The short answer
Basset Hounds and Basset mixes come through Toronto rescue, with fees $150 to $700 (versus $1,500 to $3,000 from a breeder). They are gentle, patient, comical, food-loving family dogs, but they are stubborn and slow to train, can be very loud (baying), have unreliable recall (the nose wins), and carry real health needs around the back, ears, and eyes. Keep one lean, plan for patient training and management, and think about the noise if you are in a condo. Browse adoptable Toronto dogs.
A nose with a dog attached
To understand a Basset, start with the nose. Bred as a scent hound to track by smell for hours on short legs, the Basset has one of the most powerful noses in the dog world, and that scenting drive shapes everything: how it walks (slowly, sniffing), how it trains (on its own terms), and how it behaves off-leash (it follows the scent, not you). The Canadian Kennel Club breed profile describes the mild, easygoing, devoted temperament that makes Bassets such gentle companions. Around the house they are famously laid-back, affectionate, and funny, happy to nap, lean on you, and follow their nose to the kitchen. Living well with one means working with that nose-first, stubborn nature rather than fighting it, which is exactly what a good rescue will help you understand about a specific dog.
Stubborn, loud, and led by the nose
Three honest realities define life with a Basset, and each is manageable if you go in expecting it. First, they are stubborn and slow to train; a Basset is clever but was bred to work independently, so it does not take direction the way an eager breed does, and house-training in particular can be a patient project. Second, they are loud: the deep baying and howling are part of the breed's charm and a genuine consideration for condos and close neighbours. Third, the nose overrides recall; a Basset on a scent will happily ignore you and wander, so leashes, fences, and secure yards are non-negotiable rather than relying on off-leash reliability. None of this makes a Basset a bad dog, it makes it a Basset, and our training and recall guide shows how to work with all three.
The health you should plan for
Bassets are lovable but come with a specific health profile that every owner should understand before adopting. Their signature long back and short legs make them prone to spinal problems, their long heavy ears trap moisture and lead to frequent ear infections, and their droopy eyes are prone to conditions including glaucoma. They are also very easily overweight, which worsens every one of those issues, and as a deep-chested breed they carry a bloat risk. This is real, but it is also manageable with good weight control, routine ear and eye care, and prompt attention to problems. Our Basset health guide covers all of it, and the breed page has more.
Costs, legality, and getting started
Bassets are legal in Ontario with no breed restrictions, and their size rarely triggers condo or landlord limits, though the baying is worth an honest thought if you share walls. Adoption fees run the usual Toronto ranges ($150 to $700, spay or neuter and shots included), a fraction of a breeder's $1,500 to $3,000, but budget for the breed's ongoing health needs and consider pet insurance (our cost guide lays it out). Set alerts on the rescues above, read the training and health guides so you know what you are taking on, and be ready to meet a wonderfully stubborn, gentle, funny dog on its own terms.
Browse adoptable Basset Hounds in Toronto
Basset Hounds and Basset mixes from Toronto shelters and rescues, with foster notes on temperament, training, noise, and how each dog does in a home.
See Available Basset Hounds →Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I adopt a Basset Hound in Toronto?
Basset Hounds and Basset mixes turn up in Toronto rescue, sometimes surrendered when an owner underestimated the stubbornness, the noise, or the health costs. Check the City of Toronto Animal Services, the Toronto Humane Society, and foster-based rescues like Save Our Scruff, TEAM Dog Rescue, Fetch + Releash, Redemption Paws, and Hopeful Tails, and breed-specific hound rescues sometimes have them too. LocalPetFinder aggregates adoptable Toronto dogs in one place. For a scent hound, the foster notes (how the dog does with training, recall, other pets, and how vocal it is) are genuinely useful before you commit.
Are Basset Hounds good family dogs?
They can be wonderful ones. Bassets are famously gentle, patient, easygoing, and affectionate, and they tend to be good with children and other dogs, with little of the guarding or edginess of many breeds. They are also comical, food-loving, and endearingly laid-back at home. The trade-offs are real, though: they are stubborn and slow to train, they can be loud (the baying and howling are legendary), and their nose runs the show. For a patient family that wants a soft, funny, low-drama companion and can laugh at a stubborn streak, a Basset is a lovely fit.
Why do Basset Hounds end up in rescue?
Usually a mismatch of expectations. People fall for the adorable droopy look and are then surprised by the reality: a Basset is genuinely stubborn and hard to train, house-training can be slow, the baying is loud (a real issue in condos and with neighbours), and the breed carries meaningful health costs around the back, ears, and eyes. Add the strong nose that makes recall unreliable and escapes common, and a charming dog can overwhelm an unprepared owner. The good news is that a Basset who reaches a good rescue usually comes with honest notes on all of this, so you know what you are signing up for.
Are Basset Hounds easy to train?
Honestly, no, and it helps to expect that. Bassets are scent hounds bred to follow their nose independently for hours, so they are famously stubborn and much slower to train than eager-to-please breeds, and their recall is unreliable once they lock onto a scent. This is not stupidity, Bassets are clever, they simply were not bred to take direction. What works is patient, consistent, food-motivated positive training (a Basset will do a lot for a treat), realistic expectations, and management: leashes, fences, and secure yards rather than relying on off-leash recall. Our Basset training and recall guide covers exactly how to work with the breed rather than against it.
Do Basset Hounds need a lot of exercise?
Moderate, and it looks different than for most breeds. A Basset is low-to-moderate energy and loves a good sniffy walk, but it is not an endurance or high-activity dog and is quite happy to nap much of the day. The catch is that Bassets gain weight very easily, being both food-obsessed and low-activity, and excess weight is genuinely harmful for a long-backed, heavy-boned dog, so daily walks and careful feeding are less about burning energy and more about protecting the back and joints. Note also that their short legs and long backs mean stairs and jumping should be limited. Sniff-walks, weight control, and joint protection are the real exercise goals.
How much does it cost to adopt and keep a Basset Hound?
Adoption fees run the usual Toronto ranges: roughly $150 to $350 at municipal animal services and $200 to $700 at rescues, with spay or neuter, vaccines, and a vet check included. A breeder Basset is more, commonly $1,500 to $3,000. The number to plan around is ongoing health care: Bassets are prone to back problems, chronic ear infections, and eye conditions, all of which can add real cost over a lifetime. Budget realistically, keep the dog lean to prevent problems, and consider pet insurance. Our Toronto cost guide has the full first-year picture.
Are Basset Hounds legal to own in Toronto?
Yes. Basset Hounds are not a restricted breed in Ontario. The provincial Dog Owners' Liability Act restricts only pit-bull-type dogs, so Bassets are fully legal to own and adopt in Toronto and across Ontario. Their size rarely triggers condo or landlord limits, though the one practical caveat for apartment and condo living is noise: Basset baying and howling can carry, so it is worth thinking honestly about your building and neighbours. Otherwise a Basset is an uncomplicated breed to house in the city.
Basset Training & Recall
Working with a stubborn scent hound, and why recall needs management.
Basset Hound Health Issues
Back, ears, eyes, weight, and what to plan for.
New dog? Start with these care guides
Everything a new adopter needs to set up a safe, happy home.