Why the long face? Well to start of with the Basset hound has a longer face than most dogs. They also have long ears in comparison to the rest of their body. They are a distinctive breed that usually weighs 40 to 60 pounds and stands about 14 inches. You will find that they are about any hound color from brown, tan, black, and white or a mixture of colors. You will find that their coat is coarse with short hairs and it is weather resistant.
In other words they don't tend to get too soaked from rain, get too cold or too warm depending on the climate. The Bassett Hound is one of the most pleasurable breeds in the dog groups because they are well behaved, affectionate, and they love to be sweet. One minor issue with this dog is the need to howl or bark. They tend to make noise even when there is nothing to bark at.
Therefore you may see them as a great alarm system, but not a great guard dog. They tend to be very affectionate with strangers and other dogs as well. You will find that they are quite lazy and peaceful despite the need to bark or howl. They also tend to be stubborn during training, but more on that later.
First you will want to know they are better with older children. Their ears are extremely sensitive and they don't wish to be handled roughly by the younger set. As for intelligence they can be taught tricks with patience, but they are not the most intelligent dog. Basset hounds need grooming daily. You will find they shed quite a bit so brushing and combing them at least once a day will keep this down. The basset hound tends to neglect the natural method of grooming as well as their toenails so you will need to spend a little time and care to get them in shape.
Part of the laziness factor is actually due to a tendency to overheat easily. They do need to have plenty of exercise, but it should be a moderate pace. Since they don't tend to run around a lot you need to help them stay healthy as part of the dog care package. You can certainly let them roam around a fenced yard, but again they do need a regiment of exercise to keep them healthy. Training is one of the most important aspects of this breed.
The basset hound tends to be sensitive and gentle so it requires patience and consistency to train them. You also need to understand that they are stubborn so it may take a little bit to get them motivated. They also like to go off and sniff around rather than be trained.
Training should begin as early as puppy- hood to get the best results. You can train them out of the barking and howling for the most part, but that will take a bit of time and definitely some type of reward. The basset hound is one of the best pets you can have when you consider the dog breeds available. They love to be around humans and other dogs even if they tend to be a little on the lazy side. You will find that affection, devotion, and tranquility are their best qualities as well as being someone to complete a family with children. They don't have any major medical issues, but you do need to remember their sensitive ears.
In case of an accident with their ears you may need to seek your vet.
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