The Basset Hound "WonderWall (Part 1)

by Claudia Waller Orlandi, Ph.D.

Test Yourself on the Standard

Basset Hound breeders should know the Official Standard word for word.  A copy of the standard is presented below with important descriptive words left out.  One of the "million dollar" quiz shows features a "wonder wall" where contestants can pick their answers out of a list.  See how well you know the standard by finding the missing words from our own "Wonder Wall."  Each blank represents a missing word or words.  For advanced players, fill in the blanks without using the list.  For those of you who have 85 or more answers correct, congratulations!  You're a winner!!!  Answers follow. 

Adequate Deepest Haw Medium Powerful Skull
Admirably Deliberate Head Mild Powerful Skull
Adult Desirable Heavier Moderately Prominent Sternum Snipiness
Arched Devotion Heavy Muzzle Soft
Black Domed High Muzzle Pronounced Sound
Broad Dry Laid back Neck Proportioned Squarely
Brow Endurance Legs Nose Protruding Steepness
Brown Even Large Occipital protuberance Regular Stop
Cheek Farback Large Repose Straight
bumps Fiddle fronts Length Occiput Sad Sunken
Close Field Light One-third Snipiness Terrain
Clumsy Flat Light Out Soft Tight
Coloring Flat Liver Overshot Sound Timid
Curling Flat Long Parallel Scissors Trail
Dark brown Flews Loose Pendulous Sharp Undershot
Deep Full Low Pigmented Short Wide open
Deep Ground Marked Pigmented Size Withers
          Wrinkles

OFFICIAL STANDARD FOR THE BASSET HOUND (Part 1)

General Appearance-The Basset Hound possesses in (1) __________degree those characteristics which equip it with (2) _________________to follow a (3) _______ over and through difficult (4) _____________.  It is a (5) __________-legged dog, (6) ________ in bone, (7) ____________ considered, than any other breed of dog, and while its movement is (8) ______________, it is in no sense (9) ____________.  In temperament it is (10) ______________, never (11) ________ or (12) _____________.  It is capable of great (13) ______________in the field and is extreme in its (14) ________________. 

Head-The head is (15) _________________ and well (16) _________________.  Its length from (17) ____________________to (18) __________________is greater than the width at the (19) _____________.  In over-all appearance the head is of (20) ___________ width.  The skull is well (21) ___________, showing a pronounced (22) (2 words) ______ _________________.  Viewed in profile the top lines of the (29) ____________ and (30) ______________ are (31) ______________and lie in (32) ________________________ planes, with a (33) ___________ defined stop.  The skin over the whole of the head is (34) __________________, falling in distinct (35) ________________over the brow when the head is lowered.  A (36) ________ head and (37) ___________ skin are faults.  The muzzle is (38) _____________, (39) ___________, and free from (40) __________.  The nose is darkly (41) ________________, preferably (42) ________________, with large (43) (2 words) ___________ ______________ nostrils.  A deep (44) _______-colored nose conforming to the coloring of the (45) ________________is permissible but not (46)  ________________.  The teeth are (47) _____________, (48) _____________ and (49) ___________________, meeting in either a (50) ___________________ or an (51) __________ bite.  A bite either (52) _____________________ or (53) _______________ is a serious fault.  The lips are darkly (54) ____________________ and are (55) ___________________, falling (56) _______________ in front and, toward the back in loose hanging (57) __________________.  The Dewlap is very (58) ________________.  The neck is (59) _____________________, of good (60) _______________, and well (61) ____________________________.  The eyes are (62) _______________,  (63) __________, and slightly (64) ____________, showing a prominent (65) _____________, and in color are (66) ____________ (67) (2 words) ____ _____________ preferred.  A somewhat ____________-colored eye conforming to the general (69) ___________ of the dog is acceptable but not desirable.  Very (70) ________ or (71) ____________ eyes are faults.  The ears are extremely (72) ________, (73) ____ set, and when drawn forward, fold well over the end of the nose (74) ___________slightly inward.  They are set (75) (2 words) ______  _____________ on the head at the base of the (76) ___________ and, in (77) __________appear to be set on the (78) __________.  A (79) ___________ set or (80) ______________ ear is a serious fault. 

Forequarters - The chest is (81) __________ and (82) _________ with (83) (2 words) _______________  _____________ showing clearly in front of the (84) ________.  The shoulders and elbows are set (85) ___________ against the sides of the chest.  The distance from the (86) __________ point of the chest to the (87) _________, while it must be (88)  ______________ to allow free movement when working in the (89) ___________, is not to be more than (90) (hyphenated word) __________ the total height at the (91) ________________ of an (92) _________ Basset.  The shoulders are well (93) (2 words) ________   ________ and elbows that are (97) __________, are serious faults.