[divadexie]

Hi, Ive just joined after a wee google search.

I'm looking at adding another dog to my family and have fallen in love with the Basset Hound.

I already have two collie cross dogs who are happy to lie on the couch in the evenings, yet love to have a long walk too.

I have young children and also 2 cats.


I have read info online but I want to know more about what it's like living with a Basset!

 

[Annie714]

Check out all the "active topics" and the photo gallery for some good indicators of life with a Basset.

I doubt I'm alone when I say that my Basset, Annie, has enriched my life in ways I never thought possible. She is the sweetest, goofiest, smartest little lady I have ever met!

 

[Lightning&Stomps]

I would emphasize that bassets are NOT the lazy couch potatos that they are purported to be. It's good that you're doing research before you get one--I think too many people get bassets expecting a low-energy dog and are surprised at how active they are. If socialized properly when young, they are usually good with cats, dogs and children. They are incredibly sweet, lovable dogs, but they do tend to have to be bribed to do what you want them to. Because of that, they can be hard to train (including housetraining). I've found them to be smart and incredibly stubborn. Most of all, they are big bags of love.

 

[Mikey T]

want to know more about what it's like living with a Basset!

Invest in Diane Morgan's Basset Hound Owner's Surival Guide and see if you still feel the same way after reading it.

 

[divadexie]

thank you
my dogs are far from couch potatoes..... but.... in a crisis they are Ok to miss a walk here and there as long as there are plenty of garden time oppurtunities.
A short walk for us, is a 5min there and back to the field for 20 mins off lead running.
A regular walk is an hour and half to two hours some off lead round the loch.
Then there are the 40 min school run walk.


My younger dog is staffy/lab x collie he is not too bright, he can be stubborn and his only trick is play dead.
My older dog is collie/lab x jack russel and she knows over 50 words, she plays fetch on her own when she wants to play and I am busy, she also likes to tell my other dog off and the cats for being really bad (ie up at the worktops or hamster, and stealing food).

 

[divadexie]

oh I forgot to add, as of next week my friend is going to be fostering two bassets so I will get to meet them and hear of her experiences living with them, get to walk with them etc and they will most likely be here for a week in april.
but I need more than one persons feedback

 

[mhvonalmen8908]

I've got a Basset mix named Doppler and a purebred Basset named Virga. They made our lives so much better I can't even describe it. My husband works 12 hour shifts in the Air Force and having the two of them keeps me from being bored or lonely. We laugh at least 10 times a day with them. I call them the clowns of the dog world. They're goofy, floppy, and wrinkly. I love it!

They're also stubborn as has been said but they're also very food driven (most are anyways) so if you have treats then you can usually get them to do what you're asking of them. I've noticed that as Doppler has gotten older he's slowed down and started sleeping more but he can still keep up with Virga who's definitely still in the puppy phase of her life. They can get into mischief when they don't get enough exercise. This is so true of Virga that we put a bell on her collar so we know where she is and if she's moving. If she's not moving then we probably need to go see what she's doing.

They're notorious counter surfers. Keep food pushed back on the counters or don't leave food out if you can avoid it. Once they figure out that there's food stored on the counters they'll never forget it and you'll have an expert counter surfer on your hands.

This is a great breed and you'll have tons of fun times with them. I love my two and don't think I'll ever own another breed. Good luck!

 

[bubbad]

They are funny! Do you need to laugh,get a basset.They can be things that some people do not cope well with comfortably,like obstinate,sometimes they choose not to hear you,they may sling drool around,they take food from little children. I think most of these things are funny and I get a kick out of them.

 

[Kirska]

Anabelle is the biggest couch potato I've ever met, human or canine. I imagine that has a lot to do with her age though.

Basset hounds as a general rule are big dogs in a short body. Dog walkers at the shelter are often surprised by how strong and energetic they can be.

 

[MollyMcFrecklesMom]

Molly is our 1st basset (but not our 1st dog). We are now completely in love with the breed and are hoping one day to get a second one. They are the most loving creatures. And let me tell you, in this cold weather, having a warm basset cuddling on the sofa with you is the best feeling in the world! I'm glad Molly is a cuddle-bug

The counter surfing thing is something to really watch. I heard about it and wasn't too concerned when I brought Molly home at 8 weeks. She was too small to bother with the counters, but I was wary of end tables and low shelves on the bookcase. Then one day, when I least expected it, she realized she had grown longer and decided to try and get her nose up to the counter. Now, she steals dish towels, oven mitts, and tries to get food when I am making dinner. That's not my concern, as I am more worried about her getting something that could harm her. Basset owners learn to put things out of reach and adapt to this scent-driven hound's desire to steal anything it can get it's gigantic paws on. Mine is very mischievous, but she makes me laugh all day long. You need a sense of humor when you deal with these stubborn pups...fortunately, they make that easy!

