Eureka's Bassets is a small family owned kennel. Our dogs are all registered, most dually with the American Kennel Club (AKC) and the American Hunting Basset Association (AHBA). We don't regularly breed our dogs but may do so when we see some special qualities that we would like to see passed on to another generation. At Eureka's Bassests, our hounds are a part of our family as well as our pets. They work and play with us, our children, and our grandchildren.
One of the activities we enjoy the most with the dogs is participating in field and bench trials. Field trials provide the dogs the opportunity to do the activities for which the breed was intended, hunting. It gets them off the couch, providing them with healthy exercise. The field trials are sponsored by various AHBA clubs. The bassets chase rabbits, earning points for their abilities in the field. Seeing the "houndies" have fun enjoying themselves and hearing them as they bay while running and following a trail is both fun and exciting.
Bench trials allow the dogs to compete with other bassets to see which one is closest to the breed standard. Most people would recognize these bench trials as the dog shows seen on television. The bench trials are important because dogs closer to the breed standard are built to better compete in the field. However, a dog may love to hunt without being a bench trial winner and is equally fun to be with at home or in the woods.