How to Train a Basset Hound Dog Puppy – The Best Dog Training Near Me

Basset hounds are adorable dogs known for their long, droopy ears, sad puppy dog eyes, and sweet dispositions. They make wonderful family pets due to their patient and loyal natures. However, basset hound puppies require proper socialization and training from an early age to maximize their potential as great companions. With their natural tendency to be a little stubborn and independent, training a basset hound puppy takes time, consistency, patience and plenty of positive reinforcement. This guide will walk you through the basics of training a basset hound puppy through their first year, including house training, crate training, leash training, basic obedience, and more. With the right approach, you'll end up with a well-adjusted, obedient basset who brings joy to your household for years to come.

Preparing for Your Puppy's Arrival

Before bringing home your basset hound puppy, take time to properly puppy-proof your house. Put away any chewables or toxic substances up and out of reach. Restrict access by installing baby gates to keep your pup contained. Ensure electrical cords are tucked away or covered to prevent chewing and electrocution hazards. Prepare a designated potty spot in your yard. Stock up on appropriate chew toys andinteractive puzzle toys to keep your puppy entertained. Purchase a comfortable crate and crate pad for your puppy's safe den space. Arrange for pet insurance to cover any puppy health issues or injuries. Locate a veterinarian for your puppy's first check-up and vaccinations. Research trainers in your area for future obedience classes. Getting everything ready ahead of time will make the transition smoother when you bring your basset hound puppy home.

Supplies You'll Need

Here are some must-have supplies for training a new basset hound puppy:

Crate – A plastic or wire crate with a comfy crate mat gives your puppy a cozy, safe space of their own.
Leash and collar or harness – Start leash training early with a lightweight leash and a properly fitted flat collar or front-clip puppy harness.
ID tag – Get an ID tag with your puppy's name and your contact info to attach to the collar in case they get lost.
Potty training pads – Absorbent pads help start potty training before your puppy can safely go outside.
Enzymatic cleaner – Quickly remove all traces of odors from any potty training accidents.
Treats – Soft, tasty training treats are crucial for positive reinforcement during training sessions.
Food and water bowls – Get a no-slip bowl set your pup can easily access.
Interactive toys – Mentally stimulate your puppy with puzzles like snuffle mats and food-dispensing balls.
Chew toys – Provide proper outlets for your puppy's natural chewing instinct with ropes, rubber toys, etc.

Having all needed supplies ready will make starting your puppy's training routine go much more smoothly.

Picking Up Your Puppy

When picking up your 8-12 week old basset hound puppy from the breeder or shelter, plan for an uneventful homecoming to minimize stress on your new family member. Before bringing your puppy home, set up their crate with familiar blankets in a quiet area with limited foot traffic. Keep children and other pets away during initial home introductions. When you first arrive home, take your puppy straight to their crate or a pen with fresh water, food puzzles, and chews for distraction. Let them settle in, sniffing blankets or toys from the litter, before attempting much interaction. Minimize overly stimulating introductions, noises, or handling during this adjustment period. Be calm, gentle, and comforting so your puppy sees their new home as a safe haven. Short, positive sessions interacting with your puppy are fine, but give them plenty of alone time at first. With patience, your pup will soon feel right at home.

Establishing a Schedule

Puppies thrive on structure and consistency. Developing a daily schedule of feeding, playtime, training, exercise, and rest right away gives your basset hound puppy the guidance they need. Generally, a puppy can be crated for one hour per month of age before needing a potty break. Feeding set amounts of puppy food 2-3 times per day prevents gorging and establishes mealtimes. Include focused training sessions before dinner when your puppy is hungry and motivated to work for treats. Schedule mandatory nap times in the crate after eating and playtime to prevent over-tiredness. Take your puppy outside on a consistent schedule to reinforce housetraining. Adhering to a daily routine with plenty of opportunities for socialization, training, exercise, and rest sets positive patterns going forward. But stay flexible – as your puppy grows, their needs will evolve and schedules can be adjusted accordingly.

House Training

House training is one of the most important things to work on with your new basset hound puppy. Basset hounds are fairly easy to housetrain, especially if you use crate training combined with positive reinforcement. Here are some key tips for successful housetraining:

Take your puppy out first thing in the morning, after napping, after playing, and every 30 minutes to an hour otherwise.
Use a consistent potty command like "Go potty" so they learn to go on command.
Reward immediately with treats and praise when they potty outside.
Limit access by keeping your puppy leashed to you or crated when inside.
Watch for circling, sniffing, squatting or other potty signals.
Respond quickly to any indoor accidents by immediately taking them outside.
Use an enzymatic cleaner to remove all odor from accidents.
Be extremely consistent and never punish for accidents.
Increase independence slowly as their bladder control develops.

