A Hound for All Families

Are you thinking about getting a dog that is friendly and loving for your family? Well, I recommend the Basset Hound. This is the famous low-rider dog with short legs and the trademark long ears and droopy face. I have one (Snoopy) that is 7 years old and he is the most loving animal and friendly to all. While Bassets aren’t known for their guard dog qualities (since most Bassets would probably lick the thief to death rather than defend the house), what he lacks in defense, he makes up for with compasion and love. These dogs are great around people of all ages, including babies. They also get along well with other animals. I would like to dispel one myth about the Basset Hound.

Despite what you may have heard, Bassets are anything but lazy. Quite the contrary, as I have found this breed (I have two friends who have Bassets as well) to be very playful and energetic. At the dog park, they may not be able to keep up the pace with sleeker dogs with longer legs, but don’t tell that to a Basset. In his mind he is just as fast and will eventually run down that greyhound in front of him. But because thay have short legs I would highly recommend investing in steps such as small dog steps, so they can easily get to higher objects if need be. One thing I would be careful of with this breed of hound is the sad looking face. Many people give in to the Bassets “sad” face, but overfeeding a Basset can be detrimental. As a result, the dog is very much over-weight, which puts a great deal of strain on the shorter legs. It would be wise to feed a Basset, or any dog for that matter, dog food organic.

The occasional treat or scrap is still ok though (except chocolate of course). The Basset is not a dog that sheds a lot, but he is capable of drooling a bit more than the average dog. There is a minor, un-invasive surgical procedure that can lessen this. It is also important to keep the ears clean on your Basset. The Basset can be a little stubborn at times, but this too is largely over blown. In the end, these minor short comings are far outweighed by the love and joy a Basset will bring to your family.