Hound group · Medium · France
Basset Hound
Also known as: Basset
The Basset Hound is a French scent hound with the second-best nose in dogdom (after the Bloodhound), repackaged as a droopy, devoted couch philosopher. The honest headline from owners: the most easygoing, kid-and-cat-proof dog you'll meet, wrapped in drool, shed hair, and a stubborn streak that treats your commands as interesting suggestions.
Height
11-15 in
Weight
40-65 lbs
Lifespan
12-13 years
Coat
Short, smooth coat with loose skin
Exercise
45+ min/day
Puppy price
$800-$2,000
AKC popularity
#34
Best for
Laid-back households who want a comedic, low-energy, exceptionally tolerant companion and can commit to ear care, weight control, and a lifetime of amiable disobedience.
Trait Scores
What owners love
- +Truly mellow energy — a couple of leisurely sniffy walks a day and a Basset is a contented houseguest
- +Astonishingly tolerant and patient with kids, dogs, cats, and general household mayhem
- +Pack-hound sociability with zero sharp edges — aggression is genuinely rare in the breed
- +Endlessly entertaining: the ears, the groans, the dramatic flop — living with a Basset is a comedy subscription
- +A deep, booming bark that sounds like a much bigger dog at the door
- +Low-effort coat care — a weekly rubber-brush session handles the basics
What owners warn about
- −Stubbornness is a lifestyle: a Basset that doesn't want to move simply becomes furniture, and recall is a polite fiction
- −Drool, houndy odor, and surprising amounts of shed hair from that 'low-maintenance' short coat
- −Those glorious ears trap moisture and require weekly cleaning, or chronic infections follow
- −The long spine and heavy front mean back problems — no jumping off couches, no stairs marathons, and careful weight control
- −Lonely Bassets howl, mournfully and at length, which neighbors describe less charitably
- −The nose rules here too: an open gate plus an interesting smell equals a Basset waddling determinedly toward the horizon
Common Health Issues
How the Basset Hound Compares
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Basset Hounds really that lazy?+
They're low-energy, but 'lazy' gets owners into trouble — Bassets were bred to trail rabbits all day and still need 30-45 minutes of daily walking to stay sound and lean. The trap is that a Basset will happily agree to skip exercise, gain weight, and wreck its back and joints. Think 'low-intensity but consistent,' with sniffy walks being their favorite activity on earth.
Do Basset Hounds smell bad?+
They have a genuine houndy musk, amplified by skin folds and those ears — it's oil the coat produces, not dirtiness. Regular fold-wiping, weekly ear cleaning, and the occasional bath keep it to a background note rather than a headline. If you're sensitive to dog smell, meet a few adult Bassets before committing, because the musk never fully goes away.
Are Bassets good apartment dogs?+
Surprisingly yes, with two caveats. Their exercise needs are modest and they're champion nappers, but stairs are genuinely bad for that long spine — an elevator building or ground floor matters — and a lonely Basset's howl penetrates walls impressively. With company most of the day and daily walks, they're one of the best big-dog-energy apartment picks.
Why is my Basset Hound so hard to train?+
Because for centuries the job was 'follow the scent and ignore everything else,' and your Basset is excellent at the job. They're not stupid — they learn quickly when food is involved — they just weigh every command against whether it's worth it. Short, treat-heavy sessions, endless patience with house-training, and a sense of humor are the toolkit; expecting Lab-style obedience is the mistake.