Basset Hound Info

Some information regarding a basset hound puppy

The basset hound puppy is a smaller short legged breed belonging to the hound family. They are bred to mainly hunt rabbits simply by sent. The basset hound puppies smell for tracking down things comes in a closet second to the bloodhound. The name basset comes from France and means low. When spotting a basset hound puppy, you will notice their colors are mostly brown and black.

The basset hound puppy will grow to about 1 foot in height. There is quite size difference in which you could have this dog weighing anywhere from 35 to 70 pounds. Their coats are short haired and very smooth. The basset hound puppy is often tricolor: red and white, honey and white, brown and white, and lemon and white. Bassets tais will also have white tips which makes them easier to be seen when hunting in the woods, bushes, or weeds. Another common characterisitic of the basset hound is its loose and hanging skin, which will cause them to always looks sad. It's the hanging skin that helps the basset hound puppy trap in the sent of what they are tracking.

The basset hound puppy grows to be a fairly large dog, but with short legs. So don't be fooled by their shortness, as they can be surprisingly long and can still grab things off table tops and counters.

Temperament

The basset hound puppy is a very friendly dog. This makes them a great house pet and excellent in front of children. It is a toss up if basset hound puppies are intelligent or not, but they are considered the clown of the dog world.

When it comes to walking your basset hound puppy, always keep them on a leash as due to their hunting behavior, they will run if given the chance. They are also quite a vocal breed and will bark or even howl when they want something. This trait can be somewhat annoying as they will tend to whine in order to get whatever they want.

When it comes to hunting, the basset hound's nose and short stature will help finding small game, especially rabbits. This tradition is somewhat lost in today's world, but ther are a few organizations that still use the basset in active hunting. The American Hunting Basset Association and Basset Hound Club of America don't promote the killing animals, but rather are keeping the instintive nature of the basset hound intact.

Health

The first big health issue basset hound puppies and dogs face is ear disease because of their long ears. As they dangle on the ground, they can get a potentially fatal disease if not properly treated. Basset Hounds also have eye problems because of their droppy skin where dirt can enter quite easily.

Basset Hounds are also can develop yeast infections in the different folds around their mouth. Be sure to wipe the areas with a damp cloth to clean the drool that can collect and dry out.

The average life cycle of a basset hould is around 11 years which is on average with other breeds of the same size.

History

Basset Hounds are a cross between the Normand and Bloodhound. Earlier breeds took on the resemblance of the Artesien Normand. Near the turn of th 20th century, there were two lines of this breed. The straight legged which were uesd as hunting dogs, and the crocked legged more commonly found in dog shows. It is tough to know when these specific basset hound breeds were decided upon as many short legged dogs at this time were just considered Bassets.

The basset hound puppy took on popularity in the mid to late 1800's by Emperor Napoleon III. He had sculptors made of the basset and started to gain fame in the Paris dog shows.