[dodolah]

Seems like there are many types of Basset Hound..
There are windsock, European, American/ Argentine, and so on...
I am bit confused.. What exactly is the difference here?

Thanks

 

[Mikey T]

windsock is a kennel name. A dog out of a kennel or line from that kennel is often referred to as a "kennel name" basset. So a dog from or out of the windsock line would be a"Windsock basset" as would say a basset out of the "topsfield" line be called a "Topsfield basset" etc.

fwiw Windsock bassets are in LA area
Kay Haggard - Windsock Bassets
2737 Palos Verde Drive N.
Palos Verdes Estates, CA 92074
301 378-7308
[email protected]
Kay is a respected basset breeder , Member of the BHCA and BHCSC

Place names in general (unless a kennel name which is exceedingly rare) describes the " the region or kennel club location that a particular basset is from or its pedigree is from. It has nothing to do with the look, appearance or quality of the dog. Any breeder who uses such designation is trying to add an aire of distinction to their dogs and comand a higher price, Rather than let the quality of the dogs speak for themselves. This is usually because the result of that particular breeder can't speak for themselves. You will find breeders that do not show or compete in performance venue (field trials) and belong to breed clubs are the ones that engage in this practice. That is because the are not breeding or the betterment of the breed but simply profits. In order to breed for profit quality is left behind. You can't make money if you spend it on things like genetic testing, entry fee in shows etc. A breeder that referres to his/her bassets as european/american/english/french etc generally should be avoided, those that use kennel names to speak about the origins of their own lines do so out of respect for those that help them get started, and those knowledgable in the breed can recognizes the strength and weakness of a particular line and make appropriate decisions based on that. Of course genetics being what they are any single individual can depart dramatical from that of the line averages.

Two possible exceptions to the above descripion of location are "french" and English. "French" is often used by breeders of poor quality basset hounds as an explaination for why thier dogs do not resemble the preed stand of the basset hound and more resemble the breed standard Of the Basset Artesian Normand, a more slightly built french hound that is an ansestor of the "basset hound" but still in existance. Anyone describing their dogs as "french" basset hounds should be avoided, Very often the same can be send for the "english" basset hound discription as well. However there is a major caveate. There are aproximately 15 Basset Hound Packs registered with the National Beagle Club see

ROSTER OF BEAGLE, BASSET & HARRIER PACKS 2009​

The orgins and registration of most of these hound is with the Master of Basset Hounds Assoictiaons Which maintains the stud book and registraion of Basset packs in england[/url] Hence the reference Eglish Bassets. These bassets are breed purposfully for pack hunting and do differ quite a bit in appearance to AKC or FCI breed standard. Most notably they are general much more "close-coupled (the distance between the last rib and the hip is much smaller), that is they have less of a waist. However, the AKC for one recognizes any dog registered with the National Beagal club as being AKC registerable as well. AKC does not allow many such cross registrations see Open Registration​

for example of breeders defining the origins of their own lines see

Foundation and Early Mentors

In the early 1990’s, Dom and Claudia began focusing more attention on breeding Basset Hounds for the show ring. Mentors at that time included Randy and Penny Frederiksen (Ambrican), Mrs. Joan Urban (Ft. Merrill), Jinny and Frank Kovalic (Stoneybluff) Knox and Bette Williams (Briarcrest) and Gwen McCullagh (Brendans). Their contribution to the kennel, be it through bloodlines they contributed or guidance they have given, strongly influenced Topsfield's early years.

Spectrum Basset hounds: Breeding Program

We are forever in debt to:

Nancy Richmond, Vision Bassets
Claudia Orlandi, Topsfield Kennel
Sue Frischmann, Topsfield Kennel
Judy Tuck, Cloverhill Bassets

sanlyn Bassets Bio

 

[lvnMattie]

Mikey T, I got a question on this subject. Not about the Windsock but on French and English Basset. I read somewhere's that one of the differences between a French Basset and English Basset is their height.

Where French Basset is taller then a English Basset.

Mattie (my hound) is a taller Basset. She is a pure breed basset, seen both her mother and father and their parents were on site when I got Mattie. Mattie is alot taller then normal bassets, so my husband and I always assumed that Mattie was a french basset cause we read somewhere's that french bassets are taller.

 

[Mikey T]

I always assumed that Mattie was a french basset cause we read somewhere's that french bassets are taller.

the term french or english basset hound do very little to impart any information. The problem is they are used basical interchangeable as an excuse by breeder as to why there hounds do not come close to the breed standard except for the single ececption I gave about "registered pack hounds" having less waist length ie close coupled.

For every reference that say french hounds are taller there will beone claining the same about english etc. Let us just say that the terms are use to discribed hounds that look more like the foundation breed Basset artesian normand than the breed standard for "basset hound" Generaly speaking they have straighter legs and less bone. The muzzle is often snippier and the ears are flater and rounder rather than having the Fold.
as for actual hieght it really does not matter however a dog with straighter legs, less chest and less bone will look taller than a more conformationally correct basset hound of the same height. but to say "french hound" are taller is not correct in the way the term is normal used, keeping in mind however that the term is used quite often to discribe dogs that are not similar in conformation. which makes such a term rather useless because it means different things to different people, except as a side note to run away quickly from a breeder that describes their dogs as such

Als keep in mind the breed standard for the BAN is shorter than it is for the Basset hound
(11.8 to 14.2ins) for the BAN and (12–15 inches (30–38 cm) for the basset hound with over 15" being a disqualifing fault in the AKC for basset hounds. (note disqualify does not mean exempt from being register only they can not compete in conformation ring, that is it is a fault so agregious that even if the dog had no other faults it is serious enough to prevent it from even being considered. )

Bassets de Bérénice

hope it clears thing up but unlikely because there is not a concensus on what a "french" or "english" basset is.


History of French Bassets Hunting Dogs

 

[lvnMattie]

It makes sense to a point.
The breeder where I got mattie did not call her "french basset" we just read it in one the hound books we picked up.
Mattie is a tall basset other then that she looks like every other hound. So she can't be apart of a AKC event cause she is tall, I don't think they would want her there since she has a mind of her own and don't listen to well to me.

Thanks MikeyT!!

 

[Mikey T]

It makes sense to a point.
she can't be apart of a AKC event cause she is tall,

That is not entirely true if she is over 15" she can not compete in Conformation or Field trials, but is eligible for the "AKC Performance events" like tracking, rally obedience, obedience and agility.

we just read it in one the hound books we picked up

That is because there is not consencious on the term even though many insist the know what it means, a lot like pornography you can't define it but you know it when you see it. For many "french basset" is simply a basset hound that is not close to the conformation standard for what ever reason, others are basset hounds that more closely resemble some of the foundation stock Basset artesian normande than basset hound etc. Keep in mind the artesian normande was cross bred with bloodhound to give it more bone and massive head so it will tend to be naturally taller than its french brethern. But the taller bassethounds tend to have straigher legs which is more of a trait of the foundation stock and the different varieties of bassets found in france but straight legs do not necessarily mean taller dogs.

FWIW see avitar Toughnutter who is pictured in the avatar had an offical AKC hieght measurement in agility of 15 1/8"

 

[lvnMattie]

Thanks for you helping me understand the difference Mikey T!!