Canis lupus familiaris
Basset Hound
Featured photobasset-hound.jpgThe Basset Hound is a short-legged French scent hound refined into the modern type by Sir Everett Millais. The Basset Hound descends from the Basset d'Artois and Basset Normand of mid-19th-century France.
Quick facts
- AKC group
- Hound
- Origin country
- France (refined in United Kingdom)
- Origin period
- Mid-19th century
- Coat type
- Short
- Coat colors
- Tricolor (Black/White/Tan), Lemon and White, Red and White
- Average lifespan
- 10-12 years
- Recognition
- AKC 1885 · FCI 1955 · UKC 1948 · Group 6 — Scent Hounds and Related Breeds (Section 1.3: Small-sized Hounds)
Origin
The French word basset means 'low-set' and was used in 16th-century French hunting manuals to describe any short-legged scent hound. The direct ancestors of the modern breed are the Basset d'Artois and the Basset Normand, both used for slow-trailing hare and rabbit. Lord Galway imported a pair to England in 1866 and Sir Everett Millais developed the modern English type in the 1870s by crossing the French imports with Bloodhound to add bone, length, and a deeper voice. The Basset Hound Club of England was founded in 1884 and the AKC registered the breed in 1885.
Recognition
The American Kennel Club admitted the breed in 1885, the United Kennel Club followed in 1948, and the Federation Cynologique Internationale published the international standard (FCI No. 163) in 1955. The FCI assigns the breed to Group 6 — Scent Hounds and Related Breeds (Section 1.3: Small-sized Hounds).
Standard
The AKC and FCI standards describe a heavy-boned, dwarfed scent hound — short of leg in proportion to its long, deep body. The skull is domed, the muzzle long, and the ears extremely long and low-set, hanging well below the muzzle. The short, smooth, dense coat is recognized in any hound colour, with the classic tricolour (black, white, tan) and lemon-and-white the two most common patterns. The breed stands 33-38 cm at the withers.
Sources & further reading (3)
- kennel-club-registry — accessed 2026-05-04
- encyclopedia — accessed 2026-05-04
- fci-standard — accessed 2026-05-04
Frequently asked questions
What is the Basset Hound's AKC group?
The American Kennel Club places the Basset Hound in the Hound Group. The Hound Group gathers breeds developed for the hunt, broadly split into scent hounds (Bloodhound, Beagle, Coonhounds) and sight hounds (Greyhound, Whippet, Borzoi). The breed's foundation working role was as a short-legged French scent hound refined into the modern type by Sir Everett Millais.
When was the Basset Hound officially recognized?
The American Kennel Club admitted the breed in 1885; the United Kennel Club followed in 1948; the Federation Cynologique Internationale published the international standard (FCI No. 163) in 1955.
What is the average lifespan of a Basset Hound?
Kennel-club longevity surveys place the Basset Hound's average lifespan in the 10-12 years range. The figure here represents the spread reported by the major parent-club studies and the Kennel Club (UK) purebred-dog health surveys.
