I knew I wanted my own dog as soon as I was on my own.
I always thought I wanted a Corgi
They were small, had short little legs, fluffy butts, adorable personalities and they wiggled when they walked
Those feelings changed when two lost Basset Hounds wandered into my parent’s yard a few years ago. I spent the day with them until their owner came and picked them up. All my thoughts about dogs were shifted.
I needed a Basset Hound
I researched them and only looked at Basset accounts for months, I was completely obsessed.
They were still small, still had short little legs but they also had long floppy ears, less fur and even MORE personality. I couldn’t handle them at all and knew I had to have one.
When J and I moved into our apartment, we made sure to get a place that allowed dogs because this was going to happen. I was on rescue sites all day long scouring for the right pup.
I never found a connection to any of the dogs I saw. It got pretty discouraging at some points but I knew the right one would present itself when it was time.
Then J went and did the most incredible thing he’s ever done for me to this day. He surprised me with my dream puppy.
He had also been searching day and night and managed to find an older couple on Craigslist whose dog had puppies and they needed to find good homes for the babies. He picked out the most precious little boy and a day later we were a family of three.
Boone came into our lives like a tiny little adorable tornado. He was feisty from the get-go and I loved it. He had so much to say and he had to investigate everything and everyone. His teeth were razor sharp but his cuteness blinded us to that.
Everything I read about Bassets were true…they were hard headed, they loved to relax, they would trip over their ears and always
have ear infections. They will need baths all the time and they will cuddle. A lot
Here’s the reality of Bassets though…according to Boone:
- They are beyond stubborn. He must get his way. He will argue, bark incessantly and bite (not super super hard…only kinda hard) if he does not get his way. Training has been either incredible and he understands a command right away, or it’s impossible and he refuses to listen at all. He is now a year and a half and we are still struggling with 100% accuracy with potty training. We took him to one puppy class when he was about 6 months old and it was a disaster. He only cared about playing and since he wasn’t allowed to freely run around, he let the whole class know how upset that made him. Boone has fairly frequent temper tantrums. Just like a child would have. These have been the (almost) breaking point for me in raising a puppy. From 10 weeks old until now, if Boone is upset or just feeling it, he throws a shockingly intense tantrum. They can include anything from barking for up to 45 minutes straight (we’ve timed it), jumping and biting anywhere he can reach, or sprinting around our apartment while barking AND biting when he passes us. We have several scars on our hands, arms, legs…all over really from dealing with these. The worst part about these fits is that he wags his tails during them. Sometimes it even looks as though he’s smiling. So we never totally know if he’s truly angry or this is all a game to him. I think he knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s not dumb. I have faith that one day those tantrums will fade and we will get a handle on well, how to handle them.
- They are beyond smart. Watching Boone grow up and teaching him all that we have, it’s clear that he has completely outsmarted us in so many ways. He knows loopholes to the rules we’ve implemented, he knows when he’s doing something wrong (but does it anyway). Bassets have to be smart since they are hunting dogs. Hounds use their noses and brains to figure everything out and Boone does this every day. One of the best things we’ve found to entertain such an active mind is buying toys that double as puzzles. You can fill them with treats and then the dog has to solve the puzzle or move the toy in a certain way to get the reward. We use these daily and they have saved us.
- They love hard. Boone loves us. I have zero doubt about how much this little boy loves his family. Every day he will jump up and run to the window when he hears J’s car lock. They have to have their moment every single time he walks in the door and it’s the cutest. Mornings and bedtime are mom & Booney time. We get up early to go to the bathroom, then he has breakfast and then we nap on the couch. He loves to curl up in my lap and fall asleep before we have to start the day. It’s so nice having that time with him all to myself. Boone sleeps in our bed. I know that’s frowned upon but it was my decision. I’ve had a dog sleep in my bed almost every day for close to 15 years. Crate training was a disaster (see previous points about him not doing things he doesn’t want to do). I love being able to cuddle and spoon my dog at night and knowing he’s completely safe right next to me. Even if most nights I get kicked in the face.
- They have a lot of energy (more than I was anticipating anyway). I thought Bassets were lazy and fat, and some are, but not this Basset. Boone is long, lean and active. He loves to run. He sprints with all the other dogs when we go to the beach, he plays all day long at daycare and everyone there always tell us how much fun and running he did when we go to pick him up. He has got me to become a fan of long, long walks. We walk a minimum of 3 miles at least 3-4 times a week. Sometimes more miles and sometimes more days. As exhausted as it makes me, I’m extremely grateful we have an active dog that forces us to be more active as well. I’m sure one day he will fatten up and become lazy and want to sleep all day but those days can wait. I’m enjoying this fun and wild stage we’re in currently.
Having a Basset has changed my life completely. Having Boone has changed it even more.
I can’t wait to dive deeper into this little guy’s life and show you guys all the ins and outs of raising him. Keep an eye out for more info on what it takes to be Boone’s mom!
