Best Toy EVER!

All it takes is an empty toilet paper roll!! Nothing better than watching a basset take the tube out of your hand as if it were gold, and then trotting off happier than ever into their favorite room...and ripping and shredding the crap out of it!

Buford--oh how I wish he could speak

Buford is allergic to air. Ok, not air, but he's allergic to bee stings, spider bites, and has horrible seasonal allergies. I almost lost my little man on 9/12/01--right, the day after 9/11. Something bit him on the deck. Something that did not cause any swelling but hurt his rear leg very badly and sent him into a textbook case of anaphylactic shock. I got him to the vet just before he seized and miraculously they brought my baby back from...well, you know. He was "gone" and they got him back.

So whenever he starts acting "weird"--you know, anything that tweaks you a little--my heart skips a beat and I go into a small panic. I actually ask him in full panic voice, "What's wrong?" and "Are you alright?"

Fortunately we've never experienced anything like we did on 9/12....but I fear for the one day that I don't over-react to something...but when it comes to my baby, there's no way that I won't react as if it is life-threatening--even if it isn't. He is my world. I love all my fur-family, but Buford: he's a special, special soul.

Coyotes!

Picture if you will a quiet, peaceful night. Temperaures in the low 60's, windows open, a slight breeze--perfect sleeping weather. The entire "family" is crammed on one bed--a typical arrangement for basset lovers.

Suddenly, at 2:40 AM something wakes me up...and wakes up both dogs...and wakes up the c@t. But all is quiet. Until we all hear what woke us. Not quite a bark, not quite a whine, not quite a howl--something that combines all 3 in a high pitched vocal range. Yup, a coyote. But remember folks, coyotes don't travel alone.

Fortunately all "family" members were indoors....but I worried about the dogs in the neighborhood who live outside tied up (I worry about THAT for lots of reasons!) in their yard and were answering the call of the coyote. Difficult to get back to sleep.

Speed Demon Slowing Down

It appears as though turning 2 years old has resulted in Della's body realizing she is "basset" and not "greyhound!" She has always accompanied me on my two-mile walk in the early evenings but with bad weather of late she hasn't gone in about 2 weeks. I usually can bearly keep up with her--she wants to run the ENTIRE way! But tonight, the little darling reached the halfway point and slowed to a walk! Not even a trot--a walk!! So we turned around instead of finishing the full loop and it took quite some time to get home--lots of sniffing, stopping, etc. This is Buford's act, never Della's!


I guess the little speed demon has finally started to develop REAL basset tendencies!

NOT a Princess

Della is 21 months old. She has mastered counter cruising and is the reigning queen of cat bowling. (It is QUITE the site!) But all in all she is the sweetest little (only 44 lbs.) basset hound in the world--at least she is as far as I'm concerned.

BUT---

Della is NOT a princess. I thought she might be a good candidate for a BABE title, but I no longer believe she will achieve such status. No, I think she has made her choice and has chosen the path to OEBE-dom.

This morning I let her sleep on the couch in the family room with her brother, Buford, while I showered. When I came downstairs I found her sleeping in the living room. Everything appeared to be in order...until I got to the family room.

The sweet little girl has honed a new skill: unzipping the big zippered pockets of my briefcase. Now, I don't care about the zippers being opened, but now she had access to all the papers in the briefcase and this means only one thing: pull out all the papers and practice being a Basset Paper Shredder!

Nope, definitely not a princess.

Thirsty?

Thirsty?
Originally uploaded by hsarver.

WHAT?! Don't you get thirsty? And I am NOT going to drink out of the dog bowl! Besides, this water is nice and cold!! Mmmmm!

What's That?

What's That?
Originally uploaded by hsarver.

Mom put this stupid lead on my so she didn't have to keep going out into the snow everytime I wanted to go out. Problem is that I REALLY want to attack that leaf but I CAN'T reach it. MOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!