Basset hounds can offer pet owners a loving, loyal, and goofy companion that creates beautiful memories. However, it’s not uncommon to find them hard to train or slow to develop routines due to their behavior. So here’s what to know about raising a stubborn basset hound and tips for working with them.
The Cause of Their Behavior
You could say many admirable things about basset hounds, but if one trait is shared among the breed, it’s their stubborn behavior. It doesn’t relate to their intelligence but rather their independent nature. Hounds generally have decades of hunting instincts ingrained in their breeds, and they’re trained to follow a scent persistently without distractions.
Furthermore, combining one-track-mindedness and strong independence can lead to more difficulty in training a basset hound. However, you shouldn’t interpret this as them not caring or wanting to rebel against you, so don’t feel defeated. It takes consistency and repetition to develop a well-rounded, attentive basset hound.
Their Intelligence and Independence
Again, raising a stubborn basset hound isn’t a downside. They have high intelligence and independence, which makes them excellent trackers able to maintain impeccable focus on finding the source of any scent. With proper training at an early age, you can help your basset hound become focused on you and your instructions without taking away from their instincts.
Social Behavior
Basset hound loves to get out and socialize, but it doesn’t stop at just dogs. The basset breed loves being around everyone, including children, adults, and other animals.
Their social skills result from their pack-oriented behavior, as they tend to become lonely. So if you want to get yourself a basset, consider getting a second to improve their social skills and help them train.
Tips for Raising Stubborn Bassets
Whether you brought home a basset hound from a breeder or picked them up from a shelter, training them will help maintain a happy, well-behaved dog. They will need basic training, including obedience, house, socialization, and leash training. Furthermore, established daycare and boarding can help them excel in their training and socialization.
Basic command training for your basset hound can help them learn to sit, stay, lie down, speak, and more. Furthermore, training them to follow scents rather than sounds can help them stay in tune with their tracking abilities.
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