Editing Basset Hound

{{Use mdy dates|cs1-dates=ly|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox dog breed
| name = Basset Hound
| image = BassetHound profil.jpg
| image_caption = Tan and white Basset Hound
| origin = France 
| weight = 
| maleweight = {{convert|55|-|75|lb|kg|abbr=on|order=flip}}
| femaleweight = {{convert|45|-|65|lb|kg|abbr=on|order=flip}}
| height = 
| maleheight = {{convert|12|-|15|in|cm|abbr=on|order=flip}}
| femaleheight = {{convert|11|-|14|in|cm|abbr=on|order=flip}}
| coat = Smooth, short and close
| colour = Generally black, white and tan (tri-color) or tan/lemon and white (bi-color); but any recognized hound color acceptable.
| litter_size = 6–8 puppies
<!-----Kennel club standards----->
| kc_name = [[The Kennel Club]]
| kc_std = https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/breed-standards/hound/basset-hound
| kc2_name = <!-- if required for dual-national breeds -->
| kc2_std = 
| fcistd = http://www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/163g06-en.pdf
}}<!-- End Infobox -->

The '''Basset Hound''' is a short-legged [[dog breed|breed]] of [[dog]] in the [[hound]] family. The Basset is a [[scent hound]] that was originally bred for the purpose of [[Rabbiting|hunting]] [[hare]]. Their sense of smell and ability to ''ground-scent'' is second only to the [[Bloodhound]].<ref name="Hart-Master">Hart, Ernest H. ''This Is the Basset Hound'', T.F.H. Books, 1974. {{ISBN|0-87666-241-6}}</ref>

Basset Hounds are one of six recognized "[[basset]]"-type breeds in France. The name ''Basset'' is derived from the French word {{Lang|fr|bas}}, meaning 'low', with the attenuating suffix ''-et''—together meaning 'rather low'. Basset Hounds are usually [[Coat (dog)#Patterns|bicolours]] or [[Coat (dog)#Patterns|tricolours]] of standard hound coloration.

==Description==
[[Image:Bvdb-bassethound1.jpg|thumb|left|Adult Basset Hound]]

===Appearance===
Bassets are large, short, solid and long, with curved sabre [[tail]]s held high over their long backs. An adult dog weighs between {{convert|20|and|35|kg|abbr=in}}. This breed, relative to its size, is heavier-boned than any other.<ref>{{cite web|title=Basset Hound |url=http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/basset-hound/ |website=American Kennel Club|access-date=2015-06-08}}</ref>

This breed, like its ancestor the [[Bloodhound]], has a hanging [[skin]] structure, which causes the face to tend to have a sad look; this, for many people, adds to the breed's charm. The loose elastic skin around the neck is known as the [[dewlap]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/71703/9-floppy-facts-about-basset-hounds |title=9 Floppy Facts About Basset Hounds|date=2015-11-30 |website=www.mentalfloss.com |access-date=2020-03-28}}</ref>[[File:Basset Hound with Baby.jpg|thumb|Basset Hounds are renowned for their gentle, docile demeanor.<ref name="DorothyHardy">Liebers, Arthur; Hardy, Dorothy. ''How to Raise and Train a Basset Hound'', T.F.H. Publications, [[Jersey City, New Jersey]], 1959.</ref>]]

The coat is short, generally black, white and tan tricolor or tan and white bicolor, but with many other possible colors. The EM allele produces a black mask on the face that may extend up around the eyes and onto the ears. This pattern is most easily seen on mahogany dogs, although any Basset color pattern may express the EM allele, except for "red and white" or "lemon and white" due to e/e.<ref>{{cite web|title=Basset Hound Coat Colours |url= http://homepage.usask.ca/~schmutz/Bassets.html |last1=Drega |first1=Dana |date=January 25, 2011 |website=University of Saskatchewan |access-date=June 15, 2015}}</ref>

===Temperament===
The Basset Hound is a friendly, outgoing, and playful dog, tolerant of children and other pets.<ref name="DorothyHardy"/>

==Health==
[[Image:Duo de basset-hound.jpg|thumb|An adult Basset Hound with a puppy on its back|alt=|left]]

