When selecting your new Basset puppy, pick up the puppy several times and let his front legs come down naturally. Both legs should drop evenly with the feet turned moderately outward. He should come down firmly on his feet with no weakness in the wrists, and the elbows should fall in close to the body. Rock him from side to side on his front legs, and watch his elbows; the elbows should not pop out. The feet pads should be very thick, the toes close together. Avoid both the straight legged pup or the heavily crooked leg.
Look for a very heavy rear quarter with well bent stifle and hock joints, the hocks ‘well let down.’ Avoid the rear that is steep or seems stiff, this almost always being the predecessor to a stilted gait and a high rear. The hips should be broad, and when the rear quarter is set up the legs should be easily placed rather far apart and well behind the pup without the pup straining, losing his balance or hocking in.
Watching the puppy move will disclose many structural faults; therefore his gait should be carefully observed on a hard surface. His movement should be absolutely true viewed from all directions, and his gait should be free and easy. with the elbows lying close to the body.
lf his front legs cross over each other he is probably out at elbows. If he paddles with his front feet he is probably steep and loose in the shoulders.
Take a good look and make sure that each front leg moves with the same amount of crook as the other. A dog that is later to have one leg overly crooked or overly straight will usually display this when gaiting even at an early age.
Viewed from the side his topline should be perfectly level when he is in motion, even if he has a slight arch over the loins when he is standing naturally, (which is rather common in young pups).
Viewed from behind his legs should move parallel to each other with a comfortable width between them. The hocks should never turn inward or outward and the legs should show a free forward driving action. Beware of the pup who moves too close in the rear legs. This usually becomes more pronounced with age, whereas the pup that moves a little too wide behind very often becomes a superior mover later.
Regarding the more intangible characteristics, you want a pup who displays the typically sad basset expression but whose disposition is lively and responsive with the tail up and wagging.
ln general, extreme type on an un sound dog is of no value: likewise the dog of very superior construction that is completely lacking in basset type is of little more value. Therefore, pick the pup who shows the most typical breed characteristics consistent with good construction.