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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Can it really be a year since Younger Clara marched
into our lives?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>I remember it clearly. A phone call from the local Basset
Hound Welfare co-ordinator asking if I was interested in a tri coloured female,
aged 3 and 1/2.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>The co-ordinator, also called Sally, explained the little
bitch had bitten a toddler in the household. Aparently it was completely out of
character and the child's skin had not been broken, but the mum had freaked out
and thrown the dog out in the garden. For three days.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>This hound was not used to being treated like that. She had
been the baby of the house, sharing cuddles on the sofa and nights in human
beds, and suddenly she was an outside dog.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>She barked. And barked. The door was not opened.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>The mum said she couldn't have a dog 'going on' like that all
day. She had to go.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>When I got to Sally's house,</FONT><FONT size=2> there
sat her husband with a tiny basset girl on a lead. </FONT><FONT size=2>We sat
down and Dave let go.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Without a blink the little dog stomped straight up to us.
Fearlessly she looked us up and down. She was clearly thinking "OK, so
you're my new people are you? Well, you look OK."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>We took her for a walk with Rolph and there was not a moment's
worry. We loaded them in the back of the car, behind the dog guard and before we
even left Sally's drive, Clara had squeezed through the guard and curled up on
my daughter's lap.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Within days she and Rolph were snuggled up together on the dog
beds - except at night, when she would repeatedly try and get into bed with
me.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>The first night I put her back on the floor several times
before falling asleep. I woke in the morning to find myself looking into two
melt-your-heart brown eyes.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>We're still working on that.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Anyway, happy gotcha day little girl. You are the sweetest,
gentlest little thing and exceptionally well behaved (for a basset).
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Sally and my vet both believe the mum just didn't want Clara
any more. She was bought as a child substitute, then the baby turned up and she
was surplas to requirements.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>That makes me angry, but I am so glad to have my little
lady.</FONT></DIV><PRE> </PRE></FONT></DIV><pre>
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