Basset Hounds

The Basset Hound is a short, relatively heavy dog. The head is large and well proportioned with a rounded skull. The muzzle is deep and heavy with the size being greater than the width at the brow. The brown eyes have a soft, sad look to them and are slightly sunken with a prominent haw. The darkly pigmented lips have loose hanging flews and the dewlap is very pronounced. The skin hangs loose like elastic and falls in folds on the head. The velvety ears are set low and extremely long hanging towards the ground. The large teeth meet in either a scissors or even bite. The chest is very deep extending in front of the front legs. The dogs hindquarters are very full and round. The paws are big. The dewclaws may be removed. The coat is dense, short, hard and shiny. There are no rules concerning color, but it is usually black, tan, white, red, white with chestnut or with sand-colored markings.