The Basset was bred to follow a trail over and through difficult terrain.

The unusual proportions of the Basset mean that it will move in an unusual way, which makes this breed a challenge for new judges.

In judging the Basset Hound, the highest priority should be given to the stacked picture.

Skolnick feels that equal angulation front and rear, even if it is less than perfect, is desirable.

The short, heavily boned legs of the Basset mean that it should have a somewhat bouncy topline in motion.

Going away, the hind legs should be essentially parallel although with an increase in speed the rear legs will tend to angle slightly inward.

Out at elbows is a serious fault in the Basset and can be seen when the dog is going away.

In the Basset Hound the wrist is in a straight line with the elbows.

A rolling gait in the Basset is incorrect and may be due to wrists that are too far out or a barrel shaped rib cage.

In coming towards you, the crook of the front legs follows the curve of the ribs and the wrists are closer than the elbows.

A straight front leg in the Basset Hound is acceptable as long as the movement is sound.

A fiddle front is an overly exaggerated crook in the front legs and is considered a very serious fault in the Basset Hound.

Observing the gait of the Basset Hound is the most important way to evaluate its structure.

A skillful handler can hide a lot of structural faults when the Basset Hound is stacked.

The desired angle made by the shoulder blade and upper arm should be 110 degrees.

The shoulder blade of the Basset Hound should be twice as long as the upper arm.

Scapula is the Latin term for upper arm; humerus is the Latin term for shoulder blade.

A wrinkled wrist in the Basset Hound is considered a fault.

When viewed from the front, the wrists and feet of the Basset are closer together than the elbows.

In the Basset Hound, the amount of crook in the front legs does not necessarily have to be the same in each leg.

In the front legs, the feet of the Basset Hound are allowed to turn out a trifle equally.

Knuckling is a disqualification in the Basset Hound.

Regarding the feet, the length of the Basset's toes should be long enough to cover the heavy pads underneath.

The shoulder blades and elbows should be flat and tight to the body.

The foremost part of the sternum (pro sternum) should be visible from the side.

Shoulders and upper arms that are set too far forward on the body are considered very serious faults.

The long body of the Basset Hound means that this breed should have a rather long loin.

The abdomen is quite drawn up in the Basset Hound.

There is a slight tendency for the topline (backline) to sag in the Basset, which is considered acceptable considering the Basset's length of body.

The shoulders of the Basset should be wider than the hindquarters.

Some Bassets have a crouching stance in the hindquarters, which is considered incorrect.

It is desirable to have hindquarters that are well rounded in the Basset.

The upper thigh bone should be set at approximately a 90 degree angle with the pelvic bone.

The angle formed by the lower thigh and upper thigh should be approximately 120 degrees.

The size of the front and rear feet should be the same. Like the front feet, the rear feet can toe out slightly.

An over-angulated or under-angulated hindquarter is a very serious fault.

With regard to proportions, the metatarsus (rear pastern) should be longer than the thigh .

The head is narrow in proportion to its length.

The head should be rounded at the sides.

Parallel head planes refer to the toplines of the muzzle and the skull.

Planes should be parallel in the Basset Hound.

The stop of the Basset Hound is very pronounced.

The length from nose to stop is approximately the same as the length from stop to the back of the occiput.

The skull should be broad and flat.

Eyes on the Basset should be deep set.

Skin on the head should be loose.

The eyes are soft and sad and the lids may droop showing the inside of the lower lid and haw.

Skolnick views faults in the Basset Hound as very Serious, Serious and Minor.

Minor faults have to do with endurance, movement and running gear.

An incorrect bite, especially an undershot bite, is also considered Very Serious.

Pronounced topline (backline) faults that affect movement are considered  Minor.

Serious faults in general are those relating to the body and proportion and type faults such as the head.

Any recognized hound color is acceptable in the Basset Hound.

In general, the distribution of color and markings should always come into play when evaluating the Basset Hound.

The chest in the Basset Hound should only reach to the elbows.

The Basset possesses in marked degree features that allow it follow a trail over and through difficult terrain.

In motion, the hocks of the Basset should be well bent.

The crook is the only way in which a dog with short legs can get its front feet under its center of gravity.

The angle formed by the shoulder blade and upper arm should ideally be 90 degrees.

The length of the shoulder blade should be equal to that of the upper arm.

An efficient angle for the pelvis on the Basset is one that is set at a 30 degree angle to the horizontal.

A high tail set is associated with good length of muscles that are involved in giving a dog proper drive.

A well bent stifle is associated with a long second thigh.

The hock (more correctly termed the rear pastern) in the Basset Hound should be short (well let down) because it allows greater endurance.

The effectiveness of the rib cage is determined in part by how much the ribs curve forward when relaxed.

A barrel shaped rib cage reduces the capacity of the lungs.

The action of the Basset Hound's tail gives the hunter information on how fresh the trail is or problems the hound may be encountering.

A curled, teapot tail may indicate improper muscular tension in the tail, which some feel may be an indication of other problems.

