Basset Hound

Basset Hounds are one of the better choices for a family with children. Expect a medium-sized dog that is low-energy, sheds a normal amount and needs very little grooming. Copes with a working day.

Source: American Kennel Club breed standard.

A Basset is a scent hound built low on purpose, so hunters on foot could keep up with it. Its nose is second only to the Bloodhound's, and the long ears and loose facial skin are functional — they sweep and trap scent up toward the nose as the dog works. That single-mindedness is the defining ownership experience: a Basset that has found a smell has effectively stopped listening. They are famously placid, famously stubborn, and much heavier than they look — 40 to 65 pounds of dog on very short legs, which is a lot to lift into a car. Practical care: the ears need cleaning, the facial folds need drying, they drool, and their appetite will happily make them obese if you let it.

Day to day. Low-energy — short walks and a warm spot to sleep suit this breed fine, which makes it one of the easier dogs to fit around a busy family. On noise, it is very vocal, so thin walls and close neighbours are worth thinking about.

The coat, honestly. This breed sheds a normal amount and needs very little grooming. A brush a few times a week and the occasional tidy-up keeps it in good order.

Being left alone. Copes with a working day. That makes it one of the more realistic choices for a family where everyone is out during the day, as long as the walks still happen.

Training. Needs an experienced handler. That does not mean badly behaved — it means this breed thinks for itself, and it will not do something just because you asked. First-time owners often find it frustrating.

• You want a dog with a reputation for putting up with children
• Your idea of a walk is twenty gentle minutes, not five miles
• You want a dog whose coat looks after itself
• Your house is empty for part of the working day

• You share walls with neighbours who need quiet
• You want a dog that does as it is told the first time
• Drool on your trousers would bother you every single day

Every animal is an individual, and plenty of Basset Hounds live long, healthy lives. This is here so nobody is surprised — ask a vet, and ask whoever you get the dog from what they have tested for.

Rough running cost: $$ (middle of the pack) — because the breed has known health issues that can mean extra vet visits.

Those are relative bands, not live prices. For real numbers across every pet we cover, see the pet cost study and the cost calculator.

Rescues do have Basset Hounds and Basset Hound crosses, usually adults whose size, coat and temperament you can see rather than guess at.