A Complete Price Guide for the Basset Hound

The Basset Hound is a dog breed that is hard to resist with its soulful eyes and oversized ears. They’re a friendly member of the hound family with a loud bay and a big heart. They make exceptional family dogs because of their friendly and affectionate temperaments. Basset Hounds are the most gentle hounds who love children and make loving companions. It’s no wonder that the breed is in such high demand. Before you adopt or buy a dog, it’s wise to know the costs involved in buying and raising a Bassett Hound. Our complete price guide for the Basset Hound tells you everything you need to know about the going rate for Basset Hounds and how much it costs to welcome this furry friend into your home.

The first year is the most expensive

Buying a Basset Hound puppy can be expensive. If you opt for a purebred, the price is higher than adoption from an animal rescue. The purchase price is likely to be the single highest expenditure unless you have expensive tastes in supplies or your pup has medical issues. We’re going to look at the average price of these pups and how to go about finding a healthy dog that will fit in with your situation. We discuss what to look for in a dog. You’ll learn how to know when a price is far. Most families can get by with a low monthly bill for their beloved pets after the initial expenses, but it’s something you will need to build into your monthly budget because dogs, like children, have a unique set of needs.

What is the price of a Basset Hound?

Basset Hounds are a popular breed, but fortunately, they’re not among the most expensive. Hepper confirms that the price of a purebred Basset Hound from a reputable breeder ranges between $450 to $1,500. The price range is broad as the value of each dog is based on its bloodlines, pedigree status, supply and demand, geographical region, and quality of the dog. Breeders with a solid reputation may charge more than puppy mills. It’s best to pay more for a puppy that is certified healthy. It’s unwise to take your chances with a breeder more concerned with money than the dogs they raise.

How the value of a Basset Hound is determined

Reputable breeders base the price of their pups on the going market rate for quality dogs. Purebred Basset Hounds bearing the highest conformance to breed standards established by the American Kennel Club are the best quality, fetching the highest prices. Dogs with unique markings or from championship bloodlines are worth more on the market. If you buy a dog for breeding or showing, you can plan on playing top dollar. If your goal is to find a purebred housepet with no plans for breeding or showing the dog at competitions, the price may be lower. It depends on your personal preferences and how much you have in your budget to spend.

Why is the price higher for experienced breeders?

Reputable breeders produce high-quality dogs. Dogs bearing high or low conformance to breed standards are more likely to be healthy with fewer medical problems. These breeders spend a lot of money on veterinary bills, ensuring that the mother dog is healthy before the puppies are even born. Healthy mothers produce healthier puppies. They feed healthy diets and insist on regular medical monitoring and care as needed. Puppies get a checkup to ensure they’re developing on schedule.

Most have their first vaccinations. They also receive genetic testing to ensure there are no obvious medical problems. These dogs are raised in a clean and healthy environment and have the best chance of living a long and healthy life. Reputable breeders maintain the paperwork and records for the animals on hand. They present them to verify the purity of the breed and any outstanding features, if applicable, along with medical records. Make sure that they are willing to pass them on to you as the new owner. Expert breeders should provide you with everything known about the quality and health of the puppy.

Breeders running puppy mills usually raise the dogs in cramped conditions. Many keep the dogs in small crowded cages, feed them cheap foods, and fail to ensure proper medical monitoring. they may or may not provide new owners with verification of health and breed status, but they often charge going rates for dogs without knowing the value. Some puppy mills offer discounted rates for dogs with health issues without sharing information with the new owners.

It’s not worth taking the chance of dealing with sketchy breeders. Some online hackers run scams, stealing pictures and data from the websites of legitimate breeders to create fake websites. They promise to ship the dog to you after payment is received. Once you forward the money, they disappear with your payment and never send the animal. It’s best to deal with breeders in person, whenever possible, and verify that they’re running a safe, humane, and legitimate operation.

Can you find a Basset Hound at an animal rescue?

The odds are slim for finding a Basset Hound at the pound or an animal rescue. They’re a popular breed, but it does happen sometimes. Adopting a Basset Hound from a shelter can save money on the initial cost. Adoption fees range from $50 to $300, depending on the shelter policies. Most conduct a health screening on rescues. You’ll save money and give a dog in need a loving family. Adoption also makes room for other animals to receive the care they need. There are a few drawbacks to adoption. Little is known about the age, medical history, and lineage of rescue dogs.

How to know if the price is fair?

