The Basset Hound: a droopy-eared, sad-eyed, short-legged pooch that never fails to win hearts and raise smiles wherever it goes, with a comical lope and a tail that never stops wagging.
Chances are, the ones you’ve seen look pretty much the same, with the classic black, white, and tan tricolor coat. But did you know they come in other colors and a range of different markings too?
So let’s jump into the different coat colors these adorable canines are known for!
1. Tri Color
Probably the most recognizable Basset color of all, this is the classic tan/brown, white, and black coat most of us think of. It’s a color associated with most ‘hounds,’ including the Beagle, a breed of dog very similar to the Basset Hound in many ways.
Most tricolor Bassets will change color, and there’s no way of telling just how much of the black will turn to brown, especially on the ears and top of the legs. In fact, tricolor Bassets change the most out of all Basset Hound colors.
This change will be apparent within 1 to 3 weeks after the pups are born and could take up to 2 years until they finally settle to a permanent color.
Puppies that look mostly black and white, with a little tan on the ears, will most probably lighten to a tricolor coat. Some will also develop ticking (random spots of dark color) on their coats as they mature.
2. Lemon & White
Lemon is used to describe a sort of blond-colored fur. This will usually be accompanied by white, with no trace of black hairs anywhere and is the result of a recessive gene that dilutes the coat colors.
These colors will start to fade at around 8 weeks old and will soon darken to a tan color. Lemon Basset Hounds will have no black hairs anywhere. Remember our old friend, eumelanin? Lemon Bassets lack this pigment, which probably accounts for the lightness of their coat. However, as we hinted above, experts don’t really understand the genetics behind this coat color.
3. Blue Basset Hounds
Once again, blue is only accepted by the AKC as an extra tone to the coat, never as a pure, solid color. However, other kennel clubs worldwide do recognize blue Basset Hounds, often listing them as a separate breed known as the Blue Gascony Basset.
Either way, pure blue Basset Hounds are very rare. If you take a look at Basset Hound forums, you’ll come across some heated discussions about blue Bassets.
Those in favor insist that they are as healthy as any other Basset, whereas those against will insist that breeders are irresponsible to continue using blues as they raise the risk of severe genetic defects resulting in conditions such as periscoping intestines.
They also say that there’s an increased chance of the dog suffering from skin or food allergies and alopecia.
It’s a debate that will no doubt continue, with both sides claiming to have the breed’s welfare in mind.
4. Red & White
A red and white dog? Sounds unlikely, doesn’t it? As we’ve already discovered, breeders and kennel clubs are a little fanciful with their color descriptions! In reality, red covers a wide range of browns.
In the section on genetics, we learned that the color red is produced by the pheomelanin pigment, and the shade and distribution are determined by the genes. Red and white pups will start to change color by week 7, often becoming much darker.
5. Black & White
Black and white Basset Hounds are notoriously difficult for breeders to produce, as there is usually some brown or tan present, often around the eyes. Also, puppies that start out black and white will often develop some brown markings as they mature.
Once again, this is something to remember when choosing your dog. Be wary of breeders who offer you black and white Bassets, especially those who ramp up the price, claiming that these are rare Basset Hound colors.
It isn’t impossible to have a bicolor black and white Basset, but chances are that there will be at least a small amount of brown or tan.