Basset Hound puppies

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Basset Hound puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. Energy is on the lower side for the breed, but every eight week old puppy still runs in bursts and then crashes. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Primary open angle glaucoma, detectable by DNA test and monitored by an ophthalmologist evaluation
• Thrombopathia, an inherited platelet defect that causes abnormal bleeding, detectable by DNA test
• Mucopolysaccharidosis type I, an inherited storage disease, detectable by DNA test
• Lafora disease, a late onset inherited epilepsy, detectable by DNA test
• Ear infections, because the long heavy ears cut off air flow, so ears need checking and drying regularly
• Hip and elbow dysplasia and patellar luxation, screened by joint evaluation and x-ray

From Basset Hound breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/basset-hound/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Your Basset Hound puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a Basset Hound.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 18.1 to 29.5 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Other medium breeds

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