What was the Basset Hound's original purpose?
Basset Hounds are descended from the old St. Hubert hounds. Used to trail and
drive game away, the Basset has had such famous admirers as King Edward VII and
Shakespeare. The Basset was bred for hunting small game. The Basset's long ears
were developed to stir up and hold the scent for their strong nose to smell. The
folds of skin under the chin, called the dewlap, help trap and hold the scent.
Wrinkles about the head and face also aid in holding the scent. Their large feet
make them steady and the heavy bones make them sturdy. With their short legs they
are ideal for slow trailing which allows hunters to follow on foot. The Basset
is used primarily to hunt rabbit although they were first used on other small
game such as pheasant.
Does the Basset Hound make a good pet?
YES! The Basset Hound is one of the best dogs available for a family to love.
They are extremely tolerant and love everyone in the family equally. They are
a very gentle, sweet, loyal and affectionate breed, although they are quite stubborn
at times. They get along well with other pets of various species. They are not
an aggressive watchdog but will learn to give a deep bark as a warning if praised
when sounding off. Otherwise, they will accept visitors with a sniff and return
to a favorite corner. The Basset Hound is a versatile pet who will play with children,
make a skilled hunter, and sit by their owner's side during quiet times.
Do Bassets have any strange habits?
Some Basset Hounds have a tendency to howl when left alone for long periods of
time. They will also wander away from home if not kept in a (securely locked)
fenced area. The Basset is so good with kids, and often found in homes with children,
great care MUST be taken to assure that gates cannot accidentally be left open
when the kids enter and leave the fenced area. When a good scent reaches their
nose, there is no telling where they will end up, and unfortunately, the Basset
is not good at finding the way home. A responsible owner keeps his Basset as safe
from harm as he would any other cherished pet.
A Basset with its large deep flews also tends to be more slobbery than other breeds.
Some individual Bassets are "drier mouthed" than others, but as a whole the breed
is a "wet mouthed" breed. To the prospective Basset owner, this means that that
the dog will drool quite a bit, and tend to make a mess while drinking. If you
are a fastidious housekeeper, and have an aversion to dog drool on your floors
(and occasionally your walls), then the Basset Hound is probably not the breed
for you. This is an important point, because one of the major reasons that Bassets
are given up for rescue or adoption is that "the dog drools too much". Time and
again those involved in Basset rescue hear this same old story. So get out your
slobber rag if you want a Basset!
This was taken from the Basset Hound FAQ compiled by Judy Trenck with the help
of Judi Kinnear and Mary Louise Chipman. To view the whole FAQ
select this link...
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This page was last updated: 2004-10-08 12:52:35 CEST