talk to me about bassets!

[pinkjasminesky]

The good, the bad, and the ugly!

Looking for a very chilled out and relaxed breed basically - young children and other pets in the house. Bassets seem to tick most of the boxes!

[TheHodgeoftheHedge]

Well they're definitely chilled in the house and good with kids and other pets.
However, they're not always the easiest to live with. They are true scent hounds and out on walks can rarely be let off the lead and can prove themselves to be utterly deaf to commands and stubborn as hell. I once got followed by a basset for over a mile while his owner trailed behind him begging him to come back. That's not exactly atypical bassey behaviour ;)
You truly have to know what you're doing with training them and be warned - they can be very vocal and also have a tendency to be a very doggy smelling dog.

[villainousbroodmare]

Extraordinarily smelly, stubborn and congenitally unhealthy.

[VivienneWestwoodsKnickers]

Only one I know is a noisy, ignorant strong willed rotter with zero recall despite lots of training. Great with kids though.

[TheHodgeoftheHedge]

Oh and greedy. Don't forget incredibly greedy.

[pinkjasminesky]

thehodge that made me laugh!

Smelly is OK! I do really like the breed. Love Labs too but so high energy. Bassets seem a bit more content to be lazy

[Branleuse]

They smell pretty bad and are not very good at stairs

[villainousbroodmare]

If you get one - really, don't - insure it. I used to work in a spinal surgery unit where more than half of the patients were bassets.

[pinkjasminesky]

Why not get one villa, because of the health issue?

What breed would people reccommend? Definitely needs to be gentle around children and animals. Considered lab or lhasa?

[VivienneWestwoodsKnickers]

Any breed can be great with kids. Labs are big biters, but people ignore the warning signs.

A cross breed might be a better option. Heinz 57, not a silly fashionably named "breed".

Or a greyhound - remarkably easily tired out and don't need anything like as much exercise as people think!

[ownedbySWD]

We have a Spanish Water Dog; she's still only a puppy at 5.5 months old, but is very good with the baby. She (almost) always keeps her distance, but she is a bit nippy and excitable with the 4yo. She's a very quick learner, has reasonable recall for her age, and isn't much of a chewer or food seeker. She still isn't perfect with house training, but the only times she has accidents is when I'm not paying attention. Not very smelly, doesn't shed (hypoallergenic type thing) and enjoys a good run and a good snooze. Once we've come out the other end of her puppy phase she'll be perfect. :)

[Crispbutty]

We got a basset when I was 4. He was my best mate for 14 years

[Crispbutty]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_doghouse/2842710-Bassett-Hounds-and-Beagles-pros-and-cons-please

[Wolfiefan]

Puppies aren't relaxed and chilled out. Ever!
As adults it depends on the amount of exercise and training you do as well as the breed.
How much exercise can you give?
How much grooming are you prepared to do? Daily? Weekly? Visit groomers?
How much space do you have?

[pinkjasminesky]

Greyhound wouldn't be at all suitable as we have cats and chickens.

There is quite a lot of space though - big garden.

[villainousbroodmare]

Lhasa, CKCS, Shih Tzu all child friendly and gentle. Bichon, Maltese also pitentially suitable. Labs can be sweet or can be hurricanes. Golden retrievers tend to be more reliably gentle. In latter two breeds would recommend bitches.
All breeds esp CKCS come with predispositions to certain health defects, so you must source only from reputable breeder with health checked breeding dogs.
Bassets for me tick none of the things-I'd-like-in-a-dog boxes: like most hounds, they tend to be not very interested in you; you are unlikely to be able to enjoy a companionable off leash ramble; they are fraught with health issues which make their lives uncomfortable. And the smell.

[insert1usernamehere]

Friend has had a series of basset hounds. They've all been serially unhealthy and seem to have spent half their lives at the vets and she seems to have spent half her wages there too . I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole for that reason alone.

[Wolfiefan]

I have a wolfhound and cats. Some lurchers and greys have a mad prey drive. Some really don't. A dog from foster could suit!
Retrievers are quite a bit bigger than the dogs you mentioned, shed hugely (and I'm allergic to them!!)

[CornflakeHomunculus]

As Wolfiefan says you really need to consider things like how much exercise and mental stimulation you can reliably provide, how much grooming you’re happy with, whether you have any size preferences or constraints (not just in relation to your house/garden but also car, plus larger breeds can easily knock over a small child whilst they’re mannerless youngsters)

It can be useful doing breed finder quizzes, like this KC one. They’re far from perfect but it can be a good way to get a shortlist of breeds to research more in depth rather than trying to slog through the whole two hundred and odd.

Wolfiefan is also right that puppies, regardless of breed, are pretty much anything but chilled out and relaxed

[Wolfiefan]

Glad I'm learning something in the doghouse @CornflakeHomunculus!

[Adarajames]

Another voting no to Bassett! So badly bred for major health issues, stubborn, can be very vocal and not really a family kinda dog. Also voting yes to a rescue greyhound / other pointy dog, lots can live with chickens / cats etc (my pointer x on other hand sees chickens totally as something for her to hunt and eat!), they are bred for speed not stamina so don't need hours of exercise to be happy, and can totally soppy family friendly couch potatoes . Look at rescues that have them in foster homes so get a clear picture of what they are like and you'll do great

[pinkjasminesky]

I know that greyhounds can be lovely but we have smaller pets and a lot of wildlife where we live and I am just not happy with something with such a strong prey drive.

Definitely no greyhounds, lurchers, staffs, rottweilers, dobermans, german shepherds. Also no boxers. Thry can be lovely I know but very boisterous.

Possibly might reconsider a labrador. They are gorgeous but bigger than initiaĺly thinking.

[Blodplod]

I have a bassett. Whilst I agree with what's been said above - I only agree because that's what I've read about them rather than from experience. I must have been really lucky with mine because she's not like the above pp's are saying at all. Firstly, she's always off the lead, she never really got into hunting so doesn't really leave me. She's energetic despite being a large dog (5 1/2 stone) and needs an hours walk a day. That said, she doesn't mither for a walk all day and I can pretty much choose what time of day we go. She is laid back (extremely) but I don't think lazy. So so friendly and great with kids. Just loves children despite us not having any at home. She is my first dog and I read all of the above and just presumed we got very lucky when we chose her. I do worry about her health but, she's 6.5 now and fingers crossed we've had no major issues to date. Lovely, friendly, floppy cuddly dogs imho!

[Blodplod]

A couple of pics of my girl for inspiration OP!

[pinkjasminesky]

Oh, she is beautiful!!

[Bubble2bubble]

The ones I have known have been gorgeous but very strong big dogs - think at least labrador size but with short legs, and easily capable of bowling over a child.

this rescue gives good advice, including info on the common health issues.