Famous for their short legs, affectionate personalities and their uncanny ability to pick up on scents, the Basset Hound was bred to be highly alert and independent. But fear not: although they can be stubborn, once trained, Basset Hounds can make for excellent companions or hired scent detectors.

Their sense of smell is second only to the Bloodhound’s – and it’s not just their nose that they use to sniff out food (or illicit substances). Their long ears help to stir the smells up to the nose and the droopy skin on their face holds the smell close for maximum impact.

They say give a dog a bone, but the Basset Hound is probably good in that department since this species has more bone per pound than any other dog.

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