The rule of thumb should be to only bathe your Basset Hound when he is truly dirty or has body odor. Too-frequent baths can do more harm than good, because they can dry the skin’s natural oils, which can lead to scratching, then bacterial infections and “hot spots.”If you’re a fastidious owner who insists on bathing your Basset more than once a month, be sure you use a shampoo that has aloe or other skin-conditioning ingredients, and follow up with a good skin-conditioning coat dressing.