[Dailydrool] Basset noses know

[Elizabeth Lindsey]

Our Elsinore and young Charlie are hosting a slumber party for their  
non-basset friend Chloe at the moment. Last night I went over  
Jennifer's house, without my dogs, to pick up Chloe and bring her  
back here.

I was very interested to see my own dogs' behavior when I got her  
home. Chloe wanted to check out the backyard, so I went into the  
house without her. Elsinore and Charlie greeted me in the back entry.  
I told them I had a surprise for them in the backyard, but they  
showed no inclination to go out and see what it was.

When I showed Elsinore Chloe's leash, she sniffed it and pretty much  
shrugged her shoulders in a "so what?" way. Then I gave it to young  
Charlie to sniff. He inhaled, and his whole body stiffened into  
alert. He charged out the doggie door, halted on the deck to quickly  
scan the backyard, and then raced down the ramp to find his friend,  
who was off in an unseen corner of the yard.

I thought that was pretty cool, that Charlie could identify the leash  
as belonging to a friend and then understand that the friend had come  
with me. I wonder if he was able to tell which of his three friends  
the leash had been on, since Jennifer uses her leashes  
interchangeably on Owen, Chloe, and Lola. I'll bet he could tell.  
I'll bet he knew to look for Chloe in the yard. Those basset noses  
are good.

Elizabeth