Basset Hound

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Lore & Background

The Basset type originated in France, descended from the 6th-century hounds belonging to St Hubert of Belgium, which through breeding at the Benedictine Abbey of St. Hubert eventually became what is known as the St Hubert's Hound around 1000 AD. The first mention of a 'Basset' dog appeared in La Venerie, an illustrated hunting text written by Jacques du Fouilloux in 1585. Basset-type hounds became popular during the reign of Emperor Napoleon III (r. 1852–1870). In 1853, Emmanuel Fremiet, 'the leading sculptor of animals in his day,' exhibited bronze sculptures of Emperor Napoleon III's Basset Hounds at the Paris Salon. Ten years later in 1863 at the first exhibition of dogs held in Paris, Basset Hounds attained international attention. The controlled breeding of the short haired Basset began in France in 1870. Count Le Couteulx of Canteleu fixed a utilitarian type with straight front legs known as the Chien d'Artois, whereas Mr. Louis Lane developed a more spectacular type, with crooked front legs, known as the Basset Normand. These were bred together to create the original Basset Artésien Normand.

Reader's Guide

The Basset Hound's significance lies in its specialized role as a slow, ground-scenting hound that allowed hunters to pursue small game on foot without horses. Its development in Great Britain from French basset strains, notably through the work of Everett Millais who bred a Basset named Nicholas to a Bloodhound bitch named Inoculation through artificial insemination in the 1890s, established the modern breed standard. The first breed standard for what is now known as the Basset Hound was made in Great Britain at the end of the 19th century, updated in 2010. The breed's short stature is due to the genetic condition osteochondrodysplasia, which causes stunted growth and impacts movement. Basset Hounds are prone to several health issues including glaucoma (5.44% prevalence, second highest in the study), gastric dilatation volvulus (odds ratio 5.9), and various skin conditions. In popular culture, the breed has been featured on the cover of Time magazine on February 27, 1928, as the logo for Hush Puppy (founded 1958), in Elvis Presley's performance of 'Hound Dog' to a Basset Hound named Sherlock on The Steve Allen Show on July 1, 1956, in the comic strip Fred Basset (since 1963), and as the dog in the Columbo television series. The breed's legacy endures as both a working hound and a recognizable companion animal.

Did You Know?

• The Basset Hound's sense of smell and ability to ground-scent is second only to the Bloodhound.
• The name Basset is derived from the French word bas, meaning 'low', with the attenuating suffix -et—together meaning 'rather low'.
• The only Basset Hound to win at Crufts is Ch. & Eng. Ch. Switherland Sensation At Haven, who also became the first dog from Malta to win Best of Breed at Crufts in 2004.
• A 2024 study in the UK found a life expectancy of 12.5 years for Basset Hounds, compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds.
• Elvis Presley famously sang 'Hound Dog' to an uninterested top-hat-wearing Basset Hound named Sherlock on The Steve Allen Show on July 1, 1956.