The basset hound is a short-legged breed of ducks in the hound family with their trailing ears and adorably drooping faces these guys are one of the most endearing pups around but don’t let their droopy looks fool you. Here’s more to this noble breed than what meets the eye basset hounds are excellent tracking dogs running after any scent that comes their way but they’re just as happy to spend all .Their time relaxing with you and guess what they have made it to the tv industry as well find out all about these dogs as we start a list of top 10 interesting facts about the basset hound but before we start our list we’d like to take a moment to express our thanks to all the original basset owners on this article the article would seriously not have been possible without them .
- Their origin and History
- Their physical Appearance
- Their personality and Temperament
- They have a very strong sense of smell
- Their floppy Ears
- They have a Unique Voice
- Training them is important but Difficult
- They are prone to Obesity
- The Grooming Requirements
- They are part of the show Business
Facts about the basset hound
Their origin and History
The basset hound has long been favorite breed for hunting small animals but it’s widely believed that their existence is a fluke these dogs are believed to be descendants of the famed saint hubert hounds and resulted when a gene mutation produced a dwarf town. Perhaps the dwarf hounds were kept as curiosities and later bred on purpose with their ability to track rabbits and air in thick forests was observed. The first recorded mention of a passat hound was in an illustrated book about hunting lavenori written by jacques de fuliu in 1585 from the illustrations it appears that the early french basset hounds resembled the present-day basset artisan normand a dog breed today known in france.
Soon enough the breed became popular with french aristocrats who spent many hours on trail hunting with their bassets and after the french revolution basset hounds became more common around the world. The breed most likely came to america by way of england and colonial times and was recognized by the american kennel club as its 10th breed in 1885.
Their physical Appearance
Basset downs stand no higher than 14 inches at the shoulder but with their remarkably heavy bones powerful little legs and massive paws they possess strength and stamina just like any other big dog .They’re famous for their large domed heads that feature extremely long velvety ears mournful eyes and a wrinkled brow giving the breed the look of a sad clam their body is long and with their short legs bassets look like they are rectangular in shape but even with their short legs these hands truly are big dogs weighing anywhere in between 50 to 65 pounds .
While talking about their coat they have a nice short tight coat with no long hair on legs or tail the most commonly seen colors are tri-color or red and white but any hound color is acceptable also since bassets are bulky you must know that they are slow to mature and won’t reach their full size until they’re 2 years old .
Their personality and Temperament
Around the house basset hounds are calm and rather lazy on their own but they make wonderful family dogs as they get along well with just about everybody children adults dogs and even other animals having developed as pack animals acid hounds always feel a need for company and are the happiest .When they have their families around they really hate to be left alone for a long period of time and so you may find your best at howling and becoming destructive .
If you leave them unattended for too long if you’re planning to get one of these dogs we recommend that you get two of them instead so that even when you’re not home they’ll have each other’s company basset hounds can sometimes be stubborn too .If they don’t want to comply but it is rare for the breed to have temperament issues .
They have a very strong sense of smell
Coming in a close second to the bloodhound facets are known for their incredible sense of smell in fact they have over 220 million smell receptors and the portion of their brain responsible for the sense of smell is way better than that of any other dax. They can even take in a huge range of smells and isolate just one to follow this is why basset hounds consistently perform so well in scent work and tracking. There’s even a whole competition called basset hound field trails organized by the american kennel club based on their impeccable ability to track scents and hunt .
Their floppy Ears
Sure bassett hounds long floppy ears add to the breed’s charm but these ears are not just for sure their long ears help to stir smells up toward the nose and the droopy skin on the face holds the smell closed for the maximum of factory impact. Their short legs also keep them close to the ground and closer to the scents they are tracking this is part of the reason why these ducks can take in a big range of smells simultaneously. They prefer to investigate slowly and love to make work of their own nose and ears as they sniff and trail these are talented and determined trackers not easily dissuaded from their course .
They have a Unique Voice
Basset hounds are considered one of the most melodious dog breeds around their barking is labeled as baying and this is not the typical woof woof you hear from most dogs bing is the sound dogs from the hound group like basset hounds make .When they’re in packs or hunting it’s a low persistent bark that becomes stronger as the duck closes in on their targets to alert other dogs and hunters that it’s time to round up assets are also specially vocal. When they’re left to their own devices and this is when they help a howl is a long drawn out bark some say the sound is sorrowful and forlorn you’ll definitely know what’s going on with your basset if you learn to recognize their sounds .
Training them is important but Difficult
Over the centuries sent outs of this type were developed to hunt on their own and to follow a track without distraction this has made them very alert and independent beings with a highly stubborn streak so don’t be surprised if you find your basset aloof and is interested in following any of your commands .This is exactly why you gotta train these guys from an early age early socialization classes and obedience training is a must for these dogs police training is also equally important because if they pick up a scent they’ll most likely wander off without giving any second thought .
Their stubbornness does make training them very difficult though it takes a lot of time consistency and persistence from your side also these dogs are emotionally sensitive and will shut down immediately if treated roughly so make sure you only use gentle and positive training methods with these guys .
They are prone to Obesity
Basset hounds are hearty eaters and they are not very active in the house this is why they can gain weight quickly and can become obese in no time obesity in turn can also result in back and leg problems .So it’s also important to properly portion your basted hounds food you gotta portion out food relative to your bastard’s condition and not by the recommendation on the bag or can. If you’re unsure it’s best that you talk to your vet about the best diet for your diet you can also keep an exercise scheduled for at least one long walk per day to keep your basset fit and healthy .
The Grooming Requirements
It takes a lot of time and effort to groom these hands you gotta keep wiping up the drool they left behind all the time because they drool a lot their ears are long in drag on the ground and can get dirty very fast. Those lustrous ears also don’t circulate air very well and this can lead to infections so you got to clean their ears at least once a week their eyes too need frequent wiping to prevent infection additionally as a result of being so low to the ground bassets pick up more dirt than other dogs .
Which means they need frequent bats basset hounds also shed all year round but if you brush them quickly shedding should not be a problem the rest is basic care make sure you brush their teeth daily with a wet approved toothpaste and trim their nails once or twice a month .
They are part of the show Business
Only a few other breeds have enjoyed the media exposure that the basset hound has way back on 27th of february 1928 time magazine featured a basset on its front cover to promote a story in the celebrated westminster kennel club doc show at madison square garden. There are also several television shows both animated and live accent which have basset hounds as one of the main characters a great example from classic television is flash from the dukes of hazzard flash was sheriff rosca coltrane’s duck like the stereotypical basset hound flash laced around a lot and rarely moved. If there was no food involved a more modern example of a basset hound is doris from the middle although doris only appears in just a few episodes sporadically throughout the series she’s a unique and memorable character of the show facets have also been popular in advertising campaigns.
Top 10 interesting Facts about Belgian Malinois
The logo for hush puppies brand shoes has featured a basset for many decades and to this day a number of people refer to the breed as the hush puppies alright folks that’s the end of our list of top 10 interesting facts about the basset hounds .
