[Dailydrool] We welcome Sampson

[Pat Dill]

Just a note to announce the arrival of Sampson to our pack.  He was surrendered to Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue along with two girls last March/April by a backyard breeder, and this little guy was somehow overlooked by other adopters in search of the pawfect hound.

We really weren't intending to adopt a fourth hound.  Hugh went to the bridge in December, not long after I got the news of the recurrence of my cancer.  We were still working with Bailey at the time, the transport failure who was so thin and sick when we picked him up that we just had to nurse him back to health (and eventually, of course, adopt him permanently).  Turns out Bailey had not only a steamer trunk and full matching Samsonite set of suitcases, but he had rented a You-store-it as well to keep all his baggage!!  Finally he has unloaded enough of it, and I am feeling well enough, that it occurred to us that he might benefit from a new friend.

Off to Bob & Sandy we wrote, each of whom independently came up with Sampson as the pawfect addition to our household. We said, "When do we get him?" and picked him up near Harrisburg last weekend.  (Now I know there are those who would wonder at the wisdom of allowing someone else to choose a hound for them, but Bob & Sandy have a pretty good track record with us:  Sadie, Kelly, Misha and Taffy all joined our family, sight-unseen, at their recommendation, and each has added their own special mark to our lives.)

Here is a link to some photos of this handsome boy:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=15bcj5w8.5c903yu0&x=0&y=-11z0l6&localeid=en_US 

Sampson has been in a kennel since April, and presumably was kept outside previously, but he acts as though he has been living in a house all his life.  He makes himself comfy on the sofa (but readily goes into a crate at night), eats nicely and without possessiveness from his bowl, has had only one small accident in the house in a week, and (except for bouncing a bit off the walls) in general has made himself right at home.  He is very friendly with the other dogs but is smart enough to act submissively when they growl or bark at his rambunctious behavior.  My brother walked into the house for the first time since we got Sampson at a time when Carol and I were outside in the pool.  Sampson's reaction to a stranger walking into the house (and a guy, at that)?  Furiously wagging tail and a request for petting!  So much for being a watch dog (unless you count "watching" which I guess he could handle).

Sampson is nine, which some potential adopters think is too old but which for our household is just a pup.  Except for a very bad infection of his right ear, our vet pronounced him healthy.  The exciting news is that we were prepared to have him undergo a total ear canal ablation which had been recommended by the vet at the kennel where Sampson was housed.  But our vet is reasonably confident that with careful attention by us and some patience that we can avoid surgery.

Now Sampson came to us on a fostering basis only until we had a chance to get to know him, but for any of you who know us his adoption is pretty much a fait accompli.

So please join us in welcoming Sampson, and remember that there is a homeless senior hound out there who needs you!

Pat & Carol
Rosie, Sadie, Bailey Finallynotafoster and Sampson Technicallynotyetakeeper
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