What's the Best Dog Food for Basset Hounds?
The happy go lucky Basset Hound is a true joy to be around. Keeping this delightful pooch in tip top health requires a premium quality diet that has been designed to fuel this moderately active breed’s nutritional needs and daily lifestyle. Whether you've got a puppy, a fully grown adult, or a senior, our recommendations for premium diets will help you find the very best food to keep your Basset Hound healthy and well.
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Breed Info
Breed Group:Hound | AKC Basset Hound Profile
Ideal Weight:Female Adult: 46 to 59 pounds
Male Adult: 46 to 59 pounds
Exercise Need:15 to 25 minutes per day
Breed Summary
The Basset Hound's name is derived from the French term “bas,” which translates to low. A breed of immense musculature, the Basset Hound’s lengthy ears and droopy jowls make it easy to identify. The ears of the Basset form an important function in its role as a hunter, trapping scents that waft up to the Basset’s nose to assist it with tracking game such as rabbits. Their ability to track a scent is second only to that of the Bloodhound.
Typically, the Basset Hound has a tri colored coat but also comes in red and white, and more rarely, lemon and white. This charming breed has short legs, meaning this pooch will move at a slow and deliberate pace, a trait desirable to hunters following the dog on foot. The Basset’s tail is quite long, making it easy to spot when hunting in thick woods or deep grass.
By nature, the Basset Hound is an amiable family companion, loving and affectionate with its family and children, in particular. Though the breed enjoys sleeping and lazing around the house, regular daily exercise of up to one hour per day is recommended for good health.
The Basset has a unique set of vocalizations. When engaged in a hunt, the breed will use a distinctive bay or howl to alert its owner to the presence of game. In addition to this, the Basset Hound has a special whine that is reserved for letting its owner know a snack would be greatly appreciated.
Physical Traits
Short, stocky, strong, athletic, agile
Personality Traits
Friendly, engaged, loyal, playful, intelligent
Health Considerations
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It is always a good idea to try to understand what health problems can be common to the Basset Hounds. This information can be very helpful in selecting the right diet for the breed. Basset Hounds love food and can be predisposed to becoming obese if allowed to free feed or overfed.
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Entropion
Entropion is seen when the eyelid of a dog moves inside the eye. This movement leads to the eyelid hair brushing against the cornea, causing irritation but also potentially leading to tears, ulcers, and pigmentation which can interfere with proper vision. An excellent diet can support eye health in the Basset Hounds.
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Eye Health & Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a condition that occurs when fluid in the eye does not drain properly resulting in pressure on the retina and optic disk. Over time and if left untreated, glaucoma can lead to blindness in the Basset Hounds. There are several different ingredients that can provide support for eye health, so we look for Basset Hounds foods to contain:
Recommendations:
Anthocyanins・ Astaxanthin・ Beta-carotene・ Carotenoids・ Glutathione・ Lutein・ Lycopene・ Omega-3 essential fatty acids・ Phytonutrients・ Vitamin A・ Vitamin C -
Hip Dysplasia
Because of their heavy, muscular frame, the Basset Hounds can be genetically predisposed to developing hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia occurs when the hip ball does not sit squarely in the socket, causing rubbing and deterioration of the bone. This condition is extremely painful and can be exacerbated by excess weight. Dysplasia is typically hereditary, but maintaining a healthy body condition will mitigate pain and discomfort. To support general joint health, we prefer foods that contain:
Recommendations:
Antioxidants・ Chondroitin・ Glucosamine・ Green Mussel・ Methylsulfonymethane・ Omega-3 from Fish Oil・ Taurine・ Turmeric・ Vitamin E -
Patellar Luxation
A luxating patella is another health problem that can plague the sweet Basset Hounds. Typically inherited, patellar luxation is evidenced by a knee cap that slips out of position. Slipping knee caps are graded on a scale from 1 to 4 with 1 considered minor and 4 typically requiring surgery. Proper support for optimal knee health is vitally important.
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Von Willebrand’s Disease
Von willebrand’s disease occurs when a dog lacks the correct factor for its blood to clot properly. A very serious condition, von willebrand’s disease is often detected when a dog has an injury, a heat cycle, or surgery and it is discovered that the bleeding will not stop. Von willebrand’s disease can be successfully treated with medication, but it cannot be cured. Not even the best nutrition can prevent vwd, but we mention it here to help awareness for loving parents of Basset Hounds.
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Are Fresh Food Diets Good for Basset Hounds?
Only if they’re properly balanced.
Many well-intentioned Basset Hounds parents spend a lot of time preparing meals at home, but health benefits are lost if meals aren’t properly portioned and balanced with all the nutrients dogs need. Recently, a few companies have done an excellent job ensuring accurate portions and nutrient balance by delivering pre-prepped fresh meals customized to the size and needs of your dog. Farmer’s Dog, Ollie and Nom Nom have each been approved by our nutrition team as delivering truly quality and well-balanced meals. They can be a little expensive (usually 3-4x more per day than kibble), but many find the added health benefits worth the cost. They do offer discounts to new customers, though, if you’d like to try one out.
Pros and Cons of Fresh Food Diets
✓ Diets balanced by Nutritionists・ ✓ Customized portions for weight control・ ✓ Superior digestive and immune health ・✕ More expensive than standard dog food
Foods We Recommend for Basset Hounds Puppies
How long do Basset Houndss need puppy food?
Until they're 12 to 16 months old.
Basset Hounds are very focused on growing, and how we feed them should help them do just that. Since they have so much growing to do, they need higher amounts of nutrients than adult dogs, especially proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and — don’t forget — water. It’s still important to not overfeed puppies, so make sure to portion food and keep treats to no more than 10% of their caloric intake. Since balance is so important, we recommend that your young Basset Hounds is eating food that is made just for puppies from a reputable brand.
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Foods We Recommend for Basset Hounds Adults
When should Basset Hounds start transitioning to adult food?
When they're 12 to 16 months old
From a nutrition standpoint, Basset Hounds become adults once they reach about 90% of their expected weight. Once adults, our two key nutrition goals are balance and maintenance. We want balance because a dog’s body is responsible for a lot of things, like digestion, fighting infection, keeping muscles strong, and chasing squirrels. These are all important tasks, so we want to make sure each body function gets its share of nutrients. We also need to maintain a healthy weight. Underfed dogs are at risk for malnourishment, and overfed dogs can become obese — both of which lead to even worse problems for a Basset Hound
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Foods We Recommend for Basset Hounds Seniors
When should Basset Hounds start transitioning to senior food?
All dogs can age differently, but medium dogs like Basset Hounds can start to benefit from senior food around 7 to 8 years old
Ever watch kids running around the playground and wish you had that energy again? Yeah. Dogs get there, too. The metabolic processes in senior Basset Hounds slow down as they age, which often means they aren’t needing quite as many calories as they did in their prime. Smart dog food companies have formulated senior diets to ease up on calories but still help them feel full and give them adequate maintenance protein. Still, like humans, everybody is different. Sometimes older dogs need just as many calories, or more, depending on how their bodies progress. So keep a close eye on their body condition, and look for dog foods made for seniors.
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Affiliate Disclosure:
We do not accept money to recommend pet foods. However, we do receive referral fees from online retailers (such as Chewy or Amazon) on qualifying purchases. Our recommendations are neutral, and diet recommendations are made without considering whether we will receive a referral fee.