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Animal register · DogIn the app

Basset Hound

Basset

The Basset Hound is a short-legged scent hound from Great Britain. The FCI standard describes a hound of considerable substance, well balanced, placid, never aggressive or timid, and affectionate, with low-set, long, velvety ears, a smooth, short coat and the colours black, white and tan or lemon and white. The Royal Kennel Club's Breed Watch asks show judges to watch for eyelids that turn in or out, very long ears, sore skin folds and excess skin.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends up to an hour of exercise a day and grooming once a week, and gives its lifespan as over 10 years. PDSA describes a tolerant dog that gets along with children very well and loves company, with a healthy appetite that needs watching; it advises checking the skin folds every day and leaving a gap between eating and exercise. The AKC adds that its nose can lead it astray, so secure leads and fenced areas matter.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

Basset Hound — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
medium to large — The Royal Kennel Club S321
Adult weight
males 18–27 kg, females 18–27 kg — PDSA S323
Daily exercise
up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S321
Brushing
once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S321
Shedding
sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S321
Lifespan
more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S321

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

Keep in mind:

  • eyelids and eyes — check eye testsS322S323
  • sensitive skin — prone to itching and inflammationS322S323
  • loves food — watch the weightS323
  • loves company — best with someone home most of the dayS323
  • shedsS321S324
  • drools — keep a cloth at handS324

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S321

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: short — The Royal Kennel Club S321
  • Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S321
  • Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S321

Meals

  • Strongly motivated by food — helpful in training, but watch the portions. — PDSA S323

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S321

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 12–15 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: medium to large — The Royal Kennel Club S321
  • Height at the withers: males 33–38 cm, females 33–38 cm — FCI S320
  • Adult weight: males 18–27 kg, females 18–27 kg — PDSA S323

Training

  • No. 71 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 163, group 6 (scent hounds and related breeds); origin: Great Britain. — FCI S319

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a Basset Hound need?

According to our sources, the Basset Hound needs this much exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S321.

How long does a Basset Hound live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Basset Hound is: more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S321.

How big does a Basset Hound get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Basset Hound, according to our sources: Size: medium to large — The Royal Kennel Club S321; Adult weight: males 18–27 kg, females 18–27 kg — PDSA S323.

How much grooming does a Basset Hound need?

Coat and grooming of the Basset Hound, according to our sources: Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S321; Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S321; Coat: short — The Royal Kennel Club S321.

Who is the Basset Hound a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Basset Hound as a good fit for: family life — PDSA S323; families with children — PDSA, American Kennel Club S323S324; a large house and garden — The Royal Kennel Club S321. Keep in mind: eyelids and eyes — check eye tests — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S322S323; sensitive skin — prone to itching and inflammation — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S322S323; loves food — watch the weight — PDSA S323; loves company — best with someone home most of the day — PDSA S323; sheds — The Royal Kennel Club, American Kennel Club S321S324; drools — keep a cloth at hand — American Kennel Club S324.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 6,000 from month 6
Young dogmonth 926,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)26,000 steps
Seniormonth 90 (7.5 years)24,500 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 1 hour, so 6,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands more slowly than the mixed breed of the free plan (0.5× its speed).
  • Becomes a senior in month 90 (7.5 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing once a week.
  • Care: cleaning the skin folds every day — a task for the child.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, PDSA S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S321S323

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Eyelids that turn inwards (entropion) or outwards (ectropion) can occur in the breed; ask for eye-checked parents. — The Royal Kennel Club S322
  • Primary open-angle glaucoma, where fluid builds up inside the eye and causes pain and possibly blindness, can occur in the breed; a DNA test for the parents exists. — PDSA S323
  • The loose skin forms folds that can become sore and infected; they need checking every day and keeping clean and dry. — The Royal Kennel Club S322
  • Bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus), where the stomach twists, can occur in the breed — it is an emergency that needs a vet straight away. — PDSA S323
  • Intervertebral disc disease, a problem with the cushioning discs between the bones of the back, occurs in the breed. — PDSA S323
  • Ear infections can occur because of the long ears; bacteria can build up in the ear canal. — PDSA S323
  • Puts on weight easily — portions and treats need watching. — PDSA S323

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Other screening schemes for this breed

  • DNA test for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), an inherited eye disease that can lead to blindness — The Royal Kennel Club K23

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S319FCI — Basset Hound (163) — FCI breeds nomenclaturehttps://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/BASSETHOUND-163.html
  11. S320FCI — FCI-Standard N° 163 — Basset Hound (English PDF)https://WWW.FCI.BE/Nomenclature/Standards/163g06-en.pdf
  12. S321The Royal Kennel Club — Basset Hound — breed page (older address)https://thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/breed/display.aspx?id=1003
  13. S322The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Breed Watch — Basset Hound (Category 3)https://thekennelclub.org.uk/events-and-activities/dog-showing/judging-dog-shows/breed-watch/basset-hound-category-3
  14. S323PDSA — Basset Hound breed informationhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/large-dogs/basset-hound
  15. S324American Kennel Club — Is the Basset Hound the Right Dog Breed for You?https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/basset-hound-right-for-you/
  16. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  17. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  18. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  19. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  20. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy
  21. K23The Royal Kennel Club — New DNA testing scheme for Basset Hounds (media centre, June 2018)https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media-centre/2018/june/new-dna-testing-scheme-for-basset-hounds

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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