THE KENNEL

Welcome to the Renaissance Bassets website!

This website details some of the history of Renaissance Bassets, a Michigan preservation Basset Hound kennel I operated from 2004 until I retired in 2026.

I began the Renaissance line in 2004, but I had my first Basset Hound when I was 12. Before starting Renaissance, I apprenticed for almost nine years with Frank and Virginia Kovalic of the legendary Stoneybluff line, managing their kennel and showing their dogs. Eventually, we became co-breeders and co-owners of several top-ranked Basset Hounds, including Ch. Stoneybluff Montgomery. The Kovalics had a remarkable breeding and showing program for 37 years and were known all over the world. When the Kovalics retired, I was fortunate to be able to acquire the nucleus of their younger dogs to begin Renaissance Bassets.

The focus of my kennel was on preserving the unique traits and characteristics of the Basset Hound, displaying that devotion through the breeding of show dogs and companions. Actually, all of my dogs were companions first, but many also finished their championships and grand championships in conformation. (The name conformation is used to describe the activity of judging dogs against each other in the show ring to determine which one conforms most closely to the breed's standard.)

Not every dog, however, is cut out for the show ring. Some may not have the personality and desire to perform well in the ring, and others may not be as close to the standard as a breeder would like — though the untrained eye might not see it. So it was important that all my dogs had the sweet, gentle temperament to be great companions. Basset Hounds are wonderful family dogs, and I'm just as proud of those dogs who served as companions to their human families as I am of my show champions. You will find in looking over the site that many of my champions were actually family pets, and I am very grateful to the cooperation I have had from their owners to advance their show careers when the dogs weren't sleeping on someone's sofa. Furthermore, many of my retired show dogs went on to become family pets.

The health of my dogs has always been of paramount importance to me. That's why I tested my dogs for genetic diseases such as thrombopathia and mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS1), and I encouraged other breeders to get their dogs tested as well.

This website provides information about all the activities of Renaissance Bassets over the years. You'll find details about the breed, about some of our show dogs as well as our companions, answers to frequently asked questions about basset hounds, as well as links to a few other Basset Hound sites. I'm also on Facebook at facebook.com/renaissancebassets.

Thanks for visiting!

Corey

 

This site was last updated 3 August 2026.