Two Basset Hound Puppies Share a Tender Nose-to-Nose Moment on the Bed

Soft lamplight washes over a white bedspread, and two lemon and white Basset Hound puppies sit nose to nose, almost touching. Their long ears hang like curtains on each side of their faces, and their big front paws are planted side by side. The pup on the left is turned toward his sibling, and the pup on the right returns the look with calm, gentle eyes.

A nose touch is a polite hello in the dog world. Dogs learn about each other by scent, and a Basset, with one of the best noses in the dog family, takes that very seriously. Their sense of smell is far more powerful than ours, and the breed has been trusted to follow trails for hundreds of years. Puppies learn how to greet one another with these little sniffs, and it is one reason early, well-supervised socialization is so useful. If you want to introduce your puppy to a new dog, keep them on loose leashes, let them sniff, and watch their body language. Relaxed, wiggly bodies are a good sign. Because Bassets have short legs, give them a ramp or step to get on the bed safely.

These two seem to be meeting each other all over again, even though they share the same bed. It looks like a very polite beginning to a very long friendship.