A short-legged hunting dog with long, droopy ears and a long body, originally bred to hunt rabbits and hares.
From French 'bas' meaning 'low' or 'short.' The breed was developed in France around the 1600s, specifically by crossing hunting hounds to create dogs that could follow prey through brush and tunnels without being too fast.
Basset hounds were engineered by humans to be slow enough that hunters on foot could keep up with them—they're basically the low-rider version of hunting dogs! Their long ears actually help funnel scents toward their nose, making them incredible trackers despite their stubby legs.
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