Basset Hound
The Basset hound is a small to medium sized down with short legs. It is part of the hound family, it is a scenthound. It was originally bred to hunt rabbits using its excellent nose. Their tracking abilities are close to the Bloodhounds. The name of this breed come from a French word 'bas', this means low, and is pretty self explanatory as to why this breed was named like that. the adding of the -et adds the qualifier of 'rather low'. The Bassets keen nose makes it an ideal hunter of small game hunting on foot. The hounds can hunt in packs. For this to happen a staff is needed to get the pack to work in concert. A Huntsman and Whipper ins are needed to keep order. Then the Field Master is in charge of the human participants in the hunt. The Basset Hound was created by cross breeding Basset Artesien Normand, the Regular Artisien Normand and the Bloodhound. To trace back in history for the birth of this breed there was an illustrated text in 1561 by Jacques du Fouilloux. In this text it showed a dog which was very much looking like a Basset Hound which was used to hunt foxes and badgers.
Appearance
The basset hound is mostly found to be brown and black, with spots, however it also it comes in many other colours. The Basset is typically 30 cm to the withers. They usually weigh from 16 to 32 kilos. Their coats are smooth and generally smooth. Generally a hound has three different colours. They have long ears which flop downwards. Due to this dogs construction is it inadvisable to let them swim as they cannot hold their heads above water for that long.
Temperament
This breeds watch word is friendliness, they are a very friendly breed. So with children a Basset can make an excellent pet in comparison to other breed. It should be noted that Bassets tend to forget their training if rewards are not given regularly, it is up to you decide if this is on purpose or not. Generally when out for a walk it is advisable to have them leashed up. This dog is known for being quite noisy, they bark and howl when they need something. They also tend to whine when wanted attention.
Grooming and care
It is important to regularly check the ears of this breed, to guard against infections. The Basset hound will do fine in an apartment. It should be noted they will generally be quite inactive indoors, so significant outdoor activity is essential. This breed can be prone to getting overweight if given the opportunity. When exercising it is important to keep the Basset on a lead as otherwise they may catch a scent and be off. The coat of this dog is relatively easy to keep in good condition. This breed does tend to shed throughout the year.
Health
The Median life expectancy of the Basset is 11.5 years. This is fairly average for this breed size. The top age recorded in a survey done in the UK was 16.7 years old. The leading causes of death were cancer (31%), old age (13%) and GDV(11%). Due to the long ears of this breed they are prone to ear infections. The most common problems noted with this breed were epilepsy, thrombopathia, hypothyroidism, Von Willebrand's disease, hip dysplasia, and elbow dysplasia.