[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]Made popular by the "Hush Puppy" shoe advertisements, the basset hound is one of the most recognizable dogs in the United States. A droopy faced sad looking dog, and loveable but stubborn, the basset is an excellent hunter with scenting ability second only to the bloodhound.
History and Origin
The basset hound is thought to have descended from the old St. Hubert hounds of France. The friars of the French Abbey in St. Hubert needed a dog that could hunt badgers and, through careful and selective breeding, developed the ancestors of the basset hound we know today. Bred to be low to the ground, the dog was called "basset" from the French word "bas" which means low.
The breed was not known anywhere but in France until the mid 1800s. At that point, the basset was imported to England and slowly gained popularity through the world. In 1885, the basset was accepted to the American Kennel Club.
Appearance and Size
The basset is a medium sized dog with long, pendulous ears that puppies tend to trip over. The muzzle is also long and the skin loose and wrinkled. The hair coat is short and comes in a variety of colors – most often a combination of black, brown and white. The legs are short and often quite crooked and angular in appearance with big feet.
The adult basset stands around 14 inches at the shoulder and weighs 40 to 50 pounds.
Personality
Bassets are a gentle and loving breed but can be quite stubborn. They are known for having a strong will and, if reprimanded, may even sulk. Bassets are rarely nervous or high strung and aggression is uncommon.
Home and Family Relations
The basset's naturally placid and calm demeanor makes him great with children. They may look like lazy dogs but they are quite energetic and have no trouble keeping up with active children. Though their lack of aggression makes them poor guard dogs, their bark is very penetrating and can scare off potential intruders.
Training
Bassets are excellent hunters, and their hunting instincts may take over and distract them from the task at hand. They are commonly used to hunt rabbits in the United States but are also used to flush out badgers, foxes, raccoons, opossums, pheasants and squirrels. Even though they excel in training as hunters, bassets don't do too well with obedience. Their stubborn nature takes over. Above all else, they would rather be hunting.
Special Concerns
Basset hounds require open spaces and plenty of exercise to prevent behavioral problems. Hunter at heart, bassets should not be allowed to roam free. If they see a squirrel or rabbit, they lose sight of everything else and consequently have the potential to get injured, especially when chasing across a busy street. If kept confined to a small area outdoors, the basset will likely dig his way out of the enclosure.
Common Diseases and Disorders
Intervertebral disk disease is a disorder that affects the spinal disks resulting in pain, difficulty walking and possibly paralysis.
Gastric torsion (bloat) is a life-threatening sudden illness associated with the stomach filling with air and twisting.
Hip dysplasia is a malformation of the hip joint that results in pain, lameness and arthritis.
The basset hound is also prone to obesity, ear infections and bladder stones.
In addition, although these occur infrequently, the following disorders have also been reported:
Glaucoma is a painful and serious condition that causes pressure within the eye to increase. It can lead to blindness if not treated early.
Cataracts cause the lens of the eye to loose transparency and can result in blindness.
Progressive retinal atrophy is a disease that causes nerve cells at the back of the eye to degenerate. The condition usually begins in older pets and can lead to blindness.
Lymphoma is a type of cancer that can occur.
Wobbler's syndrome is a malformation of the spine in the neck leading to weakness, staggering and potential paralysis.
Ventricular Septal Defect - a congenital defect of the ventricular septum of the heart.
Interdigital Dermatitis (Pododermatitis) an inflammation of the paws involving the feet and nails.
Malassezia Dermatitis - is a yeast infection of the skin caused by Malassezia pachydermatitis.
Primary Seborrhea causes scaly skin,. Some dogs are born with a defect of the normal keratinization of the skin.
Congenital Hypotrichosis - is a congenital disease causing symmetrical hair loss.
Temporomandibular Luxation - is a luxation of the temporo- mandibular joint (jaw).
Ununited Anconeal Process - is the failure of the anconeal process of the elbow to unite with the ulna, resulting in fracture. This condition can cause lameness and arthritis.
Discospondylitis is an infection of one or more vertebral discs and their adjacent vertebrae.
Entropion is a problem with the eyelid that causes inward rolling. Lashes on the edge of the eyelid irritate the surface of the eyeball and may lead to more serious problems.
Ectropion is a problem with the eyelid that causes eversion of the eyelid margin. It most commonly affects the lower central eyelid.
Life Span
The average life span of the basset hound is 10 to 12 years.
Thu Dec 13, 2012 3:41 pm
