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The Basset Hound is also known as a scent hound because it was originally bread to hunt rabbits by scent. Their sense of smell for tracking is one of the best out of all dog breeds, the only other breed that has a better sense of smell is the Bloodhound. Bassets have small legs and are usually Tri-ccoloured, white black and brown. They are very different in size from great dane puppies

They are a very gentle and loyal breed although they are not particularly playful. So if you are looking for a quiet dog that is not active or aggressive a Basset Hound may be a good choice. For this reason they are also great around children.

A basset hound has a life span of around 11-14 years. Common problems they suffer relate to their shoulders or back. One of the causes of spines problems is overfeeding. Being overweight is comming for a Basset Hound.  As they have short legs and a heavy long body this extra weight can cause complications. Even though they are a small dog they still require 25 minutes of exercise per day. When given the chance they love to play and run. Be careful letting them off the lead because if they catch a scent they will often wonder off trying to locate it.

Their eyes and ears are also prone to infection so you will need to get them regularly checked by a vet . It is not recommended to keep them indoors as they shed their coat after winter and you will need to keep cleaning it up.

The ideal owner is someone who is able to give attention to the dog as they are very people oriented. Therefore they are suited to families or older couples who are willing to take them on walks.

Training is very important for these dogs as they can be stubborn. Try to train them from when they are a puppy and realise that they make take longer to train than other dogs which is normal for this breed. They are very motivated by foods and scents often more so than any verbal command.