Havana

Hey everyone....are Bassets used as hunting dogs? I would think because they have such sensitive sniffers, second only to the blood hound, that they would be an excellent tool for hunting.

murraysmom

The Early History of the
Basset Hound in England, 1874-1921
by Eva S. Balogh

link to article:

http://www.basset.net/balogh2.html

quote:

"Until the 1890s most of the imports were undertaken for the purpose of showing the dogs and their progeny at dog shows. However, the basset was also slowly discovered as an excellent hunting companion. By the end of the century there were three English packs that hunted on a regular basis. The most famous and influential of them was the Walhampton pack maintained by Godfrey and Geoffrey Heseltine. It was from this pack that the first American imports came in the early 1920s. The Heseltines bought their first basset in 1890 from Captain Peacock, and this nucleus was later augmented by the purchase of a whole disbanded pack maintained by T. Cannon, Jr. of Dansbury. In 1891 the Heseltines began to hunt with their bassets, first badger, then hare."

Bassets are good rabbit dogs. Pinehawk and Dean on this forum can give you alot of information on this-

Dozer-Digger

As for hunting, their noses work really good. The other day with a very slight breeze, I watched Dozer hold his head up high, trying to find the smell. If the yard wasn't fenced in, he would be gone.

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Darrell and the Boys. Dozer, Digger, & Dudley.

Jersey Girls, plus

Dean, Billy where are you?

Here is a link to the American Hunting Basset Association. I went to some of their hunts and had a blast.

http://www.bassetnet.com/

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Alice
Harley Chick CGC & Fred RN CGC, the bassets;
Roxy, the pointy ear dog; Goldie, the horse; Charlie, the parrot

Dean

sorry about not replying sooner -- grandson came back on leave from Iraq -- had to go to airport -- we didn't know he was coming

Bassets are excellent hunters -- I think they are even better than many beagles -- I have been out hunting rabbits and pheasant over my dogs. They have also been used for squirrel. They will run any type of game --- hare, turkey, neighbors cats, dove, quail, deer, and work well as wounded game trackers
it's in their blood --- I have seen many house pet and older bassets turn into good, happy hunters if given the chance. ---at a local hunt, one nervous mommy said she had never seen her couch potato have so much fun!!!

pinehawk

they are real good at hunting,all my family have used them for the last 43 years for that purpose,with a beagle mixed into the pack once in a while.

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Nugget's_mama

Do any of you who take bassets hunting or participate in the organized "games" know about events in Georgia or the southeast US ?? I'm very much a novice but I think my husband, son, and I would have a great time taking Nugget to something like this.

I'm also interested in learning about games to play with her at home which involve using her sense of smell. My main concern is that we live in the country with plenty of acres but no fence to keep a basset corralled! We always keep her on a lead when she's outside.

I just don't know where to start with this. Any words of wisdom would be appreciated from y'all that know about bassets and hunting.

Beverly Anne

Well, my little guy Francis is blind so he is far more scent oriented than a lot of dogs. Yesterday we went to the park and as we were tumbling out of the car in the parking lot "Ol' Big Nose" caught wind of something and went off on an absolute tear, I mean that dog was flying and I was working to keep up.
That park is situated right on the Charles River and he knows it like the back of his hand so he just kept following his nose until he got to a small pile of dead fish and then before I could stop the little horror he ROLLED all over in it.
It made for a really, really long ride home.

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Francis's Bevy

Rubydoo

When Ruby was a puppy, she was known to stalk flies.....

......now in her middle age, she stalks popcorn.

:P

Janice

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...w/IMG_1340.jpg
Take a basset hound to lunch today!
--Bassets rule....and drool!

pinehawk

i do not think there are any AKC trials in the Southeast,but there may be some AHBA hunts. Go to www.bassetnet.com for more info in your area.

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