Working Bassets

[persephone]

These dogs just look so good - none of that horrible wrinkly skin , legs with which to move well ...

[raineth]

The second one is that it has barked/howled - that BIG noise that Bassets make.

The hound has shown the ability to identify and hold the line as a member of a pack.

The dog has to not dash forward..but to keep with the pack, under direction of the hunt master /kennel master* The hound has given tongue at, and only at appropriate moments.

The dog only vocalises when it is appropriate - eg: when it finally gets onto a strong scent , or prey is located..* The hound has shown the ability to hunt over country for at least two hours.

Dog needs to be reasonably fit

that's my interpretation, anyway

edit to remove 'stuff'

thanks guys very interesting

all I was picturing were a bunch of bassets in a line with their tongues poking out :p

makes much more sense now.

[Shaar]

These dogs just look so good - none of that horrible wrinkly skin , legs with which to move well ...

But how do those 'smooth' dogs with small ears trap the scent?

I have seen a 'horrible wrinkly' Basset in action and trust me he gets some speed up and can go for miles once he's on to a scent! Don't judge a book by it's cover, just because they look dopey and slow doesn't mean they are. I'm guessing you are a sighthound person or a large 'skinny' breed owner?

[OSoSwift]

What has being a sighthound person got to do with it?

[persephone]

I'm guessing you are a sighthound person or a large 'skinny' breed owner?

And you'd be guessing wrong.

I just enjoy seeing dogs who look fit & without excess skin folds on parts of the body . I understand well the 'cone ' effect of facial/neck wrinkles and pendulous ears in scenthounds ..

[raineth]

These dogs just look so good - none of that horrible wrinkly skin , legs with which to move well ...

But how do those 'smooth' dogs with small ears trap the scent?

well they obviously do

if you read the "about page" you'll see they are selected for their hunting ability which includes scenting

[Gayle.]

It's the excess I have a problem with....but then that's not just confined to Bassets, there are plenty of other breeds where the breed features are taken to excess and beyond.

Beagles are scent hounds and very good ones I'm led to believe. Why do they not have loose skin and ears to the floor?

[persephone]

But how do those 'smooth' dogs with small ears trap the scent?

perhaps the same way a police dog - often a GSD - does . Or how my dogs do when they hunt feral cats ..they track them right to whatever tree they're in , and Hamlet stands up ,paws on trunk, like a coonhound ;) ( he's a koolie x spaniel)

Edited November 6, 2011 by persephone

[persephone]

Gayle - I agree . There are excesses in many features.

[Shaar]

I agree with you, there are some that have too much, but the majority IMO don't.

I mentioned sight hounds because most sight owners aren't a fan of the scents.

True, Beagles are used as sniffer and hunting dog but I reckon a Basset would give them a run for their money. Look at Bloodhounds, best nose out of all of them... loose skin, long ears.

[GeckoTree]

Great link thanks, I could just imagine tail up nose down yodelling away