and one of her friends rescued Simon from the highway. We tried to find his owners but nobody called or showed up so he stayed with us.

A year later, after more than 6 months of convincing, Brandy finally caved (she really played hard to get...) and we had our first puppies, followed by some more a year later.

One of them, Gina, had a really hard time. As a matter of fact, the vet even talked about "putting her to sleep", but a second one treated her more aggressively and here she is.

I started with one but now I have three. It's a little crowded sometimes but the joy my dogs give us is worth it.

So, I started this lens. Basset Hounds are gentle, cute and a little lazy so they make for a perfect family dog. If you like dogs, don't have too much space and think Chihuahuas are annoying, then take a look at the Basset Hound.

You won't regret it.

The Basset Hound's Secret Weapon

Who can say no to that face? Other breeds have an impish or fierce face, but not the Basset Hound.

That look of innocence it's their secret weapon. Puppies are even more cute, but then, everybody likes puppies. Anyway, if you have Basset Hounds, you have to play hard so you can discipline them anytime they do something wrong.

Luckily, the Basset Hound is not so energetic as others, so there is a limit to the mayhem they can create when you leave them alone.

My first and older Basset Hound

She was a gift to my daughter and a really cute little puppy. Since she was my daughter's first dog, she had more attention than us... at least for a while. Brandy is a gentle and playful dog, but can be very stubborn sometimes.

We lost her for about 6 months, until she suddenly showed up on our house. She had been living with a neighbor who claimed not to know she was ours (although we looked and asked for weeks) and, when she had the change, got back with us.

For a couple of years we took her with another dog when she was in heat but simply sat down and refused. That changed with Simon but only after 6 months of whining and begging and had several puppies twice.

Since with the last one she had a very hard time, the vet closed the factory and now she can forget about kids for good.

We are not supposed to have favorites, but Brandy is mine. With age comes wisdom (or so they say…), so she takes everything more calmly than the other two.

Still, can outrun everybody if it suits her.

Our second Basset

Simon used to be a stray dog. Although is rare for a Basset Hound to stay too long in the streets without someone taking him home, Simon was hungry, dirty and losing his hair; usual symptoms of abandonment.

When my niece saw him, he was about to be become another road kill, but thanks to the heroic actions of one of her friends, he got out of there alive. Well, the tale sounded a little florid but, to be fair, I wasn't there, so I just beleived the whole thing.

When he arrived I thought he would stay for a couple of days until someone will reclaim him, but weeks passed and I just had to accept he was our new dog.

Although I wasn't very sure about having two dogs, we didn't seem to have a choice. Playful, noble and a little dumb, he started to grow on me and now I can't imagine my house without him.

Besides, he's a really beautiful Basset and has fathered 5 litters (2 of our own) so far and seems to be very happy lording on my backyard.

Maybe he is just a pretty face, but he has made a great team with the other 2 to chase out cats and kill the occasional rat that decides to get too near our house.

Our last Basset Pup

Gina is a puppy from our first litter. The first month, she was a healthy puppy, just like all the others, but that changed after the first vaccine.

A nasty reaction swelled her face and ears and she endured several days of great pain. The last visit to our vet, he said that the treatment wasn't working and that we should consider "the other option".

I knew she was in pain but I couldn't just let her go without a second opinion. The other vet saw her and started an aggressive treatment. I was thrilled when she started to heal and, after a couple of months, we decided to have a third dog.

Playful, energetic and noisy, Gina it's my wife's companion on her morning runs and the better trained.

Although she still has the scars from her ordeal, she is a beautiful dog with the better traits of her parents.

Know this breed a little more.