They are an utterly wonderful breed but nothing like any other dog.
They take the world in their time and their time alone. You do not get to hurry and the idea of a "quick walk" doesn't exist with a Basset hound.
They are stubborn Independent and they can take a long time to train. You have to have oodles of patience. and a " come" to a basset hound does not look like what you are used to from labs or collies as the video will demonstrate.
They are notoriously poor at potty training but once they have it they are reliable to continue.
You are unlikely to have a Basset that will not at some point introduce you to a flat basset when you encounter a flat basset in the wild the only thing you can do is wait it out as you are not going anywhere until your basset is good and ready to move on.
They are LOOONG dogs and due to this are prone to back problems. Due to their excess skin, they are also prone to skin issues especially yeast infections. Our dog at 4 has not had any major issues with either but this is a known trait of the breed.
They can and often have food allergies or " sensitive stomachs" so it can be a bit hit and miss what foods each one works well with. Ours is on butternut box and it works well for him but £££
They are HUGELY food motivated and have no " off" for being full. Due to this many people overfeed them and you often see Basset hounds that are overweight. Due to their excess skin, it is almost looked upon as a given but many are overweight. They are a lazy breed in nature like to just snuggle and be around their "pack" however they are bred for hunting and independent hunting so it is actually a bit of a myth that they don't want to exercise. Ours loves being taken out for long walks and can keep going for hours just plodding along on his walks. We have a dog walker who to begin with didn't take him with other dogs as he could not get used to the level of sniffing the basset does but now he has simply accepted that's how it is and they go to an area that is safe for others to run and for our Bassett to just do his sniffing then he joins in with the others once he is ready. They are second only to the bloodhound with their scent abilities and they need time to sniff! An interesting info that is out there about Basset hounds is when they are sniffing their hearing ability actually lowers as they are so focused on the sniff. So you need to wait until they come up from the sniff to call for them or it will look like they are ignoring you.
They are HUGELY social animals they adore their pack and want to be with you all the time. Due to this many will say it is a good idea to have more than 1. However, they are not at all selective about who their pack is. They are perfectly happy with humans as their pack or other dog breeds. Hugely accepting of others and due to their gentle mannerism they make really lovely companions. At our doggy day care (he goes twice a week) they use our Basset as one of the early introduction dogs as they say he is exceptional at picking up the new dogs mood and will encourage if it is a shy/nervous dog and equally be happy to go to full play mode when its a dog happy to play. They comment he picks up on anyone in a down mood both other dogs and humans and we certainly find that at home too. If you are down you can be sure that Conkers is right by your side giving support.
He LOVES his cuddles and thinks he is a lapdog (a heavy lapdog at 28 kilos) and he snuggles right in and just falls asleep on you that is one of my favourite things about him when he comes for his cuddle with me. He likes to be right in the centre of the action. For example on Christmas day when we are all sat around the table eating Christmas dinner. He brought in his bone we had given him to have to be in his basket right by the dinner table to be a part of it all.
They are the funniest dogs Ive ever come across. Not a day goes by where he doesn't make me laugh. Their personalities are also second to none (he is my 4th dog breed) and they really just are the loveliest. Due to their patience, they are amazing with children they really get that it is a child (Human puppy 😁) and they need more patience than usual.
Their bottom as I stated in an earlier response can only be rivalled by the Corgi. and the way they are bred their tails go straight up when walking with a white tip so you can always find your otherwise very low-laying dog. Smart piece of breeding there.
There are different types of Bassets hounds and it is worth educating yourself on the types, there are working and show dogs for example and it has to do with how low their stomach goes. Buy from a reputable breeder or a breed rescue as if you get a breeder that doesn't have scruples you can end up with a lot of costs due to their health issues.
I am happy to talk Basset any time :) there are a lot of Facebook groups you can join to get an idea of them though I would suggest you go for UK based ones as I have found them the better groups personally.
I have tried to give you a good example of what a Basset is like. They are not an easy breed but oh they are SO worth it and I wouldn't be without my boy he is amazing wonderful and just the very best.