Training a Basset Hound: what works and what to expect
How the Basset Hound learns, common training challenges and what motivates it.
Bassets are clever, but they work things out for themselves rather than for you. They were bred to follow a trail without instructions, so repetition for its own sake does not impress them. Food is the most reliable motivator, and three or four 5-minute sessions a day beat one long lesson.
House training can take longer than with many breeds, often 4 to 6 months, so stick to a strict routine of trips outside after sleep, meals and play. Teach a solid 'leave it' early to protect the dog from dropped food on walks. Baying is natural and hard to switch off completely, so aim for a dog that settles when asked rather than one that never makes a sound.
Basset Hound training in numbers
Easy to train
Barking
5 means very vocal
Copes with alone time
Open with strangers
Good with other dogs
Good with children