Pet Topics

The Basset is an easily distinguishable dog, with its long ears, solid build and droopy mournful face. These dogs, which first arrived in Britain with the invading Normans in 1066, are believed to descend from the St Hubert Hound. Later in their history, they were crossed with other hound breeds to add size.

The name of the breed comes from the French word ‘bas’, meaning low.

This is a breed that is renowned for being gentle, affectionate and well-mannered. Bassets get on with everyone, and just love to be loved. They are exceptionally good with children and get on well with other dogs, as well as non-canine pets.

With their agreeable temperament and happy disposition you’d be excused for thinking that this has always been a companion dog. But in fact, the Basset’s history is as a hunting and tracking dog, a role it excelled at.

Grooming a Basset is a simple matter of giving the dog a good brush down twice a week or so. This will remove dead hair from the short coat and reduce shedding while keeping the dog looking its best.

You should also take care to keep those long ears clean because they are a trap for fungus, bacteria and other debris. All it takes is a wipe down with a wet cloth once or twice a week to keep them healthy.

You’ll also want to trim the dog’s nails, particularly if he is not very active and they don’t get much wear. Be careful to avoid the quick as you clip the nails. Many dog owners are squeamish about this, and if you are one of them, you can ask your vet or dog groomer to do it.

As with all hounds, Bassets can be difficult to train. It’s not that they lack intelligence, but rather that they’ve been bred to think for themselves, and this can make them appear stubborn at times. The key is to be consistent and use positive reward based training. Bassets are sensitive souls and are easily hurt by harsh words and treatment.

You’ll need a lot of patience to train a Basset as they are easily distracted, especially if they pick up an interesting scent to follow. But persistence wins the day, so stick with it and you’ll see results. Bassets love to eat, so using really tasty treats will definitely help your training efforts.

Unfortunately Bassets suffer from a number of health problems, including foreleg lameness, entropion, gastric torsion, cysts on the paws, and osteochondrosis. Obesity is a common concern and the extra weight it places on the spine often results in vertebral problems.

Bassets can be quite lazy, but it is important that they have daily walks to ensure they don’t become overweight.If you’re looking for an affectionate, sweet-natured dog that is just a joy to be around, look no further than the Basset.

If you’re stuck for dog names, for your Basset, I’d recommend that you check out Puppy Names HQ, an online database that has thousands of excellent dog names including a huge list of cool dog names.