ASHLAND BASSETS IN THE NEWS

As part of my ongoing series of ‘dogumentaries’ looking at the lives of dogs around the world, I’ve been following the Ashland Bassets, Virginia’s oldest foot hunting pack. I’m extremely honored to share this story from today’s Washington Post In Sight section and say a big thank you to everyone at the Ashland Bassets for welcoming me so warmly into the Pack!

I first met the Ashland Bassets at the Hunt Country Stable Tour in Middleburg in May 2018 when they gave a demonstration at the Salamander Resort. I was immediately enamored with their personalities and charm and was keen to learn more about the sport and these ‘dogs with jobs.’

I spent the next 12 months getting to know the Bassets, the Huntsmen, the Members and their way of life. And learning that what was once a way of catching a rabbit for dinner in France and England, has now evolved into a sport where the hounds, working in pairs or in a pack, are trained and judged on their skills in detecting and tracking their quarry only.

The 24 strong Ashland Basset pack live in kennels outside of Warrenton, VA, and are managed and led by Joint Master of Bassets and Joint Huntsman, Mary Reed, whose time, help and patience I greatly appreciate.

Previous stories have included life at the 4PAWS animal shelter in Penang, Malaysia, which was recognized with a prestigious World Press Photo Award.