Activities For Bassadors
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Prepare for unexpected vet bills
Introduction
What do you get when you take a Labrador Retriever and cross it with a Basset Hound? Apparently, you get one of these floppy-eared furballs!Ā TheĀ Bassador is a relatively new breed of designer dog that was bred with the intention of capturing the best qualities of a Labrador and a Basset Hound. These dogs typically possess medium length builds, have uniformly colored coats, and have inherited tons of energy from both of their parent breeds. To help keep your Bassador from becoming anxious and fidgety, we've compiled a list of activities that you can try out with your dog to sate their physical needs and help the two of you grow closer as well.
Obedience Training
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Any Day
Moderate
Normal
1 hr
Items needed
Dog Leash
Hands Free Leash
Activity description
Bassadors are already very well behaved breeds by nature, but completing a few obedience training courses with your dog can never hurt. Obedience training offers pet parents and pets a lot of benefits once successfully completed; dogs who see obedience training through to the end will feel proud and accomplished for seeing the process through to the finish, while their caretakers will enjoy having their dog's cooperation from here on out. Obedience training aims to help dogs refine themselves by getting them used to following commands and helping them view their pet parents as leaders of their packs who will respect them if they're given respect in turn.
Step
1
Obedience training basics
Well, the first thing you'll need to know about obedience training is that it takes time; your dog won't miraculously pick up a plethora of great habits overnight so the both of you will need to see things through all the way to really reap any benefits from this activity. Secondly, you'll need to find the right class for your dog; try to find a trainer whose temperament meets your dog's.
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2
Keep the energy flowing
Training shouldn't end once class is over. You and your dog can do a number of the activities that the two of you have practiced during class at home. We don't think it would be such a bad idea to set about 30 minutes or so aside later in the day so that you and your dog can refresh what you've worked on earlier in class.
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Canine Musical Freestyle
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Any Day
Moderate
Normal
1 hr
Items needed
Music Playing Device
Sound System
Dog Treats
Activity description
For those of you looking for a fun way to bond with your dog that will also help the both of you work on your dance moves, canine musical freestyle may be right up your alley. The idea behind this activity is that you'll teach your dog a number of dance moves so that they can then repeat them in sync with a song. Obedience training really comes in handy here, so you may want to complete a few courses if you haven't already but are still interested in giving this one a go. Canine musical freestyle is one of those activities that's easy to understand, hard to master, but worth the effort.
Step
1
What you need to know
Canine musical freestyle was first invented in the late 1980's. It essentially evolved from a form of musical obedience training and, as such, many of the moves that dancers try to teach their dogs stem from various heeling techniques which make up the foundation of obedience training. This activity is done both casually and professionally, with canine musical freestyle tournaments being held annually.
Step
2
Teaching a dog to dance
One goes about teaching a dog new dance moves in the same way that they would go about teaching a dog new obedience training techniques: via a combination of demonstration and reward. You'll need to continuously repeat certain parts of the dance routine until your dog gets the timing and execution right. Every time they get a step down, give them a treat. Every time they miss the mark, give them praise for the attempt and encourage them to keep trying.
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Scent Training
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Any Day
Moderate
Normal
1 hr
Items needed
Dog Leash
Dog Treats
Scented Items
Activity description
If there's one thing that Basset Hounds and Labrador Retrievers have in common besides possessing adorable, floppy ears is their ability to sniff out animals, items, and people with nothing but their noses. Bassadors have a pretty strong senseĀ of smell too, due to the traits they've inherited from their parents but they can become much stronger by undergoing scent training. This activity aims to help your dog refine their smelling capabilities to the point where they can use their nose as an advanced olfactory tool. By the time you and your dog finish a few scent training sessions, your Bassador will be able to sniff out just about anything or anyone.
Step
1
Understanding the goal
The goal of this activity isn't to convert your dog into a tracking machine overnight but, rather, over the course of a long period of time. Your dog won't be sniffing out hidden articles of clothing from miles away by day one but they can sniff out hidden things that are close by early on. The goal is to work from that starting point and to gradually ease your dog into sniffing out objects from great distances.
Step
2
Consistency
One of the best ways to help your dog get to the point where they can sniff out objects that are miles away is by practicing with the same object, or at least with the same smells. When you start training your dog, give this a try; on day one, have them sniff out a scented cloth that you've hidden away within a few feet of their current location. On day two, hide the same cloth, or a cloth that's scented the same, about 10 feet away from the location you hid it the first day. Keep this up for about a week's time, gradually increasing the distance all the while.
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More Fun Ideas...
The Cup Game
The cup game refers to the age old activity of getting 3 cup-like objects, placing something valuable underneath one of them, shuffling all three cups around, and then prompting another player to guess which cup the item is under. Dogs can learn to play too - we just suggest making the "valuable" prize a treat they like or even one of their toys.
Ring Stacking
Bassadors don't just have a great senseĀ of smell and solid athleticism; these dogs can also learn how to participate in a number of games that are designed to test their memories and problem solving skills. These "brain games" come in a number of forms and ring stacking activities are one of them. Your dog simply needs to grab hold of a ring with their teeth so that they can lift them off of a pole and plant them down one by one. The not so simple part is doing that in the right order.
Dog Chess
Staying in line with the trend of brain games, you may want to consider introducing your dog to a dog chess board. This version of the game has been specifically catered to dogs as there are fewer but much larger pieces and the goal of the game is different - rather than trying to capture an opponent's king, your dog will try to remove all of the pieces on the board in sequence so that they can reach a yummy treat inside.
Conclusion
Bassadors have the potential to make great pets for dog caretakers of all walks of life; whether you're going to be caring for a dog for the first time or if you're a seasoned pet parent, a Bassador can very likely suit your needs and vice versa. You'll also probably be happy to know that Bassadors are very low maintenance breeds who don't shed too often and can learn to be very independent pets. Furthermore, Bassadors are one of those dog breeds that are naturally great with kids, with many Bassadors becoming protective of young infants and children who are respectful to them. In a lot of ways, Bassadors really can be seen as the ambassadors of hybrid dogs all around the globe.