JUDGING THE BASSET HOUND by RICHARD NANCE
T he Basset Hound is a breed that is most recognizable due to its long low body, long ears and its sad eyes. The Basset Hound was bred to have short legs so the hunter could follow it on foot. The Basset is an achondroplasia (dwarf) breed. The Basset is a big dog with short legs. The form of achondro- plasia only affects the growth of the long bones. The achondroplastic, low to the ground Basset Hound is often a chal- lenge to new judges whose expertise is in longer legged breeds with straight columns of support. An added learning curve also involves various hallmarks of our breed, which include a wrap-around front, short legs, heavy bone, a prominent forechest, long ears and wrinkled skin ( Basset Hound Illustrated Standard ). Dwarfism can lead to structural problems in the Basset, including a mismatched front, which is an unequal turnout of the front feet. One needs to understand the differ- ences between breed type and style. Discussions on social media demon- strate that the terms breed type and style are used interchangeable. Breed type in the Basset Hound is: • 2:1 rectangular outline • Heavy bone • Large, well-domed head with wrinkles • Long velvety ears; soft, sad expression • Prominent forechest • Body not too heavy, not too low to ground • Capable of hunting all day You will see various styles that still meet the correct breed type. In your ring, you might see dogs that are a little closer to the ground, some that have more skin and some with larger bone and more weight. No matter the style, you still want to see good reach and drive, a level topline and a nicely balanced hound.
Balance in the Basset Hound is defined as follows: • All parts fit; looks like one smooth piece • Head is large enough and matches body • Arched neck flows smoothly into shoulders • Shoulder lays back 45º to the hori- zontal and forms a 90º angle with upper arm • Front and rear angles match • Length of upper arm and shoulder blade are equal • Shoulders are not set too far forward • Rear does not look slack or light • Tail is set in continuation of the spine
• Height is not over 14" at the with- ers; over 15" disqualifies Most all Bassets are show by their owners, not professional handlers. That being said, put more emphasis on a level topline when the dog is moving, not when stacked. The Basset Hound is not a self stacking breed. It seems that the more you stack a Basset, the worse they look. As the Basset moves around the ring, your first impression should be that of his top-line and reach and drive, not how fast he moves. The Basset must be judged on the ramp. If you need to re-examine a dog, please use the ramp.
212 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , O CTOBER 2017
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