General features of the animal, mentions of the ancestors of the Basset Hounds, versions of their breeding, its popularization, recognition, appearance in literature and cinema. Basset hound or basset hound, practically the most recognizable and beloved species in the rich canine world. A wrinkled face full of sadness and supplication, lowered elongated ears, and strong short limbs, conquered fans of the breed for many centuries. They were created on French territory and used as experienced hunters for small animals and birds. The uniqueness of external data, affectionate nature and independent personality made him popular.
Representatives of the breed began to be considered by breeders not only as working animals, but also as pets and companions. Basset hound is usually known outside the borders of the French state, and it is in great demand and popularity. But, in fact, there are six different recognized species found in France; basset hound "basset hound", basset fauve de britagne "basset fauve de bretagne", basset blue de gascon "basset bleu de gascogne", basset artesian Normandy "basset artesien normand", basset vendee basset griffon "grand basset griffon vendeen" and small Vendée basset griffon "petit basset griffon vendeen".
One of the most defining characteristics of the basset hound is its short stature and long body. These dogs have short legs that reduce their speed. Representatives of the species should not exceed 35 cm at the withers. But given these parameters, they are surprisingly heavy and strong. Dogs have very long muzzles and noses, which is why they have a keen sense of smell. The wrinkles extend over most of the face and neck, giving the animal a drooping, sad expression. Brown eyes, the darker the better. The tail is long and usually carried upright and slightly curved. The coat is smooth and short. There is a significant variety of its colors, but there are few monochromatic ones.
Written references to the ancestry of the Basset Hound ancestors
The historical evidence for the basset hound predates the late 1800s, when the basset artesian normands were imported into the United Kingdom and remains somewhat obscure. The earliest known description of such canines can be found in an illustrated work entitled "The Hunting Yard" or "La Venerie" written by Jacques du Fouillu.
The author was an excellent hunter and dedicated his famous book to King Charles IX of France. First published in Poitiers in 1561, this work was often reprinted (19 issues between 1562 and 1888) and also translated into other languages of the world. It contains a lot of information about the habits of animals and reveals many interesting observations that have been collected and confirmed by naturalists.
With the help of dogs from the text du Fouilloux, foxes and badgers were caught on the hunt. Canines with short limbs are pursuers of animals in their burrows. If subsequently the pet could not get out of there, then the hunters dug it out. Jacques painted them with a wiry coat, which is lacking in today's Basset Hounds. Despite this, extremely similar and probably close relatives: basset fauve de bretagne, grand griffon vendeen and petit basset griffon vendeen have a similar "coat".
Fuyu's illustrations show a breed that is well into the development stage, both in terms of appearance and use. This means that the basset varieties emerged much earlier, at least a few decades and possibly centuries ago. The earliest written notes about them found in the United States of America can be attributed to the period of the leadership of President George Washington in the late 1700s. In those days, his friend the Marquis de Lafayette presented George as a gift a couple of three unknown types of basset.
Breeding versions of the ancestors of the basset hound
As a rule, many believe that the basset hounds were developed from varieties that were much larger. Trappers needed the dogs to move a little slower, and they had time to follow the animals on foot, rather than on horseback. Certainly, the fact that these dogs were used from the time of the first references about them in literary works, and until the development of modern kennels in the late 1800s. In addition to the Basset Hound itself and the Basset Artesian Norman from which it traces its ancestry, all lines of such varieties are obviously related to a specific, special larger breed of dogs. For example, basset bleu de gascogne is a descendant of grand bleu de gascogne and petit bleu de gascogne.
It is not exactly clear whether each species was individually bred based on growth parameters, selecting short-legged individuals from a larger line, or whether they first developed one parallel from basset breeds and then crossed the resulting specimens with other hounds. The latter option appears to be preferable in the literature and is probably more acceptable. It is also unclear whether these canines were created solely by the very stunted individuals of a particular species, or whether pre-existing small dog species such as terriers, spaniels, or beagles overlapped with larger hounds. Due to the paucity of written information about breeding, these secrets, probably, experts will never be able to fully solve.
The Basset Artesian Norman itself is a mystery. While other types of basset are obviously related to other types of canines. Research carried out by experts indicates that the basset artesian normand is one of the original forms of the hubert hound, better known in English-speaking countries as the bloodhound. Amateurs who adhere to this version believe either that the basset hound was bred directly from the short-legged hubert hounds, or the latter crossed with the already existing basset breed, most likely with the basset bleu de gascogne, which is closest to the Artesian-Norman type.
Some historians have suggested that the Basset Artesian Norman was developed by the monks of the Monastery of St. Hubert, and they are also the "culprits" of the birth of the dog of St. Hubert. While there is no reason to believe that the basset artesian normand is of monastic origin, its resemblance to a bloodhound is difficult to ignore. Both breeds have similar wrinkled faces, drooping ears, a sad look, and a keen sense of smell. However, the Normand has a substantially different coat color than the bloodhound. It is very possible that other varieties influenced the development of this type of basset, in particular the blue de gascony and chien d'artua.
The need to breed the Basset Hound breed
The breed population and popularity of Basset breeds increased significantly after the French Revolution. Such animals were selected because of their small stature. This allowed the hunters to follow them on foot, and not ride a horse. Firstly, horses were very expensive and such an acquisition was "affordable" for a small percentage of the French population. Secondly, it is quite possible that it initially became expedient for trappers to be able to poison game outside of a certain area. Riding on horses, the movement through the dense front gardens was too difficult.
