Small
14 Years
18 Kg
Hound Dogs
Affectionate, Cheerful, Curious, Energetic, Lively
The Basset Bleu De Gascogne is a curious, bold and enthusiastic breed, with an affectionate and happy disposition. As with all hound breeds, basic obedience training is a necessity and owners must never loose sight that this is a hound.
The Basset Bleu De Gascogne is a scent hound with a strong determined nature when following a scent. Despite its size it has been known to climb trees and travel fast and very far when on a scent. this breed is a brave dog on the hunt, often taking on larger animals than itself.
The Basset Bleu De Gascogne is a medium-sized dog that originated in France. It is characterized by a long back with short legs distinguished by a black and white mottled body giving it a slate blue effect, hence the name “bleu”. This active and agile dog hound has a slightly domed skull with a well-pronounced occiput, a square muzzle with slight stop, a black nose and lean cheeks with folds of skin. The teeth form an evenly fitting scissors bite. It has oval eyes that are deep brown in colour with slightly sad expression. The long, fine ears are set on low and nearly the length of the muzzle. The neck is rather long, arched and with dewlap. It has well-muscled forequarters and hindquarters characterized by short legs with elbows that are very close to the body and short rear pasterns. The tail is rather long and carried in a saber fashion. The body is longer than it is tall and covered in short, dense and semi-thick coat of black or white colours speckled with black dots. Adults are between 30 cm to 38 cm in height and weigh in between 16 kg and 18 kg with dogs on the heavier side.
All dog breeds have different levels of intellect. Some dog breeds; working dogs in particular, are very independent thinkers and have been evolved to be very intelligent. Typically, a highly intelligent dog does well in obedience training and other activities. A highly intelligent dog can be very demanding and do require lots of physical and mental stimulation. If you’re looking for a relatively laid-back dog, that doesn’t require lots of mental and physical stimulation, then you must fully understand the level of intelligence of your dog breed of choice.
Before committing to a certain dog breed, you must fully understand their intellect levels and their specific levels of energy. To keep your dog well-balanced and happy, their needs must be met and maintained.
All dog breeds have different needs when it comes to the level of exercise they require. For the high energy dogs; which are your typical working dogs, they have a lot of energy and require lots of daily exercise along with plenty of mental stimulation. A highly energetic dog breed would suit an individual or family that is equally as active and loves the outdoors. There are also breeds that have relatively low exercise needs, such as toy dog breeds. Although they require daily exercise and mental stimulation, they’re just as happy chilling at home with their loved ones. This type of dog breed would suit an individual or family that prefers the peace and quiet and relaxation.
Before deciding on your chosen dog breed, Mypetzilla recommends that you research the exercise needs and whether you’re well equipped before committing to buying or adopting a particular dog breed.
There are several dog breeds that are known and potentially predisposed to developing health related conditions. Sensible breeding can help prevent the onset of health related conditions and this should always be taken into condition when researching your dog breed of choice. Before committing to a dog, you should speak to the breeder about any health related conditions that may affect the dog you’re looking to buy or adopt. You can also request to see any test results from genetic testing.
There are many dog breeds that tolerate children really well and are not affected by the constant noise and need for play-time. However, there are some dog breeds that don’t do very well with children and can become frustrated and snappy. That being said, all children should be shown how to handle and care for a dog in their home and should always be supervised when playing. As much as a dog can become annoyed and snappy with a younger child, the child can also become less tolerant and misbehaved towards the dog.
Mypetzilla recommends that you always supervise play-time between your children and dog. Children need to respect the boundaries and feeding time for the dog and likewise for the child. We also strongly advise that play-time doesn’t get out of control and too rough which can cause injury to both child and dog.
There are lots of dog breeds that are well suited to living in an apartment. It’s worthwhile noting that you need to check that you’re allowed dogs in your building before committing to bringing one home. If you do decide to own a dog and are living in an apartment, then you must make sure that they have plenty of room to roam around and frequent walks outside to prevent them from becoming bored and depressed.
Mypetzilla recommends that you check as to whether you’re allowed dogs in your apartment building and to fully ensure your apartment is dog proof before committing fully to bringing a dog home.
All dog breeds shed to some extent, some more than others. With this, all potential dog owners should be aware of this, as it will be a matter of putting up with some hair or lots of hair being left around the house. Depending on the dog breed, there are certain times during the year where some dog breeds shed the most and this is typically around spring and autumn. However, there are some dog breeds that shed all year round.
If you’re very house-proud, they you may want to choose a dog breed that sheds very little. Mypetzilla strongly recommends that you fully research your dog breed of choice and their shedding levels before committing.
All dog breeds require different levels of grooming. Some dog breeds are easier to maintain than others and only require a weekly brush to help keep their coat in good condition. There are some dog breeds that require regular trips to the grooming parlour and this can come at a huge cost. Either way, all dog breeds require their coat and nails to be maintained and cared for.
Mypetzilla strongly advices that potential owners research the grooming needs and associated costs with their desired dog breed before fully committing.
Barking is a necessity for your dog to communicate. However, it can also be a nuisance to yourself and fellow neighbours if it’s not kept under control. If you live in an apartment, then you’re better off choosing a dog breed that doesn’t bark as much. If you live further out and far from civilisation, then it’s worthwhile looking into a dog breed that does bark and will bark to alert you of any other company on your property.
