[Dailydrool] Basset quirks

[Karrie Kuecker]

I love this basset quirks thread! Good to know we're not alone in having a
basset do odd things!

Joey has quite a few quirks; he doesn't like any toys, but stuffed ones, and
slurps them. It's something between a chewing and a sucking, and they have
terrible "Joey-lick" (like cowlick, but basset slobber) when he's done. He
is big, and when we come home from work, he does his bucking bronco
impression, spinning in circles, leaping in the air and flailing about. You
can tell how happy he is by the number of circles he does! (since he's so
big, and gray and white, he resembles a small paint pony when doing this.)
He's also a leaper; when I went to meet him at his 2nd foster momma's house,
he jumped up so far, I had a pawprint on my shoulder! He's convinced he's a
lap dog, and thus any unoccupied lap is there for him to sit on, or across.
This usually entails his butt on one side, and front paws on the other side.
He often sleeps inverted, feet splayed about, and flews flapping! It's quite
a sight, he also has been known to kick in his sleep. (and, when he kicks,
it HURTS! There's a lot of power in those short stubby drumsticks!!) He's a
food snob, and has to have the food he wants in his dish, or he won't eat it
unless it's been "spiced up" usually with hotdogs or grilled chicken pieces.
He won't lay down on command. He'll flop anywhere and everywhere (I swear, a
bed of nails and he'd be comfy!) but, in his entire obedience class, and
there after, he won't lay down on command. Our trainer said she's never met
a dog so stubborn to not do it after working on it for 6 weeks. He loves to
burrow, and has his own pillows & blankies, and if he can't find them, the
ones your sleeping on will do nicely thankyouverymuch! He loves to help
"make the bed" often resulting in looking like a basset burrito, w/only the
tip of his snooter visible.

Checkers also has quirks. If you're standing up, he feels the need to walk
over & put his head between your legs, then just stand there. We don't know
if this is a security thing or what. Also, he licks water off of wet arms &
legs if he can get at you after showering. His biggest quirk is that he
won't go belly up! Not for anything! I've tried to pick him up and flip him
over like a baby (he's small enough to do that with) and he nearly ripped my
earing out of my ear for trying. Even when he's on the floor or the couch,
he'll lay down on his side, and lift his front paws up to demand belly rubs,
but he won't pick up his back paws, and freaks out if you try and roll him
over. He was returned w/a UTI due to repeated kicks to the tummy by a
toddler, so maybe that's got soemthing to do with it? He's really funny,
always acts like the big dog, but he doesn't like things like when our dog
groomer takes just him or just Joey back first. When he doesn't have backup,
he seems insecure, and whines. He also has to "kill" all of his treats. He
picks up his biscuits, holds them in his mouth, shakes them up a few times
(gotta make sure they're dead first!) then proceeds to eat them. (And, when
he shakes his head, he knocks himself silly with his ears.) He also likes to
put his ears in his mouth. If you are playing with his ears, he'll chase
your hand until you drape his ear through his mouth, then he'll just sit
there and hold it like that for a few minutes. He doesn't suck on it or chew
on it, just sits there with it in his mouth. It's cute, but very bizarre!

Our spaniel is too quirky to list. He wasn't socialized as a puppy, and was
crated at night, and tied out all day by his previous owners, so we think he
just got a few wires crossed in the process. He's a great dog, but is
literally afraid of the world! Oh, and he sings (howls better than the
hounds!) He's also a master drooler, and in the winter often has droolcycles
hanging from his chin!

The boys are sending drool to those who need it.

-- 
-Karrie, momma to Joey, Aunty to Checkers & Crispin (wb)

Joey's dogster page: http://www.dogster.com/dogs/637473
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