<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><DIV>Hi all, it's the clueless momPerson here,</DIV>
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<DIV>I'm not actually clueless, I'm just lacking in clues as regards to basset hounds. Snoopy seems to love me anyway, and he is willing to make allowances.</DIV>
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<DIV>Like, last night. I came down the hall and found some bathroom garbage on the floor outside the hall bathroom. Little doubt who is responsible so I went looking for Snoopy, who I found in my bedroom, chewing on something. Well, that is cause for concern as he might choke or be poisons or Dog knows what all else so I opened up his mouth and reached inside and felt all around and couldn't feel anything so I took my hand out and he was still chewing on something so I reached back in and checked all his flews and reached all the way back into his throat and this time I found it ... the fly he'd caught came out wrapped in drool and stuck to my hand. Well, flies are not sanitary so I washed it off and threw it away and all the while Snoopy was looking at me like .... "momPerson .... ummmmm ..... nebbermind". He loves me ... he just couldn't say it.</DIV>
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<DIV>And then there was this morning. I was making sandwiches for the girls for lunch and both dog were directly under my cutting board. Remember when Snoopy was so food aggressive he'd immediately attack Cyrus if food came out? Well, evidently I've forgotten because there they both were .... and I dropped a slice of cheese. Cyrus dove .... and got it first!! And Snoopy ..... looked up at me and fully expected me to hand him an equal sized piece ... which I did. And then I dropped a hunk of pastrami ... same story ... Cyrus got it and Snoopy looked up at me like ... well, where's mine? So he got a piece of pastrami too.</DIV>
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<DIV>There's a whole bunch of people who think I'm a nut case for</DIV>
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<DIV>1) taking home stray dogs from the pound and giving them run of my house instead of crate training</DIV>
<DIV>2) expecting a basset hound to tolerate me reaching into his mouth and removing food if I deem it necessary</DIV>
<DIV>3) fully expecting a food aggressive dog to improve and forget he was ever food aggressive</DIV>
<DIV>4) thinking I could teach a five year old unsocialized and tramatized dog to intereact, and what's more, PLAY with other dogs</DIV>
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<DIV>So, I must be a nut case ... or at least clueless. On the other hand the dogs are happy and healthy and loved and love each other and us. Snoopy has been a Rutz since January and so far no one (dog or person) has been bitten. He steals stuff (almost daily) but nothing has been chewed up or damaged (a couple of the girls stuffed toys have gotten crusty from being slobbered on and had to be washed). And lately our evening walks have been fun ... Snoopy's the talk of the town, and the dog park, everybody rushes to greet Snoopy.</DIV>
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<DIV>Just goes to show you that dogs can adjust to just about anything ... now if only people could!</DIV>
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<DIV>more later from the clueless momPerson with</DIV>
<DIV>Snoopy (she's clueless alright but she cuddles pretty good) and</DIV>
<DIV>Cyrus (she might cuddle better but I'm a better wrestler little brother)</DIV>
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