Basador

The Basador is a crossbreed. Opening your heart and home to a cross-breed is like opening a beautifully wrapped package on your birthday: you never know what’s going to be inside. It’s often assumed that a crossbreed will combine the best of two or more breeds, but genetics doesn’t always work that way. The way genes combine and express themselves is not always subject to a breeder’s control, even less so when two different breeds are crossed.

This crossbreed mixes two very different dogs, Labrador Retrievers and Basset Hounds, for an unusual looking result. A Basador can have a wide range of personalities. Both Labs and Bassets tend to be good-natured and love to hunt, but the Basset is more of a rambler and independent thinker, while the Lab is a hard-charging go-getter. A Basador might be calm but stubborn or highly active and always ready to seek out an interesting scent.

A well-bred, well-socialized Basador will be friendly. He can get along well with children and other pets if he is brought up with them, but he may be too rambunctious for families with toddlers. Caution is also warranted around cats, as both component breeds have strong hunting instincts.

In appearance, he is usually short but stocky, with front legs that turn inward like those of the Basset, hanging ears and a moderately long tail. A typical Basador weighs 50 to 70 pounds, although some are smaller. Because he is a crossbreed, his traits are not fixed, so there is no guarantee that a Basador puppy will fall into the size range predicted by the breeder or adoption agency.

While a Basador may inherit the good looks or hunting ability of his parent breeds, he may also inherit not-so-desirable traits, such as the Basset’s tendency toward back problems or the heavy shedding of both breeds.

Basadors can learn quickly, but they can also be stubborn or have a short attention span. Keep training sessions short and fun. If you begin socialization and training early and use positive reinforcement techniques such as praise, play and food rewards, you can successfully train a Basador.

Basadors can have a moderate to high activity level. They will enjoy a nice walk or active playtime each day, and if you’re interested and talented at training (and the dog's overall health is good -- your veterinarian can help determine that), they can participate in such dog sports as agility, obedience and rally. Basadors can also make great therapy dogs.

If your Basador takes after either of the breeds used to create him, you can bet that he will enjoy his meals, perhaps a bit too much. Take care not to over-feed him. Excess weight can exacerbate certain health problems, including hip dysplasia and back problems.

Basadors are inveterate hunters, so confine them to the yard with a solid fence to prevent them from wandering. An underground electronic fence will not hinder a Basador if he smells a really interesting scent.

If you do choose to buy one, select a breeder who has done the health testing to help ensure that her puppies won’t carry the genetic diseases common to both Basset Hounds and Labrador Retrievers. And while there are no guarantees in life, it’s also a good way to minimize the possibility of certain big veterinary bills in the future.

Temperament is affected partly by inheritance and partly by environment, so it can be variable. A Basador’s temperament depends on several things including the temperaments of his parents, especially the mother, who is more likely to influence a puppy’s behavior; the amount of socialization he receives; and the particular genes he inherits. He might be more independent if the Basset side of his family dominates or more trainable if the Labrador side prevails. Be mindful around cats, as both breeds have strong hunting instincts. However, Both Labradors and Bassets are devoted to their families and generally shouldn't be shy or aggressive toward people or other animals.