Basset Hound Dog Breed Information

The Basset Hound is one of the most distinctive dogs on a NZ street and one of the most likely to feature in a council noise complaint. The breed’s deep, carrying bay travels through plasterboard and across paddocks, which is exactly what its 16th-century French breeders wanted for a foot-pace rabbit hound and exactly what new urban owners often regret. Most NZ Bassets live in semi-rural lifestyle blocks or outer-suburb sections rather than in dense city housing.

Adults stand 33 to 38 cm at the shoulder and weigh 20 to 29 kg. The build is unique in dogdom: a heavy long body on short, slightly bowed legs, with a domed skull, deeply pendulous ears that often reach the ground, loose lip flaps, and a sweeping low-slung gait. Coat is short, dense, and most often classic black-tan-and-white tricolour, with lemon-and-white and red-and-white also appearing in NZ litters.

Personality and behaviour

A Basset Hound is affectionate, sociable and unhurried. Indoors the dog is calm to the point of horizontal; most adult Bassets sleep 14 to 16 hours a day across whatever sofa, dog bed or kitchen mat is available. The breed is excellent with children, gentle with strangers (the watchdog instinct is essentially zero) and famously good with other dogs from a lifetime of pack-hunting selection.

The first surprise for new owners is the noise. Bassets bay rather than bark. The bay is loud, deep and carries far. A Basset alone in a house in a tight Auckland CBD apartment block, or in a Wellington terrace house with shared walls, will produce neighbour complaints quickly. Bassets do not solve this with maturity; the bay is part of the design. The breed is best matched to a fully fenced detached section with some separation from neighbours.

The second surprise is the stubbornness. A Basset on a scent has decided the only relevant input is the scent; human voice, lead pressure and treat motivation become background noise. Reinforcement-based training works in low-distraction environments and never fully proofs against a fresh trail. Most NZ Basset owners use a long line in unfenced parks for life and reserve true off-lead work for fully fenced areas.

The third surprise is the maintenance load. The long ears, deep face folds and lip flaps need active weekly care. Skip the ear care and ear infections become recurring; skip the face-fold drying and skin-fold dermatitis sets in. The drool is moderate, not Mastiff-level, but a face cloth lives near the water bowl in most NZ Basset households.

Care and exercise

Plan on around 45 minutes of structured exercise a day, split into two walks. The breed is a steady plodder rather than a sprinter and is genuinely happy with sniffing-paced walks rather than fast paths. Underexercised Bassets gain weight quickly, which sets off a chain of joint and back problems on the long-back, short-leg build.

Daily food intake is moderate but the appetite is unrelenting. Bassets will eat anything they can reach. Counter-surfing, bin-raiding and food theft are routine; secure the bin and measure meals. Two split meals a day with at least an hour between food and exercise reduces bloat risk in this deep-chested breed.

The structural watch-out is the back. Intervertebral disc disease is common in the breed because of the long spine and short legs. Practical precautions include discouraging jumping off furniture (use a step or a ramp), keeping the dog lean, providing a ramp into the car, and using a chest harness rather than a collar to walk. A Basset that goes acutely off its hindquarters needs immediate vet attention; IVDD is treatable if caught early.

The grooming load is the surprise. The short dense coat sheds steadily year-round and heavier seasonally; a weekly brush with a curry mitt clears loose hair. The ears need weekly cleaning with a vet-recommended cleaner; the face folds need drying after meals. Trim nails fortnightly because the heavy body on short legs makes long nails painful quickly.

Heat tolerance is moderate to poor. The heavy body, short legs and deep chest mean a Basset on midday Auckland tarmac in February overheats quickly. Walk early or late in summer; provide shade and water; never leave a Basset in a parked car. Cold and wet are no problem; the dense coat and low-slung build handle Wellington wind, Christchurch frosts and Otago rain without complaint.

The breed is a poor fit for apartment and terrace living because of the bay, and a poor fit for very small sections because of the body weight on the legs (limited running space, repetitive yard-pacing). A 600 square metre fenced suburban section is the comfortable minimum. Lifestyle blocks and rural sections suit the breed especially well.