Percy                         Micky                   Hoover

A few common questions.. 

Does the Basset make a good pet?? The Basset Hound is one of the best dogs available for a family to love. They are extremely tolerant and will love every member of your family. They are a very gentle, sweet, loyal and affectionate. They can also be very stubborn! Because of this stubborn streak a good obedience training program is strongly suggested! They get along well with other pets. They are not an aggressive watchdog but will learn to give a deep bark as a warning if praised when sounding off. Otherwise, they will accept visitors with a sniff and return to a favorite corner. The Basset Hound is a versatile pet who will play with children, make a skilled hunter, and sit by their owner's side during quiet times. A word of warning! It is necessary to watch small children around a basset. Because of their size bassets seem to the the perfect dog to ride! Because a basset is so long the weight of even a small child can cause great harm to their back!

How big does a Basset get?? The Basset is not a small dog! They often get bigger than many people think. They are typically classified as a medium sized breed. The male Basset Hound at maturity usually weighs between 55 and 75 pounds, and stands 12-, to not more than 15-inches tall at the shoulder. They are a big dog on short legs. The female is usually about 10 pounds lighter and 1-inch or so shorter than the male. It is not uncommon for a basset to reach nearly 100 pounds. Definitely a large breed in this case! Percy is 82 pounds .. Hoover is 64 pounds and Micky is 35 pounds.. but all are power houses..

What is the general temperament of the Basset hound?? Bassets were bred as pack dogs. Because of this they tend to get along well with other dogs. Males and females typically relate well to one another. They are not an aggressive breed. Many basset owners report that their dog believes it is s lap dog. They love to cuddle and be close to their owners!

How active are basset hounds?? You will more than likely see a basset snoozing the day away on their favorite couch or in a sunny spot on the floor. Do not let this fool you! Bassets love to play and interact with both people and other dogs. They love to have chew toys and may even stash them about the house and yard. They are notorious dumpster divers...your garbage can may not be safe! Anything on the counter top or table is considered fair game to many bassets. They can stretch to amazing lengths!! When this happens to you...you have fallen victim to the counter cruiser! Bassets love being outdoors and enjoy walks with their owners. It is important to never leave a basset unattended in an unfenced area or off leash. They are wanderers that are not very good at finding their way home. Once they find a scent they are gone...

Do Bassets drool?? Do they shed?? Yes and yes! Many bassets drool. Males tend to drool more than females. Anxiety and excitement can create more drool. It is common place to visit the home of a basset owner and see drool stains on the ceiling! They can sling drool an amazing distance! It is important to note that some bassets are dry-mouthed and there is a huge varying degree of drooling ranges depending on each basset! It is important to keep their coat under their chins dry and clean to avoid yeast infections (as well as smell)! Bassets are short haired dogs, yet they do shed. It is a good idea to groom them regularly with a "hound mitt." This keeps the shedding a little more under control. A good vacuum is also a must!

Are basset hounds hard to train?? Because basset hounds typically do not excel in obedience, they are sometimes considered less intelligent than other breeds. They are actually highly intelligent, but they possess an independent nature and low desire to please their owners.  Basset hounds are VERY STUBBORN!  They do tend to respond well to food rewards. When looking for an obedience trainer seek out a trainer that believes in training with positive food reinforcement. They are also fairly hard to housetrain. This can sometimes take up to several months to accomplish. Consistency is the key! Many owners have found that using a crate is a desirable method of training. A Guide To Happy Housetraining is one of many resources for house breaking a puppy or older dog.

The word Basset is French and means “low-set”. The first detailed proof of the Basset’s existence was in 1585 where they were used as badger dogs. Their original home was the region of Artois and Flanders.

Basset Hound History

Basset Hounds originated in France several centuries ago and were used throughout Europe as hunting dogs. Designed by monks who wanted a slower dog that could be followed on foot, Bassets (French for “low-set”) proved to be excellent slow trackers of rabbit and deer. Brought to England in the 1860s, they eventually made their way to America and appeared in the 1884 Westminster show. Since 1935, the Basset Hound Club of America has promoted the breed as a resourceful hunter, tracker and companion.

The French Basset hound was first discovered in Britain, after the invasion by the Normans, in 1066. By the 1900s, packs were established and the breed was popular on the show bench. 

Basset Hounds will normally live to 10 years of age but can live up to 12 years when given lots of love and attention as well as being fed the correct diet. But can live longer. 

These dogs in top condition should be up to 18kg and 33cm for the females and 25kg and 38cm for the males.

It is fortunate that such a large, solid hound has such a placid nature. It should be outgoing, but gentle and loving. Similar to many breeds, Basset hounds take 18 months to three years to fully mature. During this juvenile stage they are full of energy and tend to get into mischief. However, with firm and consistent discipline, these dogs make well-mannered and much loved family members.

Excellent.

Basset hounds are enthusiastic eaters and should be fed a well-balanced, quality diet. They love to come inside the house, but will manage quite well outside, provided they have a cosy draught-free kennel and a safe back yard in which to romp. It is imperative that yards be fully fenced with reliable gates. Bassets (being scent hounds) have very little road sense – they just put their nose to the ground and off they go on their merry way.

Compared to many other breeds Basset hounds need relatively little grooming, but still love to be pampered and fussed over.

There is nothing worse than a totally unruly, uncontrollable, spoilt Basset. Remember that as these dogs mature, they need both firm and consistent training in order to teach them acceptable manners. Don''t let your Basset Hound rule the roost!

