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Basset Hound

A low-slung scent hound with a world-class nose and a voice to match. Easygoing at home, single-minded on a trail.

Red and white Basset Hound sitting on cobblestones, long ears hanging — Long ears, loose skin and a soulful look.Photo: Pohled 111 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Weight: 18–29 kg40–64 lb
Height: 28–38 cm11–15 in
Lifespan: 10–13 yrs
Group: Hound
Origin: France / Great Britain
Popularity: #34 US#69 UK · 2025

Known for: Family dogs Good with other dogs Low grooming

Energy

Shedding

Trainability

Barking

Good with kids

Flat-friendly

Temperament

Gentle, Easygoing, Stubborn, Vocal.

Health problems to know about

Ear infections and skin-fold infections
Intervertebral disc disease
Bloat (GDV)
Hip and elbow dysplasia
Obesity

Ask breeders for the parents' health test results, and check what your national breed club recommends screening for.

Daily care

Daily walks at a sniffing pace, on lead or in a secure area. Keep them lean to protect the back and joints. Clean ears weekly and keep skin folds dry.

A good fit for

Relaxed families, multi-dog homes, people who enjoy slow, sniffy walks.

Probably not ideal for

Close neighbours (they bay), homes with lots of stairs, owners who want reliable off-lead recall.

Sources

Popularity: AKC 2025 registration rankings (US); Royal Kennel Club 2025 registrations (UK, ranked by us). Breed traits are tendencies, not guarantees. Individual dogs vary, and mixed breeds and rescues can be wonderful fits too.

Similar breeds

Tan and white Harrier standing alert among purple heather

Harrier

A hare-hunting pack hound sized between a Beagle and a Foxhound. Cheerful, sociable and rare, with the nose and voice of both.

Dark brindle Plott Hound sniffing its way across rocky, heather-covered ground

Plott Hound

Brindle American hunting hound bred to bay boar and bear. Loyal and sociable, with a voice that carries.

A rough-coated white Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen with grey and tan markings lies on a red tartan blanket

Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen

The tallest of the French basset hounds: rough-coated, cheerful and sociable, with a nose that overrides its ears.

Wet liver-and-white English Springer Spaniel sitting in a garden among flowers after a swim

English Springer Spaniel

Cheerful, busy gundog that loves water, mud and people in roughly that order. Working lines run hotter than show lines.

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