[lmvsmom]

Does anyone own a bassett hound? I saw one in the paper the other day, offered by Animal Control for adoption. I have been admiring a neighbor's bassett hound for a while now. DH is saying no, but I can't get this dog off my mind. What is wrong with me?!

[paigeturner]

We had one. If you talk your DH into getting it, be prepared, they are cute as can be, but can get incredibly smelly. Their ears need constant attention (source of the stink) and they're not very high up on the smart dog list. Having said that, I adored our bassett.

[PackGirl]

I've had a Basset! I Love them.

But... they are not the smartest dogs out there... and...since they are a hound, they drool and smell... you will have to be prepared to bathe him regularly.

They are very loveable dogs...but they will take off on a whim after a smell... ours went on a 12 mile trek one weekend... till some kind fella took him in.... they are a lot of fun to play with also...mine thought he was a lap dog....

Look on the akc page..they have descriptions of all the breeds and their pros and cons to them...

hth and good luck in your search for a pup!

[kerriv]

I have 2 bassets. They are slobbery and still shed, even though they are short haired. They are kind of deceiving in that they can reach things you wouldn't expect them to because of their length. I love them though. They are super sweet and fun.

[emsmom52806]

We have 3 bassets. While not that smart, they are very devoted and loving friends. Now that they have adjusted to having 2 little kids around, almost 3 and almost 2 yrs old, they are good all around family pets. They do need a fenced yard like mentioned or will take off on adventures. Ours aren't too drooly but one sheds quite a bit. We fostered several bassets and the drooly kinds will fling stuff onto walls and dressers. So, just know they aren't the cleanest dog if you're fussy. But, they can tilt their ears back, open those big brown sad eyes, and they got you.

[BRIANANDMARCIE]

We had one (purebred--got at 2 months old and lived til 7 years old) and we loved him but he was so jealous of our little ones (that being said, we had him and our other dog, a lab, for six years before having the children) and got into everything and I mean EVERYTHING. Formula, pantry, food, food and food. They are short but so long that he could reach all the way to the back of our counters and get cakes, putty, flour....Christmas ornaments, yes the glass ones too. He would eat anything and never had any problems. What else did he eat??? Mine didn't really smell and you do need to keep their ears cleaned...we cleaned them every day and he loved it and would just groan because it felt so good to him. Just be prepared to not leave anything within reach and then think again because the basset could probably still reach it.

[lmvsmom]

[quote=BRIANANDMARCIE]Mine didn't really smell and you do need to keep their ears cleaned...we cleaned them every day and he loved it and would just groan because it felt so good to him

Oh, my goodness, that made me laugh out loud!

Thanks everybody. I doubt I'd be able to talk DH into it anyway. I guess I'll just let it go - but if I see her picture in the paper again, I don't know what I'll do!

[sak9645]

You also need to be more careful with long-backed, short-legged dogs if you have kids around. There is a tendency for kids to try to pick up dogs wrongly. With dogs like the Basset and the dachshund, you need to be very careful to support the hindquarters when you pick them up, or you could damage their spines. Kids also tend to push down on the back, which can also injure the dog.

Besides drooling and getting a little stinky around the ears, Bassets have long droopy ears that wind up getting into even more junk than the paws do, since they dangle in the water and food bowls, etc. You do NOT want the Basset wiping your floors, sofa, and bed with his wet, food-covered ears!

The other thing that you might not like about Bassets is their sound. Besides barking a good bit, they may BAY, which is a strange howling noise. It is loud, harsh, and obnoxious to many people's ears. Some people like the sound, but it's an acquired taste. If you have neighbors living close at hand, they might not like the noise.

Bassets aren't as long-lived as some breeds. They have a tendency, because of their rather strangely shaped legs, and because those legs must support a fairly large body, to have problems with their leg bones and joints. They also have a tendency to blood disorders and eye disorders. The eye disorders can include some that are common in humans, such as glaucoma and dry eye syndrome.

While you may think of the Basset as a small dog, because it is low to the ground, do remember that it is actually pretty big -- possibly over 50 lb. The Basset may think he's a lap dog -- but you may have another opinion when he sits down on you. And unless you are pretty strong, leash walking can be challenging.

