Puppies

You’ve decided you want a Basset Hound puppy, so what comes next?

It's preferable to buy a puppy from a breeder who is part of the health group's health scheme. You can find a list of these breeders on this website under "health"

Before buying a puppy you must be aware this is a serious commitment and should not be taken lightly. To begin with, make sure you understand what a Basset Hound is all about. Make sure you understand the heritage of the breed. The Basset Hound is a member of the Hound Group of dogs. It is a dog that wants and needs company, your company. It is a not a dog that will be happy left alone inside your home or outside in the yard. Before making that decision consider whether you have the time and money to care for a dog properly and the commitment to do so for the rest of its life, which could be 15 years. The more you learn, the more you will ‘understand’ the breed. Buying a Basset Hound puppy is a considerable investment, not simply in terms of the purchase price, but in terms of the cost of maintaining your dog throughout its life. So invest just a little money in a good book such as "The Basset Hound by Mrs Marianne R Nixon" or "Basset Hound by Elizabeth Lanyon" and learn as much as you can about Basset Hounds before ever you pick up your puppy. That small sum can yield huge dividends over the course of your dog’s life!

You should do your homework never buy a puppy from a pet shop, most pet shop pups are from puppy farms. This has been proven time and time again. Never buy from anyone who advertises with only a mobile telephone number as this indicates they do not want you to know what area they are in and often want to arrange to meet you somewhere. Buying over the Internet is also very risky; breeders’ websites look good but can be very deceiving. Never buy from anyone who breeds more than one specific breed or who has pups for sale on a regular basis. Never, ever, agree to buy a puppy without first seeing it!

Buy your puppy from a reputable breeder, check with Breed Club Secretaries (their links are on the right hand side of the page), a puppy raised in a home environment so puppies are socialized. Make sure you see the mother with her puppies and check she appears healthy, with good temperament and that her puppies are fit and healthy. Never buy a puppy less than 8 weeks old. A good breeder will ask you lots of questions and will welcome questions from you and should offer full support when you take your puppy home. He/she will agree to take the pup back if things don't work out.

By buying from a reputable breeder you are buying a known and well documented history. You will know the history of your puppy’s parents and grandparents. You will know that they were happy, healthy, well-adjusted dogs so you can be fairly certain that your dog will turn out the same. It’s called genetics but really, from you the prospective puppy’s owner’s perspective, it’s all about buying a known quantity.

Understand what potential health issues are inherent to that particular breed and ask about them; every breed even the scruffiest mongrel can have potential health issues.

Seeing where your puppy was born is also very helpful to you. View the surroundings it has known throughout its short life. Put yourself in your puppy’s place and ask yourself if you would be happy brought up in those surroundings. Then you can better decide if those surroundings are conducive to the development of a healthy and happy puppy. For example, is it clean, is it well maintained?

A reputable breeder will be happy for you to see the siblings, and particularly its mother. Does the whole litter look healthy and happy? Do they look clean and well cared for? Does the mother display the characteristics you are looking for in your puppy? We don’t just mean physical characteristics, but in terms of her temperament. Don’t just go on looks. How does she behave? Is she sociable? Does she behave the way you want your pup to behave? However, sometimes mums can be protective of their pups and this shouldn’t be mistaken for a bad temperament!
Don’t be afraid to ask questions of your breeder. Apart from the fact that they should be able to easily answer all the questions you ask, your interest will give the breeder added comfort in knowing that you care enough to ask the questions in the first place. Any good breeder will not just be interested in selling their pups; they will want to know that they are being sold to a responsible and caring owner.

Always make sure that your breeder has a full set of documentation for your puppy. That it is to hand and ready to be taken away with you. Check the Kennel Club registration paperwork. Check the inoculation records are correct. Make sure those records apply to your particular puppy. Check that your puppy seems healthy before you take him home with you. Make sure you have a diet sheet so you know what food your puppy is currently taking and what food to continue giving him.
Check your puppy’s current medical condition. Has it been wormed and when? When was it inoculated? Has it been treated for fleas? Has it been micro chipped?

All Kennel Club registered dogs have 4 weeks free insurance included with their registration. Re-insure your pup as soon as possible by visiting Compare Dog Insurance. The breeder will be more than happy to give you the help and information about all of the things you will need before you take your puppy home. He’ll need a bed, food and drinking bowls, a collar and lead, grooming equipment, and a blanket so he can make his own bed in his new home. Usually your puppy’s breeder will ask you to make an appointment to see your local vet as soon as possible to make sure everything is in order with your puppy and it will give them a chance to get to meet each other!