[Dailydrool] Hounds Past and Present

[lois.leader lois.leader]

‘Hounds Past and Present’ is an excellent theme, Donna! It would make a good compilation for an edition of Bugler Notes as well. 

Our introduction to Bassetdom was Bobo the Inhaler. Our son removed him from the backyard of his ex-girlfriend because the poor dog was being neglected. Bobo arrived in our home covered with ticks and with no concept of being inside a house. He was Out. Of. Control. Fortunately, the resident dog, Misty, soon put him in his place. A little later we introduced a yellow lab puppy, Scout, into the mix, and she and Bobo became a bonded pair. 

Bobo received his moniker ‘The Inhaler’ after an episode of reverse sneezing. He shnorked around the house for weeks until one day we noticed something protruding from his nostril. It was a blade of grass. The vet missed it upon examination. Once it was extracted, Bobo’s sneezing fits ceased.

On the topic of walking two dogs together, we only walked Bobo and Misty together once. They had an immediate dust up over being in such close proximity and we had to resort to blankets to get them separated. Bobo and Scout, however, walked together beautifully. 

Misty was an older dog when Bobo arrived. She left for the Bridge when Bobo was three and Scout two.  Her human family was very sad, but I don’t think Bobo shed a tear. He always gave her the hairy eyeball whenever she came near him. Bobo and Scout continued to be an inseparable couple for all their long years. After Bobo died of a liver tumor at age 16, Scout went into a fast decline and followed him across the Bridge three months later. Losing them both in such a short time was a blow to this furmom’s heart that still hurts.

We remained dogless for a year, and then Miss Emma the Aussie Basset Dog and Sir Dobby the House Elf came into our lives at just the right time. Dobby was a lost little chiweenie (Chihuahua/dachshund) found wandering the highway. Emma is a Basset/cattle dog mix from a local rescue. She has the Basset body and ears with the red heeler coloring and many of the Aussie cattle dog behaviors. She’s a heel nipper and can stare you down without a blink, but she also does an excellent flat Basset. She herds Dobby around the house. Fortunately, he doesn’t mind.

Nellie, your poem was beautiful! I hope you’ll be writing more for us.
Maggie and YaYa, you were meant to be together. Keep practicing those talents, Maggie. YaYa, we’re so glad you’re feeling better. 
Mila, Mariah, and Ipo:  Remember, Ohana means family and family means nobody gets left behind. Or forgotten.

Lois Leader with Emma the Aussie Basset Dog and Dobby the House Elf

Lois.leader at cox.net