![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
He Ain't Nothin' But A Hound Dog
Dec. 30th, 2005 10:20 pmThe change from "extreemly spoiled cat" owner to "insanely mellow dog" owner is going well. And it is helped by the fact that I have managed to come into a Basset Hound, which is a breed that excels at mellowness 98% of the time -though he certainly demonstrates the 'quirks' of his breed in spades.
Sebastien (said Basset Hound) is one of the sweetest dogs you could want to meet. At four years, he is well into young adulthood, so we don't have puppy issues but we can see bursts of wiggles that suggest we were quite the pup. The Basset has a reputation for stuborness, but whoever had this chap did a good job with him, as I only see it rarely. Most of the time we are a cuddle bunny, who is happy to be a couch potato inside and yet enthusiastically goes for long walks & hikes when given the opportunity. His little tree-trunk legs are v. sturdy. So far the only observed stubborness is his majesty's exreem dislike of getting rained on. Wet isn't an issue - he took a bath without a blink. But when faced with a rainy yard, he will sit in the doorway and give you that patented Basset Hound LOOK. The books have all warned not to be fooled by the look - they look like they have long faces, but they are actually very happy and sweet. I can beat him, however - he gets so excited to go walking, I can get him on the lead and we go for a walk in the rain. So far, the love of walks has won out over "mais, c'est pleuret!"
The dog is very easy, but the family is proving to be less than helpful (although they all love the boy). My helpful father, upon learning that Bassets are of French origin, has taken to calling Sebastien "The Frog Dog". My mother thinks I should name it Belcher after the old Norman family name. I refuse to stand in the dog park and yell out "BELCHER! COME HERE!" My sister suggested naming it Remy, which she said was a good French name. To the HP people who read this LJ, you will know why I choked, and said "Over my dead, burned body" with no further explanations. Sophie, however, trumped them all by telling them off and declaring that the dog's name was Sebastien and that was a GOOD NAME. I love that girl, you know? And yes, Mr. Easy Going likes the kids, and is quite happy to have the two-year-old hug him while he coos "doggie!" over and over.
So we shall see how life with the Basset continues to evolve. I still miss Lucy terribly (which is why I didn't even consider another cat - that I couldn't face) but Sebastien is making the transition pretty easy for me. The volume of his delighted howls when he greets me home is taking some getting used to, as he is every inch the hound and yes, he does make THAT sound, but I'm getting used to it over the more familiar, and missed, meows. And how do you make a Basset Hound your best friend? Easy - let him on the couch!
So this isn't Sebastien himself, we haven't had a full photo op *just* yet, but this fellow is pretty much a strong double:
AaaarrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWOooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwoO
Sebastien (said Basset Hound) is one of the sweetest dogs you could want to meet. At four years, he is well into young adulthood, so we don't have puppy issues but we can see bursts of wiggles that suggest we were quite the pup. The Basset has a reputation for stuborness, but whoever had this chap did a good job with him, as I only see it rarely. Most of the time we are a cuddle bunny, who is happy to be a couch potato inside and yet enthusiastically goes for long walks & hikes when given the opportunity. His little tree-trunk legs are v. sturdy. So far the only observed stubborness is his majesty's exreem dislike of getting rained on. Wet isn't an issue - he took a bath without a blink. But when faced with a rainy yard, he will sit in the doorway and give you that patented Basset Hound LOOK. The books have all warned not to be fooled by the look - they look like they have long faces, but they are actually very happy and sweet. I can beat him, however - he gets so excited to go walking, I can get him on the lead and we go for a walk in the rain. So far, the love of walks has won out over "mais, c'est pleuret!"
The dog is very easy, but the family is proving to be less than helpful (although they all love the boy). My helpful father, upon learning that Bassets are of French origin, has taken to calling Sebastien "The Frog Dog". My mother thinks I should name it Belcher after the old Norman family name. I refuse to stand in the dog park and yell out "BELCHER! COME HERE!" My sister suggested naming it Remy, which she said was a good French name. To the HP people who read this LJ, you will know why I choked, and said "Over my dead, burned body" with no further explanations. Sophie, however, trumped them all by telling them off and declaring that the dog's name was Sebastien and that was a GOOD NAME. I love that girl, you know? And yes, Mr. Easy Going likes the kids, and is quite happy to have the two-year-old hug him while he coos "doggie!" over and over.
So we shall see how life with the Basset continues to evolve. I still miss Lucy terribly (which is why I didn't even consider another cat - that I couldn't face) but Sebastien is making the transition pretty easy for me. The volume of his delighted howls when he greets me home is taking some getting used to, as he is every inch the hound and yes, he does make THAT sound, but I'm getting used to it over the more familiar, and missed, meows. And how do you make a Basset Hound your best friend? Easy - let him on the couch!
So this isn't Sebastien himself, we haven't had a full photo op *just* yet, but this fellow is pretty much a strong double:
AaaarrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWOooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwoO
