It is my personal belief that a "well-mannered" Basset is somewhere between the age of six and nine years old. He has finished with the wild craziness of his youth (for the most part), and hasn't yet entered his elder years when cranky disobedience is the rule (a right every elder has earned B) ).
Steinar, when are you coming to Southern New England? We are currently enjoying Moe's "well-mannered" stage and he is very good with company. You could also meet my friend's three young Bassets (a little less well-mannerd - maybe a LOT less - but a joyful, friendly, and handsome group of very well-bred Bassets). You could get a great photo for your collection on the beautiful Cliff Walk, or on the grounds of a Newport mansion, or maybe even one in front of the Rhode Island Red (Chicken) Monument at the bottm of my hill.
That's in our tiny village of Adamsville - it takes all of ten seconds to drive through it. :lol: But it has several great attractions - The Barn (a breakfast resturaunt in a renovated antique barn), Gray's store (recently determined to be the oldest store in the US), and Gray's Mill (an authentic old mill that still grinds grain with millstones - and no relation to Gray's Store). 
