Basset Hound

The Basset Hound is a short-legged breed of dog of the hound family. They are scent hounds, bred to hunt rabbits by scent. Their sense of smell for tracking is second only to that of the Bloodhound. The name Basset is derived from the French word bas, meaning "low", with the attenuating suffix -et, together meaning "rather low". Basset hounds are commonly brown and black and most often spotted, but also exist in a variety of colors.

Appearance

These dogs are around 1-foot in height at the withers. They usually weigh between 35 and 70 lb (16 and 32 kg). They have smooth, short-haired coats but a rough haired hound is possible. Although any hound colour is considered acceptable by breed standards, Bassets are generally tricolor (black, tan, and white), open red and white (red spots on white fur), closed red and white (a solid red color with white feet and tails), Honey And White (honey coloured back, light brown spotty nose and legs, light brown tails with white tip) and lemon and white. Some Bassets are also classified as gray or blue; however, this colour is considered rare and undesirable. They have long, downward ears and powerful necks, with much loose skin around their heads that forms wrinkles. Their tails are long and tapering and stand upright with a curve. Tails usually have white tips so the dogs are more easily seen when hunting/tracking through large bushes or weeds. The breed is also known for its hanging skin structure, which causes the face to occasionally look sad; this, for many people, adds to the breed's charm. The dewlap, seen as the loose, elastic skin around the neck, and the trailing ears, help trap the scent of what they are tracking.



The Basset Hound is a large dog with short legs. They were originally bred to have osteochondrodysplasia, known as dwarfism. Their short stature can be deceiving; Bassets are surprisingly long and can reach things on table tops that dogs of similar heights cannot. However, because Bassets are so heavy and have such short legs, they are not able to hold themselves above water for very long, and should never be made to swim.

Temperament

The Basset Hound is seen as an especially friendly breed. For this reason they are an excellent pet for children. Many Bassets "forget" the training when a reward is not present. Bassets should be on a leash when out on walks.

Bassets are known to be a vocal breed. Bassets might howl or bark when they want something or to suggest that they think something is wrong (like a storm is coming). They also use a low, murmuring whine to get attention, which sounds to many owners as though their Bassets are "talking." This whine is also used by the hound to beg (for food or treats) and varies in volume depending on the nature of the individual hound and length of time it has been begging.
Labels: , , , , , , , ,

History of Basset Hound

Basset Hounds are a cross between the Bloodhound, the Regular Artisien Normand, and the Basset Artésien Normand. The first application of the word "Basset" to a breed of dog can be traced to La Vénerie, an illustrated text on hunting written by Jacques du Fouilloux in 1561. Fouilloux illustrates wire-haired bassets resembling the modern Basset Fauve de Bretagne. In Fouilloux's treatise, bassets are used to pursue foxes and badgers to ground, after which the quarry is dug from its burrow and so reduced to possession.



Other early French Bassets closely resembled the Basset Artésien Normand, which is still a breed today. The Basset Artesian Normand is one of the two recognized French Basset breeds. Originating in Artois and Normandy, it dates back to the 17th century. The Basset Artesian Normand looks like a Basset Hound, but lighter in weight. A short, straight legged hound, its body is twice as long as it is high. Its head is dome-shaped and powerful with hairy cheeks. The neck is slightly dewlap and the muscles are smooth with a moderate amount of wrinkles. The chest is round with clearly visible sternum. The coat is very short, bicolor: tan and white, or tricolor: tan, black and white. Breeders prefer white feet.

By the turn of the 20th century, the Basset Artesian Normand was developing into two distinct lines, straight-legged hunters and crocked-legged, droopy-eared companion and show dogs. French breeder Leon Verrier developed today's standard, which blends attributes of both varieties. The Artesian Basset needed straight legs that would neither hinder his speed nor drain his energy in order to work in unruly terrain, brush and briar. The breed was recognized in 1911.

Because many short-legged dogs from this time were called Basset and record-keeping from this time was sparse, it is difficult to speculate which of these breeds have bloodlines in common with today's Basset Hounds. It is commonly believed that Marquis de Lafayette brought Basset Hounds to the United States as a gift to George Washington.

In France, basset hounds achieved noticeable public cultural popularlity during the reign of Emperor Napoleon III (r. 1852-1870). In 1853, Emmanuel Fremiet, "the leading sculptor of animals in his day" exhibited bronze sculptures of Emperor Napoleon III's basset hounds at the Paris Salon. Ten years later, in 1863, the Basset Hound reached international fame at the Paris Dog Show. At that time there were two common Bassets, those with a rough coat (Basset Griffon) and those with smooth (Basset Français). The dogs were further classified by the length of their legs. The two popular Basset breeders at this time were M. Lane and the Count Le Couteulx.