With frequent trips outside, positive reinforcement, and preventing indoor mistakes, your basset will be well housebroken within a few months. But accidents are normal, so be patient during the process.

Crate Training

Crate training provides immense benefits for housetraining and teaching puppies to relax when alone. The crate should be large enough for your basset hound puppy to stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably – no larger. Place the crate in your bedroom initially for security. Make it cozy with a crate mat, toys, and treats. Use these tips for successful crate training:

Introduce crate slowly – don't force them in. Reward your puppy every time they enter voluntarily.
Feed all meals and chews inside the crate so it becomes a positive space.
Practice brief crating periods while you're home starting with only 10-15 minutes.
Ignore minor protests but don't let puppy out if they are excessively whining or barking.
Provide potty breaks immediately before and after any crate time.
Avoid using crate solely for punishments or puppy will resist going in.
Reward calm behavior in the crate lavishly.
Gradually increase crate time until your puppy is comfortable for 2-4 hours.
Make crate a safe, happy space with praise, toys, treats.

With positive associations and proper timing, your basset will see their crate as their own personal den.

Socialization

Proper early socialization is crucial for your basset hound puppy to grow into a confident, friendly companion. Expose your puppy gently to a wide variety of sights, sounds, people, animals, places, and experiences in their first few months. Introduce your puppy to friends, neighbors, and other friendly, vaccinated dogs. Take them on car rides, outings, and explorations of new environments – always bringing treats and keeping sessions brief and positive. Sign up for early obedience classes for more socialization opportunities. Socialization helps prevent shy or reactive behavior. While out and about, avoid areas frequented by unknown dogs to prevent illness. Be your puppy's protector, never forcing interactions. With patient, positive introductions to the world, your basset will blossom into an adaptable, social dog.

Basic Obedience

Bassets can be a little stubborn when it comes to training, so start teaching basic obedience commands early and use positive reinforcement methods. Keep training sessions short (5-10 minutes max) and fun using soft treats, praise, and play as rewards. End on a good note with a trick your puppy has mastered. Useful commands to work on include:

Sit – Say "sit" and lure puppy into a seated position, rewarding and praising.

Down – Say "down" and lure puppy down, rewarding when they lie flat.

Stay – Say "stay", have puppy sit or down, step away briefly, return and reward.

Come – Say "come!" in happy voice when puppy comes toward you, rewarding.

Leave it – Say "leave it", drop a treat, when puppy stops approaching treat, reward.

Loose leash walking – Reward puppy for walking close by your side, change directions frequently.

Use hand signals and be very consistent when teaching commands. Be patient and keep sessions upbeat. Enroll your puppy in obedience classes by 4-6 months of age for continued socialization and training with group distractions. Investing the time into training now leads to a better behaved basset down the road.

Bite Inhibition

Basset hound puppies are mouthy dogs by nature and will playfully nip and bite during teething and play. Rather than punishing mouthing behavior, teach your puppy bite inhibition – how to control jaw pressure and when biting is appropriate. Whenever your puppy's teeth touch skin, let out a high-pitched "ouch!", stop play, and ignore them for 30-60 seconds so they learn bites hurt and cause fun to stop. Offer a chew toy instead and praise puppy for gentle chewing on toys. As your puppy learns that people are sensitive, they will eventually stop applying teeth to human skin. Be consistent and patient, as biting inhibition takes time. Withdraw attention every time their mouth gets too rough. Your puppy will learn to play nice as they grow.

Handling Exercises

Getting basset hound puppies accustomed to being handled is essential for grooming, vet visits, and physical exams. Start handling exercises early so your puppy accepts restraint and manipulation without fear or resistance. Gently touch your puppy's paws, ears, mouth, tail, belly frequently, giving treats for cooperation. Hold your puppy's collar loosely, reward calm behavior, then release. Lift your puppy onto a table, reward patience, then lower back down. Perform a pretend exam poking and prodding their belly, paws, ears with lots of praise and food rewards. Take time daily to handle your puppy all over so restraint becomes a positive experience. Always go slowly, keep sessions low-stress, and make sure your puppy has an escape. With time and consistency, your puppy will tolerate handling without protest.

Leash Training

Leash training is essential for keeping your basset hound puppy safe and under control on walks. Start indoors in a low distraction room. Allow your puppy to wear a properly fitted collar and lightweight leash, letting them drag it around while supervising. Reward your puppy every time they walk near you while leashed. If they move away, gently guide them back to you and reward. Practice having your puppy follow you or walk by your side, changing directions often and rewarding desirable leash behavior. Once your puppy is comfortable walking on a leash inside, head to your backyard or a quiet outdoor area. Bring high-value treats and reward your puppy for sticking close to you. Keep the first few outdoor sessions short and positive. With regular practice and positivity, your basset will learn to walk politely on a leash. Take it slow – pulling and resistance are normal at first. Patience and consistency pay off in the end.