Undershot or overshot bites are considered minor faults.

Bassets with a tooth or two out of line, who possess other important virtues which allow it to perform its work well, probably should not be heavily penalized.

Sufficiently long shoulder blades provide proper surfaces for the attachment of wider and thinner muscles thus avoiding loaded shoulders.

The length of the upper arm should be longer than the length of the shoulder blade.

A line drawn from the center of the pad to the tip of the nose should cut through the chest.

A straight line drawn from the center of the shoulder blade should intersect the front of the front foot pad.

An integral part of Basset Hound breed type is the ability to follow a trail over and through difficult terrain.

As long as a Basset possesses key conformation features, soundness need not be taken into consideration.

Movement is a good indicator of conformation, soundness and the probability of fulfilling purpose.

The longer a Basset Hound's ears are, the better.

Spira defines soundness as a reference to a dog's physical and mental construction, which enables it to carry out its purpose.

Kalstone defines soundness as a dog's ability to perform its job with the least amount of effort.

There are situations where an unsound Basset Hound may be called an excellent representation of its breed.

In a balanced Basset Hound, the front legs are naturally placed underneath the deepest part of the chest for support.

In judging the Basset Hound, it really isn't necessary to put your hands on the dog since it is not a long coated breed.

Moving the Basset Hound is the best way to evaluate how it uses what it has.

The Basset should have a level topline (backline) in motion.

As long as there is good reach with the front legs, it doesn't really matter if there is an equal amount of rear extension.

Faulty movement in the Basset can include hitching in the rear and stumbling in the forequarters.

Bassets with straighter stifles tend to have good rear extension.

Bassets are scent hounds and are happiest when investigating smells.

Sometimes Bassets will be shy in behavior and this is acceptable since they are a sensitive breed.

Basset Hounds are achondroplastic, which means they are a giant breed.

Despite their unusual proportions, Bassets should be agile and graceful.

The Basset Hound is a "head" breed.

The head should have a pronounced occipital protuberance and well-defined back skull.

The Basset has a deep stop.

One problem that is rarely seen in the breed is an incorrect front.

The upper arm and shoulder blade should be of equal length in the Basset Hound.

Good shoulder layback is often accompanied by a short neck in the Basset.

A loaded shoulder is generally an indicator of an incorrect front.

It is easy for anyone to spot a correct front.

The width of the shoulders should be approximately equal to the width of the hindquarters (pelvis).

There is a slope in the croup in Bassets that have a correct tail set.

Bassets should carry their tails down.

The underline of the Basset Hound should flow up gradually from the sternum to the flank.

It is desirable that the bones of the upper thigh and second thigh form right angles, matching the angle of the shoulder blade and upper arm.

Although many Bassets tend to stand high on hock (have long rear pasterns), this is not desirable since a short hock is better for endurance.

The hindquarters of the Basset should be well-rounded.

When judging Basset Hound movement, look for short choppy strides since this means that hunters on foot will be able to stay up with their hounds.

Two key words that are used to describe correct Basset movement are "deliberate" and "effortless ".

The unusual proportions of the Basset means that it will move with a lumbering or rolling gait.

Bassets that are overweight should be penalized.

The 3 disqualifying faults in the Basset are rarely seen in Bassets that are shown.

The Basset Hound may have a quiet, almost reticent temperament, but it should never be too shy or aggressive.

Bassets should have an undercoat.

The head of the Basset Hound should be similar to a smaller version of a Bloodhound head.

It is important that the slight turnout of a Basset's front feet be equal for both feet.

The loin of the Basset Hound should be rather long.

It is important that the rear of the Basset be no wider than the shoulders.

It is only necessary to evaluate the side gait of a Basset Hound to get a correct picture of its structure.

Breed type may be defined as those specific characteristics which distinguish one breed from another.

Traits which define the breed type of the Basset Hound include long legs and short ears.

One of the most well known breed characteristics of the Basset is its loose skin, especially covering the head, where it falls in distinct wrinkles when the head is lowered.

The challenge for breeders of Basset Hounds is to combine characteristics of breed type with structural soundness.

Type and style are the same thing.

A strain is a bloodline of a particular breeder that is developed over time.

Type is what the official standard is for a particular breed; it's the ideal of that particular breed.

Style refers to how a breeder interprets the breed standard.

Most Basset Hound authorities concur that important characteristics of Basset Hound breed type include: a proper head, long ears, loose skin, a long, low profile, very heavy bone and a prominent sternum.

Although the Basset breed standard does not give height to length proportions, many authorities feel this ratio should be 2 to 1, and that the Basset should be approximately twice as long as it is tall.

The forequarters of the Basset support more than half the weight of the Basset Hound.

The neck on the Basset should be rather short.

The Basset's loose skin, dewlap and long ears have all been associated with "sweeping in the scent" as he trails game although there is no definite proof of this concept since tight and dry headed Bassets have also had exceptional hunting ability.

The more loose skin, the longer the ears and the shorter the legs of a Basset, the better.  You can never overdo these features of breed type.

