[magpie]

I am assuming since the basset is such a long-bodied dog, they would be prone to back problems... is this the case? And if so, how prevalent? I've also read before that it's not a great idea to have a puppy jump too much when they're younger so they don't do early damage before they're fully developed. (ie-when playing frisbee or jumping down from a height...) Is there any truth to this?

 

[Guest]

Excessive weight appears to be one of the main causes of basset back problems. (sigh...it appears to be the main culprit in so many problems, no?
I have step stools all over the place so His Majesty can go where he wants to go without me having to worry about injury. It drives all my friends nuts but, hey! it works for us.

 

[TrudiRose]

You also should NOT let your basset jump up on furniture, even as an adult. Long flights of stairs are bad too. I bought a ramp from www.bestpetramps.com so Norton can safely go on and off the couch.