Six Week Evaluations: The Lady Drinks Litter(s): Cosmopolitan

Laffee Taffee and ClarkeBar Griswold gave us seven pups. Cosmopolitan came fifth and was stillborn at birth. She gasp for air only after a few  tense minutes of puppy CPR. We worked for half of an hour longer before deciding that our miracle puppy was going to make it on her own.

Cosmopolitan is a small puppy at six weeks, only 5.3 pounds. Since Laffee Taffee is a smaller form of the European styled Basset, our hope is that Cosmopolitan might stay small as she grows, but there is no way to tell at this point. What she lacks in size she makes up for in personality. Cosmopolitan is a tiny princess.

Though quite small, physically she is very good in most other ways. Her head shape is well domed and her well placed ears are very long. Her tiny body is well formed even if a bit light of bone. She carries herself well and has an adequate stance, which says a lot about her hip qualities. She has very adequate skin folding and wrinkles, but I expect she will be a bit less wrinkly as an adult. She is small at this point, so it is hard to tell how she will eventually turn out. But for now she is quite healthy and always very happy.

Cosmopolitan will develop into a lovely, pet quality, Basset. But serious consideration should be undertaken before deciding to breed her and we are not in favor of her breeding at this point despite her good lineage. Of the five AKC Standard points I will give her four, deducting for light of bone and lack of stance. She gets half a point for aesthetics. Four and a half points of the six available, but I would keep her myself if I could. She is a wonderful little girl.