Yes, I do think that there is more white on Basses than there used to be. According to the people on the canine genetics list there is a link between the gene for "white face" like you see in Bulldogs and Border Collies and Old English Sheepdogs and one or more blue eyes. I have a puppy right now who has white over one eye. No blue eyes, and I have never seen a blue eye in my line before, but then he also has an outcross to another line. Not sure if he will be bred or not, we will see how he turns out. Just another thing to worry about. As long as you have color over the base of the ear, you are less likely to have a deaf dog. The worse cases are in Dalmatians where they are breeding for no solid patches of color. Lots of deaf dogs.