AboutNicole Expertise I will offer assistance to anyone needing help with general Basset Hound care, health and behavior/training.
I do not, however, assist those who have bred their pet. If you are responsibly breeding, you shouldn't have simple questions as your mentor should be providing you all the instruction you need.
Experience I currently own a 5 year old Basset Hound and his 6 non-basset siblings...(a mutt and 5 Boxers). I have studied dog behavior and training extensively and train my own dogs.
Organizations Buckeye Boxer Rescue
Education/Credentials I was a certified obedience instructor and a certified potty-training instructor with Petsmart and studied under a canine behaviorist.
Question hello, my name is amanda, i am 16 and my mom has decided that we are going to get a dog in the near future. i live on a boat right now, i have for 10 yrs. but my dad wants to remodle and we are going to move into a house while he does this. he says it will take about 3-5 yrs to complete because there is alot he would like to do, so my mom wants a dog. she would like a shih tzu but i am more interested in getting a basset hound. i wanted to know if you think it is better to get one. i have been doing a little reasearch myself and have found pros and cons of both. i cant decide which is better. i think the bigger dog would be a little better because we already have 4 cats. but i would like to know what you think. if you could help me out that would be great. thank you very much for reading this i hope to here from you soon.
Answer Hi Amanda,
I'm sorry but helping you decide which is better isn't really my place. What I can suggest to you is to take a few things into consideration and then do more research:
1. Who will be the primary care-giver?
2. Different breeds have different exercise requirements...which breed will you be better suited for?
3. In 5 years, when you go back to the boat, how much room will there be? (You do have to plan for the future).
4. Each breed comes with different health concerns...have you researched those?
5. Why do you want a Basset? Why does your mother want a Shihtzu?
Size of the dog will not come into play as far as cats go. Unless you just want something bigger and more sturdy than the cats. :)
If you have specific Basset questions, I'd be happy to help you but, really, I can't help you decide which breed to get. That should be a family decision.
