My husband and I got our first basset hound about 2 years ago and have fallen head over heels for this breed. (In fact, we just added a new member to our family, Oscar, an 8-week old tri-color cutie.) I'm no expert, but here's what I can tell you about the breed. Bassets are big dogs with short legs. (They are bigger than what some people realize. Max, our 2 year old basset, weighs about 54 pounds, and he is about average. Some are much bigger.) Bassets are very loving dogs, and love people. The ones that we have had have very mild-mannered, laid back personalities. They are great with children, although occasionally they forget how big they are. They do have a very distinctive, deep bark. All in all, they are wonderful dogs.

One good website is www.basset.net. Go to the Basset Forum for pictures and stories from basset lovers.

I hope this helps.

Dusty