===Osteochondrodysplasia===
The Basset Hound's short stature is due to the genetic condition [[osteochondrodysplasia]].<ref>{{cite journal|first1=Simón |last1=Martínez |first2=Raúl |last2=Fajardo |first3=Jesús |last3=Valdés |first4=Raúl |last4=Ulloa-Arvizu |first5=Rogelio |last5=Alonso| title= Histopathologic study of long-bone growth plates confirms the basset hound as an osteochondrodysplastic breed| journal= Can J Vet Res |date=January 2007 |volume= 71 |number= 1| pages= 66–69 | pmc=1635992 | pmid=17195339}}</ref> Osteochondrodysplasia causes stunted growth and impacts movement. Affected dogs develop splayed hind limbs, enlarged joints, flattened rib cages, shortened and bent long bones, and deformed paws.<ref>{{cite web |title=Osteochondrodysplasia (OCD) in Miniature Poodles |url=https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/ocd-miniature-poodle |website=University of California, Davis, Veterinary Medicine |access-date=11 February 2024}}</ref>

===Life expectancy===
The breed has a median life span of 10–12 years. A 2015 French study found a life expectancy of 10.3 years.<ref>{{Cite journal |doi=10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.11.008| title=Inbreeding impact on litter size and survival in selected canine breeds| journal=The Veterinary Journal| volume=203| issue=1| pages=74–78| year=2015| last1=Leroy |first1=G. G. |last2=Phocas |first2=F. |last3=Hedan |first3=B. |last4=Verrier |first4=E. |last5=Rognon |first5=X. |pmid=25475165| s2cid=27631883| url=https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01122782/document}}</ref> A 2024 study in the UK found a life expectancy of 12.5 years compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for [[Mongrel|crossbreeds]].<ref>{{cite journal | last1=McMillan | first1=Kirsten M. | last2=Bielby | first2=Jon | last3=Williams | first3=Carys L. | last4=Upjohn | first4=Melissa M. | last5=Casey | first5=Rachel A. | last6=Christley | first6=Robert M. | title=Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death | journal=Scientific Reports | publisher=Springer Science and Business Media LLC | volume=14 | issue=1 | date=2024-02-01 | issn=2045-2322 | doi=10.1038/s41598-023-50458-w | page=531| pmid=38302530 | pmc=10834484 | bibcode=2024NatSR..14..531M }}</ref>

===Other health issues===
[[File:Cherry eye, a common eye condition for basset hounds .jpg|thumb|A common eye condition Basset Hounds develop called [[cherry eye]]]]
Basset Hounds are prone to yeast infections.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/yeast-dermatitis-in-dogs|title=Yeast Dermatitis in Dogs|website=vca_corporate |language=en|access-date=2018-02-01}}</ref>

Leading causes of death in a 2004 UK Kennel Club survey were cancer (31%), old age (13%), [[gastric dilatation volvulus]] (11%), and cardiac (8%).<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Adams | first1=V. J. | last2=Evans | first2=K. M. | last3=Sampson | first3=J. | last4=Wood | first4=J. L. N. | title=Methods and mortality results of a health survey of purebred dogs in the UK | journal=Journal of Small Animal Practice | volume=51 | issue=10 | date=2010-10-01 | doi=10.1111/j.1748-5827.2010.00974.x | pages=512–524| pmid=21029096 }}</ref>

Information from veterinary data found the prevalence of [[glaucoma]] to be 5.44%, second highest in the study.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Gelatt | first1=Kirk N. | last2=MacKay | first2=Edward O. | title=Prevalence of the breed-related glaucomas in pure-bred dogs in North America | journal=Veterinary Ophthalmology | publisher=Wiley | volume=7 | issue=2 | date=2004-02-18 | issn=1463-5216 | doi=10.1111/j.1463-5224.2004.04006.x | pages=97–111}}</ref>

The Basset Hound is predisposed to [[gastric dilatation volvulus]].<ref>{{cite journal | last=Bell | first=Jerold S. | title=Inherited and Predisposing Factors in the Development of Gastric Dilatation Volvulus in Dogs | journal=Topics in Companion Animal Medicine | publisher=Elsevier BV | volume=29 | issue=3 | year=2014 | issn=1938-9736 | doi=10.1053/j.tcam.2014.09.002 | pages=60–63}}</ref> One study found the [[odds ratio]] to be 5.9.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Glickman | first1=Lawrence T. | last2=Glickman | first2=Nita W. | last3=Pérez | first3=Cynthia M. | last4=Schellenberg | first4=Diana B. | last5=Lantz | first5=Gary C. | title=Analysis of risk factors for gastric dilatation and dilatation-volvulus in dogs | journal=Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association | publisher=American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) | volume=204 | issue=9 | date=1994-05-01 | issn=0003-1488 | doi=10.2460/javma.1994.204.09.1465 | pages=1465–1471| pmid=8050972 }}</ref>

