Need inspiration to train your stubborn Basset Hound? Meet Bugsie. During her first 7 months of puppyhood, she chewed electrical cords, eliminated in the house regularly, barked constantly and refused to follow directions delivered by her owners, Betsy and Kevin Iole of Las Vegas, Nevada. "She truly was a holy terror, the puppy from hell," says Betsy Iole, M.D., a pathology physician. "She was noisy, stubborn and a challenge to housetrain. We were at our wit's end because she would not listen to us at all."

Keeping training sessions fun and positive will help motivate your Basset Hound.

Determined, the loles proved to be equally as stubborn as Bugsie and sought a professional dog trainer to assist them. Together, using positive-reinforcement training techniques and consistency, the loles became adored leaders in Bugsie's eyes. By age 6, the now 13-year-old Bugsie accomplished a historic feat by becoming the first Basset Hound to earn a Utility Dog Excellent title (UDX) in obedience from the American Kennel Club (AKC). She has also garnered titles in tracking and agility.

"Bugsie is a great example of the potential of a Basset Hound," lole says. "A lot of people who get Bassets expect a low-energy, low-demand dog, but as puppies, Bassets have a lot of energy and they need help to channel that energy in productive—not destructive—ways."

Despite the shaky start, the loles, like many who get to spend time with Bassets, became lifelong fans of this floppy-eared, long-backed, nose-always-sniffing breed, and have added Buffet, another Basset Hound, to their family.

Their advice to others interested in owning a Basset Hound: Maintain realistic expectations of this fun-loving but strong-willed breed. "They are lovable hounds and can give you a lot of satisfaction in the field, in showing or hunting, but they're not going to be guard dogs because they are friendly to everyone," says Randy Frederiksen of New Braunfels, Texas, president of the Basset Hound Club of America (BHCA).

Always keep your Basset leashed or in an enclosed area so it doesn't follow its nose into trouble.

"Bassets can be trained—they're extremely smart, but maybe too smart for their own good at times," says Frederiksen, who has bred Basset Hounds at Ambrican Kennels for 31 years. "They are versatile, excelling in hunting, obedience and even agility trials. But this is also a stubborn breed. A Basset hears everything you say, but may ignore you if its mind is on an interesting scent."

To make training a success for both you and your Basset, you must first understand how the breed thinks. They don't like being bullied, detest repetition and sport a nose second only to the Bloodhound in the power of detecting scents. If given the choice of exercising or eating, odds are they will choose chow, even if it means stretching their long backs to pilfer food left on kitchen counters. Finally, they respond well to humor, so go ahead—laugh and have fun during training sessions.

At an obedience class, once a Basset demonstrates that it can perform a command, such as sit, successfully two or three times in a row, move on to other commands. Otherwise, your bored Basset will start looking for ways to be creative and mischievous, says Ellen Ferguson of Miami, Florida, a member of the BHCA who has achieved success with Bassets in the show ring, obedience competitions and agility trials.

"With these hounds, you need to make training fun for them," adds Ferguson, who is an AKC agility instructor. "You need to be a bit clownish to capture their attention and willingness to learn. Laugh genuinely, make funny noises and be goofy. Your Basset will love it, and more importantly, it will continue paying attention to you."

Food rewards grab the attention of your always-hungry hound.

HAVE SCENT, Will Countersurf

A pan of warm brownies. Dinner rolls. Not to mention a plate of leftover turkey slices. The powerful Basset nose can guide this breed to kitchen counters and fuel its mind with one mission: Grab that food no matter what it takes. Don't be fooled by this dog's stubby short legs. When food-motivated, Bassets can become expert mountaineers in your kitchen.      "With their long backs and long noses, they can get right to the back of my kitchen counters with their back legs still on the ground," says Betsy lole of Las Vegas, Nevada. Iole now safely tucks food on the back end of the stove or inside the toaster oven—two places out of reach for her Bassets.      For the extremely determined Basset, you need to booby-trap the counters. Corey Rigoni of New Hudson, Michigan, shares her home with seven Bassets, including one savvy food seeker named Vertigo. "Vertigo was a big countersurfer who once ate two full pans of brownies, and fortunately, did not get seriously ill," Rigoni says. She recommends spreading hot pepper sauce on the edges of the kitchen counters with a paintbrush every few days. The high vinegar and pepper content seems to rebuff most Bassets. "The good news is that once this sauce dries, it doesn't smell bad to people, but it can definitely be picked up by your dog," she adds.      As every savvy Basset Hound owner knows, always have a backup plan. Rigoni has taped rough sandpaper to the edges of the counter until the unwanted behavior stopped. As outrageous as it may seem, Rigoni has even resorted to a creative tactic to curb countersurfing: She cuts off the handles of hair brushes and tapes the bristles to the counter. These unwelcoming textures on the paws or long nose can deter the pursuit for counter chow. Of course, the best defensive is to keep the counters free of food at all times unless you are there to supervise. Between meals, resist storing food on the counters. Keep it in the refrigerator, cabinets or your pantry.      ADDITIONAL FOOD-PROOFING TIPS      • Secure all trash cans with sturdy lids. Even better, keep them under the sink so you can use childproof latches on the doors.      • Resist putting food on the dining room table until everyone is seated. Some Bassets have been known to climb on chairs to access the food on the table.      • Always check your counters and kitchen tables and remove any food before you head out of the house.      • Keep your Basset in its crate with the door shut during meal preparation and mealtime. In addition to stopping countersurfing, this will also discourage a begging tendency in your Basset. — Arden Moore

