[bjsibba]

I never thought I would own a Basset but my husband thought a Basset would be neat to have. Just a few days of Sadie and I was hooked. I adore and love her so much. She is amazing, she can be a lot of work and sometimes frustrating but what we get back in return from her is so worth it. We enjoy her so much that we decided to get a second one, 3 weeks ago we got Max, in some ways he is so much like Sadie yet so very different. They are best buddies now and I just couldn’t imagine not having them around. You need to be prepared for a lot of work and have a lot of patience but what you get from them in return will be so worth it.

It's these sweet adorable faces that make you forget about all the work & frustration. They are so friendly and lovable. Mine are great around people and other dogs, not at all aggressive.

 

[Vision]

That's beautiful.

 

[Bassetmama]

I got a super mellow basset, but he does fling drool on everything and he makes a HUGE mess on the kitchen floor when he gets a drink. When he stops drinking and looks up at me, water streams out of the sides of his mouth. I'm not a clean freak, so it doesn't bother me. I actually think it's cute.

I'm very patient with my animals. I have 2 kids, so anything my animals do, I've already been through with my kids.. poop and pee on the floor.. projectile vomiting.. all the joys of parenthood. I think people forget that a pet is an animal. They do the best they can to fit into our lives, but you need to remember that if you leave a sandwich on the table unattended, it won't be there when you get back. If you toss something smelly in the garbage and their nose can pick it up, expect the garbage to end up all over the floor while they investigate. You can try to train your dog 24/7 to do what you want it to do, but in the end... it's still a dog.

You have to be ready to give selflessly to care for an animal.
Want to go on vacation? Who is going to take care of Fido?
Don't feel well? Who's going to feed him and let him outside?
Who's going to walk him everyday for 10-12 yrs so he gets the exercise he needs?

Don't forget the cost involved either..
Hoss cost me $400.
I spent another $500 at the vet getting him neutered, shots, evaluated, etc.
Then I spent another $600-700 buying him all the things he needs. Bowls, leashes, dog beds, food etc etc.
3 days ago we went to the pet store and I spent $135 on food.

You need to have a nice chunk of cash on hand in case anything happens to your pet also.
If he eats a rock, I've heard that costs thousands of dollars to fix.
You also have to clean out their ears every week and brush their teeth!

Now you need to really ask yourself.. Are you ready for all that?

 

[HOMER]

I have 2 dogs. I got Kit, a mutt when he was a pup. He was easy to train as he is very high strung and HATES to be scolded. Lea the basset I rescued when she was a year old. Yup she used to eat poop (my friend's Great Dane did too) and she will eat anything which causes tummy upsets. She isn't aggressive at all nor has she eaten any rocks and she doesn't stink or drool . She's not allowed on my bed so the butt thing isn't an issue. My biggest frustration with her is she barks like mad and chews EVERYTHING... my furniture, shoes, walls, futon, feather duvet cover just to name a few. Also if you like having a nice garden, forget it.

If you have never owned a dog OR you aren't a patient person I would NOT recommend you get a basset. Honestly I love my Lea to death but if someone were to offer me another basset I would not take it. The reason for this is that I'm just not laid back enough (although that might be changing :lol: ) In your case I think you would be better off with a different type of dog maybe an older dog who is already trained.

Basset people are very different people indeed, and I mean that in a good way!

Lou
[/b]

 

[Kaira]

In my experience basset hounds are more demanding than many other dogs. They take a while to housetrain properly. They shed _a lot_. With a basset in the house you are bound to spend some time grooming and vacuuming. Their claws needs to be trimmed more often than with many other breeds and you have to clean their ears on a regular basis. You have to wipe their mouth after eating and drinking ...... oh and their ears too. Sometimes it looks like a giant mutant slug has left his trail all over our house. If its wet outside you might need to dry ears and belly, because they are so low they can drag in a lot of dirt. They do smell a bit more than most other breeds, but they don't smell bad.

The positive thing about bassets is that they are so good natured. It is not a dog that will snap and growl at you. My dogs have put up with everything that I have had to do to them, even if it is uncomfortable or painful. What makes me prefer bassets to other dogs is that there is so little work in training them. They turn out to be good dogs even if you don't actively train them. I just teach them everyday obedience as the situations arise, and everyday obedience they are pretty quick to learn. So overall I feel that it's not so much work having a basset after all.

This is of course based on my experiences and I've just had two bassets in my life time. It is with dogs as it is with humans; there are individual differences.

 

[Bassetmama]

Don't forget the cost involved either..
Hoss cost me $400.
I spent another $500 at the vet getting him neutered, shots, evaluated, etc.
Then I spent another $600-700 buying him all the things he needs. Bowls, leashes, dog beds, food etc etc.
3 days ago we went to the pet store and I spent $135 on food.

