the standard

the new standard

the petition

about healt disorder

FCI-Standard N° 163   / 05. 03. 1998 / GB

ORIGIN : Great Britain.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 27.04.1989.

UTILIZATION : Scent Hound.

CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. :           

Group    6          Scent hounds and related breeds.
                          Section  1.3  Small-sized hounds.
                          With working trial.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : Short-legged hound of considerable substance, well balanced, full of quality.  A certain amount of loose skin desirable.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : Tenacious hound of ancient lineage which hunts by scent, possesses a pack instinct and a deep melodious voice, and is capable of great endurance in the field.  Placid, never aggressive or timid.  Affectionate.

HEAD : Top of muzzle nearly parallel with line from stop to occiput and not much longer than head from stop to occiput.  There may be a moderate amount of wrinkle at brow and beside eyes.  In any event skin of head loose enough to wrinkle noticeably when drawn forward or when head is lowered.

CRANIAL REGION :
Skull : Domed, with prominent occipital bone, of medium width at brow and tapering slightly to muzzle.
Stop : Moderate.

FACIAL REGION :
Nose : Entirely black except in light-coloured hounds, when it may be brown or liver.  Large and well-opened nostrils which may protrude a little beyond lips.
Muzzle : General appearance of foreface lean, not snipy.
Lips : Flews of upper lip overlap lower substantially.
Jaws/Teeth : Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
Eyes : Lozenge-shaped, neither prominent nor too deep-set, dark but may shade to mid-brown in light-coloured hounds.  Expression calm and serious.  Red of lower lid appears, though not excessively.  Light or yellow eye highly undesirable.
Leathers : Set-on low, just below line of eye.  Long; reaching well beyond end of muzzle of correct length, but not excessively so.  Narrow throughout their length and curling well inwards; very supple, fine and velvety in texture.

NECK : Muscular, well arched and fairly long with pronounced but not exaggerated dewlap.

BODY : Long and deep throughout length; withers and quarters of approximately same height.
Back : Level and rather broad.  From withers to inset of quarters not unduly long.
Loins : May arch slightly.
Chest : Forechest fitting neatly into crook when viewed from front.  Breast bone prominent but chest neither narrow nor unduly deep.  Ribs well-rounded and sprung, without flange, carried well back.

TAIL : Well set-on, rather long, strong at base, tapering, with moderate amount of coarse hair underneath.  When moving, stern carried well up and curving gently, sabre-fashion, never curling or gay.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS : Forelegs short, powerful and with great bone.  Wrinkles of skin on lower legs.
Shoulders : Shoulder-blades well laid back; shoulders not heavy.
Elbows : Turning neither in nor out but fitting neatly against side.
Forearm : Upper forearm inclined slightly inwards, but not to such an extent as to prevent free action or to result in legs touching each other when standing or in action.
Pastern : Knuckling over highly undesirable.

HINDQUARTERS : Full of muscle and standing out well, giving an almost spherical effect when viewed from rear.  Wrinkles of skin may appear between hock and foot, and at rear of joint a slight pouch resulting from looseness of skin.
Stifles : Well bent.
Hocks : Well let down and slightly bent under but turn neither in nor out and just under body when standing naturally.

FEET : Massive, well knuckled up and padded.  Forefeet may point straight ahead or be turned slightly outwards but in every case hound always stands perfectly true, weight being borne equally by toes with pads together so that feet would leave an imprint of a large hound and no unpadded areas in contact with ground.

GAIT/MOVEMENT : Most important.  Smooth, free action with forelegs reaching well forward and hind legs showing powerful thrust, hound moving true both front and rear.  Hocks and stifles never stiff in movement, nor must any toes be dragged.

COAT

HAIR : Smooth, short and close without being too fine.  Whole outline clean and free from feathering.  Long-haired, soft coat with feathering highly undesirable.

COLOUR : Generally black, white and tan (tri-colour); lemon and white (bi-colour); but any recognized hound colour acceptable.

SIZE :
Height : 33-38 cm (13-15 ins) at withers.

FAULTS : Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog..

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

UP

General Appearance Short legged hound of considerable substance, well balanced, full of quality. [Delete ‘a certain amount of loose skin desirable’]. It is important to bear in mind that this is a working hound and must be fit for purpose, therefore should be strong, active and capable of great endurance in the field.

Characteristics A tenacious hound of ancient lineage which hunts by scent, possessing a pack instinct and a deep, melodious voice. [Delete ‘capable of great endurance in the field’.]

