[Dailydrool] Drool for Holly

[Pamela McQuade]

We have had Ollie, whom I have renamed Holly, as a foster for less than a day now. She is trying her best to settle in nicely, and she's a really sweet hound. But it's hard for a little princess to lose her home when she's eleven years old. She could use some drool to help her make the transition.

Holly constantly goes to the door and clearly wants to go home--her real home, not this one. She's very clingy with me, which does not make Belvedere happy. I belong to him! Happily Bel has not been pushing the issue, and I hope she will soon settle in enough to stop following me everywhere. I don't want Bel to feel unloved.

Holly probably misses the rabbits who ran through her yard. Here in densely populated northern New Jersey, the most we have to offer are some very confused wild turkeys who somehow seem to have settled into a more metropolitan existence--and they have yet to introduce themselves.

Holly will not be all that pleased at living here initially. She is very much overweight, a "wedge" from her shoulders to her hips, no waist at all. After our experiences with Abner, I am determined to get her down to a good weight. Though I may let her eat a little extra initially, so her weight comes down slowly, she is going to get less food than she's used to. We have started with the green beans and some low-calorie training treats, which I really need to give her to do training with her. She will be getting yogurt to help out with her ear infection, which may be allergy related. Any other weight-reduction ideas from Droolers are welcome. I know how difficult it to get a basset who loves food to drop the pounds.

We will be doing some training with her to make her pull less on walks. The martingale collar has helped to some degree, but I need her to ease up on the pulling a bit more. It will be good for me when I take her out, and it will be good for any potential adopter, making her more adoptable.

The blind dogs list I am on had a heartwarming rescue link. Though this was no basset, I think we can all relate and wish that every dog "owner" was this loving:

> http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/category/watch-listen/video-on-demand/?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6012536

I am deeply aware of the cruelty of giving up a senior hound who has never known any other home. Holly reminds me of our Alexis (ATB), who did the same thing at the door. They're both sweet little princesses who never deserved being given up. It's hard to watch this agony a second time, but it is harder on Holly than on me. She could sure use a little drool--something I'm sure she's never had flung her way in her whole life.
Pam, food slave to the Dashing Bassets