Obedience
Obedience training provides a great foundation for any Basset Hound. The ability to walk correctly on a lead, sit, stay, and come when called will help any dog become a better and be a safer pet. Whether you are walking your dog on a lead on a busy street, or have guests visit for dinner, a well behaved pet is appreciated by all. Through obedience, your Basset Hound will learn correct social behavior, and you will learn to correct unwanted behaviors. Whether you have an interest in competing in obedience or not, it is quite important that every Basset Hound and his owner spend the time to acquire basic skills.
The Basset Hound is actually quite a smart breed. They are bred to be independent thinkers, so they don’t wish to be bored with repetitive work. Every dog is different, activity levels vary greatly. Learning these skills with your Basset Hound will be both rewarding and beneficial.
As a competitive sport, Obedience demonstrates the dog’s ability to follow specified routines and emphasizes the usefulness of the dog as a companion to man by behaving in the home, in public places and in the presence of other dogs.
Basset Hound University has two courses which will help you learn about basic obedience skills. The Basset Hound Owners Guide has a few simple commands with photo instruction to help you get started. The Basset Hound School of Obedience is a more in depth look at doing Obedience with your Basset Hound. These are geared simply to assist in training your dog, not for competition obedience.
Many of the obedience rules and regulations, as well as the classes and exercises have changed since the BHU School of Obedience was developed. Never the less, the School of Obedience will provide you with a great place to start.
During the last few years, Obedience competition has evolved quite extensively. For those that are intimidated by Obedience, you might wish to start with Rally. If you are comfortable moving forward with Obedience, there are many resources available to help you. While some may doubt the Basset Hound's ability in Obedience, it is simply a matter of proper and creative training. Bassets are quite intelligent and simply don't want to be bored with excessive repetition. Most are easily motivated and happy with the attention they receive while training.