Six Week Evaluation for Red Hot

 

Rocketdog Bassets has  provided many litters of puppies over the years. So were good, some better, and a few have been exceptional. In all of these each puppy from each litter has been evaluated as a single puppy, separate from the litter, but all by the same criteria and at the same level of development. The criteria for our pseudo-objective evaluations can be found here and you might want to review this information prior to moving forward through each evaluation. 

When RedHot arrived he a solid (11.1 ounces) red and white (lemon) boy. Since this is Bit O'Honey's first litter we did not know what to expect. But RedHot has developed into a very good little pet quality  Basset Hound.  His head shape is wonderfully domed with good, though not great, ear length at six weeks. His jaw set and ear position are very much up to the Standard and hiser body shape is strong with no flanged ribs or other negative aspects. Foreleg bone density is not bad, but also not as heavy as some. He lacks the appearance of a field dog, but is lovely in appearance none-the-less.

The way a dog stands at rest is called Stance. In Basset Hounds, this is often associated with long term hip health. RedHot haas very good stance but lacks the heavy bones which usually make the dog look aggressive, even when at rest. I don't see anything in him to indicate that he will develop bone health problems and his hip setting is very strong.

All indications are that RedHot will develop into an adult more of his mother's form than fathers, with few of the more desirable heavier European traits coming from ClarkeBar Griswold. Expect him to eventually weigh in under fifty pounds as an adult providing sufficient care is taken in feeding and exercise. 

RedHot has has many strong points: a wonderful coloring, and a really sweet personality.  He is a clown when playing. Quick and agile, he is not a puppy you can attack. RedHot is a team player, joining in whatever fun comes. His fur is wonderfully equally red and white, I expect he will eventually become more white than red as time goes by. 

Overall I must give him four and one half points of the five AKC Standard points and a half point for aesthetics, making him a solid 5 of 6 points. This is what we expect in a pet quality Basset. I take  half a point from his for foreleg density and paw size, half a point for ear length. Otherwise he is a fine Basset Hound puppy. He might be bred, providing that care is taken to introduce more European genetic traits.