Originally posted by prechrswife
To answer your questions, basset hounds require an average amount of exercise. They are not high-energy dogs by any means. A good portion of their day is spent sleeping.
My Harrier Hound requires at least one good hour-long RUN in the field once a day, but he usually gets two such runs. Then he's so tired that he also spends the rest of the time sleeping....
Originally posted by prechrswife
My husband grew up with beagles, and he compares our bassets to very large, very sedate beagles.
LOL. Well, one book on Harrier Hounds calls them "Beagles on Steroids".....
Originally posted by prechrswife
As for affection, they are very loving dogs, and like to be with their people and with other dogs. Max even tries to play with the cats, although they are not too fond of that.
Hounds are pack animals, and very social by nature. In a hunting pack, any aggressive dogs are weeded out, as the dogs have to work together cooperatively. Henry and our cat Angel play all the time. She adores him and misses him when he's not home.
Originally posted by prechrswife
What is funny is that as much as bassets love people, if you try to call them to you when they are in the midst of something that they consider important (like a nap), they are likely to ignore you or to wait until you come to them.
Oh yes, I know that hound tendency very well. When Henry is out in the field tracking, he doesn't even glance in my direction when I call him. I took it very personally at first, until I realized that it's just a breed trait. Inside, he wants to be in my lap all the time....