The most common hunting dog is the Basset Hound from Great Britain. Sweet, playful, good-natured, good with children, the ideal qualities for a nice family dog. Yet this little four-legged friend with its sad look can also be quirky and tough. What he does not want, he does not want and he does not do.
General
The Basset Hound is a low-legged dog with a height of 33-38cm at the withers and weighing about 25-28kg. Its coat is short, smooth and dense, long hair is generally not desirable. It is usually tricolor, namely white, black and brown. Gold-white and red-white colors are also allowed. The maintenance of the coat is very easy, brushing is not really necessary, but very nice for him. The build is robust and it has short legs, a loose scalp, drooping eyelids and of course the typical long floppy ears. His ears and eyes are very sensitive and must therefore be checked regularly. They reach an average age of 12 to 14 years.
Character
The Basset Hound is a very easy-going dog, making it very loved and sought after by older people. It does not require as much space as most breeds, it can be kept in a city home without any problems. His behavior is very good-natured and gentle. Because he was bred to be a pack dog (and in this case his family is the pack), he does not like to stay home alone and will certainly make it heard by barking and mooing or peeing in the house. He also does not appreciate locking up in the utility room, garage or kennel. He will be happiest when he is allowed to accompany his boss in daily life.
The Basset Hound is very intelligent. He learns easily and likes to do so. He appears a bit slow and he is not particularly fast, but he does not cut badly in the hunt and he has a very well developed sense of smell. This should certainly not be forgotten during the walks, he is and will remain a hunting dog with great stamina. However, the Basset prefers quiet and long walks, where it can browse at its leisure. The long walks are allowed from the age of 18 months and must be built up slowly. Due to his physique, he is not suitable for dog sports. The Basset gets along well with other dogs and can be kept with other pets.
Education
The Basset Hound prefers to explore the world in a playful way than to follow orders full of discipline. So it is better not to try to raise him with an iron hand, rather be friendly and playful. That does not mean that education is easy. You have to be consistent and strict at times. If you let him get away with everything, it won’t be okay. For example, if he has been allowed to sleep in bed once, he will not quickly unlearn it. The trick is to find the right combination of strict and easy in this breed. Once you find that, the Basset will become what it is known for: a good-natured and kid-friendly dog.
Diseases
The Basset Hound has a tendency to become overweight quickly and partly due to its build, this can lead to back problems. Climbing stairs is a no go with this breed, so perhaps it should not be kept in a flat. As mentioned earlier, eye problems and ear infections are common so this is a concern with this breed.