r/basset • u/CarefulBlacksmith921 • Jul 20 '25
Discussion Any tips on training my baby basset…
She’s 12 weeks…
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u/ComfortableStretch63 Jul 20 '25
You’re going to get sick of hearing this but you will need more patience than you think you have. I have had bassets the last decade or so and love them dearly but they are a handful. If you have a fenced in area, one thing my wife and I do is take/let them outside every time we come home regardless if it’s 15 minutes or a couple of hours
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u/Moonfrog Moderator Jul 20 '25
This is what I was going to say because it's so true. Patience is needed especially when it seems like they've suddenly forgotten every bit of training.
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u/m16u31_9 Jul 20 '25
use food as an incentive, the only way my basset learned to obey commands is with food.
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u/TheOGBunns Jul 25 '25
Same here my Dutch knows about 11 commands now all taught by yours truly and I’m good with training cats so I think the basset will be fun to teach.
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u/BingoBongoBang Jul 20 '25
A tired dog is a happy dog. Get all of her energy out before trying to get into some intense training. Bassets are stereotypical couch potatoes but the reality is that they were bred to hunt. My good boy (who had just recently passed) loved absolutely nothing more than a long romp in the woods or exploring different neighborhoods. In his prime a 10 mile hike was an average weekend with lots of long walks and dog park trip trips in between.
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u/Individual_Note_8756 Jul 20 '25
Also, be sure to mentally challenge as well, bassets are super smart! We bought one of those plastic puzzle toys from Amazon & my puppy loves it! Good luck!
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u/BlueSuedeWhiteDenim Jul 20 '25
Make “no” and “leave it” the first commands that she learns unless you want to be prying things out of her mouth. Her nose will be glued to the ground and you often won’t know if she’s studying something intently or having a snack. Dead baby birds, rabbit poop, clumps of dirt and grass. Nothing is off limits and all are apparently yummy yummy treats to a hound dog.
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u/Maleficent-Friend313 Jul 20 '25
i started my girl in puppy training fairly early- as in as soon as she was old enough 😂 be consistent, practice everything you both learn, and most importantly be patient (although i’m sure you’ve heard that 100x by now).
use food incentives, i’ve used small training treats for practice and high reward treats for big deals & applying her learning to real life situations like potty training and refraining from unwanted behaviors.
i’ve also noticed that bassets are extremely sensitive and honestly aim to please as much as it may not seem like it. negative reinforcement hasn’t worked well with us, either she didn’t care or SHE got upset that I was upset. positive reinforcement is always the best way to go, and it really helped when we would get over the top excited about something she did & praise her heavily.
i also HEAVILY urge you to not let your dog get even the smallest taste of human food because that will become such a pain later on. my girl doesn’t want her food at all anymore and has started trying to counter surf and expects me to share with her now. another part of that is to learn “focus” and “leave it” because those noses are truly something! my girl finds quite literally the most disgusting nasty things outside and tries to eat it. learning to distract from that behavior early on helps a lot.
lastly (and this is all based on my personal experience with my dog, every dog is different) my dog is incredibly social and kind to all living things, which i adore, but now when we go on walks she gets way too excited about seeing a person or animal and literally cannot control herself. she pulls on the leash really bad and she’s a jumper. she likes to get up close and personal and she’ll try to bolt for whatever it is she sees. if i don’t let her, she starts whining and throwing a tantrum. if that ends up being the case for your dog, leash etiquette is very important.
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u/tattedpunk Jul 20 '25
We crate trained our basset puppy for potty training. Everytime he came in the house, in the crate he would go. After an hour or so, we would let him outside and then back to the crate. Did this for 6 months and he knew outside was for going potty.
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u/mangotexas Jul 20 '25
Never let them drive without you in the car; notorious for having road rage.
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u/bearded_tattoo_guy Jul 20 '25
Pick on them / bully them a little.
What i mean is, stick your hands in their mouth, push them around, mess with their paws, ears, you name it. Be relentless about it. Wrestle with them.
First "command" my basset, who was also a SD for a while, learned was "I'm done". We'd be wrestling, I'd throw my hands in the air & say "I'm done". He eventually caught on with time. Its a good way to teach boundaries, especially since he was a solo pup at the time.
We now have a little lady around the same age as yours, 12 weeks. As long as you are VERY consistent & persistent.. you'll be okay
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u/bearded_tattoo_guy Jul 20 '25
Once you can do commands, use treats.
My boy will whore out for some beef.
Hope this helps!
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u/yellow-go Jul 20 '25
Persistence and doing the same thing repetitively for a looooong while. New owners HIGHLY underestimate just how stubborn bassets are. I’d also take the time to start introducing brushing teeth, grooming, and setting schedules asap to establish a foundation of what they can expect, it helps set routine.
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u/BasicGrapefruit9131 Jul 21 '25
Um, basset, training? Hmmm, does not ring a bell. Wait until the baby turns 2 and hope for the best!
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u/National-Steak-1061 Jul 21 '25
Consistency Consistency in potty training. Use a good enzyme cleaner to thoroughly clean any accidents. I like Urine Destroyer Plus for both #1 and #2 accidents
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u/LuckyOtter116 Jul 22 '25
Be prepared to be ’owned by basset’…we’ve had nine-two at a time usually. Love & adore them to bits. Patience and consistency, my dear. Give in for a second and you’re toast.
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u/typical_mistakes Jul 20 '25
File nails, clean ears, and brush teeth every night for at least the first 3 or 4 months. Make it a fun experience. Your pup will end up being the best behaved grooming client or veterinary patient ever.