The Basset Hound

The Basset Hound is of French lineage and has flourished for centuries in Europe where it was used chiefly for the slow trail of rabbits, hare, and deer. The first mention of the word "Basset" as applied to a breed of dog appears in an early text on hunting written by Fouilloux in 1585. The Friars of the French Abbey of St. Hubert played an instrumental role in the development of the breed, where they established a lower set, slower moving dog that could be followed on foot. By the mid-19th century, the two largest breeders of Bassets in France were producing dogs of slightly different type, especially in head and eye. The first strain were primarily lemon and white and had a tendency to knuckling, while the second strain had glamorous tri-colors with a more narrow head and a domed topskull, a softer eye with prominent jaw and a down-faced look that provided more facial expression.

Exportation of Basset Hounds to England began in 1866, where the first Basset was exhibited at an English dog show in 1875. Some of the dogs established in England were eventually exported to the United States in 1883 and 1884. In 1884, the first Basset Hound was exhibited at the Westminster Kennel Club show. In 1935, a national parent club was created - the Basset Hound Club of America. Through the efforts of the parent club, the breed has proven to be a multi-purpose hound that excels in conformation, obedience, tracking, field trialing and pack hunting.