Jumping Up

Basset hound puppies love to jump up in greeting, but allowing this can lead to a full-grown basset that jumps on everyone. Start discouraging jumping behavior right away by completely ignoring your puppy any time their paws leave the floor on you. Step on a leash to restrain jumping, then reward four paws on the floor. Teach an alternative by asking your puppy to sit politely for attention. Avoid petting your puppy until seated calmly. Consistently rewarding good behavior and not rewarding bad makes it clear that sitting gets your pup what they want. With family members' cooperation, your puppy will learn that keeping four paws down is the only way to earn attention. Stopping this habit young prevents a dangerously large dog that jumps later on.

Digging

The basset hound reputation for digging is well-deserved, as this breed loves to burrow into a cool, dirt pit. Unfortunately, that can wreak havoc on your garden. Curb digging urges early by providing your puppy with a designated digging pit filled with loose soil or sand. Bury toys and treats to encourage digging in this approved spot only. Anytime you catch your puppy digging elsewhere, interrupt with a loud noise and redirect them to their sandbox. Reward for digging in the right place. Keep your puppy supervised in the yard – catching them in the act prevents bad habits. With an acceptable outlet and prevention, you can manage your basset's digging drives. Also be sure to give them plenty of exercise and chew toys to satisfy their needs.

Chasing

Basset hound puppies love to chase anything that moves, which can be problematic around cars, wildlife, children, etc. Help your puppy learn self-control by teaching a solid "leave it" command. When your puppy spots something to chase, say "leave it" in a firm tone. The second they break their focus on the object, reward with a high value treat. With enough repetition and reward in low-distraction environments at first, your puppy will learn to look to you when you say leave it instead of chasing. Always reward disengagement from the temptation. Never let your puppy chase and catch something as this rewards the behavior. With diligent consistency, your pup will stop in their tracks at your "leave it" command when tempted to chase something inappropriate.

Barking

Basset hounds tend to bark when frustrated, bored, or seeking attention. It's important to curb excessive barking right away to prevent annoying neighbors. First, ensure your puppy has sufficient exercise, stimulation, and company throughout the day. Boredom and loneliness often spark barking. Provide plenty of interactive toys when you can't directly engage your puppy. Never reward barking by giving attention, as this reinforces the behavior. Instead, reward and praise when your puppy is quiet to teach them an alternative behavior. You can use "quiet" as a cue – say it when they are silent, reward, then increase duration of quietness expected before treating. For demand barking, teach "settle" and reward calm, relaxed behavior. With diligence and patience, you can prevent nuisance barking habits from developing in your basset.

Housetraining Troubleshooting

Puppies don't housetrain overnight – accidents will happen as they learn. If housetraining struggles arise, here are some troubleshooting tips:

Stick to a strict schedule of eating, potty trips, playtime, and crating.
Confine your puppy more during the day and minimize unsupervised freedom.
Analyze accidents and look for patterns when they happen.
Allow longer intervals between trips outside as your puppy ages.
Clean all accident sites thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner to eliminate odors.
Supervise constantly and don't take your eyes off your puppy indoors.
When accidents occur, just clean them up calmly without reacting to the puppy.
Avoid punishing accidents after the fact as your puppy won't connect punishment to the act.
If urinary issues persist, see your veterinarian to rule out medical problems.

Stay positive, patient, consistent, and be proactive. Stick to a routine and frequently reward outdoor potties until your basset puppy gets the picture.

Dealing With Stubbornness

Basset hounds are notoriously stubborn dogs. Starting training early is key to preventing your headstrong puppy from walking all over you when they mature. Here are tips for dealing with basset stubbornness:

Always motivate your puppy with super rewarding treats and happy praise during training.
Keep training sessions very short and upbeat before your pup gets bored or frustrated.
End on a positive note by practicing a trick your puppy has mastered.
If your puppy refuses a command, gently guide them into position, reward compliance.
Avoid repeating commands over and over – say it once, help obey if needed, reward.
Be patient and consistent – it may take hundreds of repetitions before they respond reliably.
Practice commands in various locations – don't let your puppy blow you off as soon as you leave home!
Use the Premack principle – have your puppy obey one command before getting something they want.
Pick your battles and focus on mastering the most essential behaviors first.
Consider advanced training classes which challenge your stubborn basset mentally.
Remain calm and upbeat during training – don't let your puppy turn sessions into a battle of wills.

With motivation and consistency, even the most stubborn basset puppy will make progress over time.