Possessing the ability to wade through thorny thickets, move moderately quickly and be inexpensive to maintain, such qualities made these dogs extremely desirable in the atmosphere of post-revolutionary France. Before the French Revolution, only a limited class, mainly the nobility, could engage in hunting. After its events, hunting for animals quickly spread among the middle and lower classes. Members of these categories of the population could easily afford to keep one or two dogs, but not a horse, much less buy one.
This made such canines fit and able to hunt without horses and very much in demand. The relatively compact size of the Bassets has also increased their popularity. The population of these species began to increase as many other traditional French large hunting hound species declined or disappeared altogether. During the revolutionary actions, it was very expensive to feed them, many "nobility" were simply allowed to "free bread", and some were killed by ignorant commoners, venting their anger at the "rich".
The history of the further development of the Basset Hound
Whatever the lineage of the variety, recent Basset Hound chronicles date back to the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte III from 1852 to 1870. The French ruler was an ardent supporter of the Basset Artesian Norman. It is said that he had a famous sculptor named Emmanuel Fritit. He sculpted bronze sculptures of three Basset Pets after a year of the monarch's reign. The Basset artesian normand found international fame when several examples were exhibited at the Paris Dog Show in 1863.
During that period, there were several varieties, the offspring of the artesian-Norman breed. They were the rough-haired specimens known as the basset griffons, and the smooth-haired ones known as the basset francais’s. But both of these types had short limbs. Basset artesian normand was kept and bred mainly by two leading breeders, each of whom gave their names to the famous lines "Basset Hound" and "Count le Couteaux".
The first written notes about a modern representative who left France dates back to 1866. At the time, the British Lord Galway imported a pair of 'Couteaux', which remained the most popular line in Britain. However, the basset was not immediately widely adopted in the United Kingdom. Eight years later, when Sir Everett Millas began importing them, these canines were just beginning to become famous. Millas and other breeders popularized the variety through dog shows and dog shows and hunting trials.
Targeted breeding of the Basset Artesian Normandy in the United Kingdom began fairly quickly. In Great Britain these dogs became known as Basset Hounds. Within a short period of time, several packs were created by breeders in this area. However, English breeders were not always picky or knowledgeable about the dogs they imported. Most hobbyists also kept spotted individuals and kept records of them in herdbooks. This led to some confusion about the early development of the basset hound in the English country.
The breeders of the United Kingdom, while breeding, freely mixed different types and species of basset, as well as different lines. At least, researchers have recorded several cases of manifestation in a variety of beagle blood. This was compounded by breeding experiments conducted by Lane and Le Couteau in France. It is widely known that the two breeding dogs, nicknamed Model and Fino de Paris, played an important role in the development of modern Basset Hounds. The English princess Alexandra quickly became an admirer of the breed and founded her own kennel. Almost all basset hound living today at least partially descend from the UK.
In the end, the British experts decided that they wanted to create an animal that would have larger parameters and a heavy skeleton. To this end, they began to cross basset hounds with bloodhounds. As breeders' taste changed, wiry-coated dogs were no longer allowed to breed with smooth-haired animals, leading to the disappearance of the basset griffon from the basset hound pedigrees.
The Heseltine family created the "Walhampton" line, which has become incredibly influential in the development of the Basset Hounds as both a hunting and show breed. Although many of the original fans of the variety in England were primarily associated with show-ring dogs, the value of these animals as hunting dogs quickly became apparent. Individuals bred as workers also greatly influenced the breed population. Over the course of fifty years, the English basset hound has evolved into completely new and different canines from the basset artesian normand.
Popularization and recognition of basset hounds
The species were imported from the Kingdom of England to the United States of America during the last years of the 19th century. As in the UK, the first specimens were brought to the show for display in the show ring, but they quickly became working pets. To this day, hunting with the use of basset hounds takes place in the United States. First of all, this event is organized in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognized the basset hound in 1885, one year after the club was founded. In 1928, the United Nursery Club (UKC) was organized. The Basset Hound Club of America (BHCA) was founded by breed lovers in 1933. The species grew in popularity in the United States after the appearance of the species on the cover of Time magazine in 1928. Such an event has attracted advertisers and the entertainment media who make extensive use of these canines' data.
The emergence of basset hounds in literature and cinema
The adorable and unique appearance of the basset hound instantly captured the attention of fans when the dogs first appeared outside their home, and this attitude has not changed over the years. The features of the appearance of breed individuals have made them popular objects for the media. They have appeared in books, starred in films, and appeared on television shows on numerous occasions.
The Basset Hound has long been a sought-after character in children's cartoons, appearing in films such as All Dogs Go to Heaven, The Aristocrats, The New Adventures of a Dog and His Friends, Ghost in the Shell and The Dog from Las Vegas ". Representatives of the species have also repeatedly got used to the role, playing characters in the films: "Smokki" and "Bandit", "Monkey Bone", "American Werewolf in Paris" and many other films.
These canines have also been in demand in television series for a long time. The variety appears in the following tapes: "The Dorks from Hazzard", "Columbo", "Lassie", "Coach", "Such a Raven", "Fair Amy" and so on can be enumerated for a long time. Perhaps the most famous appearance of the basset hound in American culture happened on the Steve Allen Show in 1956, when famed singer Elvis Presley performed his classic hit "Hound Dog" for the breed.
Although a small number of Basset Hounds are still used for hunting in the United States of America, almost all members of the variety are exclusively companion animals. With such a role, these gentle and friendly creatures not only do an excellent job, but also succeed in it. Their distinctive sad appearance and charming personality continue to win more and more fans.
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