So your basset hound has been a good boy or girl and you want to give them a reward! There are lots of simple ways to treat your basset. You may be wondering what is safe to give your hound to eat. We’ve thrown together a list of the best basset hound treats that your hound will love.

When to treat your basset hound

Treats are an essential part of dog training and you should monitor when you are handing them out. Giving out treats randomly and not on the cue of good behavior could have some negative effects.

Use treats as a training tool when possible to reinforce good behavior. Try not to use them to reinforce negative behavior. For example, if your basset is refusing to walk, try and avoid handing out treats to entice them into moving. They are smart dogs and will soon figure out that they will get a treat for putting anchors down and misbehaving.

In fact, once your basset has got the hang of a command, you should be able to get away with simply providing positive enforcement. By all means, the occasional treat is fine but it’s all about timing and knowing what you are reinforcing.

How much to treat your basset

In addition to knowing when to treat, you should also know how much to treat! With most store-bought dog treats, there are usually guidelines available to help out with this written directly on the label.

Take into account the weight of your basset and also the amount that they’re eating during the day on average. For reference, an adult can way from about 20kg to 30kg.

What to avoid giving to your basset

Most basset hounds are not picky eaters so it’s a hard task knowing what they shouldn’t eat. This isn’t an extensive list, but these are some of the treats that you shouldn’t give your basset.

• Chocolate. Probably one of the most well-known things not to give a dog, we thought we’d better include it. Chocolate contains an ingredient that is toxic to dogs, so avoid chocolate at all costs.
• Sugar. Sugar is not great for us humans, and even less so for dogs. Dogs don’t get to clean their teeth and there is also the issue of obesity. In small amounts very occasionally, it’s not too much of an issue, but make it a very rare thing if you do.
• Dairy. Dogs simply aren’t equipped to process dairy, so this is one they should avoid. It’s mostly okay in some amounts but can lead to diarrhoea and other digestive issues. This differs from hound to hound.
• Grapes and raisins. Although a lot of fruit and veg is okay to give your hound, grapes and raisins specifically should be avoided. They are related to kidney damage.

For more information on what to avoid giving your hound, or if you’re not sure, we suggest checking out this page from Dog Time. If you’re in doubt, do a quick Google search and consult your veterinarian for further advice.

Quick and easy basset hound treats

There are a lot of treats that you can buy for your basset. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t a lot of simple and cheap options you can reward your basset hound with.

Here are some examples of on the fly basset treats that a lot of basset hound owners have used as a treat in the past. This is by no means an extensive list, but here are some ideas to get you started.

• Crunchy vegetables. If you find that your hound likes to eat their greens, this is a light and healthy choice. Crunchy is the key word here. We’ve read about owners giving their dogs chopped up green beans, carrots and celery. Anything with an interesting texture will go down well.
• Certain cereals. Obviously this is a subject up for debate as some cereals are very high in sugar. Natural cereal or cereal with no or very low sugar are okay choices. We have heard about a lot of owners using Cheerios. Keep it very few and far in between if you do decide to give your basset cereal.
• Ice cubes. The crunchy texture and cold sensation is irresistable to some bassets! Your mileage may vary with this, but this is definitely a cost effective basset hound treat.
• Chopped liver. If liver is something you cook up in your household, you might consider saving some for basset hound treats! Here’s a nice guide that we located that shows a good recipe for doing so.
• Low calorie commercial treats. These come in many shapes and sizes. Picking the best basset hound treat can be overwhelming so we’ve picked our favorites and will explain why.

Our pick: top 5 best basset hound treats

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