In 1866, Lord Galway imported a pair of Le Couteulx Bassets to England, but it was not until 1874 that Basset Hounds were widely introduced there by Sir Everett Millais. The Kennel Club accepted the breed in 1882 and the English Basset Hound Club was formed in 1884. The American Kennel Club first recognized Basset Hounds as a breed in 1885. In 1935, the Basset Hound Club of America was organized in the United States. The current American breed standard was adopted in 1964.
Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Hunting with Bassets

The Basset Hound was bred to hunt. Its keen nose and short stature are suited to small-game hunting on foot, although many Bassets have lost their age-old skills. There are a few groups that promote hunting with bassets. The American Hunting Basset Association and the Basset Hound Club of America has been the most active in promoting the use of Bassets for rabbit hunting.



Hunting with Basset Hounds when with an organization such as the American Hunting Basset Association or the Basset Hound Club of America do not involve the killing of any animals. These organizations are merely testing the Basset Hound's skills at tracking/trailing a rabbit's scent. Each organization is different in how it functions. With the AHBA, a group of 4 to 6 hounds (cast) are given one hour to find their own rabbit and judged based upon a standard set of rules while in the BHCA two dogs are paired and then put on a rabbit track and then judged. Typically the BHCA hunting lasts a few minutes per brace, the basset pair. With both organizations, the winning dog in each brace for the BHCA or cast for the AHBA go on to compete against the other winning dogs.

Hunting with Basset Hounds as a pack is common in the Mid-Atlantic States of Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Several private and membership packs exist in these states. Hunting for cotton tails and hare is the quarry of preference. There were a number of Basset Hound packs in its original home of England when the hunting of hares (see Beagling) was made illegal by the Hunting Act 2004.

Hunting a hound pack requires a staff which consists of a Huntsman and the Whipper-Ins who are responsible for order and discipline of the pack. A Field Master is in charge of the field (members of the hunt and guests) that follows behind observing the hounds work the covert. Most clubs will hunt in traditional attire of a green jacket and brush pants. Recognized clubs offer those members who have supported the pack the opportunity to wear colors on the collar to indicate rank in the club.

These packs are typically of English and French hound blood lines with a mix of AKC blood lines in some packs. The National Beagle Club hosts spring and fall field trials for basset hounds. The competition held over a 4-day period with participating packs hunting in the traditional manner in braces of up to 1 hour and 15 minutes. The pack size for each competition varies, from 3 to 7 couple.

Health

Because of the extremely long ears of Bassets they are prone to ear disease. If their ears are allowed to dangle on the ground or in food on a daily basis they are capable of developing chronic and potentially fatal ear diseases. The only recent mortality and morbidity surveys of Basset Hounds are from the UK: a 1999 longevity survey with a small sample size of 10 deceased dogs and a 2004 UK Kennel Club health survey with a larger sample size of 142 deceased dogs and 226 live dogs.

In addition to ear problems, basset hounds may also have eye issues. Because of their droopy eyes, the area under the eyeball will collect dirt and become clogged with a mucus. It is best to wipe their eyes every day with a damp cloth. This helps to lessen the build up and eye irritation.
Basset Hounds can be on the lazy side and can become overweight on their own if allowed to. They need plenty of exercise and a good diet.

Basset hounds are also prone to yeast infections in the folds around the mouth, where drool can collect without thoroughly drying out. Wiping the area with a clean, dry towel and applying talcum powder can minimize this risk.

Mortality

Median longevity of Basset Hounds in the UK is about 11.4 years, which is a typical median longevity for purebred dogs and for breeds similar in size to Basset Hounds. The oldest of the 142 deceased dogs in the 2004 UK Kennel Club survey was 16.7 years.[6] Leading causes of death in the 2004 UK Kennel Club survey were cancer (31%), old age (13%), GDV (bloat/torsion), (11%), and cardiac (8%).

Morbidity

Among 226 live Basset Hounds in the 2004 UKC survey, the most common health issues noted by owners were dermatologic (e.g., dermatitis), reproductive, musculoskeletal (e.g., arthritis and lameness), and gastrointestinal (e.g. GDV and colitis). Basset Hounds are also prone to epilepsy, glaucoma, luxating patella, thrombopathia, Von Willebrand disease, hypothyroidism, hip dysplasia, and elbow dysplasia.