Remember that the Basset loves to chase prey. Leash walking may get interesting, if there are cats, squirrels, birds, and other dogs in your neighborhood. And forget about letting your Basset go on off-leash walks with you, as he will take off like a shot if he smells another animal, and may not find his way back easily.

The good news is that most Bassets are extremely gentle and loving, and devoted to their family. They often do well with another Bassett in residence, and some will tolerate other animals, such as cats. They are sensitive, and you will rarely find one that is aggressive.

If you are prepared to do a lot of training -- something that all dogs should have, even if they are not particularly stubborn or mischievous -- the Basset can make a great pet. But like any untrained dog, an untrained Basset can turn your house into a shambles -- stealing food, dirtying delicate upholstery, urinating or defecating on the rug, and so on.

I believe in raising children with dogs in residence. We have an Airedale terrier, and the saying among breed fanciers is, "Life is merrier with an Airedale terrier". But life with canine is not always easy. In some ways, having a dog is like having a perpetual toddler.

Sharon

[DW326]

I just have to object a little. We have a Basset and we love him. Bassets are perceived as not very smart but they actually are very smart but EXTREMELY stubborn. That being said a rabbit could walk across our lawn and Koa will just sit there but not because he isnt smart, because he doesnt want to expend the energy to get up and chase him. The UPS man on the other hand is a different story.
As far as the smell, we are not great up keeper of ears and we dont have a smell issue. We do have a shed issue though so if you arent going to brush him regularly get used to not wearing black cause there will be hair everywhere.
Lastly, we had Koa first and he never had a problem with any of our kids. Loves them in fact because they leave him lots of crumbs to eat. Gentle as they come and though low to the ground totally capable of pulling down an entire pizza box from the kitchen counter and enjoying every last bit.
Devorah

[blminter]

growing up, i had a neighbor with a bassett hound. i remember that thing howling at the moon on a regular basis. cute, but i hated full moons

[sak9645]

Yes, that is the baying sound, to which I was referring.

Someone on-line commented once that baying and bagpipes tend to evoke the same response from neighbors. A few people may actually like the sound, but most people won't be at all pleased to hear it, especially on a daily basis.

Sharon

[sak9645]

By the way, Airedales don't bay, but they have the world's largest BARK, and use it early and often. It's a clear, loud, blast that resembles a bugle being blown right up next to your ear when you are sound asleep. If you go to a dog show, follow your ears to find the Airedales.

My Airedale, Kelly, is a loud barker. But she also tends to howl in her sleep. And it's the most unearthly sound you can imagine. The first time she howled in her sleep, I woke up with a start, sure that she was dying. I have since come to realize that she is simply dreaming.

I have come to prefer it, in fact, to another of her sleep behaviors -- sleepwalking and sleepbarking. Occasionally, she will leap off the bed in the middle of the night, barking furiously, and run through the house. Suddenly, she will wake up, pause, and wonder what the H... she is doing. She then wanders back to bed, looking utterly confused.

Life is merrier with an Airedale terrier ... and a lot noisier and messier, too.

Sharon

[hopperleah]

Yep, FORMER basset owner here too. He was the smelliest, shedding, howling, wanderer of a dog ever! It was impossible to take him out without a leash, he wouldn't listen and would find a scent and be gone. That said, he was wonderful with our small kids. But, like someone else said, the UPS man in the neighborhood and he went nuts. He actually broke our second story window trying to jump out to get to that big brown truck! And I agree, ours ate everything. He actually ate my son's poopy underwear when we were potty training. Yep, the entire pair of underwear! We lived in Alaska at the time, and our brain challenged dog would chase the moose that came in the backyard. Not so smart!
Please research, research, research!

Leah Ann
waiting for Stone
referral 8/07
PGN 4/08
previos 4/08
... still waiting to get back IN!

[kerriv]

Funny. Neither of my bassets howl/bay. They do bark at noises but no howling. I do always joke that Simon chases rabbits in his sleep because he always seems to be dreaming. Mine slobber and shed but I don't notice them being very stinky and they don't get baths that often because I can't get them in the bathtub by myself. Both of my bassets are pretty smart but one tends to play dumb - just like a child, she uses it to get away with things.

[JillnChris]

All I know is there is one that lives behind my house and she cries/howls all...day...long.