Basset Hound

Country of Origin
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.
A smooth-coated Basset Hound from 1915.

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.

Size
Basset Hounds weight and height depend upon male and female breed. Average Height used to be 11 to 15 inches and average weight used to be 46 to 64 pounds.

Character
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 Basset Hound is a large dog with short legs.

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. However, they can be stubborn animals.

Because Bassets are scent hounds, they should always be on a leash when out on walks. Although they are well known to be lazy, they have a tendency to run especially after prey so a leash is very important for their safety. Even though Bassets sleep a lot, walks are still necessary.

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 . 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.