[/b]

I should mention.. I've only had Hoss about 3 months.
So that's the money I've spent on him in that time frame.

Sometimes it looks like a giant mutant slug has left his trail all over our house.
[/b]

This made me laugh out loud! How true. LOL


If you are planning on a puppy. Remember that they are like bringing home a baby. They make messes and cry for their mom/litter mates. One girl on another forum said she just brought home a puppy and all it does is scream constantly.

 

[BubbaLeroy]

We are the ones with the current rock eater on the forum, and you could not ask for a more wonderful dog. We got him as a 10 month old, so he had had some issues from spending lots of kennel time, and not as much people time. Yes, they do get into things and eat things they shouldn't, but so do most puppies. Remember they are scent hounds , have terrific noses, and find things you wish they hadn't found. First rock eating incident was at a campground where grease from cooking had dripped on the two rocks he swallowed, and this time as far as we know he just swallowed it.
Bassets mature later than many breeds and do puppy things into their second and third years. They are hard to house train because of their maturing later. Any young puppy goes very often, and you have to be willing to take the time to take them out upon awaking, after eating, before and after playing (Excitement makes puppies pee.), many trips outside during the day, and several trips in the wee hours of the morning. Both of our were not totally house trained and trusworthy until they were a little over a year old.
Yes, they do shed year round, you just need to own a great vaccum and brush a lot.
Yes, most do drool, Bubba did not, Bogie does.
If you feed a good quality of food you usually will not have odor or gas problems. Neither of ours had odor or gas.
We walk 1 and 1/2 miles to 3 miles every day in our neighborhood, and we have never had the flat Basset routine. Bogie heels beautifully, but he has been through obedience training and we have worked with him.
Stubborn, yes, you have to have patience with them, and they are very smart, and food motivated. Treats work wonders when training. I would suggest obedience training of some sort, and that goes for any breed. Bogie is our second Basset, and we are in love with the breed. They are wonderful family dogs; have gentle dispositions; are not agressive unless made that way by cruelty and stupidity from their owners; love people and children; are clowns in a fur suit and will keep you laughing.
They are willing to romp in the yard or house and then lie at your side and snooze.
They are big dogs with short legs and long backs, Bogie is 45 pounds and Bubba was 65 pounds. You do have to be careful of stairs and jumping on high things.
Think hard before you get a Basset or any dog. It's a big commitment and can be an expensive one as well.
But, you will have a wonderful loving companion in a Basset Hound if you can live with the rest, and they will make you smile.

 

[Chloe Mike and Penny]

WOW IM SURPRIZED AT MOST OF THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS........OUR CHLOE IS PERFECT LOL.....JUST KIDDING........BUT WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE ENTERTAIMENT AND JUST PURE JOY THAT CHLOE GIVES US ITS WORTH ALL THE ABOVE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF AGRESSION......WHICH I HAVE NEVER EVER SEEN IN BASSETS...............LIKE OTHERS HAVE SAID SPEND A FEW DAYS WITH ONE AND IF YOU DON'T FALL DEEPLY IN LOVE WITH THEM THEN MAYBE THEIR NOT FOR YOU.........WE FELL IN LOVE WITH CHLOE AT FIRST SIGHT AND SHE CAN'T DO ANY WRONG IN OUR EYES..........DOES SHE MAKE US MAD OF COARSE SOMETIMES SHE WILL GO TO FAR.........BUT WHEN YOU GO TO SCOLD HER SHE GIVES YOU THIS LOOK AND ALL YOU WANT TO DO IS HUG HER........SHE IS A LITTLE BITCH BUT WE LOVE HER........GOOD LUCK

 

[Kezzy&Snoops]

Last week, we took Snoopy to a country park, and he was exceptionally popular - not that many bassets here. Every one stopped to talk to asked me what he was like to own.

My answer?

He's like having a toddler around the house. Everything has to be put on high shelves, or he steals it. And remember - their legs may be short, but never underestimate how their length can be used to their advantage.

He's messy, untidy, if there's food around he'll stare at you and drool in a way that'd make Homer Simpson envious.

Does he growl? No. He grumps, moans, wibbles under his breath occasionally, but never snaps. He has a noise for every occasion, and I'm thinking of getting him voiceover work in a zombie movie. Sometimes he sounds... prehistoric.

Why do I have a hound? Because I've never seen such an expressive dog. You know what he's thinking all the time. He staggers around when he's tired. He sits and sways when he;s about to fall asleep. He's a clown, and he's so so so affectionate. It's a joy to own him. When I'm down, he'll sit with his chin on my knee looking sorrowful. We have big big cuddles. There's not a single thing I'd change about him.

