Basset Hound

The Basset Hound is a short-legged scent hound developed in nineteenth-century Great Britain from ancestral French hunting lines.

French noblemen bred low-slung tracking hounds from the medieval St. Hubert line to follow rabbits through dense cover at a human walking pace. British sportsmen imported several strains during the 1870s, crossing the Basset d'Artois and Basset Normand with Bloodhounds to augment bone density and scenting capabilities. The Kennel Club registered its initial entries in 1882, and the Basset Hound Club formed in England in 1884. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale classifies the breed under Group 6 (Scent Hounds and Related Breeds). Most Basset Hounds live as family pets, while some packs are still used to hunt hare.

The FCI standard designates a height between 33 and 38 cm (13-15 in) at the withers, with adult weight typically settling between 20 and 34 kg (44-75 lb). The smooth, dense coat lies flat against loose, elastic skin, commonly displaying tricolour (black, white, and tan) or bicolour (lemon and white), although any recognized hound color is acceptable. Breed standards emphasize a placid, affectionate temperament, stating the hound is tenacious when trailing scents, possesses a deep voice, and never shows overt aggression or timidity.

Care routines require weekly brushing with a rubber mitt to remove dander, along with weekly cleansing of the long, velvety ear leathers to avert bacterial infections. Daily brisk walks satisfy energy requirements, though leashes are necessary because scent trails easily distract the dog. Achondroplastic anatomy makes the breed susceptible to intervertebral disc disease, patellar luxation, elbow dysplasia, and gastric torsion.