Six Week Evaluations: The Lady Drinks Litter(s): Chocolate Martini

Grizelda Laffee Taffee and ClarkeBar Grizwold have given us two previous litters of great Basset Hound puppies, this is their third litter and it is as good, or better, than the previous two. We are intent only of bringing good pet quality Bassets into the world and in the case of Chocolate Martini this is certainly true. Were it not for one small feature, Chocolate Martini would get full marks in this evaluation..

Chocolate Martini has many of the attributes we look for in a show quality possibility. He has a heavy bone structure, large feet, and a larger than average head size. His frame is well formed with no defects or flanged ribs. His stance, the way he stands when at rest, is very aggressive and solid. Chocolate Martini has w wonderfully large and boxy snout with equally wonderful fews which cover a well set jaw. His ears are both large and well set. Even his tail is larger than one might expect in a puppy this young. Everything about him tells us he will likely be a heavily built Basset while his lineage tells us he will likely be a bit smaller than average. He will become a well built all American styled boy. Were it not for one slightly botched dew claw removal, this puppy would be near perfect in all physical respects. If it were a choice we wished to make, we would have that dew claw re-finished. 

But a great dog is also about temperament and appearance. Chocolate Martini is also a content, patient puppy. These are the things we usually find in a show quality candidate But he also has  great coloring as well. His fine soft fur is has wonderful symmetrical coloring and his face is decorated to look intense.  There will likely be more brown showing up in his  coloring as time goes on, but we are fairly sure he will remain a very pretty boy as he grows into adulthood. 

This ought to be a six of six point puppy. He receives all five of the AKC derived points for form, and would have received the entire point for beauty as well. But we will remove half a point for the flawed dew claw removal and wish we had done the removal more completely. Five and a half points is very good and anyone able to raise this puppy will no doubt be very happy to have him.