 

[Vision]

LOL, Awesome.

 

[Scully]

I don't consider myself an expert by any means, as my experience is limited to what I've experienced with Scully, who is my first basset (and definitely NOT my last!). Here are my honest answers to your questions, and I won't sugar-coat them.....

1. Hard to train/aggressive/stubborn? -- Scully was very hard to housebreak. Eventually, with a lot of consistency and patience, she "got it". She is possibly the most stubborn beast on the planet, and although by nature, I am not a patient person, I can deal with her bassetude because I love her to death. Bassets are wonderfully natured beasties....Scully doesn't have a mean bone in her body.

2. Smell -- They sure don't smell like roses, but their "odor" shouldn't be offensive. Brush their teeth, wipe their lip pouches, keep the ears clean, feed quality food etc. are all things that will help minimize any smell. We only bathe Scully about every two months, but wipe her down with baby wipes for a quick "freshening up".

3. Shedding -- Scully sheds year-round, but more in the spring and fall. I have a Zoom-Groom for her, and try to give her a brush-down daily. But honestly, I spend a lot of time vacuuming and washing sheets/covers because of those pesky basset hairs.

4. Aggressive behavior -- That's definitely not the norm for bassets....they are so sweet. There is truth to the phrase "let sleeping dogs lie". When she was a youngun, Scully got a little testy with me twice when I tried to move her in her sleep, but I very quickly let her know that was NOT going to be tolerated and she never did it again. I don't think Scully knows the meaning of aggressive!

5. Eating everything -- I visit a few basset-related forums, and do seem to hear quite a few stories of bassets eating odd things....rocks, drywall, floorboards, etc., so I guess some of them do have that tendency. Scully, however, has never shown any interest in ingesting anything that wasn't edible. When it comes to food though, nothing can be left out because she is a pro at counter surfing! Those basset backs can stretch....far!!

6. Lazy during walks? -- Well, again, I won't lie, I have had to pick Scully up and carry her 60-pound arse home a few times. She could walk for hours in one direction, but as soon as we turn around to go home she puts on the brakes. (Perhaps I should be offended that she doesn't want to come home with me...LOL.) She occasionally will just turn her butt to me and plop herself down, and yes, it can try one's patience a bit.

7. Butt-bonding -- If you lay down the rules and don't allow the basset in bed from the get-go, butt-bonding won't be an issue I guess. Scully does sleep with us, and I have been way too up close and personal with that booty of hers. Thankfully, she's not a farter!

8. Eating poop -- Scully attempted to eat poop once while at my MIL/FIL's place, and she must not have liked it (surprise surprise) because she never tried it again. When she comes across a poop that some idiot has neglected to pick up, she looks at it, turns her head to the side and walks around it as if she's offended by it.

8. Bed time -- Scully goes to bed on her own with no coaxing. She used to wake up quite early, but grew out of that once she realized that I am the master at ignoring her when I know she's just being a pest and doesn't REALLY need to go potty at 5am. On the weekends when we sleep in later, she always wakes me up with a symphony of funny noises....not barking or howling, but noises I can't really even explain; they're just weird...LOL.

10. Drool -- Well, Scully can be a bit of a drooler, but it is mostly when there is food around, if she's been exercising, she's nervous, or she's hot. The drool puddles on the kitchen floor can be lethal....almost fell on my arse a few times because of them. She doesn't tend to sling drool on the walls...she has better aim than that and tends to hit ME instead!

11. Why I own a basset....I LOVE THEM!! Not too much more I can say. Scully is my pride and joy and for all the things I have to do for her or because of her, she returns the favor tenfold by just being her sweet self.

Good luck in your decision whether or not to become a basset slave! Bassets are not for everyone, but being a basset slave is a very rewarding and fun experience, if you can live with the potential bassetisms. Scully wormed her way into my heart, and is absolutely my pride and joy!!

 

[Basset101]

from reading all the comments so far. I must be pretty lucky with Charlie. He will be 2 in Oct. He is the love of our life. The other day I came home from being gone from him for most of the day for 3 days straight. (he had been home with Daddy). I looked in the window and saw his face looking at me- It spoke a thousand words. He was jumping and barking and a first time "Bay". He was so happy to see his mamma. I think from what I have read most of us treat our basset like a baby or their 4 legged child. And like children they are all different, They come with more instructions then my 2 legged children did. But just like with my children I threw away the book and raised him with my heart. The main difference is that my children grew under my heart and Charlie has grown on my heart. What ever your decision is--be happy.

