All information is clipped from NKK's website.

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History of the breed

Background and development In 1866, the first two specimens of the basset artesian Norman breed were imported to England from France. The dogs were called Basset and Belle, and in 1867 they became the parents of the first litter of the breed in England. Everett Millais Began his first breeding with a French male called Model, from Count le Couteulx de Canteleu. Model was first exhibited in 1875, but it was a contemporary dog – Fino de Paris, also from Couteulx – that came to form the basis of the English basset hound breed. Extensive inbreeding was carried out with the Fino de Paris and his offspring, which led to the breed being in rather dubious condition after twenty years ("canine imbecilles", according to Mr. Millais). In 1892, Mr. Millais decided that the breed needed completely new blood, and that's when the much talked about crossbreeding with bloodhounds took place. Millais created the breed we know today as the basset hound with the result of this crossing. The purpose of this crossing, in addition to adding new genetic material, was to produce a slow-moving dog with the very best tracking qualities. The trial was successful, and the breed was quickly established in England. The breed's primary use in its home country has been as a driving hunting dog for hares and rabbits, then as a packhound. Basset hound is followed by hunters on foot. Therefore, it is important that the dogs do not drive too fast, in contrast to breeds such as foxhounds and harriers that are followed by riders. Today, the basset hound is a numerically large breed in England, and the vast majority of individuals are kept as companion dogs. It was not until the early 1960s that the breed came to Norway. Somewhere between 30 and 60 individuals are registered annually. The vast majority of basset hounds in Norway are kept as pure companion dogs, but an increasing number are used for game tracking/searching, and a few are also used as driving dogs for hare and deer hunting.