So, you think you want a basset hound?

Like any breeder, we are passionate about our hounds and would love nothing more than to populate the world with them! These insanely squishy, adorable pups are irresistible in our eyes, and everyone should have one ...

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Except they shouldn't.

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Every breed has its pros and cons, and not every person is cut out to own every breed. The basset hound isn't for everyone, but on this page, we've done or best to compile as much information as possible to allow you to make that decision on your own. Please read it, and if you still have questions, reach out! We will respond, and then likely add that info here so that others may find answers to questions they have as well.

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SIZE

 

Contrary to popular belief, the basset hound is a medium- to large-breed dog. While they have very short legs (standing around 14" at the shoulder), an adult basset can easily weigh between 55-70lbs, and be just as long in body as their large breed house-mates. This body length makes them excellent counter-surfers, so don't let those short legs fool you, and never drop your guard around food items you may think are unreachable on tables/counters.

 

It is believed that the basset hound was developed by selectively breeding dwarfism into the now-extinct St. Hubert Hound, creating a low-set dog with all the characteristics of its very similar cousin, the Bloodhound. Adult bassets have substantial strength and need a handler who can control them on a walk. They aren't great lap dogs, nor are they a "pack-and-carry" breed. Those considering a basset need to understand that they won't be getting a dog that they can pick up and carry around - at least not easily!

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GROOMING

 

Basset hounds have a short double-coat. The hard, coarse outer coat is durable and protects the hound from wet weather, while the soft, dense undercoat provides insulation against both extreme cold AND heat. Double-coated breeds should never be shaved, and the basset is no exception.

 

Natural oils in the basset coat have been known to produce a "houndy" smell (similar to corn chips for the experienced nose). While a good diet may help in reducing this, regular bathing is also a good plan. Even as show dogs, our bassets are generally not bathed more often than once every 3 weeks to prevent the drying of their skin - and in the off seasons, we prefer to wait 4-6 weeks.

 

Bassets shed - A LOT. Brushing with a bristle brush (boar, synthetic, etc), curry comb or rubber mitt weekly will help to greatly reduce this. Expect to see the undercoat blown about twice a year. You may want to increase brushing during this time, introducing an undercoat brush to help remove the loosened fur.

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Ears and nails need to be kept up on a weekly, or at the most, bi-weekly schedule. Like most drop-eared dogs, there is little airflow into the ear canal, meaning it is a prime breeding ground for bacteria and yeast. A weekly wipe with a veterinary ear rinse, or simple mixture of white vinegar and water, can help keep yeasty ear infections at bay.

 

Nails grow fast and are very dense. Many bassets do not like their nails being trimmed, but early exposure and a second set of hands will make the experience go a little easier on everyone. We prefer to Dremel/grind nails as opposed to clipping. It allows us to get a shorter trim, and the dogs don't seem to mind it as much. If you're uncomfortable with nails, or find you're having a hard time, a good relationship with a local groomer will go a long way! Set your hound up on a schedule for a weekly or bi-weekly nail trim, ear clean and quick brush out, and your dog and groomer will both thank you.

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If your hound gets wet, it is best to towel dry him as soon as you can. Make sure to keep all folds of skin, ears, neck, armpits and between toes dry, and don't allow moisture to sit. Bassets can be prone to yeasty skin infections if not maintained properly. If using a high-velocity dryer, cover ears to ensure safety, as a hard blast of air to the inner ear can cause injury to the ear drum. Do not use high-velocity air to dry the face.

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Use of a snood (head/ear cover) during walks in the wet season will help protect those long, velvety ears from getting dirty. They tend to collect quite a bit of dirt & debris, always dragging on the ground while that nose works!

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Teeth brushing should be introduced early and done regularly to ensure good mouth health. Raw meaty bones once a week will also do wonders to help keep teeth cleaned. Do not feed cooked bones, antlers or hard, weight bearing bones of large animals, as these can crack the teeth of heavy chewers.

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If you find excessive tartar buildup that you can't remove on your own with a regular oral health regime, speak with your veterinarian about cleaning and ask for suggestions on maintaining your particular dog's oral health. Each dog is different, so what works for one, may not work for all.

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ACTIVITY LEVEL & EXERCISE

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A basset hound is often considered a "lazy" breed, but this is simply untrue. While a basset doesn't require hours of running every day, they do have a desire for a moderate level of activity to keep fit and content.

 

Basset puppies are fast growing, but slow maturing. What this means is that, while they will grow about 60x their birth size in the span of 12-14 months, their bones and muscles won't be finished maturing until the dog is between 2-3 years old.

 

The basset is a heavy-boned breed. Actually, they are heavier in bone, size considered, than any other breed of dog. Those bones grow quickly and need good muscle support, but too much exercise too soon can cause development issues, as well as painful conditions, such as Panosteitis. Young puppies should be monitored and not allowed to overexert themselves. An appropriately sized area should be provided for the puppy to move about and play in a safe manner. They should be kept off of surfaces with poor traction like tile floors, muddy or icy surfaces, etc. and not allowed to jump on and off of furniture, or jump down out of vehicles. Access to stairs should be limited only to what is necessary. If there are other dogs in the household, it is beneficial to allow them to have supervised playtime, but discourage or end play time if play gets too rough (heavy wrestling, pinning by larger dogs, pulling on limbs, etc).

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As much as you want to limit overexertion, you also do not want to restrict your puppy's natural instinct to move about and play. Providing an ample, safe space to bounce around and play with toys will help condition those little muscles and help him grow. He can't be kept in a crate 18 hours a day at this point (10 hrs at night plus an 8 hour work day). While crate training is a fabulous tool, it is important that puppies are given potty breaks at least every couple of hours and allowed to move about, stretch, run, roll and burn off energy in small increments. A bored puppy that has been crated for the majority of the day may cause itself injury in its eagerness to get rid of the pent up energy it has been storing. We understand that our families have working lives, however, for the first 4-6 months that your puppy is with you, it is important that you arrange for a family member, dog walker/sitter, etc be available to relieve your puppy at least every couple of hours for 15-20 minutes at a time. These intervals can be gradually increased after 6 months of age.

