basset hound dog

Basset Hound

Breed Group: Hound Group

Size Group: Large Dog Breeds

Origin: France

Height: 11”-15”

Weight: 40-65lbs

Color: Black & white, Black brown & white, Black tan & white, Black white & brown, Black white & tan, Brown black & white, Lemon & white, Mahogany & white, Red & white

Lifespan: 12-13 years

Temperament: Sweet, loyal, patient, focused

 

Overview

You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog, crying all the time!

With their short legs, floppy ears, and long noses, it isn’t surprising that many, yes including Elvis, have fallen in love with these sweet pups. Basset hounds were originally bred to work in packs to help track rabbits and deer. They have an incredibly keen sense of smell and will follow it whether you like it or not. Their name “basset” comes from the French word for low. With their short little legs, they certainly are just that.

Basset hounds are wonderful with other pups, and if socialized early can be ideal family dogs with small children and other small animals. Known for their howl when they get bored, they are probably not the best fit for apartment life. They are notoriously tricky to train but with the proper patience, good humor, and lots of love they may just become your favorite family member.

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Celebrity Owners

Marilyn Monroe, Jennifer Lawrence, Burt Reynolds, David Arquette, Colombo, Elvis, George Clooney, Alex Graham

Fun Facts

Fried cornballs are a southern tradition known as hush puppies. While humans enjoy them today, they started as a treat for Basset hounds to stop them from howling – hush puppy!

Health

Basset hounds are generally healthy pups. Some health concerns to be aware of include hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, hypothyroidism, glaucoma, luxating patella, von Willebrand’s disease, intervertebral disc disease, thrombopathia, ear infections, obesity and bloat.

While you always hope your pet will live a long and healthy life, it is always a good idea to invest in pet health insurance.

Keeping your dog’s mouth clean and problem free goes a long way to your pup’s overall health. Dental hygiene can be the cause or can be the byproduct of other serious health issues.

Visual inspections can be performed to keep track of the signs of potentially waning oral health. These signs can be anything from bad breath to abnormal chewing to loss of appetite.

Keeping ahead of these warning signs can pay dividends. A preventative approach can delay and stop many of the common dental problems from arising.

Oral health can be tackled in five basic steps:

  1. Brushing your dog’s teeth to prevent an undesirable buildup of plaque
  2. Feed your dog a diet where the high quality dog food has dental benefits
  3. Regularly give your dog dental toys and treats
  4. Use mouthwash, to help where brushing misses
  5. At the sign of any abnormalities, consult a vet. You can even do it virtually, from the convenience of your home.

Dogs are just like humans in that they can experience anxiety. The degree to which they are susceptible to anxiety and how they deal with anxiety is breed specific. Left unchecked, initial signs of anxiety could give way to an anxiety disorder. The symptoms of anxiety disorders can lead to a myriad of behavior issues.

Knowing the signs and symptoms will best equip you to keep ahead of it and to nip it in the bud at the earliest signs. There are options available to help with anxiety.

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Grooming

Basset hounds shed a lot. Brushing your pup’s coat twice a week with a soft brush will help to control the hair around your house. Bathe your pup at least once a month, but not more often than once a week. Without proper bathing your pup will develop skin irritation. Clean your pup’s ears weekly. Because of their floppy ears, this breed is prone to ear infections. Trim your pup’s nails monthly and brush your pups teeth several times per week.

Cost

$600 – $1,500

Exercise

Plan to spend between 30 minutes to an hour in activity with your pup each day. These pups were build for endurance, so long walks, or leisurely games in a securely fenced in yard will keep your pup happy. These pups will follow their nose once they catch an interesting scent, so be sure to always keep your pup leashed or in a secure area. Additionally, Basset hounds are prone to obesity, so always keep your pup moving even when he’d rather not.

Nutrition

Your full-sized Basset hound will eat around 3 cups of food per day over 2 meals. This breed is prone to bloat which is an immediately life-threatening condition where the stomach overfills and flips in the torso. You can help avoid this situation by monitoring the rate at which your pup eats. The exact amount of food your dog will need will vary depending on age and activity level. 

We’ve taken a look at some premium dog foods, high in nutrition here.

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Training

As with all dogs, early socialization with humans and other dogs is essential. Basset hounds are independent and often stubborn when it comes training. Approach training with patience and a pocket full of treats! Lots of positive reinforcement and avoiding harsh criticism. These pups are known to howl, so you will want to attempt working on quiet commands early on. The best start to training is an early start. It is easier to establish good habits off the bat, rather than removing unwanted behavior to replace it.

Proper training is essential to ensuring the safety of your dog and those around you. Having your dog come when they should, and in general having them listen is something you want to address early in your pup’s life, as it will pay dividends down the line. There are many tried and true training programs to accomplish this training – faster and better than you might think!

Unless you’re living on a farm, or have the space, a yipping dog, or one that barks all day when you are gone could be an issue with the neighbors and/or landlord. Historically, dogs would bark to communicate with the rest of the pack when hunting and bark as a warning shot to predators eyeing up their flock. Barking is deep rooted in dogs and manifests itself in many ways and for a variety of reasons.

Just like any habit or instinct, there are effective ways you can train this issue away.

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Supplements

A solid Glucosamine Supplement for hips and joints will go a long way to helping your furry friend.

Other helpful supplements include full-spectrum hemp oil or CBD oil. Fish oil skin and coat supplement.

Ensuring a comprehensive preventative vitamin and mineral plan is essential to keeping your dog healthy. Truth is, there are vitamins and minerals that your dog needs, but doesn’t produce naturally. While many of these vitamins and minerals can be found in your dog’s current diet and dog food, the question becomes, are there enough vitamins to ensure they aren’t deficient.

Poor nutrition can lead to some of the most common health issues, such as weak joints, compromised immunity, increased allergies, and low energy.

Vitamins play a vital role in your pet’s health and overall life expectancy. Here are some multivitamin and joint relief options.

As regulations around marijuana have eased, the emergence of CBD oils for humans and dogs have sprung up.

Just to begin to dispel the negative stigma, CBD extract comes from Hemp, marijuana’s cousin. Unlike its cousin, there are no psychoactive qualities in CBD oil. An emerging number of clinical and institutional studies have shown the wide variety of healing qualities in CBD, including pain management, and the containment of seizures and epileptic episodes.

Explore this remedy further to see all the health benefits that have transformed the lives of so many dogs to date.

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Annual Vet Bills: $1,500+

Be Prepared for the unexpected.