The Basset Artesien Normand dates back into the 1600’s and is one of six French Basset breeds. The Basset Artesien Normand is a smallish scent hound that resembles a Basset hound in many ways. Known for their mild temperament, the Basset Artesien Normand makes for an excellent family dog and will often do quite well with children. Additionally, this dog will do quite well with other pets, such as cats if the dog is socialized with the cat(s) from a young age.
Although the Basset Artesien Normand may give a loud bark when strangers approach, in most cases the dog will be quite friendly. This is an ideal dog for living in an apartment, as long as there is a small yard. This breed is said to enjoy long walks. Be forewarned however, the Basset Artesien Normand IS a scent hound and will enjoy tearing off after an exciting or intriguing scent. It should also be noted that the Basset Artesien Normand takes well to obedience training, again making it a highly suitable dog for a family.
The Basset Artesien Normand is not a very large dog, and stands around 10 to 14 inches high and weighs in at around 33 pounds. The Basset Artesien Normand resembles a Basset Hound, except that the Basset Artesien Normand is a little more delicate looking than the Basset Hound. The body of the Basset Artesien Normand is quite long; in fact, the body is twice the length of the height of the dog. The Basset Artesien Normand has long, droopy ears and large, intelligent eyes. The coat of the Basset is quite short and can be either bi-colored, with orange and white, or tri-colored, with orange, tan and white.
The Basset Artesien Normand originally came from areas called Artois and Normandy. Basically, Bassets are just small ‘dwarfed’ versions of larger hounds. Their small size offers an advantage when a hunter needs a dog to go into prickly shrubs or into the lair of prey. At the turn of the century, two lines of the Basset Artesien Normand came into being. One was straight legged and the other crocked-legged. The straight legs offered an advantage in the field, and the crocked-legged for show-dogs and for use as companions.
Although the Basset Artesien Normand was originally bred as a working dog, its sweet temperament has led to it making a find household companion as well Although the Basset Artesien Normand generally has good health, this breed does tend to have problems with disk disease due to its long back. Also, proper ear care is needed for their droopy ears – it is important to clean them regularly