Houndsong

I have no dog in this fight and belong to neither field nor show factions. Those were really pretty dogs. It is just my observation that the "standard" for this breed looks somewhat different from the dogs that are doing what the dogs are bred to do, which is funny. Is there another breed where the goal has been to sort of "max out" certain of the dog's natural characteristics? It seems that the standard is more of an exaggeration or caricature of the dog. Now, have a look at the Vizsla and the Weimaraner. Those dogs were lean and mean.

Beverly Anne

I do have to say that the little beagle that won the show was awfully cute. It was nice to have something other than a darned poodle win.

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Francis's Bevy

Houndsong

I find it surprising that until now a beagle or a basset hasn't been best of show there, especially given the relative popularity of these breeds. Maybe the beagle is (perceived as) too ordinary and the basset (and hounds in general) is too Goober or Gomer. Maybe a lean, mean basset might have a shot, but it would never get out of its breed.

Beverly Anne

WHAT! Francis too Goober or Gomer? Perish the thought! My Francis is far too regal (in his mind, anyway) to be considered Goober or Gomer-like. ( my nickname for him though is Dooder-Doo or Boodie-Boo)

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Francis's Bevy

Aruuuu

Rubydoo -- Are you referring to Buggy Bumpers? His father is Topsfield Bumper Cars; his grandfather is Snickers....

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If stress were exercise, I'd be in great shape!

Mikey T

It some extent that is the case with all breed because when judging based on appearance only certain traits that have no bearing a suitability for become exageratedly important and those that traits that are important to purpose but are not visually observable play no role what so ever. But since you talk sporting group I note you did not mention "Lab" a conformation Lab must be at least 15lbs overweight to win in the ring. There is quite a disparity between field and conformation beagles as well.


Then again the measure the breed club uses to prevserve purpose is more of a test of tracking ability and less of hunting ability. That said if one looks closely of the history of "Basset Hound" the breed and not all short legged french unting dogs. The original purpose of the breeder of the bred apears to be more centered on the conformation ring, what the dog looks like, rather than their ability in the field.
See The Early History of the Basset Hound in England, 1874-1921
[url=In 1892 Millais decided to cross his only basset hound, Nicholas (a heavily linebred dog on Fino de Paris) with a bloodhound. ...Here is Millais's own description: "employed the Bloodhound as the vehicle for importing fresh blood to counteract the commencing degeneration on the part of the Basset, considering that this cross would be of infinitely greater value to us breeders than the importation would be of a number of French Bassets of the same variety, but of inferior type and size. . . . I may state at once that when we imported our Bassets from France, we imported the best that France possessed and notwithstanding degeneration, what we have in England is better than France can now offer us." Whether Millais was simply partial to the bassets in England and unjust in judging them superior to their French relatives, I cannot say. What Millais most likely did not realize that he did not just improve the Basset Artésien Normand, he created a new breed: today's basset hound.

...Until the 1890s most of the imports were undertaken for the purpose of showing the dogs and their progeny at dog shows[/url]

So in reality the "basset Hound" was bred as a show dog first and a hunter second.

It is very hard to find any very popular breed to Chalk up a lot of BIS. This is because large numbers are actual a detriment to the quality of the gene pool. It is far easier to get consistent high quality with a realitively smaller pool but all of supperior quality.

samandben

yeah its really super when they yank the dog so much their front paws barely hit the floor.

#10, the first female/ 2nd to last hound... soooo cute. shes all look at my i'm sexy

the shaker, the last male. hes pretty great too

....and the shaker wins!!!!

Don Bullock

As the breeder and owner of #10 I appreciate the remark, but I must add that she is not all looks. Joy (Ch Woebgon's Kickapoo Joy Juice) is a basset that is a bundle of energy. There are some pictures of her aw Westminster on our website http://www.woebgonbassets.com

I wish that here in Southern California that we had the opportunity to take Joy out in the field. Due to the rattlesnake problem we have here our "field trial season" is limited to mostly January which is also our "rainy season." We don't have any grounds appropraite for field trials here either.

As for conformation bassets not doing well in the field that's a myth. I have seen conformation bassets, even ones that had more type than those at Westminster this year, out in the field where they did quite well. Gail Allen and Gil Tankard in Washington have great success with conformation Champions in the field. There are others as well.

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Don Bullock
Woebgon Bassets

Rubydoo

3rd generation relative of my little Ruby!


Janice and little Ruby

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Take a basset hound to lunch today!
--Bassets rule....and drool!