Description:
Rocco is a terrific hound.  With those legs, he just has to be part Basset.  I have two Basset mix dogs and can attest to how much fun they are.  They aren't small dogs, just short dogs!  Rocco is wonderful but the poor fellow is looking for a new home because his family has moved to Key West and were unable to take him with them.  They did, however, leave us with a wonderful description of him.  Let me share:

"Rocco is a 6 year old multicolored foxhound mix.  I’m guessing that he probably weighs about 45 lbs.  He has short legs and long floppy ears.  This dog is full of energy and need exercise> whether it’s running in a backyard or taking brisk walks, he needs it to burn off his energy.  He tends to respond best to a disciplined schedule.  He wakes around 7 am, goes in the backyard.  We feed him around 9 am.  He usually naps while we are gone for the day until around 1pm.  He goes out again around that time.  About 3-4 times a week he goes for a run with my husband.  He eats dinner around 5-6 pm.  Gets 2-3 bowls of water a day that he shares with the cat.

 

He is completely housebroken. Well, maybe I should say WE are completely trained to HIS schedule.  So, he’s never messed in our house.  He eats Iam’s minichunk food in the green bag.  He gets Iam’s biscuits.  He will eat ANY human food that falls off the kid’s plates.  I’ve seen him happily eat raw onions!! His favorite snack is a piece of ripe banana or rotisserie chicken.  He will go to bed on his own around 8 pm unless there is something exciting happening.  He usually sleeps at the foot of our bed or on the couch.  He does NOT like dog beds for some reason.  He has torn every one the we have purchased for him into shreds.  He does not chew shoes or any other items in our house.  He knows which toys are his.  He is fantastic with our kids.  One of the greatest things about him is that he is a phenomenal soccer player!!! We play “keep away” for hours at a time in the back yard.

 

He has the cutest gait.  Very bouncy and happy-go-lucky.  He is also very protective of our family.  Especially the children.  I’ve always felt very safe with this dog around.  That leads me to the challenges that we have faced with him over the last 3 years.  We found Rocco at the Humane Society in2006.  He was sick with kennel cough and incredibly lethargic.  We had him treated with antibiotics once he came home with us.  He was fixed at that time as well.  He was 3 years old when we met him.  After be became comfortable with us we realized that he had a major fear of strange men.

 

We have had to watch him closely whenever new males enter our house.  Some males he will warm up to, some he will not.  He will not respond to yelling. Only positively.  He will bark at strangers and squirrels and cats if they come anywhere near the back yard (but he adores our housecat and plays with him).  He gets along perfectly with other animals unless they are aggressive.  He responds with fearful aggressiveness in that sort of situation. Oh, if you leave the door wide door, he will usually run out.  Chasing him on foot does no good, he turns it into a game.  We usually have to get in the car and then he will jump in for a ride.  As you will see in the pictures, he is cute as a button.  He will cock his head to the side if you say “you wanna….(add anything like eat, bath, get in bed, etc…) He’s a great little guy with a rough past.  So very cuddly and loveable with sweet brown eyes."

Foster update 5/4: Ok well i decided to take this poor puppy home..he was so tramatized at the shelter. So scared, hidding in the back of the crate, growling, snapping out of fear! But once i got him into the car..he just opened right up. Licking my face, wagging the tail. A totally different dog. It only took 1 hour for him to totally trust me. He has been introduced to my 2 dogs, 1 foster puppy, 2 cats and went to the dog park all within 2 hours of arriving at my house. He is a complete angel..loving and follows me around like he has always known me forever. He is a total velco dog right now but in a very sweet polite way! He seems to enjoy other pets but is completly in love with people. We tested the "men" waters at the dog park. Rocco is visably more reserved around men but not agressive. He shy away and walked around them if comfronted by them but when i basically forced an interaction he politely stands and slowly wags his tail while getting pet. I can see he will learn to love any man in a household but strangers will take him a bit to warm up with! As long as any owner is aware of this and "control" interactions he has with stranger men there will be no problems at all. I have only spent one night with this fellow but i'm in love with him already!


According to www.dogbreedinfo.com, the name Basset Hound comes from the French word "bas" meaning low. Some sources suggest the Basset Hound may have originated from genetic dwarf dogs presented in litters of other types of French hunting hounds, however, we do know that it is a rather old breed, descended directly from the Bloodhound. Shakespeare described the Basset Hound with the following poetic image: "Ears which sweep away the morning due." According to research, the true fame of the Basset Hound began in 1863, when it was presented at the Paris Dog Show. Its popularity spread to England where a lively dispute arose between two factions of breeders: Those who wanted to keep the Basset Hound a hunting dog, and those who wanted to transform it into a companion dog. Situated between these two factions were the American breeders who proceeded to develop an extremely pleasing companion dog without sacrificing any of the qualities of the hunter. The breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1885. Its natural bent is for hunting both in the den and in the open. It is therefore, used for the hunting of fox, hare, opossum, and pheasant. Bassets can hunt in packs or alone. It has an excellent sense of smell, but its reflexes are a bit slow. Their slow pace is convenient for hunters on foot and keeps game from being scared out of reach. The Basset's nose is almost as outstanding as the Bloodhound's. George Washington may have owned Basset Hounds given to him by Lafayette after the American Revolution. The Basset Hound is sweet, gentle, devoted, peaceful and naturally well-behaved. They fit into family life well. Their temperament should always be friendly with never an indication of sharpness or viciousness. They are mild but not timid; very affectionate with its master and friendly with children. It is incapable of biting, but it may be a bit stubborn. They like to do tricks for food. It has a deep musical bark. Housebreaking is difficult, but they do well with gentle patient training and positive reinforcement. With proper training, they are obedient, but when they pick up an interesting smell, it's sometimes hard to get their attention. They have a life expectancy of 10-12 years.