Being owned by a Basset Hound is in fact what you will be , do not fool yourself. Basset Hounds are extremely intelligent animals and they fool you by their appearance. They may be a little slower to act than most breeds but that is only beacuse they are plotting their plan of action. Once you have acquired a Basset Hound either by purchase or by rescuing one, you will soon learn that the looks belie great intelligence.
My old girl Murphy , will often fain deafness or look me straight in the eye and say "You are really not discussing anything with me that is of any great import can we discuss something really more interesting other than what you think I have done wrong." Her daughter Peaches on the other hand will say "Really ?and you think I really care what you think?" You cannot let her near a handbag. She will empty the contents in 3 seconds and be going through your makeup etc. She does not destroy it just inspects everything.
Hush well he is an entirely different matter, he will say "You know I have a really strong objection to that course of action , but if it makes you happy I will be compliant , but only if you bribe me with a cuddle "
We had a Basset Hound named Penny. If you discussed her conduct with her Penny would simply look at you and yawn. She had the best yawn, and did not do it because she was tired but because she was showing you her disinterest in your conduct.
Cinnamon, would put her head to the ground and hope that you did not see her doing what she had just done. Corkie would constantly get you to sit on the grass with him and put his head in your lap to cuddle him and if you did not he would flick your arm with his head into the pat position and move under your hand for the pat.
Gladstone now he was differrent again. He would sneak into the bedroom when my husband let him into the house, jump up on the waterbed and pretend he was a ship on the ocean, making the bed sway . When it stopped he would repeat it. He would stand outside the Show ring wagging his tail as only he could do, growling at stud dogs in a very low grumble so that only they knew and he looking all sweet and innocent , would be laughing at them when they got into trouble for being aggressive as studs will be. If he was in a particularly good mood he would bark with delight as he went around the ring.
On the way to Newcastle to a show I let Gladstone sit on the front Seat as he liked to do. My handbag was beside him. He was very quiet the whole trip. I arrived at the Show and his face was covered in Channel pink lipstick. He went into the ring like that too. Gladstone won Best of Breed under Frank Lister at North of the Harbour Dog Show when he was about 9 . The judges comment"I hope I am that fit when I am old."Gladstone won minor pupppy in Group at the same very Show under a Canadian judge. Gladstone rolled around the ring. All the onlookers roared with laughter and I still recall an exhibitor saying "keep walking he will follow you" They obviously did not own a Basset Hound. The more they laughed the more he misbehaved. He was getting attention. My friend Gina showed him at the Royal not long after and it was a joke between us what he would do to embarass her. He behaved for once in his life. Gina will tell you it was becuase she was in control, the truth is it suited Gladstone that day to behave.A very happy dog. However in relation to discipline Gladstone would push you and say
"Go ahead make my day and hit me. I have the number for the RSPCA if you hit me". Sometimes he was so frustrating when I was showing him I could have cried. He knew instictively , would look up at me, and say" Not coping dear?". He would then behave. His best friend in life was a Blanket red and white bitch called Jenny. Jenny did not like the walking bit around the Show ring as someone might see her. She would say to the judge you do not need me to walk you can see all on the stack. I showed her once under Janet Beckman and Janet side to me later , "the look on her face when I aked you to walk her, if looks could kill I would have been dead onthe spot". But that was our Jenny., totally obedient and compliant in every other way. She doted on Gladstone. Where he went she went. He would discipline her. If he wanted her to do something then she did it. If Jenny did not do as he wanted he would walk up beside her and grab her by the scruff of the neck and make her go with him. The disciplining of these 2 was always difficult. He was a smarty and she did his bidding for him. He was the leader of their pack of 2 , largely because he could never establish himself as leader of the pack over Penny.
You see they have a great sense of humour and you need to be able to laugh with them. Never allow yourself to be frustrated by a smart-alec like Gladstone. Be gentle, kind and loving and firm but always consistent.
You need to accept that they are like no other breed. Do not expect them to react like a German Shepherd or be as obedient as a labrador.
To be owned by a Basset Hound you need a great sense of humour, a great deal of patience and understanding.You also need to be the PACK LEADER
I have trained a Basset Hound in obedience and he was exceptionally good. He loved the jumps and retrieve, but in the obedience ring he pretended he was in another world. During one trial Buffey was most impressed with the poodle in the next ring and just stood there watching her. When chastised he looked at me to say " Look I am busy ok, I just cannot take my eyes off the hot tomale in the ring next door. I really do not understand the problem you are doing well just keep doing the heel bit I will be there in a minute" . Peaches is right into obedience at the moment and cannot wait to get to the agility stuff.
Dot and Derek Baverstock trained Ch Tamacre Quiet Achiever to the level of TDX. He had to do thee CD Stuff before he got there. Kim Golding has trained several Basssets to Obedience level . Janet Beckman trained her Goldie to CDX level. Margaret Webber has trained many Basset Hounds to obedience titles.
Obedience titled and tracking Bassets are not uncommon in the United States.
The trick to training a Basset is calmness and consistency. Food bribery is very successful and to be honest once they learn something they will retain it, they just might let you think that they are having a blonde day ,because it suits their purposes at the time.
If you can cope with all of this then a Basset Hound would probably want to own you.
