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After much consideration, you have finally decided
to purchase a Basset Hound. Now that you know
the breed of dog you want, your next decision will
be to purchase a dog as a family pet or one that
will be used for show. Obviously, the criteria in
each case would be different. The good news is that
most reputable breeders develop high quality puppies
that would be great pets or for show. However, some
breeders have fewer requirements for Basset Hounds
being sold as pets, meaning for show, the dog would
have flaws not considered acceptable. Just keep in
mind that these cosmetic differences have no impact
on the dog’s ability or personality.
The best way to get started in finding a good,
healthy Basset Hound is to locate a reputable
breeder. For this, check with the Basset Hound Club
of America (BHCA) or you might ask your veterinarian
for references to local Basset breeders. With a good
breeder, he or she can work with you, helping you
choose the exact puppy for your needs. After all,
this individual has had time to watch the puppies,
learning each personality.
While we discourage buying any breed of dog from a
pet store since there is no control of whether the
dogs actually came from puppy mills, the Basset
Hound is definitely a dog that should come from a
qualified breeder. In fact, the very health and
future of a Basset puppy relies heavily on the
knowledge and care of the breeder. Many times, the
Basset Hound puppies sold in a pet store and small
and sickly. This means you go home attached to an
adorable creature, only to be hit with the high cost
of veterinarian bills to bring the puppy to
wellness, or the puppy dies.
When you get ready to buy your new Basset Hound, you
want to meet with at least three different breeders.
You will likely be amazed at the various conditions
and attitudes, which will show you a good breeder
from a not so good breeder. While there, ask tons of
questions. You want to know about the bloodline of
both parents, learn about socialization of the
puppies, testing and certification through a
reputable veterinarian, guarantees, experience, you
name it.
One thing to consider is if you plan to keep your
Basset Hound only as a family pet, then you might
think about going with a rescue dog. Most often,
these dogs lost their homes due to families moving
away, jealousy over a new baby, people changing jobs
and not having adequate time for care, and so on.
While you might run into a situation where the dog
has been abused, meaning this particular dog would
need some serious patience, most are loving pets
just looking for a loving home.
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