The Basset Hound is sweet, gentle, devoted, peaceful and naturally well-behaved. The Basset Hound is often considered a friendly breed. Bassets are an excellent pet for families with children and other pets. They are mild but not timid.

The Basset Hound is a short-legged breed of dog of the hound family. They are scent hounds, bred to hunt by scent. Their sense of smell for tracking is second only to that of the Bloodhound. The Basset Hound possesses those characteristics which equip it admirably to follow a trail over and through difficult terrain.

Bassets are considered a medium-sized breed, although a male basset can weigh over seventy pounds—as much as many large dogs! Females generally weight between forty and fifty pounds.

Some Basset Hounds have a tendency to howl when left alone for long periods of time. They will also wander away from home if not kept in a (securely locked) fenced area. A Basset with its large deep flews also tends to be more slobbery than other breeds.

“Their heads are hung with ears that sweep away the morning dew,” William Shakespeare wrote of the Basset Hound in Midsummer Night's Dream.