The Basset artésien normand (Norman Artesian Basset) is a short legged hound

Hound

A hound is a type of dog that assists hunters by tracking or chasing the animal being hunted. It can be contrasted with the gun dog, which assists hunters by identifying the location of prey, and with the retriever, which recovers shot quarry...

 type

Dog type

Dog types are broad categories of dogs based on function, with dogs identified primarily by specific function or style of work rather than by lineage or appearance....

 dog developed in France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

. The word Basset refers to short legged hounds.

History

Documenting of the French Basset as a purebred breed began in 1870, and from a common ancestral type, two strains were developed. One had straight front legs (Chien d'Artois) and the other had crooked front legs (Normand). The breed club was formed in 1910 and the breed was given its present name in 1924.

Bassets are walking hounds, which are followed by the hunter on foot. The short legs mean that they would not get too far away from the hunter. The Basset artésien normand was used to hunt rabbits and other small game alone or in packs, but today they are primarily bred to be pets.

Appearance

The height of the Basset artésien normand is between 30 and 36cms (11.8 to 14.2ins), with a ratio of the height to the body length of about 5 : 8. Weight is roughly 17 kg (37.4 lbs). The coat is short and tricolored (fawn and white with black blanket, a patch across the back) or bicolored (fawn and white). The head and long ears are distinctive, and the temperament should be calm and good-natured.

Recognition

The original breed club is the Club français du Basset artésien normand & du Chien d'Artois, and the breed is recognised by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale

Fédération Cynologique Internationale

Fédération Cynologique Internationale is an international federation of kennel clubs based in Thuin, Belgium. The English language translation, World Canine Organisation, is not often used.Its goals are described in Article 2 of their regulations:...

 as breed number 34 in Group 6, Scenthounds. It is also recognised by the United Kennel Club

United Kennel Club

The United Kennel Club is the second oldest all-breed registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States and the second largest in the world. According to the website, the club records 250,000 registrations annually. The UKC is not part of the International Canine Organisation, Fédération...

 (US) in the Scenthound Group

Scenthound Group

Scenthound Group is the name of a breed Group of dogs, used by kennel clubs to classify a defined collection of dog breeds. Dogs listed in a kennel club's Scenthound Group may not all be of the same type of dog.- Scenthound type :...

. The breed may also be recognised by any of the various minor kennel clubs and internet based dog registry businesses, as well as hunting dog registries and clubs. As the breed is few in number outside of France, it is also promoted by rare breed

Rare breed (dog)

Rare breed is any breed of dog that is small in number. Since dogs have greater genetic variability than other domesticated animals the number of possible breeds is vast...

breeder organisations for puppy buyers seeking an unusual pet.