[[thrombasthenia|Basset Hound hereditary thrombopathy]] is an autosomally inherited platelet disorder characterised by a thrombasthenia defect in primary aggregation abnormality of clot retraction. Glycoprotein IIb-IIIa is defective although detectable.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Mattson | first1=Joan C. | last2=Estry | first2=Douglas W. | last3=Bell | first3=Thomas G. | last4=Patterson | first4=Wayne R. | title=Defective contact activation of platelets from dogs with basset hound hereditary thrombopathy | journal=Thrombosis Research | publisher=Elsevier BV | volume=44 | issue=1 | year=1986 | issn=0049-3848 | doi=10.1016/0049-3848(86)90177-5 | pages=23–38| pmid=3787559 }}</ref>

The Basset Hound is prone to several skin conditions: allergic skin disease; [[intertrigo]]; [[Malassezia dermatitis]]; and [[otitis]], [[keratinization defect|primary keratinization defects]].<ref>{{cite book | last1=Hnilica | first1=Keith A. | last2=Patterson | first2=Adam P. | title=Small Animal Dermatology | publisher=Saunders | publication-place=St. Louis (Miss.) | date=2016-09-19 | isbn=978-0-323-37651-8 | page=}}</ref>

The Basset Hound is one of the more commonly affected breeds for [[primary open angle glaucoma]]. An [[autosomal recessive]] mutation of the [[ADAMTS17]] gene is responsible for the condition in the breed.<ref>{{cite book |author1-first=James A.C. |author1-last=Oliver |author2-first=Cathryn S. |author2-last=Mellersh | editor1-first=Barbara | editor1-last=Cooper | editor2-first=Elizabeth |editor2-last=Mullineaux |editor3-first=Lynn | editor3-last=Turner |title=BSAVA Textbook of Veterinary Nursing |date=2020 |publisher=British Small Animal Veterinary Association |isbn=978-1-910-44339-2 |edition=Sixth|chapter=Genetics| page=131}}</ref>

==History==
===St Hubert's Hound===
{{See also|Bloodhound}}

The Basset type originated in France, and is descended from the 6th-century hounds belonging to [[St Hubert]] of Belgium, which through breeding at the Benedictine Abbey of [[Saint-Hubert, Belgium|St. Hubert]] eventually became what is known as the [[Bloodhound#Chien de Saint-Hubert|St Hubert's Hound]] around 1000&nbsp;AD. St Hubert's original hounds are descended from the [[Laconia]]n ([[Sparta]]n) Hound,<ref name="CampbellThornton">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_TEiJ7FtJ0sC |title=Bloodhounds: Everything about Purchase, Care, Nutrition, Breeding, Behavior, and Training| first1=Kim |last1=Campbell Thornton| first2= Michele |last2= Earle-Bridges |publisher=Barron's Educational Series|year= 1998 |isbn=0-7641-0342-3 |access-date= January 15, 2016}}</ref> one of four groups of dogs discerned from Greek representations and descriptions. These scent hounds were described as large, slow, "short-legged and deep mouthed" dogs with a small head, straight nose, upright ears and long neck, and either tan with white markings or black with tan markings.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/miscellanea/canes/canes.html |title=Dogs in Rome and Greece |publisher=Penelope.uchicago.edu |access-date=8 December 2014}}</ref> Laconian Hounds were reputed to not give up the scent until they found their prey. They eventually found their way to Constantinople, and from there to Europe.<ref name="CampbellThornton"/>

===France===
[[File:ModeltheBasset.jpg|thumb|left|1879 [[woodcut]] of Everett Millais' first Basset-type hound named Model, who was imported from France in 1874]]

