Basset Hound
Also known as: Basset
A low-slung, droopy-eared French scent hound with one of the finest noses in dogdom and a famously laid-back, friendly temperament. Basset Hounds are gentle, sociable and good-natured, bringing a charming, unhurried personality and an endearing fondness for their people to easygoing family homes.
Origin and purpose
The Basset Hound descends from French scent hounds (the name derives from "bas", meaning low), bred deliberately short-legged so hunters on foot could keep up as the dog tracked rabbits and hare by scent. It was refined into the modern show breed largely in 19th-century Britain.
Temperament
Kennel authorities describe the Basset as devoted, gentle, placid and sociable — wonderful with children and other dogs — but also notably independent and stubborn, ruled by its nose and slow to obey when a scent beckons. Patient, reward-based training works best. As ever, the individual dog predicts behaviour better than the breed (Morrill et al., Science 2022).
Health and longevity
The Basset's conformation drives several characteristic health concerns. Keep it lean, limit jumping, and clean the ears routinely.
Common health conditions
Living with a Basset Hound in Tokyo
This section is specific to Tokyo (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)). The rest of this guide applies to the breed anywhere.
Tokyo Metropolitan Animal Care & Consultation Center: Not eligible
This breed is not eligible for Tokyo Metropolitan Animal Care & Consultation Center.
Licensing
Dog registration required under the Rabies Prevention Act (狂犬病予防法): one-time ward office registration fee ¥3,000 + annual rabies vaccination tag ~¥550. Microchipping mandatory for dogs sold from breeders/pet shops since June 2022 (Act on Welfare and Management of Animals).
Climate & exercise in Tokyo
Tokyo is humid subtropical; hot humid summers (Jul–Sep, avg 35°C+); mild winters (Dec–Feb, avg 10°C); cherry-blossom spring; typhoon season Aug–Oct. walk before 7am or after 7pm in July–September; Tokyo pavements reach 50–60°C in direct sun at midday — test with your hand before walking. Tokyo summers (July–September) are dangerously hot and humid; heatstroke is the #1 summer risk for dogs. Flat-faced breeds (French Bulldog, Shih Tzu, Pug) and double-coated breeds face the highest risk. Tokyo urban heat island effect means temperatures stay high overnight — do not rely on evening walks alone in heatwave conditions.
Parasite prevention
Plan for Heartworm prevention essential May–November (Aedes albopictus and Culex tritaeniorhynchus active); tick prevention recommended for dogs accessing Okutama, Takao-san, Tanzawa and other Kanto forest areas year-round.
Cost of ownership in Tokyo
Local Basset Hound cost figures for Tokyo are being verified. Budget for purchase or adoption, initial setup, food, grooming, routine veterinary care, parasite prevention and pet insurance. Figures are quoted in ¥.
Health & longevity
Responsible breeders health-test their breeding dogs. Ask to see current certificates before committing.
Nutrition note: Strongly obesity-prone with a long back — strict portion control is a back-protection measure as much as a weight one.
Known breed conditions
DNA & screening panel
Cost of ownership
FLAG: indicative Singapore estimate only — back (IVDD) and recurrent ear issues can add cost.
Registries
Sources & references
- AKC — Basset Hound breed standard & traits[Breed standard / registry]
- The Kennel Club (UK) — Basset Hound[Breed standard / registry]
- Merck Veterinary Manual — hereditary and breed-associated disease[Veterinary reference]
- Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) — breed health screening / CHIC testing[Peer-reviewed / VetCompass / OFA]
- NParks/AVS — Pets in HDB flats (approved small breeds; ≤55 cm shoulder height)[Breed standard / registry] · checked June 2026
- Morrill et al., "Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics…", Science 376 (2022) — breed ≈ 9% of behaviour[Peer-reviewed / VetCompass / OFA] · 2022
Source tiers: 1 = breed standard / registry authority; 2 = peer-reviewed / VetCompass / OFA; 3 = veterinary reference; 4 = encyclopaedic. PawHub cites only tiers 1–4 and never blogs or e-commerce pages. Behavioural traits carry low confidence — breed explains ~9% of individual behaviour variation (Morrill et al., Science 2022).
Image credits
- Image 1: Cali1008 · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons
- Image 2: Wikimedia Commons contributor · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons
- Image 3: Eda · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons
