Basset Hounds, with their droopy ears, soulful eyes, and laid-back demeanor, are one of the most endearing breeds around. Known for their excellent scenting ability and calm, affectionate nature, Basset Hounds make wonderful companions for families and individuals alike. Becoming a Basset Hound parent sets you on a path of unique adventures and responsibilities. One significant area you’ll want to master is their diet, ensuring it’s rich in necessary nutrients. Despite their relaxed temperament, they have unique nutritional needs that must be met to ensure they remain healthy, happy, and active.
Understanding the Nutritional Needs of Basset Hounds
When it comes to choosing the best dog food for Basset Hounds, it’s essential to select a diet that supports their energy levels, maintains their weight, and promotes their overall health. Basset Hounds may not be as active as some other breeds, but they still need a balanced, nutritious diet to keep them healthy. They are prone to obesity, joint issues, and certain health conditions, which means that the food they eat plays a crucial role in maintaining their quality of life.
The cornerstone of a balanced Basset Hound diet lies in an optimal mix of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Proteins, sourced from high-quality meats or plant-based foods, are essential for muscle growth and repair, promoting strong, healthy bodies. Fats, preferably from animal sources or specific plant oils, provide concentrated energy, aiding in vitamin absorption while promoting healthy skin and coats.
Key Dietary Components for Basset Hounds
- Moderate Protein Levels: While Basset Hounds aren’t typically as active as other dogs, they still need protein to maintain muscle health. Look for foods that provide moderate levels of high-quality protein, such as chicken, turkey, or fish, to support their body mass and keep them in good shape.
- Healthy Fats: Despite their love for food, Basset Hounds can easily become overweight if not properly monitored. Healthy fats, such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, are essential for keeping their coat shiny, supporting brain function, and maintaining joint health.
- Digestible Carbohydrates: Basset Hounds require easily digestible carbohydrates to fuel their energy needs. Look for dog food that contains high-quality sources of carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, brown rice, and barley. These grains and vegetables provide sustained energy without being hard on their digestive systems.
- Joint Health: Due to their long bodies and short legs, Basset Hounds are prone to joint issues, including arthritis and hip dysplasia. Foods that contain glucosamine and chondroitin can help maintain healthy joints and prevent mobility issues as they age.
- Weight Management: Basset Hounds have a strong appetite, which means they are prone to overeating and gaining weight. It’s crucial to monitor their caloric intake to prevent obesity, which can lead to a variety of health problems such as joint pain, heart disease, and diabetes.
- Vitamins and Minerals: Like all dogs, Basset Hounds need essential vitamins and minerals to maintain their health. Vitamin A promotes eye health, while vitamin E acts as an antioxidant to boost the immune system.
Determining the Right Caloric Intake
Feeding your Basset Hound the right amount of food is key to maintaining a healthy weight and preventing obesity. Basset Hounds are typically not as active as some other breeds, so they require fewer calories compared to high-energy dogs.
While a ballpark figure for an adult Basset Hound’s daily caloric intake ranges between 1200 to 1500 calories, individual needs can differ. Factors like age, weight, activity level, and overall health determine the number of calories your Basset Hound should consume. A sedentary, older Basset Hound will require fewer calories compared to a young, active one.
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- Puppies: Basset Hound puppies have high energy and growing bodies, requiring more calories for development. Generally, they should be fed three to four small meals a day, with food rich in protein and fat to support their growth.
- Adult Dogs: An adult Basset Hound typically requires between 1,000 to 1,400 calories per day, depending on their activity level and weight. Active dogs may require more calories, while less active dogs should be fed fewer calories to prevent weight gain.
- Senior Dogs: Older Basset Hounds generally require fewer calories as their metabolism slows down. They may benefit from food with added joint support to help with mobility issues.
Decoding Dog Food Labels: What to Look For
Choosing commercial dog food requires careful label reading. Real meat (like chicken, beef, or fish) should be the first ingredient listed, indicating it’s the primary ingredient by weight. Avoid products containing meat by-products, unnamed meat sources, artificial colors, or preservatives. Also, steer clear of foods with an overabundance of grains, which can be a sign of filler ingredients.
When choosing the best dog food for Basset Hounds, it’s important to select a food that meets their specific dietary needs.
- High-Quality Protein: The best food for your Basset Hound should contain animal-based protein sources such as chicken, turkey, or fish as the first ingredient.
- Healthy Fats: Foods that contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids will help maintain a healthy, shiny coat while also supporting your dog’s overall health.
- Glucosamine and Chondroitin: These joint-supporting ingredients are crucial for Basset Hounds, especially as they age.
- Fiber-Rich Carbohydrates: To help with digestion and weight management, choose food with fiber-rich carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, brown rice, or barley.
- Moderate Calorie Content: To maintain a healthy weight, choose food that provides the right amount of calories based on your Basset Hound’s size and activity level.
Commercial Dog Food vs. Homemade Meals
The dog food market presents a vast array of choices, each with its unique pros and cons. Commercial dog food offers convenience, delivering balanced nutrition in a bag or can. Manufacturers meticulously create these foods to meet a dog’s nutritional needs. However, the downside is a lack of control over ingredient quality and potential additives.
Homemade meals, on the other hand, give you full control over what goes into your Basset Hound’s food, including quality, quantity, and variety. However, striking a nutritional balance can be tricky, demanding a lot of time and research.
The Rise of Raw Food Diets
Raw dog food is whole food served in their most natural state with no heat processing. It’s the most biologically aligned option for dogs. It delivers nutrients in their most digestible and usable forms, with no need for synthetic additives, preservatives or mystery fillers.
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A raw, species-appropriate diet, also referred to as BARF diet for dogs (biologically appropriate raw food diet), includes muscle meat, organ meat, bone, raw fats, and a small amount of vegetables or berries. Contrast that with ultra-processed commercial dog food. While convenient, it’s the exact opposite of raw. The high-heat manufacturing process depletes nutrients, denatures proteins, and creates inflammatory compounds. Worse still, the added carbs, synthetic vitamins, and often rancid heated fats can contribute to a long list of chronic health issues that are now on the rise - not just in dogs, but in humans too.
However, raw food diets, while gaining popularity, can be a double-edged sword. They offer freshness and the potential to control ingredient quality, but they also come with risks like bacterial contamination and nutritional imbalances.
Feeding Schedules: Puppyhood to Senior Years
After deciding on the ‘what’ of feeding your Basset Hound, understanding the ‘how’ is crucial. Every life stage, from puppyhood to senior years, presents unique nutritional demands.
Basset Hound puppies are tiny bundles of joy with an energy level that can surprise you. Although their stomachs are smaller, their bodies are growing rapidly, demanding high-energy, nutrient-dense food. High-quality puppy food, designed to meet these demands, is recommended for this life stage.
As Basset Hounds transition into adulthood, their dietary needs change. They no longer need the high energy diets of their puppyhood and should transition to two balanced meals a day. This approach helps reduce the risk of bloat, a serious condition to which deep-chested breeds like Bassets are prone.
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For an adult Basset Hound, two meals a day, spaced evenly, are ideal. This frequency aligns with their digestion cycle, helping prevent conditions like bloat. However, puppies have different demands.
Addressing Common Health Issues Through Diet
Like other breeds, Basset Hounds have certain health predispositions. A well-planned diet can manage, if not entirely avoid, these health issues.
Basset Hounds are infamous for their propensity towards obesity, which can lead to serious health complications like joint issues and heart disease. To maintain a healthy weight, your Basset Hound needs a balanced diet, regular exercise, and careful portion control. Overfeeding, even with high-quality food, can lead to weight gain.
Basset Hounds are susceptible to joint problems, primarily due to their unique body structure. Their short legs and long bodies put additional stress on their joints, making them prone to conditions like hip dysplasia. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish and flaxseed oils, can be a beneficial addition to their diet. Because joint problems and arthritis are common in Basset Hound dogs, your vet may recommend joint supplements or a joint health-focused diet.
Basset Hounds are often prone to allergies and seborrhea. This may trigger ear infections or recurring skin infections. Frequent bathing with a medicated shampoo and an after-bath ear cleaning helps prevent and manage infections. If your Basset Hound is diagnosed with seborrhea or underlying allergies, this can make them prone to secondary skin infections. Schedule a vet exam if your dog’s skin becomes greasy or smelly.
Basset Hounds have droopy eyelids, resulting in increased mucus in their eyes. Consult your veterinarian if the eyes become red, the eye discharge is yellow or green, or if your dog is holding their eye closed. These are signs of infection or injury to the eye. The Basset Hound is especially prone to ear infections.
Foods to Avoid
Absolutely. Certain foods, such as chocolate, grapes, onions, garlic, and artificial sweeteners like xylitol, can be toxic to dogs, including Basset Hounds, and should be avoided. Some other foods, while not toxic, can cause digestive upset or allergic reactions.
Most people know that chocolate is toxic to dogs, but there are several other items that are toxic and important for your dog to avoid!
Do your best to avoid feeding your dog foods that contain wheat, corn, or “by-products”. Of course, avoid feeding your dog foods that contain anything on the “Toxic to Dogs” list. Additionally, some of the things that it’s best for humans to avoid are also wise for dogs to avoid - polyhydrogenated oils, dyes, excessive sugar or carbohydrates, etc.
Grain-Free Diets: Are They Necessary?
Like other breeds, some bassets do best with a grain-free diet.
However, it’s important to remember that dogs have little requirement for carbohydrates, especially refined ones. However, most commercial dry dog foods are loaded with them, often making up more than 50% of the recipe. Why? Because carbs like grains, legumes and starchy fillers are cheap to bulk out food, not because they benefit your dog.
Transitioning to a New Diet
When changing your hound’s diet, we recommend a gradual transition. Take 10-14 days and start with more of the old food (e.g., start with a ratio of ¼ of the new food to ¾ of the old food, and replace more of the old with new every few days). If your basset experiences any soft stool, add a tablespoon of mashed sweet potato or unsweetened pumpkin puree. This aids digestion and helps firm the stool.
During the transition, keep an eye on your dog’s poo (yes, really), energy levels, and appetite. Digest, our dog gut health supplement, can help soothe the gut, reduce gas, and ease the shift to fresh food.
The Importance of Hydration
Maintain your dog’s hydration.
Personalizing Your Basset Hound's Bowl
Want to personalize the bowl? You can safely use most real foods in moderation, but there are a few ingredients to avoid. If you’re feeding complete meals no additional ingredients are needed. They’re expertly balanced and nutritionally complete.
Addressing Picky Eaters
Got a picky eater? It might not be the food.
The Benefits of Fresh, Natural Feeding
As more dog owners become aware of the benefits of fresh, natural feeding, the industry is evolving.
Switching your Basset Hound from processed food to a raw, biologically aligned diet is one of the most impactful health decisions you can make.
Even introducing just a few raw meals a week, or adding a fresh food topper like raw meat, a cracked egg, or a spoonful of bone broth, can deliver meaningful nutritional benefits for your dog. So, wherever you are on your journey, whether you’re just starting to explore raw food for a Basset Hound or already making small changes, know that it all counts.
The beauty of raw feeding is that it’s not just one meal, one way. With ProDog, you have options when it comes to what to feed your Basset Hound. All our meals are expertly formulated to support your dog’s nutritional needs. Choose from our Complete Puppy and Smart Chub ranges for complete, balanced, ready-to-serve meals.
Imagine eating the same three meals every single day, for years on end. You’d get bored. You’d probably feel sluggish. And over time, you’d likely miss out on key nutrients. Food isn’t just fuel, it’s nourishment. It affects everything from digestion to behaviour, immunity to energy. What goes in their bowl has a ripple effect on every part of their health. So don’t let it be an afterthought. Trust your gut. Trust your dog’s biology. Raw feeding isn’t an all-or-nothing approach.
Additional Tips for Basset Hound Owners
- Consider an elimination diet by replacing common farmed meats like beef and chicken with novel proteins such as venison or goat raw dog food.
- Raw food arrives frozen, so ensure you have sufficient freezer space.
- Socialize your Basset Hound puppy as soon as you bring them home so they are comfortable and confident in new situations throughout their life.
- They require daily brushing to reduce shedding, but no professional grooming is needed.
- The mental stimulation of tracking scents, either in a yard or on leashed walks, keeps them happy and prevents them from wandering off.
- Because the breed is susceptible to a handful of health issues, pet insurance may be a good investment if you’re looking to bring home a Basset Hound puppy.