The first mention of a "Basset" dog appeared in La Venerie, an illustrated hunting text written by Jacques du Fouilloux in 1585.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Pure-bred Dogs, American Kennel Gazette, Volume 106|date=1989 |work=American Kennel Club}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Which pet?|last=Peter|first=Isaac|date=1982 |publisher=Jill Norman & Hobhouse Ltd. |isbn=0-906908-56-6 |location=London|oclc=10965647}}</ref>  The name "Basset" has its origins in the Latin word for low, ''bassus'', and the French diminutive -''et''.  The dogs in Fouilloux's text were used to hunt foxes and badgers. It is believed that the Basset type originated as a [[#Health|mutation]] in the litters of [[Normans|Norman]] Staghounds, a descendant of the St Hubert's Hound. These precursors were most likely bred back to the St. Hubert's Hound, among other derivative French hounds. Until after the [[French Revolution]] around the year 1789, [[hunting]] from [[Horseriding|horseback]] was the preserve of kings, large aristocratic families and of the country squires, and for this reason short-legged dogs were highly valued for hunting on foot.

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.<ref>Fusco, Peter and H. W. Janson, eds., ''The Romantics to Rodin'', Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1980, p. 272.</ref> Ten years later in 1863 at the first exhibition of dogs held in Paris, Basset Hounds attained international attention.<ref>{{cite book |title=The New Book of the Dog |url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924101969198 |last=Leighton |first=Robert |year=1907 |publisher= Cassell and Company, Ltd. |oclc=608157750 |via=Internet Archive}}</ref>

The controlled breeding of the short haired Basset began in France in 1870. From the existing Bassets, 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]].<ref>[http://www.fci.be/uploaded_files/034gb2001_en.doc Breed standard, Basset Artésien Normand (DOC file)] at FCI.be; {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101092318/http://www.fci.be/uploaded_files/034gb2001_en.doc |date=November 1, 2013 }}</ref>

===England===
[[File:Basset hound history.jpg|thumb|An early 20th century Basset-type hound]]
French Basset Hounds were being imported into England at least as early as the 1870s. While some of these dogs were certainly Basset Artésien Normands, by the 1880s [[linebreeding]] had thrown back to a different heavier type. Everett Millais, who is considered to be the father of the modern Basset Hound, bred one such dog, Nicholas, to a [[Bloodhound]] bitch named Inoculation through [[artificial insemination]] in order to create a heavier Basset in England in the 1890s. The litter was delivered by [[caesarean section]], and the surviving pups were refined with French and English Bassets.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.basset.net/index.php?page=the-early-history-of-the-basset-hound-in-england-1874-1921 |title=The Early History of the Basset Hound in England, 1874-1921| website= Basset.net|access-date=8 December 2014}}</ref> The first breed standard for what is now known as the Basset Hound was made in Great Britain at the end of 19th century.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.bohemia-horrido.com/standardcomment.html|title=Standard of the Breed Bassethound with Comments by Iva Černohubová |website=Bohemia-horrido.com|access-date=8 December 2014}}</ref> This standard was updated in 2010.<ref>[http://www.fci.be/uploaded_files/163g06-en.doc Breed standard, Basset Hound 2010 (DOC file)] at FCI.be; {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101091446/http://www.fci.be/uploaded_files/163g06-en.doc |date=November 1, 2013}}</ref>

