Height: 14 inches
Weight: 40-60 lbs.
Life Span: 10-12 yrs.
Breed Group: Scent Hounds
Overview
The sweet and gentle basset hound loves everybody, including children, and
is usually well behaved with other animals.
While bassets can be quite stubborn and difficult to house train, this can
be corrected with early obedience training.
Basset hounds slobber and drink water sloppily, so they are not a good choice
for people who keep an immaculate household.
Appearance
The basset hound is a short-legged, heavy-boned dog. It has a hard, dense
coat over loose, elastic skin. All true hound colors--white, tan, and black
in various combinations--are seen.
Grooming & Exercise Needs
The basset hound sheds moderately and needs to be brushed and have its pendulous
ears cleaned once a week to prevent infections.
Its ears, chest, and belly can get quite dirty and may require frequent
bathing.
The basset needs a few long, brisk walks and playtime in a fenced area daily.
It should be walked on a leash as it may wander off tracking a scent.
Origins
The basset hound, a descendant of French scent hounds, was developed in
the 16th century for hunting rabbits and hares.
Special Alerts
Basset hounds are more prone to illness and require more veterinary care
than most dogs.
Breed-related health concerns: osteochondritis dissecans, patellar
luxation, elbow dysplasia, ectropion/entropion, glaucoma, otitis externa,
cervical vertebral instability (a malformation of the neck vertebrae resulting
in a wobbling gait), bleeding disorders, lymphoma, epilepsy, bloat.
Reference: AKC - American Kennel Club |
