[Dailydrool] The whole Horton story

[dpmcquade at verizon.net]

A while ago Dexter commandeered the computer to tell the Drool about Horton, our new adoptee. Well, it's obvious Dex suffers from sibling rivalry, so I thought I'd let the Drool know the real scoop out our new Dashing Basset.

We took Horton in a little bit before Christmas. He was ONLY a foster. After all, this little boy (and I love basset boys) was only a year old, and I do not do puppies. But Horton had a broken leg and needed a home with a ramp; so I said yes, feeling very guilty that I had not stepped forward when Tri-State had first asked for someone to take him in. But remember, I do not do puppies.

Of course at first he needed crate rest. I have never seen a puppy so amenable to just lying in a crate. That told me something about how much the leg must hurt, though Horton never complained. And as time went by, the leg healed up very nicely, though it's still not perfectly solid and won't be for a while.

So I figured that when Horton began to feel good, he'd probably be just like Jane, who was a real terror until she was three and is the main reason I do not do puppies.

Not only did Horton have the problem with his leg, he's also very fearful of people and cars (not surprising, since a car accident led to the broken leg). He came home with me and within that first day decided that I was pretty good. Though he wouldn't eat food with me or the other dogs around and still likes to eat in his crate best, he's linked to me firmly. He hides beneath my desk when I'm working and doesn't like to let me out of his sight.

I kept saying, as we fostered him, "I don't do puppies." Horton was to go to a wonderful family--the best Tri-State could find for him, and Tri-State's best can be wonderful. First the family who had adopted Horton's brother was considering taking Horton too. What a wonderful thing! How could I say no? But that adoption fell through. Then another terrific adopter showed up but ended up taking in another dog under only the best of circumstances. Before that second adoption fell through, I just knew that I couldn't give up Horton. Who would make sure he didn't play to hard on his bum leg? He was already doing the Basset 500 around our house. Would he be so scared at our having let him go that he'd never be anything but shy? Would his new family change his name, which was just perfect for him? It wasn't that I didn't trust Tri-State, since I know the kind of homes the rescue provided for my past fosters. But I didn't have any peace about letting Horton go. After doing some serious agonizing, I finally broke down and broke the news to Drew that this was going to be my slightly late Valentine's day gift. It wasn't much of a surprise to my husband, since we'd been talking around the idea for some time, and I'd even said that if the second adoption plan fell through, I wanted to keep him. So we signed on the line and made Horton our very own.

Yesterday Horton proved to me that he wanted to stay. I had to take Holly to the vet's, and Horton was not supposed to come. But this little basset had other ideas. He dashed through the door in front of Holly and ran down the ramp into our unfenced yard. Happily, he stopped a bit at the end of the ramp. By this time, my mind was running in circles. Twice Horton had run away--that's how he ended up with the broken leg. I went after him, and he moved away. I made a few failed tries at recapture. All this time I'm thinking how late Holly and I are going to be at the vet's. Finally, I slowed down, moved very quietly and slowly, and got him to the bottom of the ramp. My purse, which I had dumped there, kept Horton from racing up the ramp. But when I tried getting ahold of his harness, I could see that might just be another way of escape. So I picked him up bodily, and he didn't so much as squirm as I took him into the house.

The very fact that Horton didn't run away proves to me that this is where he wanted to be all along. While he ran from others and had the accident, he let me get close enough to make him safe. Now I know that the bland look he's been giving me whenever I asked if he wanted this adoption meant what I always thought: He was saying, "Of course I'm staying. I never thought anything else."

Meanwhile, Dexter is getting used to his new brother. He may growl at him when those puppy antics bring him too close to a blind dog who moves a little slowly, but most days they sleep on the couch within inches of each other. It may take a while for them to bond, but I think they're on the way to being friends. And Holly, who gives Dex a hard time when he almost bumps into her, has no problem when Horton barges into her on his way to somewhere.
 
I think you could say that Horton is finally home. And we are glad to have him. He's improved slightly on some of his fear issues, and we are talking to a behaviorist about taking on his case. Now that he's in a permanent home, I think he will do a lot better.
Pam, food slave to the Dashing Bassets
Holly Dolly, C. Dexter Haven, and Horton here's a hoot (even if he doesn't hear a Who)