==Hunting with Bassets==
[[File:Basset hound hunting rabbit in art.png|thumb|A 1925 illustration of a Basset Hound hunting a rabbit]]
The Basset Hound was bred to hunt, with a keen nose and short stature suited to small-game hunting on foot. A variety of Basset Hound developed purely for hunting by Colonel Morrison was admitted to the Masters of Basset Hounds Association in 1959 via an appendix to the Stud Book. This breed differs in being straighter and longer in the leg and having shorter ears.<ref>{{cite book |title= All About Dogs |publisher= Orbis Publishing Ltd. |year= 1974 |isbn= 0-85613-033-8}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
[[File:GézaDezsőFekete-Columbo.JPG|thumb|A statue of [[Peter Falk]] in character as [[Columbo (character)|Columbo]] with his Basset Hound in Hungary]]
*Basset Hounds have been featured in popular culture many times. Some artists, such as director [[Mamoru Oshii]] and webcomic artist [[Scott Kurtz]], regularly feature their pet Bassets in their work.
*On February 27, 1928, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine featured a Basset Hound on the front cover.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070428135556/http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19280227,00.html "Baby Basset Hound"]. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''. February 27, 1928.</ref> The accompanying story was about the 52nd annual [[Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show]] at [[Madison Square Garden (1925)|Madison Square Garden]] as if observed by the Basset Hound puppy.
*Many cartoon dogs are based on the Basset, such as [[Droopy]], with several Bassets appearing in animated [[Disney]] films. Syndicated comic strip ''[[Fred Basset]]'' has been a regular feature in newspapers since 1963.
*There is a Basset Hound in the ''[[Smokey and the Bandit]]'' movie series. The dog, Fred, was personally picked by lead actor [[Burt Reynolds]] because it refused to obey commands.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076729/trivia |title=Smokey and the Bandit (1977) |website=[[IMDb]]}}</ref>
*In Disney's 1986 film ''[[The Great Mouse Detective]]'', a Basset Hound named Toby is the dog of [[Sherlock Holmes]].
*In the early days of television, [[Elvis Presley]] famously sang "[[Hound Dog (song)|Hound Dog]]" to an uninterested [[top hat]]-wearing Basset Hound named Sherlock on ''[[The Steve Allen Show]]'' on July 1, 1956
*Another television Basset in the 1950s was Morgan. He appeared often on ''[[The Garry Moore Show]]'', ''[[The Jackie Gleason Show]]'' and many other variety shows. He played a dog from Pluto on ''[[Captain Video and His Video Rangers|Captain Video]]'' and appeared in a Dean Martin and [[Jerry Lewis]] movie. His last appearance was on the [[Hallmark Hall of Fame]], playing against [[Tom Bosley]] in 1959.<ref>[https://torontooldnews.wordpress.com/2019/12/09/mr-morgan/ "Mr. Morgan"]</ref> He had a plush toy modeled on him.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20040407051334/http://morganthebassethound.com/ "Morgan the Basset Hound"]}}</ref> and appeared in a ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'' magazine article.<ref>[https://bassethoundlowdown.wordpress.com/2015/09/01/j-j-morgan-the-basset-hound-that-charmed-america/ "The Basset Hound Lowdown"]</ref> Despite the article, he was never known as J J Morgan.
*In the television series ''[[Columbo]]'', [[Columbo (character)|Lieutenant Columbo]] owns a Basset Hound named Dog. Originally, it was not going to appear in the show because [[Peter Falk]] believed that it "already had enough gimmicks" but once the two met, Falk stated that Dog "was exactly the type of dog that Columbo would own", so he was added to the show and made his first appearance in 1972's "[[Étude in Black]]".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://columbophile.com/2016/07/24/mans-best-friend-columbo-and-dog/ |title=A Lieutenant's best friend: Columbo and Dog |date=2016-07-24|website=The Columbophile |language=en |access-date=2019-08-16}}</ref>
*In the young adult novel ''[[The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks]]'', the Basset Hound is the symbol of college society the Loyal Order of the Basset Hound.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.enotes.com/topics/the-disreputable-history-of-frankie-landau-banks|title=The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks Summary|date=2020}}</ref>
*From the third season on of the television series ''[[The Dukes of Hazzard]]'', Sheriff [[Rosco P. Coltrane]] owned a lazy basset hound named Flash. Flash hated [[Boss Hogg]] but loved the Dukes.
*Basset Hounds are often used as advertising logos. The [[logo]] for [[Hush Puppies]] brand shoes prominently features a Basset Hound whose real name is Jason.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.arnold-family.net/www/john/jason/index.html |title=Jason's Hush Puppies Scrapbook |access-date=2006-03-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060219144119/http://www.arnold-family.net/www/john/jason/index.html |archive-date=2006-02-19 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  Basset Hounds are occasionally referred to as "hush puppies" for that reason. A Basset Hound also serves as the companion to the lonely Maytag Man in [[Maytag Corporation|Maytag]] appliance [[advertisement]]s. Tidewater Petroleum advertised its "Flying A" gasoline using a Basset Hound named Axelrod.

==Related breeds==
* [[Basset Artesien Normand]]
* [[Basset Bleu de Gascogne]]
* [[Basset Fauve de Bretagne]]
* [[Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen]]
* [[Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen]]
* [[Bloodhound]]

==See also==
* [[Portal:Dogs|Dogs portal]]
* [[List of dog breeds]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Basset Hound}}
—An active listing of Basset Hound links
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{{Hounds}}
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[[Category:Dog breeds originating in France]]
[[Category:Dog breeds originating in England]]
[[Category:FCI breeds]]
[[Category:Hunting with hounds]]
[[Category:Scent hounds]]