$500 deposit? I don't even want to know the final price on one of those cuties.

Is it true that they are one of the stupidest breeds you can buy? Or am I thinking of beagles?

stupid? I'm not sure about that..as a hound dog they are very intelligent.. I think the perception perhaps may come from the fact that Bassets are one of the more stubborn breeds around and thus very difficult (but not impossible) to train. In general a Basset will do what he/she wants to do.. stop in the middle of a walk and catch some sun refusing to budge for 10 minutes or so etc..

Plus they by instinct track... so their nose can get them into some trouble.

My dog though by himself figured out how to open doors..closets..trash cans (he stomps on the pedal then uses his nose to flip up the lid), He figured out how to open bookbags.. he can get the zippers open with his teeth... his sense of smell is incredible which allows him to do some amazing things.. he can tell when someone is home hundreds of feet away from the house just by picking up their scent.

He trained himself to let me know when its time for a walk.. he basically comes over to me and paws me.. then walks over and sits in front of the door until I get up.. if I take to long he repeats the process.

My dog would kick your dog's butt in a cuteness contest. I got her through a wonderful little divorce moment that some here might appriciate. My ex-wife, when she left me, was in a rush to grab everything she could. Thus she grabbed the Acura and left me the dog that she whined so much about getting. I didn't think so at the time, but I got the better end of the deal. She's 3 lbs, 10 years old at the time of this pic.

[img]http://homepage.mac.com/souldaddy/.Pictures/Phone%20Camera/L1%20xmas%20(3).jpg[/img]

Talk about "odd couple" though. I am not the kind of man you would imagine owning this dog. When women ask what her name is, I reply "I'm not gay".

So, while I agree bassets and pets in general are great, how does one get "okay" with getting a pet through a breeder, versus a rescue shelter or through pet adoption. Breeding and then selling the litter for the expressed purpose of posting a profit seems wrong to me. I'm sure after you bond with the dog, it's all gravy, but if the dog develops some degenerative disease or has mental illness or something can you slap the breeder for breach of contract, or return it due to manufacturer's defects?

you gotta make sure your buying from a good breeder with a long track record.. I got lucky in that the breeder I bought my Basset from is one of the best in the country.. and was only 4 hours away by car..

I know someone picking up a Laberdoodle that was flow in from Australia.

I just want to reitterate that hounds are pretty scary smart. Certainly, among the sharpest dogs I've ever come across. As Guru said, bassets and beagles are some of the most stubborn dogs imaginable.

Never buy from a pet store, as they are often supplied by puppy mills which are large scale breeding operations often keeeping the dogs in horrible conditions.

Shelters are always a good option, and genearly you will go in and select a dog that you like, fill out paperwork and pay somewhere in the neighborhood of $50-100 to cover shots and spay/neuter cost. Some great dogs can be found at shelters, but it can sometimes be a bit of a mystery as to what you are getting.

If you like a particular breed and want a puppy, breeders can be a great way to go, just make sure you do your homework. Research the breed you are interested in to learn potenital problems and how to identiy bad breeding. Insist on seeing the parents and their living conditions, as well as the parent's current vet records.

Dogs can make great pets, but they are a serious commitment on you part. Make sure your budget can afford not only their food but yearly vet bills plus unforseen emergencies. Good luck.

If you're looking for a particular breed, try http://www.petfinder.com/

There you can search for breeds in various rescue centers and kennels. You can find a breed (or a mix of a breed) really easily and it's very cheap. Personally I'd try to find a bit of a mix to avoid any health problems later in life.

lethial, you're in the Rochester area, right? I suggest you go speak with people at Lollypop Farm, which is a no-kill rescue shelter in the area. And I do mean "speak" first - make sure you understand what you'll be doing, what a pet needs, and how much money you'll be looking to spend. If you've never had a dog, I would also recommend training...for both of you. Lollypop does this, as do other local schools.

edit: Also, I stongly suggest getting an adult dog, rather then a puppy, for your first go. Most people have NO idea how much work a puppy can be.

Since we like to have people visit, and we want to meet our customers and have the opportunity to go over our instructions, we do not ship our puppies.

Damnit. No UPS?

Agreed.. I almost ran over my friends Boxer.. he sat there in the driveway as I honked and motioned to him to move away from my car.

My vote for dumbest goes to Dalmations. I got a friend who has both a dalmation and a boxer (named Punchy). The Boxer is just just awesome, but that damn spotted dog... man. The only issue with the boxer is she can clear a room in under 3 seconds when she lets a fart go in her sleep.

Hey now! My dalmation is damn smart. He knows how to wake everyone up, clear a room with a fart, jump a fence, open the trash can similar to guru's dog. Hell he can open closed doors to get into the room. My experience is that those who are attracted to dalmations (some exceptions apply) really screw them up.

Well, that and the whole "inbred to high holy heaven" thing.