[Dailydrool] It's a small basset world

[Elizabeth Lindsey]

This afternoon I took our Elsinore and young Charlie to get their  
kennel cough vaccinations. I do this faithfully twice a year but with  
a jaded feeling because several years ago Charlie, while fully  
covered by the vaccination, caught kennel cough. But so many places  
require the vaccination that I make sure the hounds have it, even  
though it now feels like a waste of money.

Anyway, while we were waiting to pay the bill, we saw a pretty little  
Sheltie on the other side of the reception desk. I was making the  
hounds give the Sheltie a wide berth in case he needed a lot of  
personal space, but his human assured me that he likes bassets. In  
fact, he even has a basset friend. His basset friend is named Dan.

My mind started making connections. We know a basset named Dan. Dan  
the Man. Dan who excels at rally as well as at being the neutral dog  
in the pet therapy classes our Elsinore's taken. And wouldn't you  
know, that's the same Dan the sheltie knows. When I made the  
inevitable "it's a small world, isn't it?" comment to his human, she  
said, "It seems as if all the basset people know each other."

I thought about that on the way home and wondered if that's a trait  
that's specific to the humans who gravitate toward this breed. Do  
those who have German shepherds, for example, also tend to know each  
other and each others' dogs the way basset people seem to? Perhaps we  
basset people pick up on our breed's tendency toward friendliness and  
sociability and come to act that way ourselves?

I'm planning on being friendly and sociable this weekend at the OBR  
picnic. It's the first time I've been to this one, and I'm looking  
forward to it. Our Elsinore will be delighted to learn it's off leash  
and does not feature a parade or marching bands. Young Charlie will  
be happy if he can find someone who'll play with him.

Elizabeth