Talk:Basset Hound/gmip

This is a spot for my notes prior to rewriting sections of the basset hound article. Please leave comments up here. gmip^Talk

Temperament

See my comments on talk page. Rewrite leash recommendation - 'especially around prey' not true. what prey does a domestic dog have? the prey drive is what you utilise to train every dog. the only time my basset tries to take off is if he sees another dog, or if i throw a ball, otherwise he is easily recallable. Be sure to include description of how they are greatly affected by body language, facial expressions and the pitch of your voice as opposed to other dogs.

from http://www.just-basset-hounds.com/basset-hound-origin.html

Enduring Traits from the Basset Hound Origin

Many traits of the early French Bassets that were bred for hunting endure in the Basset Hound breed that many of us have as pets today. Therefore, if you're considering a Basset Hound or if you already have one, understand that they have some inherent behavior and traits that one must choose to accept and live with.

First and foremost, the Basset Hound is a hunting dog. Specifically, it is a scent tracking dog, i.e. it hunts with its nose. As a matter of fact, the Basset's nose is second only to the Bloodhound in its tracking ability.

Due to its strong desire to follow its nose, the Basset Hound can easily wander off and get lost if left unattended in an unfenced back yard. Read my about page for a story about the lost hound that my husband found. Additionally, the Basset may ignore your commands if it gets caught up in following an interesting scent.

I found early on, that it was hard to walk with my Basset on a leash because instead of walking with me, he was always sniffing the ground and pulling me in the direction of a scent that he wanted to follow. When he was trained to heal, it became much easier to walk with him. But, I still like to give him a chance to pull me around and follow his nose since that's what he likes to do.

Basset Hounds were bred to hunt in packs. Therefore, they are very social and affectionate. Most enjoy the company of other dogs, pets, and family members and may even get lonely if frequently left alone for long periods of time.

Finally, Bassets were bred for stamina, not speed. Despite having great endurance, they do not make good running companions. So if you're looking for a dog to keep you company on a long run or jog, don't get a Basset Hound.

HEALTH

Obesity causes serious health injuries in Basset Hounds. They need plenty of exercise and a good diet. *able to see ribs?*

If you are considering purchasing a Basset, be aware that they shed a lot. *ummm... put this in a description?*

Basset hounds also should not be allowed to jump due to how low they are to the ground. Because of a basset's body build (short stubby legs, low to the ground) if they jump from too high of point they can hurt their hips, injure their spine and break a leg. Some bassets have been euthanized due to such injuries; such injuries can be difficult to heal. *mention hip disk injuries in puppies, mention injuries from stairs and heights*

ideal pictures

File:Hush-puppy-shoes.jpg |thumb|left|Jason the Hush Puppies dog.

File:13monthbassetpupp.jpg|thumb|Tan and White Basset Hound at 13 months

Tan and White Basset Hound puppy at 7 weeks

File:Bvdb-bassethound1.jpg|thumb|Tricolour Basset Hound puppy

File:ModeltheBasset.jpg|thumb|Woodcut of Everett Millais’ first basset type Hound ‘Model’ in 1879 who was imported from France in 1874.]] File:Bass_hisrtory.jpg|thumb|left|An early 20th Century basset type hound. http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=basset — Preceding unsigned comment added by Gmip (talk • contribs) 00:18, 16 October 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Stacked basset File:BassetHound profil.jpg or! http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bodza.08.02.10.a.jpg
front profile of face
full adult male clearly showing broad chest and wrinkle, with face preferably in 3/4 profile
english basset/ basset hunting pack
Young puppy
Perhaps a male and female together for size contrast.

show all these colours:

Lemon and white
Tricolur
Tan and white

History! http://www.southeastbasset.org.uk/history/model.jpg Woodcut of Everett Millais’ Basset Hound ‘Model’ in 1879 who was imported from France in 1874. from http://www.southeastbasset.org.uk/breedhistory.html

links

useful book

http://www.lescompagnonsdesainthubert.com st huberts guys — Preceding unsigned comment added by Gmip (talk • contribs) 13:25, 15 October 2011 (UTC)[reply]

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/miscellanea/canes/canes.html

Original Research - Food as Reward

I plan to publish an essay on my website with sources on the issue of food reward training with Bassets in particular. To summarise, the general consensus of reputable sources is that a food reward as incentive is but one temporary part in a chain of dog training techniques. Food is an excellent motivator for scent-focused basset puppies, and holding food while teaching them hand signals helps direct their attention to your hands and recognise them as givers of commands - dogs communicate non-verbally and this only makes sense from their perspective. It is important to note that constant food rewards result in an excited dog, and misbehaviour when food is not forthcoming. Teaching your dog that food only comes at an appropriate time is vital to having a comfortable, submissive dog - you overcome their instinctive concern over where their next meal is coming from and they rely on you to provide. For older pups who recognise you as alpha, making a fuss and giving them a pat after successfully completing a command is enough of a motivator to succeed, and affection and a leash and check chain will become your key training tools. For bassets it stops there, but other dogs graduate up to regular leashes and finally unleashed. Food rewards are important in teaching recall, and other commands and tricks, but that's about it. You should remember that your primary focus as a dog-owner is to have a dog that makes the right decisions for itself - not a dog that does what you say.

Gmip (talk) 12:46, 15 October 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I have published this article on my website, and am working on having it published on several Basset and dog websites. http://www.tafboc.com/trilby/?page_id=52 gmip^Talk 03:59, 21 October 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Training a Basset

I'll add this to the external links during an update after it has appeared on more websites. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Gmip (talk • contribs) 12:59, 21 October 2011 (UTC)[reply]