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

 

Pink Lady does not like to stand still.

This is our Abigal (Abba) Zabba and ClarkeBar Grizwold's first litter. Abba Zabba is of the Basset Artésien Normand style. She conforms entirely to the Standard of the American Kennel Club, but has few of the heavier traits found in American and European styled Bassets. The traits of the Normand Basset are a tighter coat, a narrow head and face, and a slightly pointed snout without facial fews. Normand styled Bassets are not very droopy in appearance and these droopy European traits are what wins at dog shows. What the Normand type Basset lacks in droopiness, it more than makes up for in a cleverness and speed. ClarkeBar Grizwold is an all American Basset. He does have the European droopy traits in his head features, but he is more of a hunting hound in his body construction and these traits often shine through in his offspring. Since this is their first litter we cannot know how the pups will develop as they grow, but we can be sure that they will be fast, happy, smart, and wonderful family pets.

In the puppy we call Pink Lady we find just this. An exceptionally happy and exuberant female that is larger than most for her age. She weighs 7.9 pounds at six weeks and will likely develop into a sleek, powerful, racer of a dog. Lady's head shape is a bit narrower than found in other litters and not as dome shaped. Her ears are extraordinarily long and set exactly correct at the back of her skull. She has good stance, but her leg bones are not a heavily constructed as an American or European styled Basset might have. So too the foot size. This dog appears to be built for hunting at a run, rather than a walking pace.  Where Lady differs from Normand Bassets is in the face and snout, where she carries the more European styling traits of a boxy snout, facial fews hanging well under the jaw, and very good skin wrinkling.  Because she is of lighter construction she may not have the problems associated with heavier Basset styles. I would like to see a stronger stance in Pink Lady but this is not a worry since the dog is lighter in bone than heavier Basset Hounds. There is no way of knowing until she grow to adulthood, but the end product of Pink Lady may well be a racing style American Basset. 

Note the tail, a blur of fur.

Pink Lady is mostly black in coloring, with some brown accents and a snowy white belly. She is a lovely deep color and we expect more light brown will eventually make it's way into her decoration. Her face is colored symmetrically but without the Basset characteristic white blaze between the eyes. She also has no white tip on her tail, as do most Basset Hounds. She does have a botched dew claw removal on one foreleg, but it is a slight defect and not likely to cause her trouble. But she is lovely in appearance. Lady will probably have some of the loose skin found in American Bassets, but with fur that is a bit shorter and not as prone to shedding.

Not the Normand style at all

Pink Lady is very energetic and interested in exploration, so lock the garden gate.  She has been a fun puppy to have around and loves people and playtime. For a pet Basset Hound she will be exceptionally fun to have around, not nearly so sedate as in European Bassets. She gets four of the five AKC  Standard point, deducting a half point for the botched dew claw removal and half of a point for leg bone size. Neither of these things will effect in any way the good family Hound she will become. She gets half a point for aesthetics. We are not recommending breeding Pink Lady at this time. Fresh eyes should make this decision once the puppy has developed into a young adult. Five of six points is a very good score for an untried pairing where we are unsure of the outcomes.