| The Basset Hound is believed to have developed from | | | | and the Basset Hound club was re-established by |
| a "curiosity" in the sixteenth century. Apparently a | | | | 1954. The numbers represented today in the American |
| mutation developed in the litters of stag hounds in | | | | Kennel Club demonstrate that now the Baset Hound |
| France in which puppies were born with short legs. | | | | enjoys a large popular following in the United States. |
| (The French word "baset" means "low-set". ) These | | | | Much of this popularity is no doubt due to the use of |
| mutated puppies were bred together and the short, | | | | the Basset as a "poster dog" for the "Hush Puppy" |
| long bodied Basset Hound was born. The breed was | | | | shoe advertising campaign. |
| introduced into Great Britain in the late 1800s and | | | | The Basset Hound is a long and low to the ground |
| immediately became a favorite of Queen Alexandra's | | | | breed, with a heavy boned and quite solid appearance. |
| court. By 1886 there were more than 100 Bassets | | | | His chest is deep and broad, nearly touching the |
| entered at a London Dog Show. In 1892 Sir Everett | | | | ground. His long ears and deep muzzle resemble in |
| Millais, considered to be one of the main "founding | | | | some respects the head of the Bloodhound and he is |
| fathers" of the breed in Britain, introduced the | | | | well known for having very nearly the same abilities of |
| Bloodhound into the breeding, in part to guarantee | | | | scent that the Bloodhound does. He has a short dense |
| against the inherent dangers which can be present in a | | | | coat which is easily kept and can be of any |
| small gene pool. | | | | recognized hound coloration. His front legs are |
| The Baset Hound remained popular in Great Britain for | | | | definitely bowed or crooked and he is quite short, his |
| many years and was used regularly in packs of | | | | legs being often less than one third of his total height at |
| hounds which hunted hare. However world War I took | | | | the shoulder. He may have a tendency to back |
| its toll and the dogs became scarce. In 1921 the official | | | | problems and this should be watched. Also this is a |
| Basset Hound Club closed its doors for lack of | | | | breed that will easily become obese if not kept well |
| membership. The breed nearly became extinct but a | | | | exercised and fed a proper diet. |
| small group of devotees managed to continue the lines | | | | |