October 27, 2023

I did it! After months of procrastinating, and researching, and starting, stopping, and deleting, I finally made our web page! It’s not the best, but it’s definately not the worst.

And now I have a place to share all things BASSET HOUND with YOU!

Stay Tuned for more!

November 1, 2023

The Hound Smell

If you’ve been doing your research, you’ve undoubtedly heard that Basset Hounds smell.  I see comments and threads on almost every Basset Hound group that I follow.  And it never ceases to amaze me that people still want a basset hound, knowing that they will be a smelly dog.

But I am here to tell you that not all basset hounds smell, and in my personal experience, if they are smelly, there is something wrong.

Here is the thing, Basset Hounds tend to have primary allergies to food proteins, dust mites, molds and pollen.  All that extra skin and their big, floppy ears and droopy eyes are excellent at collecting microscopic bits in the air, both outside and in our homes.  But more than anything, I have found that the smell is directly related to their food, and in most cases, the culprit seems to be chicken!

I now have five of these amazing dogs, and out of the five that I have, two have protein allergies, and none of them have that hound smell!

Miss Molly, our queen, came to as an adorable puppy, that was itching like crazy.  We went to the vet, multiple times, treating her for fleas, even though we couldn’t see them, and mites, because maybe that was the cause of her itching, again, even though we couldn’t see them.  Nothing seemed to help.  At that point, we were feeding traditional chicken-based dog food.  Our old country vet finally said, “maybe she has a protein allergy.”  So, we did our research and consulted with breeder friends, and decided to try Nutrisource Seafood Select, a grain free, all life stages, salmon-based food.  Our veterinarian advised us to be patient, because it would take several weeks for the old proteins to fully leave her system, so we waited.  And the results were well worth the wait!  In a matter of weeks, Miss Molly was no longer itching, and was developing a gorgeous, shiny coat! 

I quickly discovered that this food was great for our other dog as well, and soon our senior boy seemed to be moving better, and his coat was shiny and bright!

Then we brought Winston home.  And from the moment we put him in the car for the 5-hour ride home, I was overwhelmed with his smell!  Over and over, I kept joking with my sister about the fact that I had finally found my smelly hound!  And even though he stank, I adored him from the moment we met, and I was fully prepared for a lifetime of stinky snuggles with my new boy!  

I didn’t even bother to bathe him, because I knew from all my research that bathing would only be a temporary fix to an inherent Basset Hound trait.  But here’s the thing – after about five weeks with us, that smell went away, completely! 

And then came Bella.  When Bella arrived from Brazil and I finally had her in my arms at 3:00 AM at the airport in LA, my heart just broke for her!  This baby was a hot mess!  Her ears and eyes were infected.  Her skin was terrible! She was one big hot spot, hair missing on her neck and arm pits, all of her skin was red and inflamed and boy, did she stink.  But she was the absolute sweetest basset hound I had ever held in my arms. 

I bathed her multiple times.  I washed and wiped her skin and ears.  We visited the vet multiple times and had her on ear drops, eye drops, medicated skin wipes, and pills.  She had yeast and bacterial infections, and the journey to get her well was a long one!  After several months of religious treatment and a salmon-based diet, she was finally better.   It took a long time for her hair to come back in, and her ears to get better, but it was worth the time and effort. 

After all of these issues, I am sold completely on Nutrisource Seafood Select!  I have tried other salmon-based foods, but they don’t seem to have the same impact, especially for Bella. 

I am now the proud parent of five basset hounds, and I am happy to say that they don’t smell!  And even if they did, I would love them anyway – but I am thankful they don’t!

Anita

March 16, 2026

Potty Training Tips for Basset Hounds

If you’ve noticed a bit of radio silence on the site lately, you aren’t alone. Life has a funny way of demanding our full attention, usually in the form of four paws, long ears, and a very stubborn disposition. I’ve been away from the keyboard and deep in the trenches of a specific kind of domestic chaos: raising baby basset hounds!

To anyone who has never owned a Basset, “how hard can potty training be?” is a fair question. To those who have, you’re likely already nodding in sympathetic exhaustion.

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The Basset Paradox: Smart, but Stubborn

Basset Hounds are scent hounds, which means their noses are in the year 3000 while their brains are firmly rooted in “what’s in it for me?” Unlike a Golden Retriever who lives to please, a Basset lives to negotiate.

The Challenges:

• Low to the Ground: Their bellies are so close to the grass that they often don’t like getting wet or cold, leading to “protest pee” on your rug.
• Selective Hearing: They hear a treat bag opening from three rooms away, but suddenly go deaf when you say “go potty” in the rain.
• The “Long” Factor: Because they are so long, they sometimes don’t realize their back half is still inside while their front half is out. Trust me – our Tod learned to use the doggie door, but would only go half way out, peeing on the inside for several weeks!!!

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The Power of the Clock: Why Routine is King

If there is one thing I’ve learned during my time with bassets, it’s that Bassets thrive on predictability. When a Basset knows exactly what is coming next, their anxiety (and your floor’s risk level) drops significantly.

1. The “Fifteen Minute Rule”: High-intensity play or a big drink of water? They need to go out 15 minutes later. No exceptions.
2. The Boring Exit: When you take them out, it’s not playtime. Keep it calm, keep it focused, and use a consistent “trigger word.”

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Tools of the Trade: Bells and Pads

Every dog is different, but two specific methods have been game-changers for us if having a doggie door isn’t an option:

1. Bell Training

Because Bassets aren’t always big “talkers” when they need to go out (they might just stare at you intensely), we introduced potty bells hung on the doorknob.

• How it works: Every single time we take them out, we tap their paw against the bell.
• The Result: Eventually, the lightbulb flickers on. They realize the chime is the “Open Sesame” for the back door.
• Beware: they learn quickly this means they get to go outside, so will ring just to play for a while.

2. The Potty Pad Pivot

While the goal is always outdoors, Bassets are notoriously sensitive to weather. If it’s pouring rain or freezing cold, a Basset might decide that holding it for ten hours is a better option—until they can’t.

• Strategic Placement: Keeping a potty pad in a designated “emergency zone” (like a laundry room) can save your hardwood floors during a thunderstorm.
• Transition Tool: Pads are also great for puppy stages, but be sure to use an enzyme cleaner on the floor underneath to ensure scents don’t linger.

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Don’t give up

Potty training a Basset is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires a lot of patience, a bit of humor, and a lot of paper towels.

But when that stubborn hound finally rings the bell on their own? It’s a victory worth waiting for.