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Higher intensity and repetitive activities should be reserved for after 6 months of age, and then introduced gradually. These include activities such as extended walks/hikes, jogging, bike/horseback riding, etc. High impact sports such as agility, flyball, etc should not be introduced until the dog is at least 18 months of age. (Low level beginner exercises and training is fine between 12-18 months).

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An adult basset should be walked daily at a brisk pace for however long you can comfortably take them. Remember that this breed was bred for endurance, and should easily be able to keep up a steady pace on a trail for hours. Your dog should not be dragging its feet to the end of your street and then demanding to be carried home, despite what internet memes show otherwise. The basset is a fit hound, capable of covering considerable ground, and realistically, should be outlasting you on walks.

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FEEDING

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At Dakoozi, we start all our puppies on our chosen diet of Purina Pro Plan dry kibble. It is a commercially and readily available great quality food in a moderate price range, and all of our dogs have done very well on it for many years. While we would prefer that you continue with this brand of food, we understand that there may be other pets in the home already established on a particular brand or food type. We are open to various feeding styles, including kibble, soft, fresh, raw, cooked, etc, but we require that your Dakoozi pup is transitioned slowly and appropriately if changing, and that its diet is nutritionally complete and of high quality, appropriate for the slow, steady growth of a large breed dog.

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Just like people, every dog is different. Factors that may influence how much your dog eats include sex (males tend to need more than females), time of year, activity level of your family, and of course, genetics and metabolism. We suggest that you refrain from offering high value, high calories treats outside of training moments, and carefully monitor your puppy's physical condition for changes. Adjustments to amounts of food (going up or down by as little as a quarter of a cup) can make a big difference in a puppy that may be putting on too much weight, or balancing needs in a pup whose changing metabolism has them looking a little too thin.

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Basset hounds are a breed prone to obesity. Many that you see are severely overweight and it is extremely unhealthy for them (as it is any dog), especially because of the the length of their bodies. That extremely long back already carries enough of their immense bone. Adding any extra unnecessary weight can be a cause for severe back issues as the dog ages, including arthritis, hip dysplasia, degenerative/compressed discs, even complete rear end paralysis. There is also a higher risk for injury during everyday activity, and unhealthy weight is also known to cause other issues (including cardiovascular, etc) and shorten life spans of affected dogs.

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Hounds are food driven breeds. Because of this, and their predisposition to obesity, it is not recommended to free-feed your basset. That is not to say that it cannot be done - I have a few who will free feed perfectly - but it should be done properly, under careful supervision for the first while, and never with other dogs in the home, as this can be a big cause for resource guarding and food aggression. If you are not familiar with free feeding, don't have extensive experience with the breed and different personalities within it, and are not available to monitor your dog while you learn its free feeding routine, I strongly suggest sticking with a scheduled feeding time. Work it around what is best for you and your schedule. As long as your dog is fed, cared for and loved, they don't really care about what time(s) their meal arrives, as long as it keeps coming!

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TEMPERAMENT & PERSONALITY

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The basset hound is a mild-tempered breed, perfect for families with children. They are a pack hound, and usually do quite well with other dogs in the home. They are, however, a natural hunter, so extreme care should be taken when introducing the dogs to cats or other small animals that can be seen as prey items.

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Dakoozi hounds are bred and raised to be family dogs. Our breeding dogs are carefully chosen for not only their physical structure, but their beautiful temperaments as well. They should be friendly, loving, easygoing and playful companions. Young puppies and dogs take time to mature (approximately 2-3 years), and during this time, play around extremely young children (babies and toddlers) needs to be well supervised.

 

While the basset would not intentionally hurt a child, they are a big dog that can cause injury by bumping into or jumping on a young one. Also, those long hanging ears, big droopy eyes and constantly wagging tail are irresistible to little hands just learning to explore their world, and a basset puppy's way of telling its litter mates "ouch!" doesn't normally bode well for our delicate, human skin.

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Never, under any circumstances, allow a child to sit on or "ride" your basset, no matter how small the child is.

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Most times, the basset puppy is content to play in brief, but intense bursts, and then sleep for a couple of hours. They love to curl up with their favourite human or furry housemates for a nice, comfy nap. Bassets love to be near, or even on, their people. They are well suited to both country and city living, and given adequate exercise, can adapt well to apartment living as well.

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That being said, they have a BIG voice, and if allowed to become bored, or even conditioned out of habit, they WILL use it regularly. Early training is important for accommodations within buildings or in houses with neighbours nearby.

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TRAINING

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Training can be a sore spot for some basset owners. Basset hounds are commonly referred to as "dumb" and "stubborn". The problem is actually neither, but instead the fact that the breed was intended to think and work independently of people, not hand in hand with them.

 

A hound's job is to be dropped off, head out to find what it is they've been asked to find, then use that big, melodious voice to call the human to them. This does not create a great working relationship in terms of obedience. Once the hound's nose is triggered, there is not much to be done for recall or other commands. Ears and eyes seem to "turn off" as the hound's single purpose instincts kick into high gear.

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A training relationship can be formed, and is highly encouraged, but it will take patience, persistence and consistency. A REALLY high value treat/reward wouldn't hurt either, as hounds tend to be very food-driven.

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Keep in mind that, no matter how well trained your basset is, his recall may never be able to be 100% trusted. Dogs in open areas, places they can get lost, or near roads, etc, should always be leashed for their own safety.