[Dailydrool] lONG HAIRED BASSETS

[Sally King]

OK, so I had to chime in on this one, being chief slave to the hairy Rolph.

Long hair bassets used to be far more common. In fact, I understand back in the mists of time, you commonly had both. 

However, as long hair is an elimination fault in kennel club competitions, they have been bred, and sadly, culled out of the bloodlines.

Several people have tried to have the long hair accepted in the breed standard - much like a long haired dachshund - but to no avail. Several people have also tried to breed long-haired bassets deliberately, but certainly here in the UK they have been very unsuccessful.

The long hair is not a recessive gene (meaning - simplified - if you had two long haired parents, they would produce a long-haired litter), it is a throwback gene that can suddenly jump out in even the best hound families.

A UK breeder told me that 30 years ago, she would expect one or two in every litter. Nowadays they are very rare indeed (here, anyway).

It is said all the longhairs that pop up in the UK can be traced back to a pack of hounds owned by Princess (later Queen) Alexandra who had both types of hounds and kept them together.

I am very biased, but think Rolph's hair makes him extra beautiful. Most people who meet him think he is a cross breed (I confess I wondered in the beginning, but had the wonderful Daily Drool to help educate me). He also had a fat old pedigree chart - but the rescue kept hold of that.

Lots of people comment on Rolph's hair wherever we go. And I comment on it everytime I vacuum, sweep up, or eat a meal :)

Sally, with Hairy Rolph, and sleek Clara, UK
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