The need for service dogs is constantly rising. People are turning to service dogs for a lot of things such as emotional therapy, work services, and physical disability services. To be honest, service dogs are doing a pretty good job. Their unconditional love towards human beings is doing half of the work and the other half is their training.
Are Basset Hounds Good Service Dogs?
Basset Hounds are great service dogs because they have a mellow temperament and are able to provide great emotional support. Though they may not be as flexible or energetic as some other breeds, they can be excellent service dogs with the right training.
Basset hounds are great service dogs in the emotional therapy field because they are loving and caring which makes them great for emotional support. But, since they are short and have trouble carrying stuff or climbing stairs, they are unable to be working dogs.
An emotional support dog is a type of service animal that provides therapeutic comfort to individuals struggling with mental or emotional difficulties. They are typically companion animals given special training to offer comfort, solace, and unconditional love to those experiencing anything from depression or anxiety to PTSD or trauma-related issues.
This unique form of therapy is often vital in helping to reduce symptoms of the above-mentioned issues, providing companionship and unconditional love to their owners.
The basset hound is an ideal pick for an emotional support dog, as it is known for its gentle and enthusiastic nature. This breed loves cuddling up with their humans, often providing unconditional love when it is needed most.
Basset hounds are also incredibly patient, making them an excellent choice to have in more chaotic environments such as airports or social gatherings. On top of that, they are generally easy to train and tend to respond well to praise and rewards while developing positive behaviors.
With the right care, having a basset hound can be beneficial for those who suffer from anxiety and depression – providing companionship, comfort, and unconditional love.
Why are Basset Hounds Great or Not-So-Great Service Dogs?
Basset hounds are a short-legged breed that is adaptable, affectionate, and kind laid-back dogs. They were originally bred as hunting dogs, but over the years they turned out to be a great house pets. Being a short-legged breed limits their physical activity, but their great personality makes up for everything.
Before I go into why basset hounds are great or not great in service sectors, I’ll explain briefly what each type of service is about and what each type of service requires. That way you will have an understanding of why basset hounds are great or not-so-great candidates.
Work Service Dogs Tasks
Work service animals are associated with great physical activity. Usually, when you mention a working dog, people think of bomb or drug-sniffing dogs, or K-9 police dogs. Although this is true, work service dogs can do much more than sniff bombs or drugs.
Work service dogs are commonly used in airports, border control, and even in some of the most elite security agencies in the world. They can sniff illegal agricultural substances, drugs, bombs, and other stuff.
Not all working service dogs are in law enforcement. Some business owners train work service dogs to sniff bed bugs. Simply put, dogs are like diamonds. Their value is there, you just have to shape it to your needs.
Emotional and Therapy Service Dog Tasks
Emotional and therapy service dogs are becoming a very common thing nowadays. Some people even register their pets as service dogs just so they can sit next to them on a plane. There is a difference between emotional and therapy service dogs.
People get emotional support dogs to help them with their emotional problems simply by providing comfort and support. Emotional support dogs are great for people that suffer from anxiety, depression, and other mental disabilities.
Therapy dogs, on the other hand, provide love and comfort to individuals which have been admitted to a hospital, nursing home, or other facilities. These hero dogs keep company people that sometimes don’t have anyone. Not all people are blessed with a family.
Disability Service Dog Tasks
Disability service dogs are trained by professionals to help people with physical disabilities or chronic illnesses. These service dogs help their owners get through life by helping them get their medication, or alert them before they have an attack involving their disability.
People get disability service dogs to help them with disabilities such as blindness, mobility issues, deafness, autism, diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, and much more. These dogs are trained to bring medication to their owner, guide them through town, alert them of an incoming epilepsy episode, and more.
Basset Hounds as Work Service Animals
Basset hounds are not commonly used in the work service field. Although they have a great sense of smell because they were originally bred to be hunting dogs, that doesn’t make up for other capabilities they lack.
Work service dogs work hard. They have to be obedient, energetic, focused, and in shape. If you ever saw a basset hound, you will know that it just doesn’t fit the profile.
Basset hounds are short-legged kind of chubby dogs which are very relaxed. Their biggest enemy is stairs. Being a working dog puts a lot of stress on the body. Being an overweight work service dog is definitely not a smart idea.
This doesn’t mean that basset hounds are bad service dogs. It’s just that they will not do great in the work service field. I would definitely suggest that you don’t sign your basset hound for work service training.
Basset Hounds as Emotional/Therapy Support Animals
Basset hounds are great emotional support and therapy animals because they show compassion and great love toward people. They are also great around children. They are short-legged dogs with cute long ears and a calm faces and everyone loves them.
Basset hounds are most often known as family dogs because of their loving behavior. My 2-year-old son is very energetic as all other kinds. I get tired just by watching that boy jump around the apartment. Then I see my basset hound calmly walking around my son and he just calms down instantly. I love watching them cuddle.
Basset hounds are commonly used as therapy support dogs in hospitals and nursing homes. It breaks my heart when I see a little kid in a hospital, but it also makes me feel better when they see a basset hound. Those long ears and round eyes do magic in a children’s hospital. To be honest, basset hounds can get along with the youngest and the oldest person.
Basset Hounds as Disability Service Animals
Basset hounds are not great at being disability service dogs because most disability service dogs often need to be a bigger size in case they need to carry their owner to safety. They are a small breed that is not strong enough to carry a human in any way.
Another issue is that a disability service dog has to be trained by a professional in order to perform tasks that if not performed could lead to a life-threatening situation for their owner. Basset hounds are a little bit hard to train which really makes them not suitable for the job.
I personally would only stick to having a basset hound as an emotional or therapy service dog. I would leave the other fields to golden retrievers, german shepherds, and border collies.
Related Basset Hound Questions:
Do basset hounds make good family dogs? Basset hounds make for great family dogs. They are very compassionate and loving dogs. They are a calm and relaxed kind of dog and you won’t see it running around the house. Basset hounds are great around children. This breed will provide the love and affection that your family needs.
Are basset hounds a calm breed of dog? Basset hounds are a calm breed of dog. They are short-legged dogs with long cute ears. You will not see them running around the house. The basset hound requires very little exercise. However, they love getting dirty, being short dogs with long ears that drag on the ground.