Training

Training Basset Hounds can be difficult. Trainers must be persistent with this breed in order to achieve a well mannered dog. Bassets have a tendency to listen to their noses and not with their ears. While this can lead to stubbornness, it also means that they are highly motivated by food. They tend to respond well to treat-based positive reinforcement methods. Owners need to make the training process lively and entertaining to allow the Basset to learn more efficiently. Training is an on-going process with Basset Hounds.
Labels: , , , , , , ,

Basics of Basset-Hound Training

Basics of Basset-Hound Training

It's essential for Basset-Hound parents like you to know certain basic factors that determine your relationship with your Basset-Hound and can go a long way in training him effectively.

Before you begin training your Basset-Hound, it is absolutely essential that you build a loving bond with him. This is important as it helps you to understand his needs and instincts and also allows your Basset-Hound to have complete trust in you. 


Let us see how.......

How To Bond With Your Basset-Hound

Building a bond with your Basset-Hound is the first and the most crucial step involved in training him successfully. As soon as you bring your Basset-Hound home, you must first try to develop a caring and loving relationship with him in order to win his trust and confidence. 

When Basset-Hounds are secure in the knowledge that they belong to the family, they are more likely to respond better to their owners' training commands. Just like with any relationship, there must be mutual trust and respect between you and your Basset-Hound. 

Trust takes time to develop and respect comes from defining boundaries and treating any breach of those boundaries with firmness and fairness. 

Without enforceable limitations, respect can’t be developed. And when there is no respect, building a bond with your Basset-Hound is almost impossible. 

4 Golden Rules To Building A Relationship With Your Basset-Hound :
  • Spend quality time together;
  • Take him out in the world and experience life together;
  • Establish and promote a level of mutual respect; and
  • Develop a way of communicating to understand each other's needs.
Building a bond with your Basset-Hound will not only help you manage him better but will also make your Basset-Hound calm, quiet and an extremely well-adjusted pet.
Love Your Basset-Hound and He Will Love You back

Once you're succesful in building a bond with your Basset-Hound, you can rest assured that training him and teaching him new and clever tricks will be a cakewalk.


How Your Basset-Hound Learns...

Your Basset-Hound's learning period can be divided into five phases:

The Teaching Phase - This is the phase where you must physically demonstrate to your Basset-Hound exactly what you want him to do.

The Practicing Phase - Practice makes Perfect. Once a lesson is learnt, practice with your Basset-Hound what you have just taught him. 

The Generalizing Phase - Here you must continue practicing with your Basset-Hound in different locations and in an environment with a few distractions. You can take your Basset-Hound out for a walk, or to a nearby park and command him to practice whatever you've taught him. 

Practicing the learned lessons in multiple locations and in the presence of small distractions will help him learn and retain lessons better . 

The Testing Phase - Once you're sure that your Basset-Hound has achieved almost 90% success....he responds correctly almost every time you give a command, you must start testing his accuracy in newer locations with a lot of distractions.

Example: Take him to the local shopping mall and ask him to obey your command. He may not come up with the correct response the very first time you do this, but you must not lose hope. 

The idea is to test your Basset-Hound to see how he responds in an environment which is new to him. Set-up a situation where you are in control of the environment and your Basset-Hound.

There are only 2 possibilities:
  • Your Basset-Hound succeeds!!! (Trumpets please!)
  • In case your Basset-Hound fails, re-examine the situation. Review and/or change your training. Then try testing again.
Keep on testing until he succeeds. Follow the rule of the 3 Ps – patience, persistence, praise.
Internalizing Phase - Finally, comes the extremely rewarding phase where your Basset-Hound does everything he is taught to do even without your commands.
Remember:
  • Never scold your Basset-Hound if he fails. It's not his fault. You have failed as a trainer!
  • You must be patient and persistent for your efforts to show rewards.
  • Appreciate and love your Basset-Hound when he does it right! A little encouragement will work wonders for your Basset-Hound.


Copyright (c) 2009 TrainPetDog.com
Labels: , , ,

Training Your Basset-Hound to Listen to You

Training Your Basset-Hound to Listen to You

Why Won't My Basset-Hound Listen To Me?