Like other Basset fans, Ferguson knew that the breed could be challenging when it comes to instructing them that the Basset bathrooms are outside, not the living-room rug or the kitchen tile.

In addition to her first litter of Bassets, Ferguson plays an active role in Basset rescue, helping place more than 50 abandoned dogs in forever homes throughout the last 15 years. She imparts some invaluable advice to anyone buying a Basset puppy or even adopting an adult. Rule No. 1: Limit the dog's roaming space in the house, especially when you cannot be around to supervise.

For her brood of puppies, Ferguson expanded their indoor access gradually from their whelping box to a puppy pen, and by the age of 5 weeks, to crates. She put two puppies in each crate and also fed the puppies inside their crates so they could associate positive experiences with the crates.

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"Cratetraining is No. 1, whether you're dealing with a puppy or a rescued Basset," Ferguson says. "The crate should always be regarded as a training tool—not a cage or a form of punishment. When used correctly, a crate acts as a natural den for dogs, and they do not want to soil in their sleeping areas.

Initially, limit the time a Basset puppy spends crated during the day to no more than two or three hours at a time. Always take the puppy immediately outside to eliminate each time you open the crate door. Gradually increase the time the puppy spends in the crate as it gets older, but no more than four or five hours at a stretch once puppies reach 6 months to 1 year of age.

"With my nine puppies, I would take them outside and make a big deal of them eliminating outside," Ferguson says. "I encourage people to use a word in association with elimination. My word is 'outside,' and I say this word as they are eliminating."

For Corey Rigoni of New Hudson, Michigan, the breed referral officer for the BHCA, it's important to recognize that housetraining may take several weeks. "Bassets are not being malicious, but for some strange reason, the light bulb doesn't seem to go on in this breed until about 6 months of age, as far as housetraining is concerned," Rigoni says. "The moment they take a big drink of water or eat dinner, take them outside immediately and use a catch phrase such as 'Wanna go potty outside?' When they perform, give a big applause and a treat. Be consistent and they will gradually get the idea," Rigoni says.

Another key housetraining tip from Ferguson is your attitude. "Bassets are sensitive dogs that can read your stress levels. You need to be patient, calm and put out relaxed vibes so the dog is not tense," she says. "Don't expect your dog to go out and eliminate in two seconds. That's where a lot of failures occur. Get up an hour earlier, if necessary, and enjoy the time you spend with your dog."

The "attention" command is the foundation for most other training commands.

According to Iole, during the first few weeks your new Basset is home, timing is crucial. Be consistent by taking your Basset outside when it first wakes up, and after long naps, playtime and meals. "You need to watch your puppy like a hawk inside your house and when it looks like it's about to squat, make a loud noise, clap your hand or say, ‘ah-ah'—anything to startle the puppy so you can quickly take it outside to finish elimination," Iole says.

Consider adding a doggie door that leads into a secured backyard and teach your young Basset the ins and outs of this access to a suitable, outdoor bathroom area.

If you have an older, housetrained Basset, let it be a role model, says Liane Ashdown of Colleyville, Texas, president and director of operations for North Texas Basset Rescue in nearby Grapevine, Texas. Ashdown relies on Lucy, her sweet, tolerant 6-year-old Basset, to assist her in teaching proper bathroom etiquette to the influx of rescue Bassets.

