The Basset Hound: Not just an advert for shoes....

Probably most famous for the advertising icon for Hush Puppies shoes, the Basset Hound is aristocratic and charming.  An easy to recognize companion dog that has a calm and placid personality. A well-bred Basset is happy, even-tempered, relaxed, friendly and has a good sense of humor. They are loyal to their family but hate being left alone. If left alone for long periods of time they can howl or even become destructive. Bassets are rarely nervous or high strung or aggressive. However, although this lack of aggression makes them a poor choice as guard dogs, they have a deep, sonorous bark, which is enough to scare off most potential intruders. Bassets are very loving and gentle with children and other house pets, making them a great family dog. But they do have a strong will and independent mind, so training can sometimes be a challenge. Being a scent hound, the tireless Basset is likely to ignore the recall while following an attractive scent trail. Consistency and patience is the name of the game when it comes to training a Basset. Like any other dogs, a Basset puppy needs early socialization to grow up to be a well-rounded dog.