Basschshund Dog Breed (Diet & Pet Tips)

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The Basschshund is actually not a breed in the truest sense of the word – it’s a designer dog, created by crossing two purebred dogs. In the material that follows, we’ll give you all the information you need on this pleasing mix.

Basschshund Dog Breed Overview

So, what are Basset Hounds mixed with? Just about any other breed, you could imagine if this site is to be believed. For our purposes, though, right now we’re only going to talk about one of the most common Basset Hound crosses. The Basschshund is a mix of Basset Hound and Dachshund and a very pleasing little creature. Sweet-natured and calm, Basschunds make wonderful family pets and are especially well suited to novice dog owners or seniors who want a compliant, gentle dog that’s easy to train and doesn’t require a lot of exercises.

So, how did the Basschshund come to be? Most likely, the first Basschshund litters were accidents, and at some point, breeders took a look at the results and said: “Hey, maybe this wasn’t a bad idea!” That’s how most designer “breeds” originates.

Designer breeds aren’t really a new thing, but it’s amazing how they’ve gained in popularity over the past 30 or so years. The Basschshund then, in and of itself, doesn’t have an origin history other than that first theoretical accident. The Basset Hound and the Dachshund, though, do have very specific breed histories.

The Dachshund goes back to Germany of centuries past, where it was bred to hunt badgers. In fact, the first part of the Dachshund’s name, “Dachs,” is the German word for “badger.” The short legs of these dogs allowed them to scuttle into badger dens. Once the prey was cornered, the hunter would grab onto the Dachshund’s long tail and pull it, and its prey, out of the den. Dachshunds weren’t generally considered to be pets until the 1800s when they found their way to North America.

As to the Basset Hound, these dogs were originally used as packs of hunters. Originally, they weren’t all that big, but breeders in the latter part of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century began breeding them with Bloodhounds in order to make them bigger. That’s how the modern Basset Hound came about.

Basschshunds are considered to be medium-to-large dogs. They’re not all that active, though, and get by nicely on a diet of about 2 cups of quality dog food each day. This can vary from one dog to another, though, as the Basschshund can be prone to obesity. Your veterinarian is the best source of advice when it comes to determining how much to feed your particular Basschshund.

Basschshunds are well suited to living in apartments and small houses, as they don’t really require a lot of exercises. A brief walk or two a day will keep your Basschshund happy. They’re also low-maintenance when it comes to grooming.

Generally speaking, Basschshunds make great family pets, but if you’re a multi-pet household, you will have to keep a close eye on other pets. Basschshunds are bred from two different breeds of hunting dogs, and as such, may view cats, small birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and other small pets as prey.

Another thing to keep in mind if you’re considering a Basschshund is that they do tend to be vocal. If you live in close proximity to other people, this could be a problem. You’ll want to train your Basschshund to respond to the command “Quiet,” and this isn’t going to happen overnight. You’re going to have to let your dog bark until he’s all barked out, then tell him “Quiet” and reward him with a treat. It will take time, but eventually, he’ll get the idea that when he stops carrying on, something good will happen.

This doesn’t mean that you want your Basschshund to be quiet all the time. Any dog worth his salt should let you know if there’s a danger. What you want your dog to learn is that he can bark if he thinks something is “off,” but he has to stop when you tell him that everything is okay. That’s the whole purpose of teaching “Quiet.”

Basschshunds are generally healthy dogs, but they can be prone to spinal problems because of the short legs and long backs of both parent breeds. Properly cared for, you can expect your Basschshund to live for anywhere from 12 to 15 years.

Basschshund Puppies

All puppies need a certain amount of play along with training, even relatively inactive dogs like Basschshunds. The process begins with socialization, which is actually pretty easy. All that’s involved is introducing your Basschshund puppy to as many people, places and other animals as possible. You’ll have plenty of help with this since just about everyone loves puppies. Visit the neighbors, hang out in parking lots, go for walks, and you’ll meet tons of people who want to meet your new best buddy.

Next comes crate training. Ideally, for the first little while, there should be someone with your Basschshund puppy all the time. Of course, this probably isn’t realistic, so you’ll want to invest in a crate he can occupy during times when there’s nobody available. This keeps him safe, and it also helps with house training (more on that in a bit).

Sometimes, owners tend to think that crating is undesirable – after all, they wouldn’t want to be put in a crate! Dogs actually don’t feel that way. A nice comfortable crate with a blanket, toys, food, and water is actually a nice, safe den where dogs generally feel quite comfortable. It’s only when a dog is left unattended in a crate for long periods that it feels like punishment.

Now, let’s talk about training your Basschshund puppy.

House Training

Let’s face it, nobody likes cleaning up pee and poop, but for the first little while, you’ll probably be doing it quite often. Your puppy isn’t “dirty,” it’s just that he’s a baby, and like all babies, he/she doesn’t have full control over his bladder and bowels. It’s also a matter of showing your Basschshund puppy where you want him to do his business.