Head and Skull Domed with some stop and occipital bone prominent; of medium width at brow and tapering slightly to muzzle; general appearance of foreface lean not snipy. Top of muzzle nearly parallel with line from stop to occiput and not much longer than head from stop to occiput. There may be a small [delete ‘moderate’] amount of wrinkle at brow and beside eyes. In any event skin of head supple [delete ‘loose’] enough as to wrinkle slightly [delete ‘noticeably’] when drawn forward or when head is lowered. Flews of upper lip overlap lower substantially. Nose entirely black except in light-coloured hounds when it may be brown or liver. Large and well opened nostrils may protrude a little beyond lips.

Eyes Lozenge-shaped neither prominent nor [delete ‘too’] deep-set, dark but may shade to mid-brown in light coloured hounds. Expression calm and serious. [Delete – ‘Red of lower lid appears, though not excessively’]. Light or yellow eye highly undesirable.

Ears Set on low, just below line of eye. Long; reaching only slightly [delete ‘well’] beyond end of muzzle of correct length, but not excessively so. Narrow throughout their length and curling well inwards; very supple, fine and velvety in texture.

Forequarters Shoulder blades well laid back; shoulders not heavy. Forelegs short, powerful and with great bone; elbows turning neither in nor out but fitting neatly against side. Upper forearm inclined slightly inwards, but not to such an extent as to prevent free action or to result in legs touching each other when standing or in action; forechest fitting neatly into crook when viewed from front. Knuckling-over highly undesirable. Some wrinkles of skin may appear on lower legs, but this must on no account be excessive.

Body Long and deep throughout length, breast bone prominent but chest neither narrow nor unduly deep. There should be adequate clearance between the lowest part of the chest and the ground to allow the hound to move freely over all types of terrain.  Ribs well rounded and sprung, without flange, extending [delete ‘carried’] well back. Back rather broad; level; withers and quarters of approximately same height, though loins may arch slightly. Back from withers to inset of quarters not unduly long.

Hindquarters Full of muscle and standing out well, giving an almost spherical effect when viewed from rear. Stifles well bent. Hocks well let down and slightly bent under but turn neither in nor out and just under body when standing naturally. Some wrinkles of skin may appear between hock and foot, and at rear of joint a slight pouch of skin may be present, but on no account should any of these be excessive.

Feet Large [delete ‘massive’], well knuckled up and padded. Forefeet may point straight ahead or be turned slightly outwards but in every case hound always stands perfectly true, weight being born equally by toes with pads together so that feet would leave an imprint of a large hound and no unpadded areas in contact with ground.

Gait/Movement Most important to ensure that the hound is fit for purpose. Smooth, powerful and effortless action with forelegs reaching well forward and hind legs showing powerful thrust, hound moving true both front and rear. Hocks and stifles never stiff in movement, nor must any toes be dragged.

[Temperament, Mouth, Neck, Tail, Coat, Colour, Size, Faults and Note – no change]

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/2227

UP

The transmission of a television program conducted by the BBC in the United Kingdom, showing presumed health problems in certain dog breeds (basset hound excluded), has let animalists and the BBC to join forces and put pressure on the English Kennel Club. Due to this action taken by the animalists and the BBC, The English Kennel Club has modified the standard of certain breeds, also those dog breeds which the KC has the faculty of valid modification also for the FCI.

These changes which shall occur in the basset hound breed, have a minimal scientific say, because the basset hound is a figurative dog that in the rest of Europe don't have a lot of serious health problems. This was due the dedication and the attentive selection of the professional and dedicated breeders to select the right dogs to breed. So the dogs which come from the puppy-farms that have evolved such genetical problems, due to the inbreeding and uncontrolled study on how to produce a healthy litter of bassets. Seeing the dogs produced from such irresponsible breeding, are more likely to look like the new standard proposed!

These changes provide more clearance between the lowest part of the chest and the ground and the missing of many of typical features: they delete the appearing of the red of lower lid, they tollerate some wrinkles on the legs front and beck, only slightly skin on the head, the ears reaching only slightly beyond end of muzzle, Feet not more "massive", but large. In some cases radical changes, in such others we are playing on a little line of interpretation, that's as we know, can make much difference!

For more info, please click here:
http://savethebasset.altervista.org

We ask both our Kennel Club and FCI not to accept these changes requested by the English Kennel Club which is not affiliated within the FCI! We highly oppose these proposed changes from the English kennel club.

We are here asking all the basset hound breeders, owners and all animal
lovers to sign this petition, so that this amiable breeder will remain as it is, healthy and lovely!

Note: We signal a translation's error from Italian to English. In the phrase: "the basset hound is a figurative dog that in the rest of Europe has never yet faced any health problems" instead of "the basset hound is a rustic dog that in the rest of europe has not severe helth problems." We are sorry for the mistake.

UP

English Study of University for the UK Kennel Club
on 251 Basset Hound in England

UP