The Pedi-Score Tool Kit was designed to help breeders breed better Basset Hounds by improving mating and selection processes. Tools in the Kit allow a breeder to use either a number system or magic marker colors to score a dog’s outward appearance, genetic make-up and health. This information helps a breeder visualize the dogs in a pedigree and determine how successful a particular mating may be.

Using Pedi-Score Numbers

• The Tool Kit number system provides charts on which a breeder is able to evaluate up to 33 conformation features of the Sire and Dam of each litter as well as each puppy they produce. Scores from 1 (Excellent) to 5 (Very Poor) are used to evaluate heads, toplines, movement, etc. Because they refer to the quality of a dog’s outward appearance or phenotype, these scores are called pheno-scores.
  
• A comparison of a sire’s and dam’s pheno-scores with the pheno-scores of the puppies they produced helps a breeder determine the quality of traits each parent passed on and what might be expected when this sire or dam is bred again. Scoring entire litters shows how strong certain traits are likely to be in the parents.
  
• A dog’s genetic make-up is his genotype. After scoring puppies from a couple of matings there is usually enough information to start assigning a numerical score to genetic traits that a sire or dam is most likely to pass on. Genetic trait scores are called geno-scores. The Tool Kit also includes a chart which tracks health problems. Health factor scores are called vita-scores.
  
• The Tool Kit number charts are a breeder-friendly recording system that organizes the information on the kinds of conformation traits or health factors a sire and dam are most likely to pass on. On-going use of the charts can help a breeder decide which sire and dam should be bred in order to get the specific traits he/she is looking for.

Using Pedi-Score Colors: The Prism Pedigree
The Prism Pedigree is comprised of stick figure Basset Hounds and is based on a color coding system which uses five magic marker colors to rate the quality of conformation traits in a Sire and Dam, Grandparents and Great-Grandparents. By coloring the body parts of the stick figures, breeders rate traits in each dog from Excellent to Very Poor. The Prism Pedigree is a fun and easy way to evaluate the chance a trait has of being passed on to offspring and can be used by itself or with the number charts.