The Jelly Belly Litter: Six week Evaluations: Bubblegum

Bubba at Six Weeks

 Abigail (Abba) Zabba and Rocketdog Rockford (Rocky) Rhoades got together for the very first time and gave us nine wonderful Basset Hound Puppies. As we have done in all previous litters we evaluate the puppies at six weeks. There are a few good reasons for this, the first being that the pups develop some personality traits by six weeks of age, the second being that the pups display some key physical characteristics which they are likely to carry through life. Each puppy in this litter will be evaluated as an individual using a quasi-objective standard. It is a good idea to read about it by clicking here. It's a good idea to understand how we look the pups over as individuals. There are some things worthy of stating about this litter in a more general sense.

The Jelly Belly litter has been an easy one for us. All of the puppies came into the world in an effortless fashion. We had no still-born pups and none needed any sort of help at birth. Each and every puppy was naturally inclined towards feeding and none needed to be shown the way. They all were healthy at birth and only one had anything at all to report in their veterinarian checkup last week. All of the Jellies were up and walking with their eyes open and ears attentive -right on schedule. And since we have been able to take them outside, once the weather turned nice, we now know something about their outdoor personalities. The whole group are winners.

At the time of this article we still have two male puppies available for new families. Just send us a note using the Email widget to the left of this and we'll get you all the information you need. Bubblegum (Bubba) is one of the only remaining puppies still without a fur-ever home.

Bubblegum (Bubba) was first runner up in the longest ears contest. His ears seemed longer, but in truth they weren't the better color and the way they hang gives an extra long illusion for length. Still, in a long eared litter, we can't fault second place.  He came to us somewhat lighter in weight at nearly twelve ounces, to day he weighs a solid little six  pounds.

Structurally, Bubblegum is a very strongly built puppy. He has adequate foreleg bone size and feet which favor his Dame's Normande size and styling.  He favors his mother's Normande styling in many other areas as well, being slightly narrower in the chest and hips, but in a way that flows smoothly between the two. His stance is not as strong as some, but in the Normande styling this equates to quickness and an effortless gait without the bone health issues found in heavier Bassets. Bubba's head shape is very much Normande, with tighter fur and narrower appearance. His jaw set and facial fews are slightly narrower than the American styling of his Sire, but might develop as he grows. 

As to coloring, this is a lovely little boy.  He has developed a bit more reddish-brown coloring since whelping, but is still mostly black when viewed from above. We expect there will eventually be quite a bit more brown in his coat, as has his Dame.  Bubba's head has taken a decidedly red-brown turn and his facial fur is very symmetrical. His ears will most definitely become more brown in the next few months. He is a very good looking little boy Basset. 

Bubba is a very active little boy. He is aggressive and brave in all situations. If there is a hole he will explore it. If there's an opening he will go through it.  He is super friendly and playful, well suited for a family of active children. He like being cuddled, but likely won't wan to hang out on the couch much.  His nose is always to the ground and he may develop into a field dog if given some training. 

Of the six points in our quasi-objective evaluation Bubblegum receives all five of the AKC derived points and the one point for beauty. He is not the prettiest on in the bunch, but personality goes a long way and six points is as good as it gets.  Whoever chooses to take him home will have found a wonderful playmate.