[Dailydrool] Changing colors

[Elizabeth Lindsey]

As our Elsinore's aging, she's getting more and more white hairs in  
the tip of her tail. When we adopted her, she was two or three years  
old, and the tip of her tail was pure black. Now she's about seven or  
eight, and in another couple of years she may actually have a white- 
tipped tail. It'll be a small white tip, but it'll definitely be a  
white tip.

In addition to her muzzle and face turning the expected white with  
age, Elsinore's "lump of knowledge" now has a smattering of white. It  
doesn't look as if it's going to disturb the pretty black bandana  
marking that goes across the top of her head, but she's sure going to  
look funny with a white spot on the back of her head if that's how it  
develops. I knew that basset markings can change over time, but for  
some reason I didn't think that applied to the black-and-tans like  
Elsinore.

Our friend Jennifer, the human of Owen and the late Macy, said she  
recently got a panicked call from a friend who'd adopted a beagle  
about a year ago. The friend said the dog was getting spots, and he  
thought maybe he should take the dog to the vet to be checked.  
Jennifer asked if it was like a rash or some other kind of skin  
irritation. No, it turned out the beagle's coat was starting to  
freckle. Where it had once been a solid color, now there were "spots"  
of brown or black fur. No need to call the vet.

Young Charlie doesn't seem to be going through any color changes, but  
I'm sure his day will come.

Both hounds seem to be blowing their coats now, though. I went on a  
trip a couple weeks ago and came home to a house full of wafting  
undercoat. I pulled out the Furminator, but I can't seem to reach the  
end of it. It's like trimming bushes--the pruning just inspires  
enthusiastic regrowth. The more I brush those dogs, the more it seems  
to encourage the undercoat to grow back and then release itself once  
again into the air. Perhaps it's a positive sign that spring has  
arrived at last. The daffodils are blooming, the trees are starting  
to bud, and Elsinore and Charlie's fur is in the air. And everywhere  
else.

Elizabeth