Top Activities For Basset Heelers

Introduction

Your Basset Heeler is a mix between a Basset Hound and a Blue Heeler, which means your pooch is probably going to be about 33 to 40 pounds when fully grown. They enjoy any kind of outdoor activities, especially when they center around you or some other animals. The Basset is a hunter while a Heeler is a herder, so they are great at anything to do with these activities. And, since they are dogs, after all, they love to hang out with their human, so make sure you have plenty of time to spend with your pooch.

Tricks

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Any Day

Cheap

Normal

2 - 3 hrs

Items needed

Leash

Collar

Treats

Activity description

One thing about cattle dogs like Blue Heelers is that they need to learn how to read their handler’s hand signals and body language. The Basset Hound in your dog also gives them the desire to make you happy so they truly enjoy learning from you or from any other human that they like for that matter. Teaching your Basset Healer to do tricks should be pretty easy because they are born with the desire to please their humans. While they may be a little reluctant at first, if you give your pooch a treat when the trick is performed correctly, they should get the hang of it pretty quickly.

Step

1

Start out slow

The first thing you need to do is figure out what kind of tricks your Basset Heeler may like to do and be good at. Although these are intelligent breeds, some dogs just do better at some things than others. Try one or two easy tricks such as fetch and high five to see if your dog picks up on them quickly. Be sure to give your pooch a treat every time they do it right to encourage them.

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2

Show off

Show off your dog’s intelligence by having them watch you and your fur baby perform. You will love the attention and your dog will love the attention and encouragement. Continue to give your dog treats and words of inspiration every time a trick is done correctly. These tricks can teach your dog how to follow your hand signals and verbal cues so that you can communicate better in all areas.

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Rabbit Hunting

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Any Day

Cheap

Normal

1 - 2 hrs

Items needed

Collar

Leash

Activity description

The Basset Hound is an excellent hunter and can smell a rabbit a mile away. The Basset in your Basset Heeler can sniff out any kind of critter you want to hunt but the rabbit is usually the one they like to hunt the most for some reason. Blue Heelers are also good at hunting, but they were bred to herd, which is useful in hunting rabbit as well. They need plenty of exercise so running around in the woods with you chasing rabbits is as good an activity as any other for the both of you. Not only will it teach them how to hunt but it will also get you some dinner if you are good at it. So, let Fido find you some hare to hunt.

Step

1

Train your pooch

Since the Basset was bred to be a hunter, you should not have to do too much training to get them going in the right direction. However, there are some dogs that need a little push, especially for mixed breeds like the Basset Heeler. Start teaching your pup at about six months old and make sure they are able to follow your commands before heading out on a hunt. It may take a little time to get them acclimated but don’t lose patience if they want to play instead of hunt.

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2

Go on the hunt

Once you think your dog can hunt without running off to play, get on out there and hunt. Be sure you praise your pooch for things done right and calmly re-acclimate them when they go off the hunt for some reason. Some dogs just get distracted. If this happens often, your dog may not be ready to hunt yet or may not be cut out for rabbit hunting.

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Herding

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Cheap

Normal

1 - 2 hrs

Items needed

Treats

Herding animals such as chickens or sheep

Activity description

The Blue Heeler in your Basset Heeler is a born herder. While they are typically used to herd cattle, they are also good at herding chickens, sheep, other dogs, and even children, although that last one is not recommended. In fact, another name for the Blue Heeler is the Australian Cattle Dog so you know herding is going to be pretty natural for your fur buddy. If you start out with gentle training and praise your dog every time a training step goes good, your pooch should be herding in no time. However, do not forget that your Basset Heeler has Basset Hound blood and they are more inclined to hunt than to herd. So, depending on the amount of hunting gene compared to the herding gene in your dog, you may have to spend more time working together to get it right.

Step

1

Educate yourself

The first thing you should do is to learn everything you can about herding and this means doing more than just Googling it. Get out and talk to people who have trained their dogs as herders and learn from them. Because your dog is only half Blue Heeler, you have to determine if your dog is right for herding before you jump into anything so talk to people who have Basset Heelers.

Step

2

Training games

After you have the knowledge you need, it is time to see if Fido is up for the challenge. Make sure that your pooch is trained in the basic commands such as come and heel. While some dogs are naturals, others may be more stubborn. Spend as much time as needed on training before you get into the real thing because herding can be dangerous for the dog and the herding animals if your dog is not prepared.

Step

3

Give your hound a herd

Let your dog go on a few trial runs with small well-trained herds of small animals like chickens or ducks. Watch them to see how they get along, whether your dog seems to be in command, and whether your pup is enjoying the work. Once they get the hang of it, give your pup his own herd to command and let him go.

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More Fun Ideas...

Earthdog Trials

Although most earthdog trials are done with terriers in mind, the Basset Heeler is also good at this kind of activity because of their ability to both herd and hunt. The Basset Hound genes help your dog find the prey while the Blue Heeler blood gives your dog the ability to bark, dig, and control the prey until you get there.

Scent Trailing

Although all dogs are good at sniffing things out, the Basset Hound is a born scent dog. With short legs, they are built close to the ground for a reason and that reason is to sniff. Their long pendulous ears are used to stir up the scents from the dirt. So, why does a hound have long ears? The better to smell you with. Scent trailing can include simple things such as hound trailing trials to serious jobs like searching for lost people.

Conclusion

Whether you and your furry friend are hunting, herding, or just hanging out, know that your pooch needs at least an hour of activity per day to stay healthy and happy. If you cannot get out with your dog on a daily basis, consider hiring a professional dog walker to help you out. Your dog will thank you for it by being a well-adjusted woofer who won’t bark all day driving the neighbors nuts.