Whenever I see a basset hound, I can’t help but think of Lafayette from The Aristocats — clumsy, good-natured and far cuter than any of the cats (sorry, cat people). One of the great joys of puppyhood, no matter the breed, is that irresistible puppy fat — soft, squishy and comforting. The magic of the basset is that they never quite lose it.
The term basset means 'rather low' in French — an apt tribute to their stature. The classic basset hound descends from short-legged scent hounds bred in France, with roots in the medieval St Hubert hounds of Belgium, prized for their stamina and unerring sense of smell.
Bred to hunt on foot — slow and steady — they allowed their humans to keep up without horses. Over time, monks and French hunters refined them into hounds adept at tracking hare and rabbit through dense cover.
By the late 19th century, basset hounds were firmly established in Britain, thanks to Everett Millais, who in the 1890s crossed French bassets with bloodhounds to create the heavier-set English basset hound. The Kennel Club recognised the breed in 1882, and the American Kennel Club followed in 1885.
The Hon Mrs E. D. Greenall with her four prize-winning basset hounds, Lodestar, Liberty, Comedy and Tragedy, pictured in 1934.
With their short legs, long bodies, droopy eyes and enormous ears, basset hounds are unmistakable. Their rolls (always a compliment) and mournful expression give them an air of perpetual existential questioning. Weighing between 20–30kg and standing around 30–38cm tall, they’re sturdily built and not easily blown off course.
It would be easy to dismiss the basset as chubby or unathletic, but every part of their design serves a purpose. Those magnificent ears sweep the ground, stirring up scents for the nose to capture, while the loose folds of skin around the neck and chest — the dewlap — help trap and hold those scents close, keeping the trail fresh as the hound follows it. Their slow pace isn’t laziness — it’s focus. These hounds were bred to follow a scent trail doggedly, covering miles at a steady trot rather than a dash.
Easy-going, devoted and gentle, bassets are famously friendly — they love children, other pets and generally just loafing around. They’re clever but stubborn, ranked low on obedience intelligence mainly because they choose when to cooperate — a quality you can only get away with when you’re that cute.
The basset hound remains a cherished classic. Their popularity endures thanks to their distinctive look and placid temperament, but they’ve never been common enough to lose their special status.
Famous bassets & pop-culture cameos
Elvis Presley famously performed Hound Dog to a basset hound named Sherlock on The Steve Allen Show in 1956 (above).
Fred Basset, Alex Graham’s wry and thoughtful cartoon, has been a British favourite since the 1960s.
Droopy, with his deadpan delivery, remains an icon of golden-age animation.
Disney’s Lafayette in The Aristocats and Toby in The Great Mouse Detective are childhood favourites for many.
Not forgetting the pair of scene-stealing baskets in Nanny McPhee.
As for celebrity owners, the roll-call is glittering: Marilyn Monroe, Doris Day, Betty White, Burt Reynolds, Ronnie Wood, Brigitte Bardot and George Clooney (who adopted a basset mix) have all shared their lives with these long-eared charmers.
So if you’re ever looking for a breed as memorable as your favourite childhood characters, as loyal as your best friend and slow enough to savour every moment — meet the basset hound. Low-slung in stature, high in charm.
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