This is a common question that most first-time Basset-Hound owners ask me. Before I answer your question, let me ask you a few instead:
  • Do you use cookies, collars, head halters or clickers to make your Basset-Hound listen to your commands?
  • Do you have to raise your voice every time you want your Basset-Hound to listen to you?
  • Does your Basset-Hound always come or sit on command - anytime and anywhere you want him to?
If your answers are mostly in the negative, its time you seriously reconsider your role as a sincere Basset-Hound trainer and an ideal pet parent.


Get Your Basset-Hound To Listen To You

Before you begin any training, you must first establish yourself as the "ALPHA dog" of your family. Your Basset-Hound must know that you’re the leader of the pack and it is YOU who is in charge.

Here is a list of simple DO's and DONT's that you must follow if you want to be the Alpha:
  • Always go out or come in through the door first - remember you are the leader;
  • Always eat first - give your Basset-Hound something to eat only after you've finished your meal;
  • Don’t circle around your Basset-Hound when he is lying on the floor - make your Basset-Hound move out of your way instead;
  • Don't let your Basset-Hound set the rules - pay attention to him when you think fit and not whenever he demands;
  • Don’t permit your Basset-Hound to sleep with you in your bed - demarcate his sleeping area clearly.
Once you successfully established yourself as the Alpha, training your Basset-Hound and making him listen will be a lot easier than you can imagine. Remember, if your Basset-Hound does not learn to "listen", all your training efforts will be in vain!

Does your Basset-Hound know his name? Does your Basset-Hound look at you whenever you call him by his name? This is the first and the most critical step involved in Basset-Hound Training. If your Basset-Hound doesn't respond to his name, you cannot have his attention for teaching him any other commands.

To make sure that your Basset-Hound recognizes his name, take a treat in your hand and hold it away from your body. Call your Basset-Hound's name. He is most likely to look at the treat in your hand. Continue calling his name untill he turns and looks at your eyes. Give him the treat immediately. Repeat this exercise by holding the treat in the other hand. Once you're sure that your Basset-Hound has learnt to recognize his name, just call his name and reward him for looking at you by petting or with a hug.

You must understand that Basset-Hounds respond far better to positive reinforcement than they do to coercion or force.



Copyright (c) 2009 TrainPetDog.com
Labels: , , , ,

Is Your Basset-Hound Potty Trained Enough?

Is Your Basset-Hound Potty Trained Enough?

House Training a puppy or adult Basset-Hound is such an essential issue for its owner that even a single exclusive tip turns out to be extremely helpful.

The first step in making your Basset-Hound fit for polite company would be to potty train him. Some see this training as a hassle and some as a challenge.

For me, it is part of bringing up a pet.


There are a few things you need to know before you actually start potty training a puppy or adult Basset-Hound. I enumerate these below:
  • You need to understand your dog's body language. Watch for signs that will indicate to you when your pet wants to eliminate.
  • If you own puppies, remember that they need to go potty at fairly frequent intervals - as soon as they wake up, after short naps, after play-time, after meals, before and after being crated and finally, before retiring for the night.
  • Take your Basset-Hound for walks at the time that he usually does his potty. Take him out to the yard and then to the same place there every time he needs to answer nature's call.
  • Praise your Basset-Hound after he eliminates at the right place. Some Basset-Hound owners even give treats to their dogs. But remember to do this every time he does it right. He will relate the rewards to his having "done it right" and zero in on the spot where you want him to defecate regularly.
  • With time, you can try signal training. This is so that you know when your doggie wants to go. You can hang a bell at his level near the door and teach him to push it with his nose or pat it with his paw on his way out.
  • Until your Basset-Hound has been fully potty trained keep him under strict vigilance. Do not let him roam around the house freely.
  • Use a crate. A crate-trained Basset-Hound is usually very happy to get his own den. The advantage of crating is that dogs do not soil the place where they sleep. So, he will naturally not eliminate inside the crate.
  • If you have a small dog and if you live in a high-rise building or in a place that does not have a proper backyard, you can try litter pan training. What you do is create a space for your pet to eliminate in your house itself.
  • Use positive reinforcements while housebreaking puppies or adult dogs. Do not scold or hit him as you will gain nothing by doing that. He will only associate punishment with your return from outside. If you catch him in the act, a stern 'NO' or 'FREEZE' will do. It will startle the Basset-Hound enough for him to stop pooping.
  • Be prepared to return to a soiled home if you are keeping your Basset-Hound home alone for more than 4 hours as separation anxiety is quite common among home - alone dogs.
  • Accidents will happen. It is unusual for a trained adult Basset-Hound to work against its house training. But medical problems or health disorders may lead to sudden accidents.
  • Many dogs mark their territory. These can be a leg of a table or a particular wall. Intact male and female dogs mark their territories by urinating. Use deodorizers to spray on the places where your Basset-Hound has marked.
  • If you are patient and are ready to accept that house training a dog takes time, even months sometimes, you will end up having a good housetrained Basset-Hound.
 