Coincidentally, mine is becoming more of a couch potato, but I think it's weather-related. There is nowhere to go for a decent walk right now with all the ice and snow around. She's taken to sleeping more. Once it's warmer, I expect her to be back to her energetic, tearing around the park self.

 

[MollyMcFrecklesMom]

One more thing! Regarding cats, we have them and Molly just adores them! They don't like her too much, but they tend to stand their ground with her. She tries to play with them, but has never tried to hurt them (though her size could lead to unintentional harm, so we watch her closely). She actually cuddles on the sofa with them now and the relationship is working itself out. That's my experience as far as bassets and cats go.

I don't have children, but I do know that Molly adores them. She is strong, so you have to watch around smaller kids...I try to warn parents and their kids when they ask to pet her. But again, her strength betrays her, but she's never shown fear or aggression toward kids.

Aside from the stubbornness, selective listening, and drool, I think they are quite possibly the best breed. Certainly my favorite...so I am quite biased

 

[Beverly Anne]

Stubborn, lovable, gentle, stubborn, intelligent, the object of a lot of interest from other dog owners, stubborn and stubborn.
They are a bit more difficult to train than other dogs as they have one-track minds and unless you're holding up a slice of steak it can be difficult to get their attention.
My 13 year old loves to walk. Bassets can just keep walking forever and ever. It's no "cardio-walk" as my Francis needs to sniff then re-sniff every blade of grass we pass so it's usually a nice, contemplative stroll when we go.
When he was young we really used to go at a nice clip though.
Bassets shed a lot. Their beautiful, soft, velvety ears need to be cleaned frequently. They are prone to certain health issues (mine has glaucoma).
My dog is the sweetest, most gentle, precious little lovebug who would cuddle all day long if he could. He loves to be snuggled up to me on the couch when I read and it's my little part of paradise.
Bassets are the ONLY breed of dog for me.

 

[mhvonalmen8908]

I don't have children, but I do know that Molly adores them. She is strong, so you have to watch around smaller kids...I try to warn parents and their kids when they ask to pet her. But again, her strength betrays her, but she's never shown fear or aggression toward kids.

I can back this up from today! I babysat our friend's one year old little girl and the dogs were absolutely FANTASTIC with her. They'd lick her a lot which she didn't particularly like but they were really gentle with her. She was running all through the house and they were just following her around tails just a going! She did have her snack cup though! And she's learned to say "Ahhhhhh!" when she's petting animals in an effort to keep her from hitting them too hard. So she was doing that all day and they ate it up! But at one point she grabbed Virga's nose and twisted it before we could stop her. Virga didn't do anything after her nose was released. And the little girl's hand got smacked and she got fussed at. Virga got lots of pats and praise for just sitting there and taking it. So needless to say my husband and I aren't too worried about them when we decide to have kids. I think the dogs will be ok. They were so gentle and it was really awesome to watch them with her.

 

[barneysmom]

Bassets are wonderful, but

along with the "couch-potato" myth, there is the "dumb" myth. They are extremely intelligent and some, like my puppy, are amazing escape artists. My Barney's brother, who lives with relatives, has yet to be contained by a fence, and can climb them even as an adult.

They are short but they are also long, and this means that as an adult, they can jump up on adults and get things off counters. Train them not to jump on people for attention from the minute you get them home, teach them to sit for attention instead. They are not small dogs, they are just short legged, and some can weigh 70 pounds without being obese.

If you like a quiet dog, look elsewhere. Mine have to wear the static-electricity collars alot when they are outdoors. They are still hounds and hounds "talk." Even with a bark collar on, my neurotic Barney whines non-stop. He's always been like that. The puppy is perfectly quiet when she doesn't see people outside, and when she is in someone's lap.

It's not a good idea to have only one if you are gone alot in the day. They are pack animals. I think Thelma Lou would be fine as the only dog if she had cats as companions.

They have a hound odor that is innate to the breed. Something about masking a typical dog scent to fool prey animals. If kept indoors, baths or "dry baths" should be regular.

 

[LuciaB]

We have three dogs and our basset is everyones favorite. Don't tell the others! Cannoli is very easy to train as long as you have treats, she does sit, down, over, shake and speak and learned them quickly. Counter surfing is an ongoing issue, well really it's getting on the dining table more than anything. If we don't push in the chairs she will be standing in the middle of the table enjoying the view.

I think life with a basset is different than other dogs in that there are traits you have to learn to accept. The basset is always going to follow her nose so we have been trained not to leave food unattended. The basset is going to "talk" so we've learned to tolerate a bit of noise. It is so without a doubt worth it, we have never been so charmed by a dog.