My basset Barnaby, this will be a fun, yet true, post. But first, right along with my husband my Basset was my joy, helper, and loving friend through my cancer. I felt so bad leaving him all day during my chemo treatments. he was so happy to see me when I got home.
I must start with the question what is a basset hound? Here is a descriptive list --- Not only are they adorable, but are funny best friends.
1) A Basset is a velcro dog (always watch for him to be underfoot when awake), and for me, it's a lot of love. They are not happy being left alone, the howling makes me very sad when I have to leave him home.
2) Stubborn!!!!!!!! Nuff said.
3) They shed a lot, and I mean a lot! Lots of tiny hairs floating through the house all year round. You could make a sweater from all the hair!
4) They give off a musky odor, some do not like it others do not even notice. We notice it when he is hyped up or upset over something.
5) What is on the floor is his. If you drop anything he will go for it, quick! Be it good or bad, so be careful.
6) What's on the counter it is his also. Although they are short they are looooong. Long enough to counter surf and they love to do it.
7) They are clowns, they can be very cute and funny.
8) Barkers, and howlers. Yup, again nuff said.
9) They are very hard to train, if you can train them to go potty outside then you have done a wonderful job.
10) And finally, be prepared for smelly farts!
But most importantly they are the most lovable friend ever.
Oh, and one other thing is being prepared for lumps. Barnaby has had many lumps, not one has been cancer. Some have been removed from his ears because he dug at them or they grew too big. He has a few more on his body we are watching, but it is not uncommon for bassets to be lumpy. So I saw a post recently about a couple and their Basset hound and how they act, so I just had to post my own story. Which of course is in some ways similar, because it is truly what Bassets are like.
Barnaby's Story
We feel we rescued our boy from abusers. His nails were bleeding badly from a bad trimming by the owner (we cannot trim his nails as he gets too nippy about it so we bring him to vets for trimmings). And he had a scarred nose and eye. He was only a few months old and he had some nipping issues when afraid, but we got through it. He has calmed a lot over the years, he is now 9, (wow time flies).
A day in the life of Barnaby-
Aw, it is sunrise, a beautiful day, and I am still snug in my bed, warm and cozy and could sleep another hour easy. Then all of a sudden "woof woof woof". I say "no, another hour". Another "woof woof woof ". I roll over then I feel his feet at my back and nose pushing at me, and "woof woof woof" repeating over and over. "Woof woof woof " you can see it like in a movie head movement eyes wincing with each "woof". A Basset bark is not an old hound like, soft, deep, woof. It is loud and big and even a little raspy. Ok ok, I get up barely able to move my old bones, aching, trying to get my slippers on. Oh by the way, he can get out to go to the bathroom on his own. No this is for his "toothbrush" and a busy bone. I give him one of each and head back to lay down another hour. Now if I am lucky he will settle for an hour, but this is very unlikely. "Woof woof woof " again. At this point he just wants Mom up, that's it, he wants to be loved, talked to and his back scratched. As soon as I sit up this time he jumps into bed, into a warmed spot by me, and curls up for a back rub. And that is how my day starts every day.
I finally get my coffee, and Jonathan (my husband) gets up as well because of all the ruckus. We have breakfast, every meal is with Barnaby sitting, staring, dancing about, and do not make the mistake of even looking at him as he will bark the entire meal and then you end up sharing with the dog. At least one bite of toast, or more, is shared every morning.
Now the rest of the day,
Let's be clear right off, I am a huge klutz, I will trip over my own feet. Well since Barnaby I am practically a gymnast now, he is underfoot keeping me company all day unless I shut a gate or door behind me, which I hardly do. The gates are more for his, and at times my, safety. Like if my arms are full of things and I can't see well. Barnaby is the typical velcro Basset and very attached to me. After some morning housework (with Barnaby attached to my leg practically), lunchtime with Barnaby is a repeat of breakfast, him sitting, staring, dancing, then barking for at least a bite. We do sometimes spray him with the water bottle, but most of the time that just means we have a dancing, barking, wet dog.
Not long now, oh yes you guessed it "woof woof woof". I hear paws and nails on the window. The little Basset is on the chair looking like some crazy wolf, barking and scratching at the window. Yup the mail is here and it is Barnaby's favorite time of day. We have given cookies during the holidays to our mail delivery people from Barnaby with a photo saying "I only bark because I really like you". It is the best time of day for me. Thank you so much for all you do, the weather you go through, please just think of me as saying "Hi, Merry Christmas, love Barnaby".
After sitting in the window for a little while longer I hear a tick, tick, tick and then pounce into the recliner and baby bear grunts as he forms his nest with the blanket. Digging a hole (so he thinks anyway) which we sometimes joke that he thinks is to china. Then he is down until dinner time.
OMG, have you ever heard a Basset Hound's snore, I thought my husband was bad. I have had times the noise scared me thinking something was in the house, nope just my sweet cute sleeping dude.
Then darkness falls upon the house, it's sunset and guess who is awake and barking for his real meal of the day, his homemade dinner a bowl of rice and chicken with green beans and pumpkin. Then he climbs back into bed for the night.
A few other tidbits
He enjoys watching out the back window or laying on the deck in summer, watching the birds and squirrels, if something new comes along like a different type of bird he hasn't seen he will bark until I come to look. If he is in the yard he chases everything like any hound would, it's not like he can catch anything, he is pretty fast, but not that fast.
In the car he is good while driving on highways, but when at lights or if he sees people walking or riding bikes, he will bark the entire time. And is very rude at drive-throughs. But, I love him so much I wouldn't trade him for all the money in the world, he is my boy.
In most ways having a Basset is like having any loving dog, he is just a bit more stubborn, and um stubborn, and did I say stubborn. I am cuddling with him right now giving him kisses, oh enough ok, as he heads to the corner of the couch to sleep.
As I mentioned before my basset Barnaby was my joy, helper, and loving friend throughout my cancer. I felt so bad leaving him all day during my chemo treatments. He was so happy to see me when I got home.
Here's Barnaby laying on the floor next to me after a treatment.
He would cuddle with me when I cried, he laid on the floor beside my bed where I could reach him. Again he was always so happy to see me when I got home from treatment, wagging tail, spinning about like a pup, I've got a tear now as I think of his love.
OH yeah, check out my pumpkin, peanut butter treats recipe. Barnaby loves them and they are good for him.
Treat Recipe
HIS FAVORITE TOY
As his dinner cooks we play with his toy, both Barnaby and my husband love it. It is the robot bone in the video above. My husband runs it by remote with his phone, it rolls on the floor, spins fast, and teases going side to side and forward and back, and Barnaby plays with it for quite a while.
Robotic dog toy
