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Basset Hound Training Tips

Madhura Pandit
Basset hounds belong to the hound family and have short legs. They are heavily built and are known as scent dogs as they make use of their excellent sense of smell for hunting. 
They are loving and gentle by temperament and hence, can make great pets. They are also peaceful and can be well behaved if trained properly. Training puppies is very essential, and is not difficult if proper technique is used.

Techniques to Train Basset Hounds

Although there are several basset hound training methods, the first tip you should remember is to follow only one method, and not try new methods every time. As the basset hound is naturally peaceful, training it is not a difficult task. However, you should make sure that training is a fun-filled and enjoyable activity. Let us take a look at the basset hound training tips in detail.
  • One of the most important things to teach a pup is to relieve itself at proper places. Therefore, you should set up a proper routine. You should take the pup out after its meals and encourage it to relieve itself at a proper place. This way, the basset hound will learn.
  • Now, if it is an apartment and going out every time is not possible, you can teach the pup to relieve itself on a paper in the apartment. The pup should be encouraged to do it and rewarded if he obeys. This is also one of the most effective ways to teach your pup how to relieve itself at a proper place.
  • Living with a collar and lead is another thing that you need to train your pup with. A week or two after bringing the pup home, you can put a soft collar on it. The dog may scratch at it and get uncomfortable. However, you should ignore it and let the collar be. 
After a couple of days, attach a lead to it, while playing with the pup. The pup will not notice while playing and will ignore it. This way slowly but subtly, the basset hound will be trained to have a collar and a lead.
  • Having a collar and lead on a basset hound is very essential. At the same time, it is necessary to teach him the basic command of 'come'. As mentioned above, this breed of dog has a very strong sense of smell and hence, when outside, there are high chances that these pups will chase other smaller animals.
Therefore, you should make sure that you teach them to obey the orders as early as possible.
  • When talking about teaching commands, one of the most important tips to remember is that you should teach the pup only one command at a time. Secondly, just like human beings, the reward and punishment method of teaching is also effective in case of dogs.
  • Another thing to remember is that as basset hounds have short legs, very strenuous activities meant for other larger breed of dogs, should be avoided. Excessive jumping and running can cause leg disorders in basset hounds.
  • Although in the initial days when you bring the puppy home, you make training the pup your only mission, it is advisable to be patient and take one thing at a time. Patience and consistency helps in training the pup effectively.
  • Lastly, make sure that the learning is fun for the pup. If you check the temperament of these puppies carefully, you will find that these are fun-loving puppies. Therefore, make sure that there is a lot of play with learning techniques.
These tips will surely help in teaching the pup different methods effectively. Once trained, basset hounds are fun to be with; and surely make great pets! Ciao!