Babbler: A hound that gives ‘tongue' when not on the trail.

Back: The area of a dog's body extending from the withers to the croup.

Back crossing: A form of inbreeding in which a dog is mated to its parent.

Backyard breeder: A person who casually breeds purebred dogs with little or no regard to the breed standard, genetically linked defects or temperament.

Badger: A grayish-brown color that may be mixed with a few dark hairs (Great Pyrenees, Sealyham Terriers). Color definitions may vary by breed. Always check the breed standard for the definitive color description.

Bad Mouth: Crooked teeth; when the mouth is closed, upper and lower teeth do not line up according to the standard of the breed.

Balance: When all the parts of the dog, moving or standing, produce a harmonious image.

Bandy Legs: Legs that bend outward.

Barrel: A rib region that is round in cross section.

Barrel Hocks: Hocks that turn out, causing the feet to toe in. Also called spread hocks.

Barring: Striped markings.

Base coat: The primary color of the coat.

Basenji: A dog of a breed originally from Africa, having a short, smooth, reddish-brown coat and characterized by the absence of a bark.

Basset Hound: A smooth-haired breed of hound with short legs and long ears.

Bat Ear: An ear that stands up, with a broad base, rounded at the top, with opening facing forward.; An erect ear that is broad at the base and rounded on the top.

Bay: The prolonged bark or voice of a hunting hound.