[Dailydrool] sighs from the heart

[Jane Hay]

Our Jersey is a rescued hound just like all of the other hounds in our home
and wouldn't let us hug her when she first came to us. We could pet her and
rub her ears but never pull her close. She would give that warning growl and
made it very clear that she was not up for that at all. Jersey is our
dominant girl and pack leader who has been known to snap at me when I want
her to do something that she doesn't want to do. Needless to say, she and I
had to go a few rounds before we knew who would be top dog here (yes, she
wins most of the time!) and we've finally worked out a system that we're
both content with. It took us three years of occasionally trying to hold her
close before she would totally relax and be comfortable with us hugging her
and kissing her. I know exactly what sighs from the heart are and how
precious they are because we get them from our Jersey now. We'll never know
what her life was like before she came to us but we'll always wonder what
happened to this wonderful houndette to make her so distrustful. Another
thing that she has never done until recently is to roll over for belly rubs.
What basset hound doesn't want their belly rubbed?!?! It's only been in the
past six months or so that she will flop on her back and actually enjoy
having her belly rubbed and she LOVES it now! You would never know it
because she growls the whole time you're rubbing her belly but I know she
really
enjoys it.

Humping isn't exclusive to male dogs as we've found out in a household of
female hounds. We've been told that it's an attempt at dominance when one of
the Houndettes tries it with one of the others. Suzy is low man on the totem
pole here and loses her mind once in a while and trys to hump one of the
other houndettes. NEVER Jersey!! Thank goodness she's smart enough to
realize that she'd be taking  her life in her hands if she tried it with
her!! She does occasionally try humping Shadow and Ginger. Shadow gets very
irritated with her and Ginger will just give her a look like she has lost
her mind. Fortunately it doesn't happen very often and the other Houndettes
let her know that she is still at the bottom of the pack no matter what she
does.

Jane & the Houndettes
Jersey, Shadow, Suzy & Ginger
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