The purpose of a Basset's short legs is to slow him down so hunters could better stay up with him on foot.

A Basset can never be too low to the ground.

In the Basset Hound, the distance from the deepest point of the chest to the ground should not be more than one third the total height at the withers of an adult Basset.

One of the most common faults seen in the ring today is the Basset with a shoulder assembly set too far forward.

Judges and breeders alike are often unable to determine correct shoulder placement.

In a Basset, the front legs should be in front of the deepest part of the chest.

Out at elbows, loaded shoulders and overly developed necks are often seen in Bassets in which the shoulder assembly is steep and set too far forward.

Evaluating the amount of forechest in the Basset Hound will help breeders and judges determine if the shoulder placement and layback are correct.

A distinguishing hallmark of the Basset Hound breed is a very prominent forechest, which shows clearly in front of the forelegs.

In the "coming toward you" movement of the Basset Hound, Bassets whose forechests tend to disappear may lack sufficient forechest.

The length of the shoulder blade should be longer than the upper arm.

Ideally, the angle made by the shoulder blade and upper arm should be 120 degrees.

The upper arm and shoulder blade angle and length are always the same on both sides of the Basset Hound.

Mismatched fronts are rarely seen in the Basset Hound.

Long pasterns and flat feet can contribute to a mismatched front in the Basset Hound.

From time to time, the two upper arms of a Basset Hound may differ in length.

In the Basset Hound, the perpendicular front leg should cover the deepest part of the forechest.

The angle formed by the upper arm and the shoulder blade should ideally be 130 degrees in the Basset Hound.

Bassets in which the angle of the shoulder blade and upper arm is too steep will transmit more pounding to the bones and joints of the forequarters, setting the stage for unsoundness and inefficient movement in the field.

Set far forward shoulders have no effect on the back of the Basset Hound.

Terrier fronts are often seen in the Basset Hound and should be considered incorrect for the Basset breed.

The standard says that the Basset Hound should move in a "deliberate" manner, which means there should be no overflow of movement or no extra movement of limbs that would take away from efficient placement of the Basset's feet.

The Basset Hound's original purpose meant that he should be able to follow a trail for one hour at most.

Purposeful or intentional has nothing to do with "deliberate" movement.

There are 15 pairs of ribs in the Basset Hound.

A flanged rib is sometimes seen in the Basset, which means a portion of the base of the rib cage takes on a shape similar to a flip hair-do.

The static function of the rib cage is to provide housing for the heart and lungs; the dynamic function is to influence breathing by causing a change in the capacity of the thoracic cavity when the ribs pivot.

The heart normally does not extend beyond the 3rd rib.

The line of the brisket should be basically level up to the 8th rib.

Bassets should possess what is called a herring gut.

A flat-sided rib cage in the Basset Hound means there is less room for heart and lungs.

In order not to interfere with the action of the front legs, the 3rd through 5th ribs should be somewhat flattened.

If the entire rib cage is rounded it may result in a Basset being out at the elbows.

Barrel shaped rib cages are considered a fault in the Basset Hound because they do not give enough depth of rib cage and provide less space for heart and lungs.

A Basset who is well ribbed up will have ribs that angle forward from the spinal column.

An angling of 45 degrees of the ribs from the spinal column gives a dog the longest possible ribs for its body size.

It is the boney part of the rib cage which pivots and if the boney part is longer it will result in a greater change in volume of the thoracic cavity when the dog breathes. This will allow the dog to have more endurance.

In the Basset, any recognized hound color is acceptable.

There are several markings which are considered disqualifications in the Basset Hound.

Basset Hound colors are similar to the colors of the Foxhounds.

A lace ear in a Basset Hound is a disqualification.

Blue Bassets are commonly seen in the ring.

Brindle patterned Bassets must be disqualified.

Bassets are required to have a white tipped tail so that can be easily spotted in the field.

A blue eyed Basset Hound must be disqualified.

It is up to the judge to decide how severely to penalized a Basset Hound with 2 different colored eyes.

The Basset Hound was bred to hunt with speed.

The English crossed their Basset Hounds with Bloodhounds to introduce new blood.

Basset Hounds should possess a very droopy lower eyelid.

Mrs. Bergishagen feels that early on Americans had developed a leaner, lighter Basset with less depth of chest than the European Basset Hound.

For protection, the ears on the Basset should be thick and flat.

The Basset Hound breed standard specifically states that the Basset is a long, low dog.

Mercedes Braun measures length in the Basset Hound from the withers to the set on of tail.

According to Mrs. Urban, the length of the Basset should be approximately twice as long as tall measuring from the prosternum to the rump.

Poor feet, knuckled fronts and out at elbows are usually due to incorrect hindquarter angulation.

Achondroplastic breeds tend to have shoulders that are set too far forward.

Mismatched fronts are a common problem in the Basset Hound due to achondroplasia.

The upper arm and the shoulder blade should be approximately the same length in the Basset Hound.