Rosie
5 years old · Wells
A tricolor Basset whose ears reach the floor. Ear day is her least favorite and the single most useful thing we do for her.
Breed Grooming Guide 5.0 · Southern Maine
Basset Hound Dog Grooming.
Nobody buys a Basset Hound for the low-maintenance coat, and anyone who has owned one knows why: the ears, the folds, the drool and the famous hound smell all live in places a short coat can't explain. K-Pup grooms Bassets mobile — a low ramp, no stairs, no jumping, and one dog at a time in a quiet trailer in your driveway.
Ears, Folds & That Long Frame
Grooming shaped around a very unusual body.
Bassets are built low, long and heavy, and every part of the groom accounts for it. For breed background, see the AKC Basset Hound breed page.
The Legendary Ears
The longest ears in the dog world sweep the ground, drag through the water bowl, and completely seal the canal from airflow. Ear cleaning isn't an add-on for a Basset — it's the center of the appointment.
Loose Skin & Facial Folds
The wrinkles around the muzzle, the flews and the neck trap drool and moisture. Each fold gets cleaned and dried, because a damp Basset fold sours fast.
The Oily Short Coat
That weather-resistant coat carries natural oils that create the classic hound odor, and it sheds steadily. A degreasing or clarifying bath addresses the smell at the source instead of covering it with fragrance.
Long Backs & Short Legs
A Basset's spine and front joints carry a lot of load, and jumping is genuinely risky. Everything happens at ground level with a low ramp and full body support.
Built For A Low-Slung Hound
Ears, odor, skin and safe handling.
Ear cleaning at every single visit
We clean both canals and the full underside of the ear leather, dry completely, and check for the odor or discharge that signals an infection starting. Basset ear infections are common and preventable.
Odor control that actually works
Hound smell comes from skin oils, ear yeast and folds — not from a dirty coat. A clarifying bath plus proper ear and fold care handles all three, and the result lasts a lot longer than a spray.
Mud, salt and dragging ears
Living inches off the ground in coastal Maine means a Basset's ears and chest collect mud, salt and beach grit that a taller dog never touches. We rinse and check all of it.
Nails on a heavy, low dog
Overgrown nails throw a Basset's already unusual front-end angles further off. We keep them short and grind smooth, supporting the body so nothing is asked to balance on three legs.
The Basset Hound Club of America maintains breed health resources on ears, skin and joints.
Services
Basset Hound grooming services.
01
Full Groom & Deep Ear Care
Clarifying bath, complete ear cleaning and drying, all facial and neck folds, nails, sanitary and a full skin check.
02
Hound Odor Bath
A degreasing bath aimed squarely at skin oils, plus ear and fold cleaning — the three places the smell actually comes from.
03
Ear & Nail Maintenance
A short mid-cycle visit for ears, nails and folds, ideal for Bassets prone to recurring ear trouble.
Our Process
How we groom a Basset Hound.
Every basset hound appointment follows the same order, start to finish, in the trailer in your driveway. Typical appointment time: about 1 hr 30 min, one dog at a time.
Ramp in and ear check
Your Basset walks up a low ramp with full body support, and we start by checking both ears for odor, wax and discharge.
Clarifying bath
A degreasing shampoo cuts the skin oils that cause hound odor, worked through the coat and into the loose skin of the neck and chest.
Fold cleaning
Muzzle wrinkles, flews and neck folds are cleaned individually and dried, since trapped drool is a major source of both smell and irritation.
Deep ear cleaning and drying
Both canals and the full underside of the ear leather are cleaned and dried completely — the single most important step on this breed.
Full dry and deshed
Warm air and a curry brush pull the dead coat out and make sure no moisture is left under those ears or in the folds.
Nails, sanitary and ramp out
Nails clipped and ground with the body supported, sanitary tidied, and a slow, supported walk back down the ramp.
This is the full step-by-step process K-Pup Dog Grooming uses for basset hounds in southern Maine.
Client Spotlight
Our favorite basset hounds.
A few of the basset hounds we look forward to seeing on the schedule — regulars from around southern Maine who hop up on the table like they own the trailer.
Copper
8 years old · Arundel
A big lemon-and-white Basset with a stubborn streak about the ramp. He goes up eventually, always on his own schedule.
Peanut
2 years old · Scarborough
Young, loud and convinced the clarifying bath is a personal insult. Smells wonderful for weeks afterward regardless.
Fun Facts
The best things about basset hounds.
We groom a lot of basset hounds, and every one of them reminds us why the breed has such a loyal following. Here's what we love about the basset hound.
Second only to the Bloodhound
A Basset's nose is one of the most capable in the dog world, outclassed only by the Bloodhound among scent breeds.
The ears are working equipment
Those extraordinary ears sweep scent up from the ground toward the nose while trailing — functional design that comes with a real ear-care cost.
Heavier than they look
A Basset is a heavy-boned dog on short legs, often weighing as much as a much taller breed — which is why we never ask one to jump.
Bred for slow, steady tracking
The short legs are deliberate: they let hunters follow the dog on foot over long distances instead of on horseback.
The smell isn't the coat
Classic hound odor comes from skin oils, ear yeast and moisture in the folds — which is why a plain bath never fully fixes it.
Related Breeds
Similar coats we groom.
basset hounds share brushing, drying, and trimming needs with these breeds — each guide covers coat care, timing, and pricing for mobile grooming in southern Maine.
Where We Groom Basset Hounds
Basset Hound grooming across southern Maine.
Looking for a Basset Hound groomer near you? The K-Pup trailer runs southern Maine weekly — pick your town and book a driveway appointment. See all our locations →
Kennebunkport Basset Hound GroomingKennebunk Basset Hound GroomingCape Porpoise Basset Hound GroomingGoose Rocks Beach Basset Hound GroomingArundel Basset Hound GroomingBiddeford Basset Hound GroomingSaco Basset Hound GroomingWells Basset Hound GroomingOgunquit Basset Hound GroomingYork Basset Hound GroomingOld Orchard Beach Basset Hound GroomingScarborough Basset Hound Grooming
Basset Hound Grooming FAQ
Questions basset hounds owners ask us.
How often should a Basset Hound be groomed?
Every 4 to 6 weeks. The coat could stretch longer, but the ears and folds really can't — and those are what drive both comfort and odor.
Why does my Basset Hound smell even after a bath?
Because the smell usually isn't in the coat. It's skin oils, yeast in the ears and moisture in the folds. A clarifying bath combined with thorough ear and fold cleaning addresses all three.
How do I keep my Basset's ears out of the food bowl?
A narrow, deep bowl or a snood at mealtimes helps a lot. Either way, the ears still need professional cleaning and drying on a regular schedule.
Is jumping into a grooming trailer safe for a Basset?
They never have to. We use a low, stable ramp and support the body on the way up and down — protecting that long back is part of the job.
Do Basset Hounds shed?
Steadily, all year. The short coat is deceptive. A deshedding bath and curry brushing at each visit noticeably reduces what ends up on the floor.