Basset Hound breed guide

Basset Hounds are very independent. AKC says training may be a challenge because scenthounds of this type were developed to hunt alone and follow a track without distraction. They can seem aloof and uninterested in your commands.

Charming and patient, the Basset has a domed head, extremely long velvety ears, mournful eyes and a wrinkled brow that give it the look of a sad clown.

Basset Hounds live 12 to 13 years. Their long droopy ears need frequent checks, since poor air circulation can lead to infection and shaking the head or scratching at the ears may signal a vet visit.

Breeders check for hip and elbow dysplasia, glaucoma, hypothyroidism, bleeding disorders and luxating patella.

The short smooth coat still needs regular grooming sessions, because the hair can shed heavily.

Basset Hounds are not as active as some breeds but need regular, moderate exercise. AKC says a daily walk at a moderate pace usually fills the bill and keeps weight down. Bred to work in a pack, they enjoy canine company.

Basset Hounds were bred in France and Belgium and basset is French for low. AKC says the friars of the Abbey of St. Hubert are thought to have crossed strains of older French breeds to make a low-built scenting hound that could plod over rough terrain beside a hunter on foot.

Their accuracy and persistence on scent made them a popular choice for French aristocrats.