Appearance
Basset Hounds have long, downward ears and powerful necks, with much loose skin around their heads, forming wrinkles. Their tails are long and tapered, stand upright with a curve and should also be tipped in white. The white tips are so that they are easily seen when hunting or tracking through large bushes or weeds. Bassets are also known for their hanging skin structure, which causes the face to occasionally look sad. This, for many people, adds to the breed's charm. The dewlap, the loose, elastic skin around the neck, and the trailing ears, help trap the scent of what they are tracking.
Size
The Basset Hound is a large dog on short legs. They were originally bred by the French to have achondroplasia, known as dwarfism. Their short stature can be deceiving. Bassets are surprisingly long and can reach things on table tops that dogs of similar heights cannot.
Bassets are around 11 to 15 inches in height at the withers. They usually weigh between 45 and 65 pounds
Coat and Color
They have smooth, short-haired coats but rough-haired coats are possible. Although any hound color is considered acceptable by breed standards, Bassets are generally tricolor, black, tan, and white. Some Bassets are also classified as gray or blue, however, this color is considered rare and undesirable.