A Bone for the Basset

As I mentioned in my last post, basset hound dogs (well, most dogs) really like to have something to chew. Although it seems to be more fun for them if the chew toy is illegal, Something Made for Dogs usually works fine. If your dog seems slightly disinterested, however, in the $5 bone you just purchased and then proudly presented to him, there's always another option. Here's what I like to do (my husband is better at it) when I'm either feeling silly or really pissed off that Monty won't chew the bone: I keep it for awhile, and I make him think I really like it. I'll pretend to chew it myself, in fact, making the same kinds of noises that I would make if I were eating the best meal of my entire life. That's where I really get him, of course, since he goes insane when I'm eating anything at all, even a vitamin. This goes on for a minute or two or just until Monty is driven over the edge, sitting and begging and drooling and whimpering and even scooting backwards a little, he's so ready for that bone. And since you can always count on Basset Hounds to be extremely greedy and into your business, it'll work every time.

Antics

Ok. Let's see if I stick with it this time.

Monty likes to disobey, especially when I'm around. See, it all goes back to his puppyhood, when he was such a terror (I actually once Googled "retarded basset hounds") that he had me up on a couch, crying because he'd been biting my feet. I know that he remembers that image every time he takes something and runs with it (he just now dragged my bra out of the bathroom), kind of leaping away from me in pure joy.

In this picture, he is guarding the pieces of wood he was - just minutes earlier - told he could not have. By "Daddy". So he thought he'd better listen. He has come to understand that he is not supposed to take the firewood and start gnawing at it, but every once in awhile he'll do it anyway. Every once in awhile, he will try to get one of these big pieces of wood into the house. Truly, it's hilarious to witness, and no wonder he still disobeys..... Nearly every time he does something "bad" now, I'm laughing at him because he's so goofy. So anyway, I'll start to head in, and he'll come trotting to the door behind me - with a child-sized TREE in his mouth. He'll be running really fast and trying to dodge me, too, because of course he knows he shouldn't bring a tree into the house. So I'll say noooo, and he'll put it down, and then I'll open the door wider to invite him in, but then ---- he'll grab the giant branch again, really fast and with a little growl, and try to sneak it in. He has - until last night - been unsuccessful in his endeavors. Until last night, when he somehow got a big log inside, went sprinting through the kitchen and, without even pausing, sailed up to the couch to enjoy his treat, all sappy and bark falling all over the place.

I love this dog.

Greetings. This is Day One of a documented journey through life with a Basset Hound - the trials, the joys, and the lessons learned. With help from the charming and insane one of my own, Montgomery, today I begin.