Can the Basset Hound swim?
Only with a great deal of difficulty. With 2/3 of the Basset’s weight in the front, and with such short legs, they can swim only very short distances, and with great difficulty. If you must go boating with a Basset be certain, you have provided a life preserver for him or other suitable floatation device. Extra care must be taken around swimming pools, and the Basset should never be left, unsupervised in a pool area. Should your Basset be prone to falling in, get him to swim to the stairs, so that he will learn the way out.