People who can provide the right facilities and assert the necessary discipline to enable them to enjoy these colourful canine characters to the full.

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http://www.acupuncture.com/animals/dog.htm

A small blurb

Favorable acupuncture results have been reported in the treatment of many other canine conditions, including the following: cardiovascular disorders (9), chronic respiratory conditions (10), dermatological disorders (11), gastrointestinal disorders (12), gynecological disorders (13), immune-mediated disorders (14), male reproductive disorders (15), musculoskeletal disorders (16), neurological disorders (17), reproductive disorders (18), thoracolumbar and cervical disc disease (19, 20). Deciding if your dog should be treated with acupuncture therapy often depends on the dog itself and the condition afflicting it. "My attitude is that with each and every animal with each and every condition, you look at what the best comprehensive integrative approach is and develop a therapeutic plan for that animal," explains Allen Schoen, DVM, co-editor of "Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine: Principles and Practice" (Mosby 1998). "Sometimes acupuncture is used as a last resort; at other times it may be chosen as the first approach [for] if surgery would have potential complications, and only if acupuncture didn't work would you consider surgery."

http://www.pet-comfort-products.com/why-dogs-eat-poop.html

Why Dogs Eat Poop: Definition of Coprophagia

Coprophagia is the ingestion of poop that is neither accidental nor incidental. It is deliberate and habitual.

Other abnormal canine eating issues include pica (eating of nonfood material), psychogenic water drinking (consuming more water than necessary for regular daily use), anorexia (starvation to the point of extreme, and deadly weight loss), and gorging (serious, unhealthy overeating).

The focus here is on coprophagia and why dogs eat poop. But, you’ll see that dogs can have a variety of other eating problems. Interestingly, you’ll probably also notice that several of these eating problems are also found in humans, such as anorexia and gorging. We’re kind of like our canine friends sometimes, aren’t we.

Below there are 20 reasons listed why dogs eat poop. In addition, at the end of this article you’ll see a summarization of the reasons. Hopefully you will understand exactly why dogs eat poop so that you can solve the problem or take some action to improve the situation.

Easiest way to solve this problem is by adding crushed pineapple to their food..  ( in its own juice ) or fresh is best.. 2-3 tbsp. per feeding. of fresh spinach also.. or there is an all-natural product available called Prozyme

Chemically there are products like Dis-Taste.. For Bid.. Deter

Why Dogs Eat Poop: 20 Reasons

1. Your dog might be hungry. If your dog doesn't have access to food, he might eat poop.

2. Some dogs will eat poop to clean up an area like a housekeeper. This is most likely if your dog is confined to a crate or kennel, or when he's chained up or otherwise restricted. He's taking care of his space.

3. If your dog likes to carry poop, and then eat it, it could be genetics. Some dogs have instincts to carry stuff in their mouths.

4. Your dog might be eating poop because of parasites or worms. They can suck nutrients out of your dog, driving him to eat poop. It might also leave him extra hungry because of the lack of proper fuel.

5. Your dog might be eating cat poop or other animal poop to get key nutrients and minerals not available in his own food.

6. Some dogs will simply eat poop to pass the time. Dogs will eat poop because they are bored or lonely. It can be a sign of neglect.

7. Your dog might eat poop because he's anxious, nervous or otherwise upset. Stress will drive animals to do odd things.

8. Some dogs will eat poop to hide the evidence. If you punish your dog for pooping, he might eat it to stop you from getting angry.

9. If your dog has puppies, she might eat puppy poop. This is an instinct to hide the poop from predators. Poop is evidence. Getting ride of it keeps her puppies safe.

10. Some young dogs and puppies will eat poop as a novelty. That is, they'll eat poop as an experiment. They don't know better.

11. If your dog watches you pick up poop, he might learn to do the same. This is called allelomimetic behavior. Your dog observes you and learns from you, by putting the poop in his mouth you put poop in a bag.

12. Your dog might see others dogs eating poop. From this, they learn to eat poop too.

13. Many dogs simply like the taste of poop. This obviously doesn't make sense to dog owners but that's irrelevant. Some dog like to eat it and that's that. It's warm, moist, and very much like what your dog was given as a very young puppy.

14. If your dog food lacks key nutrients, he might eat poop. Your dog is trying to get "food" with nutrients any way possible, even from his own poop.

15. Sometimes dog poop seems like dog food. This can happen when dog food is low quality and includes materials that are easily passed and not absorbed by your dog. When the dog poops, it seems to be very much like the food he just consumed!

16. In some cases, dogs will eat poop if they are given too much food. This is especially true if your dog's diet is high in fat.

17. Some dogs will eat poop to gain attention. Many dog owners get very upset when their dog eats poop, which means the dog gets attention. This is a wonderful opportunity for your dog to interact with you, although it is because of negative attention.

18. It is possible that some dogs will eat the poop of other, more dominant dogs. Your dog might be more submissive than other dogs, resulting in strange poop eating behavior. This seems to occur more in households with multiple dogs where dominance and submission is a factor. Obviously this doesn't explain much about dogs eating cat poop or other animal poop.

19. It is possible that your dog wants to eat more than one time per day. If you only feed your dog once per day, and your dog eats poop, it could be an indication they want to eat more frequently.

20. In some cases, your dog will eat poop by accident. Dogs are curious and will try to eat almost anything, including poop. Dogs explore the world through taste and smell, much more than humans.