Basset Hound

Basset Hound

Tan and white Basset Hound
Common nicknames	Basset, Hush Puppy
Origin	Great Britain France
Traits Weight male: 25–34 kg (55–75 lb) female: 20–29 kg (45–65 lb) Height male: 30–38 cm (12–15 in) female: 28–36 cm (11–14 in) Coat Smooth, short and close Colour Generally black, white and tan (tri-colour) or tan/lemon and white (bi-colour); but any recognised hound colour acceptable. Litter size 6–8 puppies Life span Median 11–12 years
Classification / standards FCI Group 6, Section 1.3 Scenthounds: Small #163 standard AKC Hound standard ANKC Group 4 (Hounds) standard CKC Group 2 (Hounds) standard KC (UK) Hound standard NZKC Hounds standard UKC Scenthound standard
Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris)

The Basset Hound is a short-legged breed of dog of the hound family, as well as one of six recognized Basset breeds in France. The Basset is a scent hound that was originally bred for the purpose of hunting hare. 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 meaning "small", together meaning "rather low". Basset Hounds are usually bicolours or tricolours of standard hound colouration.

In this article, "Basset" (with a capital B) is used to distinguish the modern breed from other basset-type dogs.

Bassets are large, short, solid and long, with curved sabre tails held high over their long backs. An adult dog weighs between 20 and 35 kilograms (44 and 77 lb). This breed, relative to size, is heavier-boned than any other.

This breed, like its ancestor the Bloodhound, has a 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 which along with the Bloodhound are the longest of any breed, help trap the scent of what they are tracking. Its neck is wider than its head. This, combined with the loose skin around its face and neck means that flat collars can easily be pulled off. The looseness of the skin results in the Basset's characteristic facial wrinkles. The Basset's skull is characterised by its large dolichocephalic nose, which is second only to the Bloodhound in scenting ability and number of olfactory receptor cells.

The Basset's short legs are due to a form of dwarfism. Their short stature can be deceiving; Bassets are long and can reach things on table tops that other dogs of similar height can not. Because Bassets are so heavy and have such short legs, they are not able to hold themselves above water for very long when swimming.