 

[Murdoc's Dad]

Lots of great answers and stories here.. I love this place

Vision, I am sure that after you make your decision, we would all be interested in it.

Keep us posted, please.

 

[José]

The entertainment factor really makes it with bassets. B)

Every night we see José transform into a lunatic. From lazy to crazy in 10 seconds. He just jumps up, starts barking at the corners, chases his tail like he's got a beef with it, and runs like heck. Then it's back to normal. Later on, predictably, it will be the Parade of Bones, toting his 3 foot bone around the house, eating up all the attention as he skillfully tilts and maneuvers it around furniture.

What other dog gives you that?

Oh and I won't so much say that José is stubborn... let's just say he has taught me patience (he really has), and likely has prepared me for children, should we ever be so lucky.

 

[daisy8869]

The things that you listed Vision are things that ALL dogs do. Every basset is different and some do all of those things and some do none. As a breed, bassets do generally have more problems with housebreaking and training then other breeds but it is nothing that love and patience cannot overcome. I applaud you for researching the breed before you adopt a basset and I would recommend reading the information on cyberhound and other basset web sites to make sure that a basset is right for your household.

As for my own experiences...here is what I can say:

1. Housebreaking/Training. Jackie has a strong independent will of her own until I mention the word "Treat", then she becomes a piece of play-dough willing to do anything. At four and a half months, Jackie is roughly 85% housebroken with no poopy in the house for about three weeks! Jackie loves obdience class and she graduates from puppy school this weekend. I have already signed us up for the next obdience class. Training takes a lot of work...mostly for the owner but Jackie has done wonderful and I know many other bassets on this board that have as well.

2. Smell: well every dog has a "smell" if you ask me but I keep Jackie fresh by giving her a bath once a week and using pet bath wipes as needed.

3. Shedding: not a whole lot and NOTHING compared to my golden retriever.

4. Aggressive behavior: None from Jackie, in fact I worry about her being so loving and sweet. Their behavior depends a lot on how you treat them and as long as you are nice, so will they.

5. Eating everything: I often call Jackie my little hoover because she picks up everything off the floor. But so far, she has not caused any damage to anything.

6. Lazy: yeah right for Jackie! She easily keeps up with me, however she is still a pup.

7. Bed hogging: well that is an owner issue...not a basset one. Jackie sleeps in her kennel and sleeps soundly through the night. If you decide to let your dog(s) in bed then that is your choice.

Good luck!

 

[joanr]

On the behavior, you have to socalize your puppy. I can't stress how important that is, more then the potty training.
Joan

 

[Buttercup]

First off kudos for doing your research! Too many people get dogs because they're "cute" and don't consider what goes along with it.

I must say that I laughed my butt off when I read Diane Morgans book! It made me want a basset even more, I mean, what other dog can provide such comic relief and love?

I adopted all 3 of mine as adults. They shed constantly, leave a bit of a mess around the water bowl, are stubborn, NOT agressive, they don't eat rocks or anything that's not "food", don't bark excessively, they drool but not all the time, and are the sweetest most loving dogs EVER!

 

[Rubydoo]

Make sure you play with their tootsie toes daily and often. We didn't and Ruby HATES having them touched....difficult to get her pedicures. (she gets them more often than me!) And they're expensive too.

:lol:

Janice

 

[lennon]

Lennon is stubborn, lazy, smelly, eats everything in site, steals the sofa, has selective hearing, rolls in poo, and barks at imaginary cats...

and thats why we love him so much.....cos he is Lennon....

He has never been aggressive to anyone or anything (except maybe his squeaky hippo toy)..I sometimes wonder why we have a basset, then he will wander in plonk down on my lap and start snoring loudly..it never ever fails to warm my heart and make me remember why...

 

[Guest]

Dear Vision,
I think you need a basset hound to chill you out.... please don't get me wrong...
You are wonderful in asking to make sure if this is the right decision.. I just adopted a bassethound and when I was researching potential adoptees, many were from families with young children who's owners felt they made the wrong decision. Being the wrong decision that they had to deal with babies and a pet.. (not a basset hound)
I have to tell you, I've had a husky mix and a beagle. They were great dogs but they were just dogs. I have two bassets, and what a personality.. They attach themselves to you and your family.. shhh don't tell them but they think they are human.. shhhh
They may have any of those concerns that you mentioned, but there are so many solutions to all of them. Sprays, vacumes, training (mine were very easy to train), a great support base (this website), short walks, eating habits.. I do know that if a pizza is in front of me, I'm going to eat it too...
You should visit any basset get together that may be taking place by you. They are lots of fun and you could see first hand how the bassets get along with other dogs and strangers. They'll be plenty of other owners to talk to for advice.
Good luck
mary f