One is a bounding golden ball of energy; the other is a floppy stout-legged hound. While it may seem like there is very little in common between Goldendoodles and Basset Hounds, some of the best crosses are the result of breeding opposing types of dogs.
That’s why with its big floppy ears and curly golden coat, the Goldendoodle Basset Hound is sure to catch both your eye and fill that dog-shaped hole in your life!
Table of Contents
The History of the Parent Breeds
Goldendoodle
The Goldendoodle hails from Australia, where it was first crossed as part of a designer breed for use as a guide dog. This is no surprise as both Poodles and Golden Retrievers are commonly cited as having both the intelligence and work ethic to provide ample care as support animals.
The breed has a now iconic style, with a long muscular body and a thick tangle of curls thanks to the hair type of its Poodle parent. While this hair isn’t as dense, and by no means as water-resistant as the Poodle coat is, the golden head of hair is a standout feature that makes this breed so attractive to prospective dog owners.
Not only does the temperament of these dogs make them great service animals, but nowadays they also wear many hats undertaking important tasks such as being therapy dogs, or even nut-detection dogs, saving people with severe allergies from a potentially fatal reaction.
Basset Hound
The name Basset Hound derives from the French word bas, which is a reference to its low-set height. The breed is well known for its floppy ears and short stout legs, which were the determining factor for their rise to prominence beginning most notably in 15th century France.
The breed’s short legs and incredible nose – typical of Hounds – made them ideal for chasing game with hunters traveling on foot. While not the fastest, the short legs provide a unique advantage of giving the dog a small footprint enabling it to chase small game into burrows.
The Benefits of the Goldendoodle Basset Hound Cross
Despite their stark contrast in physicality, the two breeds are well aligned in their temperament. Thanks to their histories as working animals, this mix is passionately loyal to their owners, as well as being incredibly motivated and having incredible stamina.
The breed’s motivation comes as a great benefit in combination with their incredible intelligence and eagerness to please. This will make them a breeze to train and means that they are able to learn and follow complex commands in no time.
Although their history of working alongside people may indicate that these dogs may not fair too well on their own, this isn’t the case. This breed has an independent streak, and thanks to the Basset Hound temperament, enjoys a healthy dose of alone time. This makes them a great choice for those that aren’t around at all hours of the day.
The Cons of the Goldendoodle Basset Hound Cross
However, while a history of hunting does make them a great dog toward people, they may begin to view other small animals as prey. This is a hard habit to shake as it is in their nature and so if you have other animals in the house you will need to buck this behavior very early on to ensure it doesn’t become an issue down the line.
These dogs are much loved for those big floppy ears and folds of skin that they drag around. Loose-skinned dogs, however, require special attention as the folds may begin to harbor bacteria which may cause health issues.
This isn’t a huge issue however it means skin disease is more common than in other tighter skinned dogs, so some hefty vet bills may incur if you don’t keep a watchful eye on this breed’s health.
What do you call the Basset Hound Goldendoodle Mix?
The Basset Hound Golden Retriever mix has no name. As it is a relatively obscure pairing this should come as no surprise, however, what we do know is the name of the combinations of all three parents respectively.
First, we have the obvious; the Goldendoodle. The Basset Hound and Golden Retriever cross is known as Basset Retriever, and if we swap the Retriever for a Poodle, we get a Bassetoodle.
So, what do we call all three together? We think that Golden Bassetoodle is the best fit.
Why is the Golden Bassetoodle Being Bred
This breed is a unique combination. On one hand, we have the Goldendoodle, a beloved companion dog that has exploded in popularity recently, and on the other, we have the Basset Hound, which is a breed most commonly found as outdoors dogs accompanying farms.
For this reason, the impetus behind this designer dog would be to revitalize the Basset Hound for the indoor dog market. While the Golden Bassetoodle is relatively unknown, the breed does solve some common gripes that may put prospective buyers off buying Goldendoodles.
The main is the energy levels. While the Bassetoodle is still a fairly active dog, the Basset Hound’s temperament means that on the whole, the breed is bound to be more docile than the Goldendoodle.
Along with this, there is much less chance of your dog developing separation anxiety as is often the case with Goldendoodles. The need for downtime pares down much of the Goldendoodle’s intensity, making it a much more manageable dog if you are anticipating less time to spend with your dog
What can be Expected from the Goldendoodle Basset Hound Mix?
Height & Weight
You can expect your Golden Bassetoodle to be approximately 10″-15” in height and to weigh around 35lbs-60lbs when happy and healthy.
Colour & Coat
Having Golden in the name, it should be fairly obvious that there is a high chance you will be getting a beautiful blonde head of hair on your new dog. However, Basset Hounds come in brown, black, white, and cream two-colored variations, so you may find that your blonde dog may have some patches!
Goldendoodles also come in a plethora of colors from brown, to blue to red so your best indication of what color your Golden Bassetoodle will be is to look at the parents and/or speak to the breeder.
The coat will be short to medium and will most likely have the thick curly style characteristic of Goldendoodles.
Maintenance
With a shorter coat, you should be aiming for twice a week to every other day for a good brush. The short hair makes it unlikely that tangles will become an issue, however, they must still be attended to prevent any hair-related incidents.
When brushing it is also good practice to give your dog’s loose skin a check over. This can be as simple as a visual inspection, but it is good to pay mind to skin condition to avoid any build-up of grime or chafing.
Health
With big ears, infections are a primary concern of this breed. Along with this, Basset Hounds are known for their proclivity towards getting nasty eye infections, so a routine check-up with the vets on a semi-frequent basis should be considered in order to catch any issues and quickly nip them in the bud.
Another issue to watch out for is mobility issues. While not such an issue with the longer legs, Basset Hounds and Golden Retrievers are known for their elbow and hip dysplasia respectively, so impairment in mobility should be watched out for.
Temperament
The Golden Bassetoodle has the perfect amount of energy and independence. Their eagerness to hunt may get them into trouble; digging, tracking, chasing, etc, however, they are an intelligent breed, and as such this habit can be trained out of them.
They are good with children, people, and other dogs, making them a great fit for a bigger family, however, they also value their alone time, so they are just as at home with a smaller or old family.
With such a balanced temperament this dog is incredibly adaptable to any situation, and as such you should have no qualms integrating the Golden Bassetoodle into your life.
Exercise Needs and Feeding Requirements
1-2 cups of food are all that is necessary to keep this dog at a healthy weight. This may vary based on your pup’s energy levels, but Basset Hounds are known to pack on the pounds if left unchecked, and so this must be kept in mind when figuring out your dog’s perfect diet.
While not as high energy as a Goldendoodle, this dog will still require around an hour to an hour and a half’s worth of exercise a day to ensure it is kept in good physical shape.
This can be as simple as a walk, or if you have less time to dedicate to walking, you can take advantage of your dog’s intelligence and purchase some puzzles to both mentally and physically stimulate your pup.
Conclusion
Acting as a variation on the already beloved Goldendoodle, the Golden Bassetoodle introduces just the right amount of energy and independence with a killer intellect to boot.
Basset Hounds are often neglected as companion dogs, but in actuality, they make for great indoor pets. Combining them with the Goldendoodle goes to show their compatibility in a family dynamic – acting as proof if proof were needed that these dogs excel in almost all living situations.
But if the Golden Bassetoodle isn’t for you. don’t worry. There is plenty of variety in Goldendoodle crosses. Such crosses include the Goldendoodle Pug and the Goldendoodle Chihuahua for starters!