[Dailydrool] melodramatic basset

[Marie Campbell]

Hi Basset Folks,
    Here is something funny Fancy has developed over the last 5 years.  When I first got her, she was completely and obediently crate trained.  She would willing go into her crate for dinner and breakfast and when I went to work with the appropriate food bribe.  I don't crate her any more when I go to work--she afternoons on my bed!  But, I had hoped she would continue to eat in her crate as she is a food thief.   Well, that is a no go now.  I now have to pick her up and place her in her crate if I ever need to crate her which is mostly if I have workmen in or something.  Several months ago, I tried to get her to go back to eating in her crate as she often agrivates the Newf/Saint connection by blatantly stealing from their bowls. This is met with mixed results-- some growl at her (never any fighing unless she challenges Luke, a fellow basset, for a treat) but most just sigh and allow it.  My two basset boys crate up and eat in their
 crates with no problem. 
    Anyway, as soon as I get her in her crate with her bowl her routine begins: first she starts shaking, then the whining begins, and then she throws her self against the crate door doing the basset scream--which tears through you like a knife-- and refuses to eat until released from her crate/torture chamber.  She once did this scream while in her crate eating and I ran into the house from the backyard terrified that one of the big dogs had somehow gotten into her crate and attacked her but NNNNOOOOOO this is not what happened.  One of the Newfs was simply near her crate while she was eating and she decided to let her displeasure be known.  It terrified me.  I had never heard such a rucus before I got Fancy, my first basset.  I have since heard this many times--usually daily over any dog infraction--stealing my napping spot, bumping me while I am napping, trying to get next to Marie while I am enjoying her, looking at my milkbone, or
 invading my space in anyway....
    I used to get really worried about Fancy whenever she started her shacking, whining shtick until she pulled that stunt just a little too often.  One time she came in from the backyard crying, shaking, and dragging one of her rear legs and pulled herself into the kitchen just absolutely overwrought!  I was terrified thinking she had broken her leg or had gotten bitten by a snake or something BUT NNNOOOOOOOO, she had an acorn tucked in the pads of her foot.  Once I removed it, she danced around wagging her tail and was perfectly fine--had a snack and took a nap.  I was stunned by such a dramatic response.  The Saints and Newfs tend to be stoic martyr's so I was shocked to see this 36 pound, chubby girl giving an Oscar winning performance over an acorn.
    The boy bassets aren't as melodramatic.  Has anyone else experienced this?
Marie Campbell