This is where the crate comes in. Dogs don’t like doing their business in the same place where they eat, drink and sleep. If you crate your puppy for a little while after meals and keep an eye on him, he’ll probably whimper and fidget when he’s ready to “go.” Then you can take him outside, wait for him to do his thing, and bring him back indoors. Of course, also keep an eye out for signs that he needs to go when you have him out of the crate.

Accidents are inevitable, so when your Basschshund puppy messes in the house, don’t overreact. Just clean up the mess. At this point there’s no sense in putting him outside – he’s already done what he needed to do, and he won’t get the connection. Also, don’t punish him! If you do that, he may try to find “out of the way” locations where he thinks you won’t discover the mess.

House training takes a bit of time, but if you make proper use of the crate, and also make sure that your puppy goes out first thing in the morning and last thing at night, you’ll see results probably faster than you might think. On a final note, when your puppy does his business outside, don’t praise him – just take him back indoors. You don’t want him to think that you’re so happy he’s peed and pooped – then he’ll wonder why you’re not equally happy when he does it in the house!

Obedience Training

Regardless of what breed of puppy you have, obedience training is essential, and the earlier you start, the more successful you’ll be. You can begin obedience training as soon as you get your Basschshund home. Keep the sessions brief (usually only about 10 minutes), but feel free to have several sessions throughout the day. The key here is to be kind but firm and offer lots of treats and praise.

Here, in order, are the five basic obedience commands you should teach your Basschshund. Fill your pockets with treats, and let’s get started!

1. Sit

The very first thing your Basschshund puppy needs to learn is how to sit on command. With him facing you, take a treat out of your pocket, and hold your hand over his head, moving it slowly toward his tail. Say “Sit,” and when his butt hits the floor, give him the treat and lots of praise. Eventually, he’ll sit with you just using the command and the hand signal.

2. Down

This is a little harder to teach than “Sit,” but it’s just more of you creating a movement an using a treat. With your puppy sitting, hold out a treat, but don’t give it to him. Instead, say “Down,” and slowly move the treat toward your feet. The idea here is once again for your puppy to follow the movement of the treat, lowering his front quarters. As soon as his front quarters hit the floor, give him the treat and praise him. He probably won’t hold the position for very long, but that’s okay. If he stays down even for a few seconds, he’s done what you asked.

As you continue training, you can wait for a beat or two before giving him the treat. If he starts to get up, tell him “Down” again, using the same movement, and once he’s down, give him the treat. This reinforces what you’re asking him to do.

3. Stay

This is one of the most important commands your Basschshund puppy will learn, simply because a dog that will stay when told to do so isn’t going to be at much risk of running into danger. It’s not the easiest command to teach, because of course, your puppy wants to be close to you, so you’ll have to be persistent. This is going to take a bit more time than the first two commands.

Place your dog either in the sit or the down position. Have a treat in one hand. Raise the hand that isn’t holding the treat to about cheek level, with the palm outward. Tell your dog “Stay,” and back away, no more than a couple of steps to start with. Watch for signs that he’s about to move toward you, and before he does, praise him and give him a treat. As you repeat the exercise, each time move a little farther back and expect your dog to hold the position for a little longer.

Of course, you don’t expect your dog to hold the position indefinitely, but you want him to move on your terms. Accordingly, the next command you’ll teach your Basschshund puppy is “Come.”

4. Come

This command is equally as important as “Stay,” and for the same reason – to keep your Basschshund out of danger. If, for instance, he’s about to run into traffic, you want him to come to you when called, and you want to be sure that he’ll do it every single time.

“Come” follows, in training, from “Stay.” Once your dog will stay consistent, have him either lie down or sit. Again, you’ll have a treat in one hand, and the other hand empty. With the empty hand, pat your opposite shoulder and say “Come.” You may have to be pretty enthusiastic because remember, you told your dog that he had to stay. Just keep patting your shoulder and saying “Come” enthusiastically until he gets the idea. Once he’s in front of you, tell him either to sit or lie down, and give him the treat.

As with “Stay,” you’re going to want to increase the distance, so this command is best taught outdoors with your Basschshund on a long training leash. You can pull gently on the leash to encourage him to come directly to you instead of wandering.

5. Heel

It’s very useful to have your dog trained to walk at heel. This way, when you encounter other people and other dogs, your Basschshund will maintain a respectful distance. Often, people have a tendency to put off training this command, because after all, it’s not hard to pull a puppy in close to you. It can be quite a bit more difficult with a fully grown dog.

Fortunately, “Heel” is one of the easier commands. Like “Sit” and “Down,” it’s a combination of the command along with a hand movement that your Basschshund will easily follow.