Mypetzilla advices that you research the behaviours of your dog breed of choice and whether this would work for you and your family. It’s worth noting that dogs can be trained to bark less and this will take a lot of effort and training from the owner.
Majority dog breeds form very close relationships with their owners and as a result can become very stressed when left alone for a period of time. If a dog is suffering with separation anxiety then they’re very likely to become destructive around the home as a way of dealing with their anxieties. Dog breeds that do form strong bonds with their owners are better accustomed to a household where one member of the family remains home, whilst the others are out, this is to help avoid further anxieties and destructive behaviours.
Mypetzilla recommends that all potential owners research their dog breed of choice on their bonding abilities and how well-adjusted they are to being left alone at home. It’s also worth noting that you should never leave your dog for longer than 4 hours alone at home.
There are certain dogs breeds that have very high intellect and therefore easier to train than other dog breeds. There is also a downside to this; as fast as they learn the new trick or command, they can easily pick up bad habits just as quick. Other dog breeds that don’t rank as high on the intellect scale require patience and plenty of reward treats from their owners during training.
Before committing to a certain dog breed, Mypetzilla advices you to fully research your dog breed of choice and their level of training needs.
All dog breeds have different energy levels. The working dog breed has one of the highest energy levels in comparison to the low-energy dog’s breeds such as the Toy dog breed group. To keep a dog truly happy, healthy and well-balanced, their energy levels must be met.
High-energy dog breeds need lots of exercise and mental stimulation. High energy dog breeds would suit an active family or person. Dog breeds that are considered as low-energy, love to spend the majority of their time relaxing and sleeping in their favourite, comfy spot. A low-energy dog breed would suit an individual that equally loves the quiet life and relaxing lifestyle. Of course, low-energy dogs still need their daily walks and mental stimulation, just not as much as a high-energy dog breed.
Mypetzilla recommends that potential owner research fully on the type of dog breed that would suit their existing lifestyle and to also take into consideration the dog breeds energy levels and exercise requirements.
Before you decide on what dog breed would be suitable for you and your family, you must consider whether they’re a friendly dog breed and if you already have other pets within the household. For homes that already have dogs and other domestic pets, then it’s wise to choose a dog breed that has a friendly personality and temperament.
There are some dog breeds that mix well with other dog breeds and there are others that don’t suit one another and this could potentially cause issues later on down the line.
Another important point to consider is whether the dog breed of choice is friendly towards people and children.
Mypetzilla recommends to research fully on the right dog breed for your family and to also consider their temperament and characteristics.
The Basset Bleu De Gascogne is a direct descendant of the ancient breed of Grand Bleu de Gascogne. Basset is derived from the old French word “bas(se)” which literally means “low” or “short”. This long-bodied, short-legged breed originated in Gascony, in the southwest portion of France. It was used in hunting hares and rabbits. It was purposely bred to have short legs to slow the pace of the dog so that hunters can easily follow it, while the long, low slung body enables the Basset Bleu De Gascogne to follow the prey into its lair or under thick shrubs. The earliest appearance of a breed similar to the Basset Bleu De Gascogne was in paintings done in Gascony during the 14th century. As the years past, interest and the lure of hunting began to dwindle and with this, the popularity of the breed also began to decline which nearly brought the breed into extinction. Thanks to the effort of French breeder Alain Bourbon, the Basset Bleu De Gascogne was saved and revived, although it still remains a rare breed in the United Kingdom.
The Basset Bleu De Gascogne is a real working dog – agile and active while hunting and typically docile when at home. It is a sociable breed that loves being with the family at all times. It has a nice howling voice and will let out a deep throated howl to warn the hunter if it locates a scent. It is a fairly good dog to have for children because this breed loves to play and can easily learn very amusing tricks.
It is an easy breed to train and excels very well in obedience training because of its intelligence. Training must be done by a firm but gentle owner with positive encouragement. Yelling and harsh training will only make the dog stubborn. As a scent hound with an impeccable sense of smell, it has a tendency to follow interesting smells so it needs to be kept in a well-fenced yard.
The Basset Bleu De Gascogne is a very easy dog to maintain not only because of its small size but because it has an almost groom-free coat, with no trimming or stripping necessary. The soft and smooth coat naturally wards off dirt but a once-a-week brushing will help remove dead hair and will make the skin healthier because brushing promotes blood flow. Check and clean the ears regularly as they are prone to infections because of their proximity to the ground.
There are no major health issues associated with the Basset Bleu De Gascogne. It is an extremely healthy breed that typically lives between 10 to 12 years but there are documented breeds that lived up to 14 years.
It is an ideal pet to have whether in an apartment setting in a city or in a house set in rural areas as long as it gets a dose of daily long walks on leash. Do not let this breed on its own or it will follow any interesting smell it might encounter along the way. A dormant Basset Bleu De Gascogne can have a tendency to become destructive and will channel its boredom into other activities.
The friendly, mild and easy going temperament of the Basset Bleu De Gascogne makes it an ideal household pet and fitting playmate and companion of children. In its native setting, this breed used to hunt in a pack so it gets along very well with other pets in the house although it may occasionally give chase to small animals such as rabbits, hares, and guinea pigs but early socialization can curtail this attitude.
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