The Basset Hound was bred in France at around the 1500's. So, in English, Basset Hound really means Low-set Hound. Bassets were bred for slow trailing hares and rabbits. The reason this was benifical to humans was that we did not have to ride horses to catch rabbits. The bad part of trailing rabbits, on horseback, is that they get scared of the clamorous noises that a horse's hooves produce.
People still use Bassets for hunting rabbits today.
In 1894, breeder Sir Everett Millais disapproved of the effects of crossbreeding a Basset hound and a Blood Hound, to make Basset puppies. The first litter made half the amount of puppies totally black and the other half all tan. Not only were the pups more colorful, they were healthier and larger. They became this way because Millais had been breeding Bassets that were in the same family, which causes life- threatening diseases. The Basset Hound is often dubbed as a half-witted, clumsy dog.