[Dailydrool] Basset grief

[Pamela McQuade]

We lost our boy Dexter on the 17th of last month. It's been rough on the
humans, but I'm thinking it's been even rougher on Horton to lose his
brother. Sometimes he just looks so sad, and I think he's more lazy, lying
on the couch so often. Certainly he's eating more slowly, without the
competition.

Today a labradoodle walked near us on our daily constitutional, so I took
Hort to the other side of the road. We walked a short distance further,
then Hort insisted on turning around and going in the direction the doodle
had gone; alas the beautiful fellow was already gone by then. A few days
ago Horton also showed a lot of interest in a beagle (there are no bassets
in this area, so he cannot see them). I'm thinking Horton may not be as
happy as you might think he'd be as an only hound who is lavished with love.

Sadly, because the feds have not come through for New Jersey's  workers,
Drew's job is not all that secure. The governor said, if we did not get
federal help, layoffs for people who worked for the NJ government could
happen, and that even seems to be affecting town workers. Last time layoffs
were threatened, they didn't happen, and I hope that's in the future too,
but I don't think this is a good time to adopt a new hound. Even if I did,
I would have to convince Drew, who wonders if I could handle another dog
since my surgery two years ago. That's part of why I'm walking Horton every
day that it isn't clearly too hot, because I want to prove that Drew's
fears are unfounded. (I guess he forgets that I managed pretty well with a
blind, elderly dog as our second one.) Maybe the fact of the matter is that
Drew just doesn't want a second hound. I've always been the serious dog
person here.

I am taking Hort for daily walks, to get his endorphins going, but we
cannot walk too far, even on the days he's not looking for a friend,
because it's pretty hot. (Has anyone else had dogs who prefer to walk in
weather in the sixties? Our first basset, Jane, always hated hot weather
and even would run faster on the hotter sidewalks, and Hort seems to do
that now too.)

Does anyone have ideas, other than a new adoption, that will help Horton
feel better? I give him plenty of love and attention, and he has the cat to
chase, but all that just doesn't seem to be doing it.
Pam, food slave to Horton the lone Dashing Basset, who doesn't much feel
like dashing lately
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