Those long ears and low-slung body are not just a look, they are a direct cause of the breed's biggest health problems, and Basset Hounds have one of the highest rates of chronic ear infections of any breed studied in UK veterinary records.
12.5years, median
About the same as the all-dog median of 12.5 years.
Measured, not estimated: the middle age at death across 584,734 UK dogs, 284,734 of them deceased. Based on 2,896 dogs of this breed. 95% confidence interval 12.2 to 12.7 years. Half lived longer than this, half did not. UK dogs, so treat it as the best available figure rather than a promise about yours.
In the same study, medium breeds as a group had a median of 12.5 years and long-muzzled breeds 12.1. This breed is medium and long-muzzled.
McMillan et al. 2024, Scientific Reports 14:531 — open access · CC BY 4.0Health tests to ask the breeder for
Basset Hound Club of America sets the tests a Basset Hound needs for a CHIC number in the OFA's open database. A CHIC number means the tests were done and the results are public. It does not mean the dog passed them: ask for the results for both parents, or look them up yourself on ofa.org.
- Eye Examination by a boarded ACVO Ophthalmologist
- Mucopolysaccharidosis I (MPS I) DNA test
- Thrombopathia (Basset Hound type) DNA test
- Lafora Disease DNA test
- Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG, Basset Hound type) DNA test
When to spay or neuter: the guidelines split at 45 pounds grown, five to six months under it and after growth is complete over it, and the UC Davis study gives a guideline by breed for 35 breeds. The spay and neuter page has both, and the two weeks after.
- Hip Dysplasia (OFA, PennHIP, GDC or OVC radiographs)
- Elbow Dysplasia (OFA Evaluation)
Test names as the club lists them; checked September 2026. OFA CHIC breed page. How to use this at the breeder: check a breeder.
Adopt a Basset Hound near you
Shelters and rescues list Basset Hounds and Basset Hound mixes on Petfinder. Enter a ZIP code to see who is waiting within 100 miles.
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Living with a Basset Hound
Bassets are famously laid-back, food-driven, and stubborn; training takes patience, and off-leash recall is unreliable because that nose takes over. Day to day, expect a genuinely low-exercise dog, but budget real time for ear cleaning as routine maintenance rather than an occasional chore, and watch their weight closely, since extra pounds land hard on a spine and joints already working against the breed's proportions.
Health you should know about
- Chronic ear infections (otitis externa) — a UK primary-care study found 28.8% of Basset Hounds affected within a single year, roughly six times the odds of the average dog, driven by long, heavy, low-hanging ears that trap moisture and restrict airflow into the canal.
- Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) — the breed's long back and short, achondroplastic legs put real strain on the spine, and disc disease causing pain, weakness, or even paralysis is a recognized risk.
- Obesity — strong food motivation combined with low exercise needs make weight gain common, which in turn worsens joint and back problems.
- Hip and elbow dysplasia, plus bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus) — joint problems and a sudden, life-threatening stomach-twisting condition are both documented risks in the breed.
Read the full Dog Care Guide first — costs, daily time, and everything a dog needs before you choose a breed.
Naming a Basset Hound? French dog and cat names, 89 of them, with what they mean.
Sources — 3 references
Last reviewed October 2026. 3 sources listed below. Written and maintained by Petdeals.io. General care information, not veterinary advice — for a sick animal, call a vet.