Basset Hounds: Everything about Purchase, Feeding, and Health Care Book

Understanding the Basset Hound     5
Origin and History of the Basset Hound     5
The Personality of the Basset Hound     8
The Basset Hound as a Companion and Family Pet     9
The Basset Hound in the Show Ring     10
The Basset Hound and Obedience Trial Work     11
The Pluses and Problems of Popularity     12
The Basset Personality Summary     13
Living with a Basset Hound     15
Not Tall, But Not Small     15
Basset Hounds as House Pets     15
Basset Hounds and Children     16
Basset Hounds and Other Pets     17
Bassets as Guard Dogs     17
Caring for Your Basset Hound     19
Busing-Inside and Outside     19
Exercising Your Basset     20
Special Basset Hound Care     21
Traveling with Your Basset     23
HOW-TO: Grooming Your Basset     24
Adopting a Basset Hound     27
Rescue Organizations     27
Careful Concern     28
The Adoption Option     29
Finding an Adoptable Basset     30
Selecting a Basset Hound     33
Not Just Another Pretty Face     33
Being a Good and Consistent Dog Owner     34
Searching for the Right Dog     34
Pet, Show, Field Dog, or All Three?     37
Choosing a Basset Puppy     39
Christmas Puppies     42
Spaying and Neutering     43
Your New Basset Hound Puppy     45
Before You Bring Your Basset Hound Home     45
Special Considerations for Basset Safety     45
Bringing Your Basset Home     46
The Adjustment Phase     47
The Cage/Crate/Carrier     48
House-training     49
HOW-TO: Puppy-proof Your Home     52
Training Your Basset Hound     55
All Dogs Deserve Training     55
The Three Keys to Basset Training     56
General Training Tips     56
Pack Behavior     57
When to Start Training     58
The Mother Dog as a Training Model     59
Training Equipment     59
Pretraining Hints     60
The Five Basic Commands     61
Obedience Classes     65
Your Basset as a Field Trial or Hunting Dog     67
Hunting with Your Basset     68
Field Trialing with Your Basset      69
Feeding Your Basset     71
The Importance of a Good Diet     71
The Elements of a Balanced Diet     71
Owner Knowledge and Consistency     73
Special Basset Hound Dietary Concerns     73
Commercial Dog Foods     73
Scrap the Table Scraps     74
Feeding Bassets at Different Ages     75
Feeding Spayed and Neutered Basset Hounds     79
Treats     79
Keeping Your Basset Hound Healthy     81
Special Health Concerns for Basset Hounds     81
Preventing Health Problems     82
Immunize Against Diseases     83
Other Medical Conditions, Illnesses, and Concerns     86
Parasites     86
Emergency Care for Your Basset Hound     88
Ongoing Health Issues for Your Basset     89
Giving Your Dog Medicine     90
Living a Good Long Life     90
Euthanasia     90
Information     93
Index     94