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Winne refused to stay still for pictures. Much too much to see and smell. |
Pricilla Pixie Stix (AKC) (AKA: Pixie, Princessa Silly, Pretty Silly) and Rocketdog Rockford Rhoades (AKC) (AKA: Rockzilla, RockandRolla) paired up to give us a wonderful nine puppy litter that has come to the sixth week. This is the time when I spend just a bit more time looking critically at their form and personality. All nine pups will be good pets quality dogs when fully grown, but even at this young age there are subtle differences which make each on a person all on their own.
Generally speaking, all of the pups are in good health. The Banks Vet. found no bite or bone issues and all have been vaccinated, wormed, and flea protected. We will give one more vaccine at seven weeks and all of this is documented in the puppy packets that come with every one of them individually.
Winne, who had been named Dot on day one, came out talking loudly and so far hasn't been the least bit quiet, though some of the others have bigger voices. She is a funny and barky little thing who has her own opinions and likes to share them. She was born on January 30th at 2:40 in the afternoon and weighed a healthy 13.8 ounces. Since then she has packed it on a bit and now weighs a repectable 6.2 pounds. She will be living on the Oregon Coast in Astoria where she is sure to become a tourist attraction of sorts.
At birth I predicted she would be colored more red than white, but it seems I was wrong. Bassets change colored quite a bit in their first three years but I expect she will eventually become largely white in color with large red patches. In the next few weeks her ears will likely hang to the ground. In time we expect she will become a mid-sized Basset of around forty-five pounds. Her Veterinary check-up found no health issues. She has been vaccinated, wormed, and flea drops applied.
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| What a face. |
When judged against out six point standard Winnie is a very good pet quality Basset Hound with good foreleg bone size and an adequate hip stance. Stance often gives us a good idea of how the hips are developing and Winnie, despite her wigglishness, has a strong easy stance. Her chest height is normal for a puppy her age, but we expect she will develop a nice deep chest by three years old. From her shoulders to her hips the structure of her ribs flows smoothely and without and flangeing. Winnie's head shape is well domed and symmetrical with a good jaw setting. Her snout is a bit blockish, with well draped fews, a trait of her boxy nosed sire Rocky's exceptional facial features. Her ears are well set back on the head, not optimally, but certainly adequate to the job.
Winnie has a strong personality. She has always been something of a talker and just this morning she could be found barking orders at the big dogs (who were merely trying to eat breakfast). She is a lover, but never shirks a good wrestle either. This one likes to raom and is usually the puppy that needs caught when it is time to return to the kennel after meals. She is fearlesss and opinionated.
Winnie is soft furred and has a symmetrically colored face with a very large white blaze. Of the five points available using the AKC system Winnie is a solid five of five. She is a well built Basset Hound at six weeks. For the bonus point I have to say that despite her cutenesss, she has little of what we look for in aesthetic beauty points and psycological traits we often equate with a show dog. She is a lovely little girl and will become a great companion. Overall Winnie gets five and one half points of the six available.