Expert: Nicole - 3/22/2009

Question
A friend dropped off a Basset to us. She is so cute--Daisy--but she is not a good dog for where we live. So we have been trying to find her another home. We thought we found a good one but she is terrorizing the dachshund that lives there. Its been a nightmare for them. And now they are returning Daisy to us. I thought Bassets got along with other dogs? Why would this happen?

Answer
Hi Kate,

Hounds, in general, are friendly dogs...however...that's not to say that Daisy is.  :)

There are several factors that could be coming into play.

- Daisy may have been poorly socialized as a puppy
- Daisy may have been taken away from her litter too young
- The other dog may be instigating the behavior
- She could be an overly dominate dog or the other overly submissive

It's really hard to say without seeing it all in action.  You also need to keep in mind that in a short time she has been displaced and relocated three times.  That'll be unsettling for her and she may be on edge.

I'd love to help you more but telling you 'why' is something I can't do without a lot more information and actually seeing the behavior in person.