Now we will move on to how to potty train puppies and adult dogs.

Potty Training A Puppy:

Irrespective of breeds, housetraining a puppy is considered to be one of the biggest challenges by dog owners. If you think housetraining your puppy simply involves a steady supply of old newspapers, then think again.

A puppy does not develop full control over his bladder until it is over 4 or 5 months old. Since they are growing and developing rapidly at this time, puppies eat more, burn more calories and need to eliminate more frequently than an adult Basset-Hound.

After each nap, meal, drink or play, take your puppy to his designated area (indoors or outdoors, wherever you have decided) and stay there until it eliminates. Then bring him to his crate.

Repeat this situation every day until he has developed a habit out of it.


Potty Training An Adult Basset-Hound:

The best way to housetrain an adult Basset-Hound is to begin all over again.

Observe him very closely. Maybe even maintain a diary of where he goes and when. Whether he is pooping when you are home or only when you are outside; whether you can time yourself to be home when he feels the need to go outside.

You can try dog crates, but be careful to introduce him gradually to them. 


Remember, commitment, consistency and intelligent use of positive reinforcement will make you the owner of a perfectly housetrained Basset-Hound. Don't expect miracles. You will only be disappointed.


Get this unique Housetraining guide and start Housebreaking Your Basset-Hound Today.


Copyright (c) 2009 TrainPetDog.com
Labels: , , ,

How Well Is Your Basset-Hound Groomed?

How Well Is Your Basset-Hound Groomed?

The reason one should groom his/her Basset-Hound is simple - your dog's physical state influences the way he feels and the way you look at your dog. Extreme cases, where lack of proper care, cleaning and grooming can directly affect the behavior of your Basset-Hound, are not rare.

Proper grooming not only infuses a healthy glow to your dog's appearance, but also helps develop his self-esteem; while it makes you a very proud parent, when you show off your Basset-Hound to others.
The first step involved in dog grooming is: Brushing!

Brushing has been universally acknowledged by expert dog groomers as the single most important step in grooming.

The benefits of brushing are many. To name a few:

  • Better blood circulation

  • Shinier and healthier coat

  • Better bonding

Even if you know how crucial brushing is for your Dog's health and well-being, we all know that there is a right way and a wrong way of doing anything. And without doubt, you would like to do everything the RIGHT way when it comes to your Basset-Hound. 

Yes, there's a method to follow while brushing your Basset-Hound.

Here are FIVE steps to successfully brushing your Basset-Hound that will prove to be extremely useful:
  • Brush against the growth of the hair first with a slicker brush and then with a medium or wide-toothed comb.

  • The slicker brush removes all the loose hair and the comb takes care of the tangles.

  • Brush your Basset-Hound along the hair growth and make sure you reach the skin as you brush his way.

  • Then use a flea comb over the coat to get the fleas and remove any remaining tangles. Part the coat and start from the root and then comb through.

  • If your Dog's paw pads are hairy, then clip them using electric clippers. Do not clip the hair in between the pads. Clip only the excess hair.
Brush your Dog's hairs to prevent it from matting. Matting can be a very painful experience. 

Regular brushing untangles the matted hairs on your Dog's coat. Since this is a risky job to do, the best way out is to prevent them from forming in the first place. And doing this is simple: just brush and comb your Basset-Hound regularly. If and when you see any mats or tangles, use a detangle solution and a medium-toothed comb. 

Don't wait until your Basset-Hound is dirty or matted to introduce him to grooming. That would make him associate the experience with unpleasantness. Moreover, many dogs learn to see their routine brushing as an alternate form of petting, i.e. another source of affection and attention.



Copyright (c) 2009 TrainPetDog.com
Labels: , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Basset Hound Calorie Calculator by TrainPetDog

Are You Sick & Tired of
Your Puppy's Dirty Habit of Messing on Your Floor, Sofas, Rugs & Walls?

Do you wish that there was a simple way of house training a puppy quickly and easily?

Presenting a Free Course on Potty Training Puppies
That Will Put an End To All The "Messy Nuisance" Your Pet Makes Once and for All...

Get This Free Course on Housebreaking your Puppy Today!