I think that one of the key-words in training a Basset Hound is FUN! A Basset Hound loves to have fun! A lazy Basset  
 Hound who’s main goal in life is, only to sleep and eat - is a bored Basset Hound! You have to teach your dog that it 
 is fun to "play" obedience with you. Your dogs needs to learn, that you are the "lead-dog" and if he co-operates with
 you, you will love him, respect him, and be his best friend. You will gain a wonderful companion, a dog that trust in you 
- but also a dog you can trust. You get to know him so much better, and have more faith in him. 

 I believe that a Basset Hound can learn and wants to learn, because a Basset Hound is a "team-worker"! They hunt
 in packs and by nature they are most happy being with a lot of other dogs, people or even cats, as long as they are
 not all alone. On a good team everybody knows his place, everybody is an individual and everybody has to be able to
 co-operate with the others. Even if there is only you and your Basset Hound, he will always consider you to be his
 pack. In every good pack or team there has to be a leader, and if your dog is a Basset Hound - it better be you who
 is the leader! He is way to smart not to notice if you aren't, and he will take advantage immediately. To train
 obedience is both a good way to show him his “place", but also a lot of fun and challenge for both of you. With a
 Basset Hound you must never expect him to obey your every word every time - he might sometimes needs time to
 think if there is something in it for him! That fact is much more easy to live with, if you have a lot of humor, and a lot of
 love for your dog and is patient. 

 Normally a Basset Hound is full-grown around the age of 2 years old, I believe that to be true with their minds as well.
 That is why I do not expect my Basset Hound to pass their first obedience-trial until that age.  I start training them as
 soon as they are old enough for puppy-class, and I continue for at least the first 2-3 years or for as long as they still
 think it is lots of fun! At the age of about 2 years, depending on the individual dog, I start being more persistent with
 the dog, slowly expecting him to be more obedient! At that time he understand most of the different exercises, so I 
 try to train more often. Always in different exercises, but only max. 10-20min. at a time, or he will soon get bored. 
 Always I start training something he likes, so he will feel good and be happy. Then some of the things he might not
 like so much, and then we finish with something he is good at. That way I fell we have a good start - and a good 
 finish! Then both my dog and I have been successful in our training, and in between he hopefully have learned a little
 more. 

 Our Basset Hounds love and enjoy so much to go to training, were they can meet other dogs and people, that it is
 such a great pleasure for us to take them there. As we have 10 dogs and cannot take them all to training at the same
 time, the ones staying at home are very upset. Even if they have lots of family and friends at home, they all still enjoy
 meeting new friends. Imagine how a single Basset would feel being a member of pack of dogs at least once a 
 week? If you are too busy to give your Basset the pleasure of learning and being with other dogs, maybe you should
 reconsider owning a dog, as it is the least you can do for the your best friend, and you would sent your child to school,
 wouldn't you?

 We train at home, but we also train obedience with the Danish Basset Klub. If you want more information, feel free to
 contact us by e-mail at: bassets@benoit.dk    

 Or you can contact Basset Klubbens obedience instructor: Lise  Winther Hansen, Slangerup. Tlf: 4733 4408