Willy, an 8-month-old rescue, arrived on Halloween and by that afternoon, he had mastered using a doggie door. "Willy watched Lucy go in and out—it's amazing what young dogs can pick up from older dogs," Ashdown says. "I helped by putting food at the other end of the door so Willy would push open the door with his nose and get the treat. As he came through the door, Lucy and I were there to greet and praise him. By Sunday, he was taking himself out to go to the bathroom in the yard."


THE GREAT ESCAPE
All it takes is one tempting scent and the escape is on. One second, your Basset is lumbering by your side and the next, the nose tips into the air, a squirrel scent is detected and you find yourself frantically pursuing your suddenly swift hound as it scampers down the block.

In the world of dogs, Bassets are anything but Velcro dogs that heel obediently and heed your every command. Blame it on their genetics, and their powerful noses. "Basset Hounds are bred to trail small game with hunters on foot," Ferguson says. "They are designed to go through all types of terrain—fallen logs, thick grass—with determination. Because of that, they have a highly sensitive nose, and they need to go and investigate."

Bassets are unreliable when off leash, so begin leash training at an early age.

Don't allow a puppy to chew your fingers—or any other inappropriate items. Instead, offer a safe, fun chew toy.

Ashdown sees far too many hounds that have gotten lost and separated from their owners because of these traits. "The Basset is a true escape artist in search of the wanderlust of the great outdoors," Ashdown says. "All Bassets need to wear collars with identification tags, and ideally, should have microchips. All Bassets should be enrolled in basic obedience classes. With this breed, you need to plan for the worst-case scenario."

This is definitely not a dog that should be off-leash in open places. As much as your Basset may love you, it loves tracking down an alluring scent outdoors even more. "Basset Hounds should never run loose because if they are trailing something of interest, they tune in to their own activity and tune you out," Ferguson says.

To reduce the risk of hound escapes, teach your dog to always sit before you open the front door to go on a walk. Have your dog wait while you attach the leash, open the door and take the first step outside. Then call your dog to follow you.

"You are teaching your Basset that you are in control and you are the leader," Ferguson explains. "Getting into this habit each time will lessen the chance of your dog bolting outside, and in its determination to follow a scent, running into the street and getting hit by a car." Another Basset safety tip: Always attach the leash to your hound before you open the car door during road trips.

Back to the basics: In reality, you can try to teach the recall command, come, to your Basset, but it may not always heed this order the way other breeds do. As a young puppy, instill the idea that good things happen when it obeys the come command by offering treats and never calling your Basset to reprimand it for misdeeds.

From day one, Ashdown made the come command deliciously beckoning to Lucy. "I started her in obedience training when she was young, and she runs back to me when I say ‘come,' because she knows there is always a treat waiting for her in my pocket," Ashdown says. "I pop out the treat and she comes. That said, I don't know if I would trust her to go off leash everywhere."

Some hounds slip out of their buckle collars when they pick up a tempting scent. While walking or training, Ferguson recommends using slip collars made of nylon or chain—not prongs—instead of buckle collars. "The Basset Hound has a great deal of loose skin and if it suddenly puts on the brakes and you continue forward, the buckle collar can slip over its head," Ferguson says. "Or, it can stop and lower its head and as you give a yank—pop—the collar comes off." The long noses of Bassets make it difficult to use head halters. Some people uses harnesses, but longbacked Bassets can be very strong, which makes it difficult to control their torsos if they tend to pull on the leash.

Rigoni also prefers to use nylon slip collars rather than buckle collars to walk her Basset. "With slip collars, you have more control over your Basset without placing undue stress on its neck," she says.

Parting advice: Patrol your secured backyard regularly to spot any early signs of escape attempts or missing boards or holes through which your Basset can wiggle. Ferguson puts her dogs' feces around the fence to deter digging. When necessary, don't delay in replacing missing boards. Your fence should be a minimum of four feet tall—a Basset can stretch and use items in the backyard or along the fence to boost itself up and over. Ideally, a fence should be six feet tall.

When it comes to training your escape-prone, countersurfing, follow-the-scent Basset Hound, practice consistency in your methods and maintain your sense of humor. You and your beloved hound will enjoy a much more harmonious life together.

Food treats are important training incentives, but keep track of how much you feed or your Basset will pack on the pounds.

Arden Moore is a contributing editor for Dog Fancy and the pet columnist for Prevention magazine. She is the author of six pet books, including Dog Training: A Lifelong Guide (BowTie Press, 2002). She shares her Oceanside, California, home with Jazz, her Pembroke Welsh Corgi.