Basset hound is a heavily built, low, long-bodied dog. It was bred to hunt rabbit and other small game. Basset hounds are scent hounds. Scent hounds hunt with their nose to the ground to follow an animal’s scent. Basset hounds have long ears that drag along the ground in hunting, stirring up the scent of the prey. The origins of the dog can be traced to hounds bred in the 1600’s by the abbots of St. Hubert in France.
Most basset hounds are black, white, and tan or red and white. A typical basset hound stands from 12 to 14 inches (30 to 36 centimeters) high. It weighs from 45 to 60 pounds (20 to 27 kilograms).