Go for a walk. Let your puppy explore a bit, and then once he’s settled down, take a treat out of your pocket, use a sweeping motion to bring it close to your knee, and say “Heel.” You can tug a bit on the leash to reinforce the command. When he’s in position (with his shoulder roughly in line with your knee), praise him and give him the treat. If you do this often enough, eventually your puppy will respond to the command without the need for you to offer the treat.

Keep in mind, when training, that some commands may take longer than others for your Basschshund to learn. Be kind but firm, and if your dog doesn’t catch on right away, don’t be discouraged. Just keep at it, and you’ll see results.

Basschshund For Sale

If you remember a time before we had the Internet, you will recall that we used to look for puppies by scanning newspaper ads, looking at the notice board at the library or supermarket, and just asking around. Then we’d go visit a litter of puppies and pick one. Today, we can look at ads from all over the world, for anything at all, including puppies.

The thing here is, you need to be careful – very careful. There are tons of sites out there offering puppies of every breed or breed mix you could imagine, and a good many of them are nothing but scams. So if you’re Googling “Basschshund for Sale,” you’ll get a lot of results, and you’re going to have to really do your homework.

Sites that offer “next day delivery” on a Basschshund for sale should not be trusted. A good breeder is going to want to know a lot about you and will take a great deal of time emailing you, talking with you on the phone, and following up on references that they’ll ask you for. That takes time. Also, reputable breeder is going to just overnight you a puppy, and in fact, such a thing is pretty much impossible – air cargo has to be booked well in advance.

Keep in mind, too, that Basschshunds aren’t all that common, and if you do find a legitimate breeder that has Basschunds for sale, they won’t necessarily have puppies right now – you should expect to spend some time on a waiting list.

Basschshund Pictures

Being a hybrid, a Basschshund can take on the appearance of mainly the Dachshund, mainly the Bassett Hound, or a mix of both breeds. Even puppies of the same litter could look very different from one another. And since Dachshunds can be either short-haired or long-haired as well as being either standard or miniature, that opens up even more of a range in appearance. These Basschshund pictures will give you an idea of the variations you could expect.

Basschshund Breeders

The Basschshund is not a purebred dog, therefore it is not recognized by the American Kennel Club. However, it is recognized by the Designer Dogs Kennel Club, the American Canine Hybrid Club, the International Designer Canine Registry, the Dog Registry of America, and the Designer Breed Registry. These organizations are your best resources for finding reputable Basschshund breeders.

Basschshund Adoption

If you Google “Basschshund adoption,” you’ll see links to most of the same sites you found when you Googled “Basschshund for sale.” You can try “Basschshund rescue” and get the same results. Again, it’s buyer beware, in a huge way. If every site that claimed to have Basschshunds for adoption actually did, you’d be dealing with a very common mix. And as we’ve already pointed out, Basschshunds are most definitely not common.

Common Questions

Now, here are some questions that we haven’t covered since they relate to the parent breeds, and not to the Basschshund mix.

Are Basset Hounds and Beagles related?

Although they look similar in some ways, Basset Hounds and Beagles are only related in the sense that they both belong to the hound family.

Are Basset Hounds affectionate?

Basset Hounds are very affectionate. This makes them wonderful family dogs, as they typically love children and enjoy snuggling with all family members.

Do all Basset Hounds have white-tipped tails?

Not necessarily, although it is considered to be a desirable trait. Since Bassets were originally bred for hunting, white on the tip of the tail makes it easier for the hunter to tell where the dog is when working in heavy cover.

Do Basset Hounds Smell?

Well, they do in the sense that they use their noses! But if you’re asking if Basset Hounds stink, they certainly can. They have a lot of skin folds that can trap dirt and bacteria, and if not cleaned, can lead to skin irritation as well as an unpleasant smell.

Are Dachshunds good pets?

Generally, Dachshunds are good pets, although they can be a bit snappish if manhandled by small children. Dachshunds are best suited to families with children over the age of 12.

Why are Dachshunds so long?

The original purpose of the breed was to sniff out burrowing prey. The long body and nose made this easier.

Do Dachshunds like other Dachshunds?

Dachshunds are usually very good with other pets, including, obviously, other Dachshunds. You might run into trouble, though, if you keep reproductively intact dogs of the same sex. They’ll fight over breeding rights, sometimes to the death.

Do Dachshunds Bark a Lot?

Dachshunds can be very vocal, especially the miniature variety.

Conclusion

Are you thinking that a Basschshund is a right choice for you and your family? You might have trouble finding one, and you might end up on a waiting list for a while. However, the adorable, cuddly Basschshund is well worth waiting for!

Sources:

https://www.petguide.com/breeds/dog/basschshund/

https://www.dogbreedinfo.com/hybridcrossbreeds/bassethoundmixdogs.htm

https://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/training/articles/puppy-training-made-easy.html

Basschshund Dog Breed: Puppies, Sale, Pictures, Breeders, & More