Prepare for unexpected vet bills
The Basset Hound is an interesting breed. With the short legs and large girth and body, they are considered a mid to large sized dog, depending on weight. This dog has a powerful sense of smell, only second to the Bloodhound, and they use their scent to hunt. This breed was, and still is, an aristocratic dog of French ancestry, and was bred to follow a scent in forests to hunt. They were bred to track down rabbits. Bassets have a reputation of being quite lazy when they are not hunting, and today, many Basset Hounds are simply family dogs. Therefore, many people say they are couch potatoes. Well, they are if given the chance to be on the couch all day! Believe it or not, Bassets do need exercise or they will become overweight and that can lead to health issues. Bassets have an amazing, intuitive personality. They can be stubborn at times, but are very loving and loyal to their owner. Being more stubborn and persistent, they tend to not give up when they want attention, a walk, or food, by howling and howling even more. They tend to be harder to train than many other breeds because of their stubbornness, but with consistency, it can be done. They are quite intelligent. Due to their extreme sense of smell, they should always be kept on a leash when walking unless they have been trained in recall.
No matter the weather, all Basset Hounds love belly rubs! You may even notice this when your Basset is lying on the floor and you approach him. He will turn over onto his back and wait for a good ole' rubbin' on the belly!
Sometimes, your Basset may have a quick burst of energy. When this happens, take a bone or toy and toss it down the hall or across a room. He will run after it, and possibly fetch it for you.