[Missjoy]

So a couple general questions: What kind of brush do you use for your basset and how often do you groom them?

Second question: Maggie is currently on puppy food, the same brand she was eating when we adopted her. What brand of food do you feed your basset or would you recommend? I want something good, but hopefully not crazy expensive.

Thanks - Here's some Maggie!

 

[2hounds]

I use Beneful and my dogs seem to like it and the vet said they are healthy. It's $30 a bag (don't know the size of the bag, just know it's HEAVY). There's my 2 cents.

 

[faysie]

We use Nutro Ultra ...the weight management formula. There's a puppy formula also. It's very, very good quality and can be purchased at Petsmart and other places like that.

Getting the dog on the right food helps with the way they look and smell, among other things. Keep this in mind when choosing. The dogfoods with corn products can make the dogs smell yucky. You want to give them something that has the best ingredients that you can afford and there are many choices. Try to get something that's good ...and something that is convenient for you to buy ...because you will be buying it often! (We get large bags and store it in a wastecan-type plastic thing in our kitchen, for convenience)

Good luck ...and definitely post your questions on our board. There will always be different answers and points of view. It was very helpful to me when I first got my Basset.

Faye

 

[pinehawk]

feed what you can afford and what your dog does the best on.I have field dogs and feed Purina Pro Plan Performance Formula this stuff is hi-test dog food and i pay for what i get.my dogs are active year round so that's why i go with the high protein,high fat formula.i would look for a food that might be around 26% protein to 23% protein and 18% to 16% fat content depending on you dogs activity level.

 

[Missjoy]

Thanks for the advice,

I don't mind spending money for good food, I just meant I didn't want to be cooking the dog food from scratch (I know someone who does this) or buying special food from the vet, as I did for my cat for many years. I think Maggie will be a pretty active basset. Right now we are walking her three times a day as I am not working at the moment. Usually a 30 minute walk in the morning, an hour or so mid-day and then 20 minutes or so at night.

Thanks again!
Missjoy

 

[4bs'smom]

We feed Purina One (Chicken and Rice) to the Four Bs and they do well on it. It is not too expensive and is readily available in most stores. We tried them on IAMS prior to the Purina One and they just stopped eating it. Purina Pro Plan is also good, it is just more expensive than the Purina One. I just try to find something for them that is good for them and something they like.
Good luck.

 

[BubbaLeroy]

We use Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice Fromula for Bogie. Nutro makes a puppy one with lamb and rice as well. Bogie has a beautiful coat, no odor, and the vet says he is in excellent shape and very fit for a Basset. There are many good foods out there to choose from, just be sure if you change foods to do so gradually so you don't upset his tummy.
On grooming Bassets do shed a lot. We use the "Zoom Groom" has rubber finger like bristles, which gets rid of the loose hairs, regular yard gloves with rubberized palms to rub his coat and really makes them shine, and a shedding blade which is like a saw blade to get rid of the fluffy undercoat in the Spring when they really shed. Do be careful with the shedding blade on a young puppy so you don't scratch their skin. If you groom them about three times a week it really helps keep down the loose hair. Our first Basset would tolerate the vacuum cleaner and that was wonderful. Not Bogie, however. We bathe him about every six weeks, unless he rolls is something really stinky. Good luck with Maggie

 

[Mikey T]

my dogs are active year round so that's why i go with the high protein,high fat formula.i would look for a food that might be around 26% protein to 23% protein and 18% to 16% fat content depending on you dogs activity level.
[/b]

FWIW my hounds that are asked to run and jump should natural be more prone soft tissue injury. A small study with sled dogs has shown hi protein diet 32% or > are less likely to develop soft tissue injuries over the course of a season. I have not had a dog with such an injury since feeding a high protein diet, only had one previously so it is not a statistical significant indication by any means but still I think it does help. With a hi-portein hi fat diet the dogs must be fed less to prevent weight gain and in less active dogs there is some evidence that hi protein diet may be contributory to some behavioral issues, namely territorial agression.

For a puppy 1 would recommend a Large breed puppy formula which are specifcal designed to prevent too fast of growth and a proper calcium/phosphate ratio to minimize the risk of orthopedic conditions like ocd, elbow displasia, hip displaysia that can be exacerbated or caused by inproper nutrition which in most cases is too much rather than too little.