Basset Artesien Normand Dog Breed

Below are the details and specs for the Artesien Normand dog breed.

Your Basset Artesian Normand, once mature, should weigh about 33 pounds and stand around 12 to 14 inches high.

Basset Artesian Normands are great family dogs; they are extremely devoted and can be counted on to be excellent watchdogs. They enjoy nothing more than to be around people they love, and they prefer to remain with their family all the time. They will bark when strangers, odd sounds and unusual movement occurs but they are not aggressive unless aggressed upon. Basset Artesian Normands actually prefer the company of other pets, as their Basset Hound linage was customarily brought up in packs.

The Basset Artesian Normand requires minimal maintenance. A few brushings a week, gentle ear washings, occasional nail clipping and a close watch on the eyes is most of all that needs to be done aside from a closely monitored diet to keep him healthy and happy. Of course, lots of exercise, outdoor playtime, and attention is a must, but that should not be considered a chore!

The Basset Artésien Normand, as it is internationally known, was not named as such until 1924. It was the Club du Basset Français (founded in 1910) that conceived the name for this specific Basset Hound. After considerable breeding experiments based on the 1898 breed standard for the Basset d' Artois (the predecessor of the Artésien), Leon Verrier — a club member who would become its president in 1927 — produced what was said to have been the best results; to this day he is known as the father of modern Basset Artesian Normand. The single outstanding distinction of this breed are the crooked front legs.

The Hound breed predecessor(s) to the Basset Artesian Normand are recorded as far back as 2200 B.C., and they make a number of appearances in art, literature and history in later millennia. Wall paintings on Egyptian tombs said to be approximately 4,000 years old depict what are clearly Basset Hound-styled dogs. In later centuries, the Greeks and Romans had long, squat hunting dogs that many believe to be similar to Bassett Hounds.

During the end of the Medieval period, France was where the Bassett Hound was shaped from a bloodhound (believed to be the St. Hubert Hound) into the beginning of the modern Basset Hound. In particular, it was the Abbey of St. Hubert's Benedictine monks, an abbey located in the Ardennes, that was responsible for this. The dogs were very popular and the monks supplied the dogs to the aristocracy (for hunting) as well as to French royalty. It was in France where the Basset Hound got its name; the term "basset" is French for "low-set".

As the Renaissance bloomed and eventually became the Early Modern period, the French Basset Hound was named according to its region. There were no fewer than seven regions and their respective Basset hounds: Basset d'Artois, Basset de Normandie, Basset bleu de Gascogne, Basset Griffon-Vendeen, Basset Ardennais, Basset Fauve de Bretagne and Basset Saintongeois. In the first quarter of the 19th century, much of the aristocracy and their holdings were separated and destroyed in the French Revolution, and this included some of the regional Basset types. Two of the strains that survived were the Basset de Normandie and the Basset d'Artois (both of which are now extinct as they went up into the Basset Artésien Normand), and these two regional Bassets were the ones that Leon Verrier cross-bred to produce the Basset Artesian Norman we know today.

The Basset Artésien Normand is also recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (under the name "Norman Artésien Basset") and the U.S.-based United Kennel Club (UKC) where it is also labeled a Scenthound.

The Basset Artesian Normand is a long, low dog with a sloped head. His long, thin ears are beneath his eyes and will visually balance his large, deep mouth. Most obvious will be his forelegs: they are short and horizontally half-crooked, meaning they appear as if someone tied a rope somewhat tightly around his knees and pulled so that they point inward. Despite this odd aspect, he should be compact and well-balanced. His hair is usually short, smooth and somewhere between smooth and coarse in texture.

This purebred's temperament should be along the lines of very friendly, easily trainable, extremely curious when a scent gets his attention and overall, a great family dog. As this breed came from Basset Hounds that were raised in packs as well as lived and hunted thusly, they socialize easily and are loyal, devoted dogs that are very easy-going. They are not aggressive although they will warn of unusual noises and approaching strangers with an unmistakably low, loud bark that makes them excellent watchdogs.

The general health of the Basset Artesian Normand is good, but the lack of problems is unfortunately made up for by the severity of the back problems brought on by the breed's elongated back and short, inward-bent knees. Daily exercise, a closely managed diet and making sure she does not jump around too much (especially into and out of your bed, if she prefers sleeping there) will help prevent back and joint problems. Keeping a keen eye on her ears, wrinkles, mouth and eyes is strongly recommended too, as ear infections and eye problems are possible, and the constant drooling may invite health concerns too.