You are here: News etc. > Puppies
As stated on our news page, Dru had her 1st litter at the beginning of June 2005. We operate a waiting list system, so if you want a puppy from us we will ask you to read through our Puppy Enquiry Letter as well as answer a number of questions. This is so we can find out what experience you have with the breed/dogs in general, and your home situation (i.e. is there someone at home all day? Do you have the time to care for a puppy?) as basset puppies are extremely demanding. We will also be placing Kennel club endorsements on our puppies that they cannot be bred from, and we will require you to sign a Sales Contract to this affect.
We will be there to support any new owners of our puppies 100%. If they
need advice or help in any way we will be there for them, as we feel that
it was us who brought these puppies into the world, so even though they
will eventually be going to new homes, we will still feel responsible for
them. Please read the information on our puppies page carefully, as they
are not the easiest breed in the world to own and a lot of thought and
consideration should go into getting a basset puppy before contacting a
breeder. Speak to people in the breed, read as much information about bassets
as you can find, and most importantly try to get to shows to see them in
the flesh; this is the best way to find out if they are the breed for you.
You can find out about shows all over the country from the Basset Hound
Club, they have the addresses of all the regional clubs and their events
(see link on our 'network' page).
If you have never owned a Basset before I suggest you buy a book called The Basset Hound by Marianne Nixon it retails at around £14 from either Amazon or any of the larger pet stores. It is one of the best breed books we have read, and a must for any future Basset owners.
Many first time Basset owners are quite surprised at how large they are in the flesh, a fully grown male can weigh up to 30-36kgs, and a bitch can weigh up to 25-30kgs on average. They can be very stubborn and wilful especially the males. Correct puppy socialization is a must, if this is adhered to you should have a happy healthy puppy that is comfortable in all family situations. They can be a very sensitive breed and do not take to discipline or firm handling. Bassets have a mind of their own and usually do what they want!! They can be infuriating at times with their down right stubbornness, if you are a control freak a basset is not for you as 'Obedience' is not in their vocabulary.
Being a wet mouthed breed, if you are house proud they will not
be suitable as they slobber, and lots of it!!! They are a pack animal
and are suited to a household that either has other dogs, or someone
at home all the time, as they are not good when left for long periods
of time. They need either human or canine company constantly, it would
be cruel to leave a puppy alone for lengthy periods. Not only can they
be destructive on a monumental scale, but are also a very vocal breed.
They are suitable with children as they have a very loving good temperament, however they are better suited to older children, as a fully grown basset does not know its own size or strength. They are very clumsy dogs and could easily knock over a toddler without realizing what they have done!! Also small children could mishandle a small puppy and cause damage, especially to its shoulders. Until 6 months of age they are very delicate and should not be over exercised as problems can occur.
Only buy a puppy from a respectable breeder, one who is known in the breed i.e that shows/ belongs to the various Basset hound clubs. All clubs have lists of good breeders or you can look at the Basset Hound Puppies website, this site gives you information on what you should be looking for in a good breeder and how to go about finding the right puppy for you. The puppies should be in a clean environment and you should be able to see both the mother and father, or at least a photo of the stud dog used. All puppies be kennel club registered, and you should also receive a registration document so that you can transfer the puppies ownership from the breeder to you. If you have gone to a bad breeder, or worse still a puppy farm, or maybe answered an add in a local paper you will not get these documents, anyone can print off a pedigree and fill it out. You should also get at least a weeks supply of food for the puppy, and a diet sheet. The breeder should be available to help and give advice throughout the dogs life. Remember a good breeder will never have to advertise their puppies in a local rag!!! They will sell their puppies either by word of mouth or on registered sites such as www.champdogs.co.uk or through the Kennel club.
If you have done your homework and have decided a Basset is the dog for you, then you will not be disappointed, they are a wonderful and entertaining breed and once you have one, you are hooked. Most people who own a basset always end up with more than one!!!