The lineage and bloodline of a dog determine the value. Another factor is the environment. You can tell much about the quality of the operation with a visual inspection. Take a look around and talk with the breeder. Observe the environment where the puppies are born and raised, along with the overall appearance of the parents. You can usually tell a solid breeder and recognize a good deal by judging a few factors. The breeder should present all the paperwork in order.

They should have a solid reputation in the community, and puppies should have a price close to competitors. If puppies are on the high end of the price scale and claims of high breed standard conformance are made it’s good to study AKC’s breed standards to judge for yourself. You can find them at the official American Kennel Club website. Become familiar with the terms and the standards, so you’ll know what the breeder is talking about, and you can judge the animal for yourself.

Expenses for startup supplies

Before you bring your new Basset Hound home, it’s wise to have all his supplies in order and be ready for his arrival. Your new puppy will need food and water dishes, a bed, a collar, a leash, and puppy pads. Some new owners use a crate for training, but that’s up to you. You will also need to buy healthy and nutritious food for your puppy, along with snacks. All puppies need to have toys they can chew on. Plan to buy a lot of them for the first year of his life. A tooth brushing kit is standard. Teething puppies chew all the time because it soothes their gums.

The amount you spend on these items will depend on where you buy them. You can opt for inexpensive brands versus high-end products. For example, you can find shampoo for puppies for $5, but some brands cost up to $15 or more. The same is true for all other puppy supplies. A pet taxi is another item that you will need. It’s a portable crate that keeps your dog safe when transporting him from one place to another in a vehicle. You will need a pet taxi to bring him home and to take him to his medical appointments. The average cost of startup supplies at the median range is around $200. The one thing you won’t want to cut corners on is the food. Your puppy needs high-quality nutritious food for his first year of life and beyond.

Ongoing expenses

Pet Budget explains that the first year of life for a new puppy is likely to be the most expensive, barring health complications. Some pet owners prefer to do all the training, housebreaking, and grooming on their own, while others pay for these services. It’s wise to establish a family vet for your puppy and take him in for an initial screening.

He will need to have ongoing vaccinations to keep him current and protected from common canine diseases. Plan on spending more on flea and tick control as he gets older and starts socializing with other dogs. Fleas are a common problem, but your vet can help you with preventative measures. Some dog owners invest in pet healthcare insurance to help offset medical costs for their dogs. If your pet develops severe health problems, it will be worth the $40 to $50 average monthly cost.

When you take your puppy to the vet for his initial screening, it’s a good idea to have him chipped. The service is inexpensive and not harmful to the dog. A microchip the size of a grain of rice is injected under the skin. The chip contains your name and contact information and data about the dog. If he is lost and picked up by the pound, they will scan him to retrieve your information to let you know they have him. You can also invest in a small tracking device that fits around his collar.

Some of the new GPS technology keeps you informed of the whereabouts of your pet from your smartphone from anywhere. It’s useful in preventing theft, and for tracking your dog wherever he goes. Again, it’s not required, but it’s an option. Your Basset Hound needs daily exercise. A walk a day is a good plan of action. If you’re a busy professional and gone most of the day, you may opt to hire a dog walker. The prices vary from one walker to another. Although it’s optional, some pet owners take their pets in for monthly grooming services.

These are just a few of the additional expenses you may incur for the safety and comfort of your furry friend. If you plan to show the dog, you’ll spend more on trainers, groomers, handlers, and entrance fees for dog shows. Travel and room accommodations will also be an expense.

Final thoughts

The total cost of owning a Basset Hound, or any dog involves the initial layout for the price of the dog and supplies. It goes much further though. The first year of your new dog’s life is likely to be the most expensive. Before you buy a Basset Hound puppy, prepare to spend some time researching the best breeders to find a dog that is healthy, and of the quality that suits your preferences and goals. It doesn’t take long to get the facts straight and prepare for your search in advance.

The more you know about the breed, the better your chances of finding a fair deal on a healthy puppy with the qualities you hope to find. Prepare for the expenses that come with a new family member. Your puppy will need ongoing care with plenty of toys, nutritious food, healthy snacks, along with new bedding and pet taxis that get bigger as he grows and matures. It doesn’t need to break your bank account, but the cost of a dog will add to your monthly expenses even under ideal scenarios.

You can also read:

• A Complete Price Guide for the Saint Bernard
• Potty Training Tips for Your New Basset Hound
• Why Not Utilize A Basset Hound Rescue For Your New Pet?
• Seven Things You Didn’t Know about the Basset Hound
• A Complete Price Guide For the Chow Chow