The girl who started it all for me…Natalie!
Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and starting it all lovers. I start this post with a question, what started your love of basset hounds? I have a very simple answer to that! NATALIE!
This is the day I plucked her out of the pound. I had no clue as to what kind of dog I wanted. I did howl ever lean towards hounds. Natalie was the first dog in the first cage as I walked into the pound. It was love at first sight! Here she is that very day!
She is the gal that started my PASSION for basset hounds! It was about 20 years ago! This little slip of a hound jumped into my heart and I did into her herz! I remember telling her on the way home that I wanted our names to rhyme. So, I was Cat and she was Nat! NATALIE!
Natalie aka #68/Stitches (as it read on her tag). She was 1 day out from spay surgery.
Natalie. Howl can I ever thank you? Were you in that first kennel for a reason? I think so. She was the best girl ever. It was Nat and Cat for years. Never one without the other!
More thanking Natalie every day later…..Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma
P.S. don’t forget to tell me about howl your love of basset hounds started! OK?
Comments(41)
Let’s see … I was 9 years old. My sister was 20 and decided she wanted a dog and picked out a basset hound. A dark tri-colored boy who was the “runt” of his litter and was always pushed away from the food ball by his siblings. He was a very smart basset hound, because as soon as he got to our house he picked me as his person and never gave my sister a second look. He was my dog through my junior year in college when he had to go to the bridge. His name was Lovable Boliver Hushpuppy. If I was in bed or perhaps home from school not feeling well and lying on the couch, Lovable was right there with me. He was the best listener and the best friend a kid could have. (Cat I believe I sent you a picture of Lovable on the couch with me when I was just a kid). Basset hounds all the way for me (well, except for one collie and now a sussex spaniel who have wiled their way into my heart).
Hi OM! Yes you did send me a picture! It was so sweet. Here it is!
The first basset I ever fell in love with was Paddington AKA “A Peppermint Paddy” he was Brents dog. The first time I met him I was in love. So when Brent asked me to marry him I said I would because of his dog.lola:) That was 22 years ago in May. Since then we have adopted 6 hounds and he got me a pup one year, since I never had long ears and big paws running around. Nothing cuter:)
All things bright and beautiful
All creatures great and small
All things wise and wonderful
The Lord God made them all:)
mr cooper.
just getting started in an english setter rescue & found out they had a dog named “knox” who was english setter/basset hound mix in foster care…well i had to see what this mixture looked like..always was drawn to bassets..don’t know why..just liked them..never had one…never really met one…anyway bugged the president of the rescue about him & she told me i could foster to adopt knox if i wanted to…
so on july 9, 2005, i drove to allentown, pa & met knox..aka mr cooper & the rest as they say is history. from him i learned about the drool, waddles, basset of the week, oebe (yeah was a member), trout parades, and much other silliness. from him came buster brown, sally who & many great friendships.
english setter? hell no. bassset hound? no..a dog put together by dr seuss..with a heart of gold.
When I was a small child my father used to tell me stories at night about a faithful hound who walked the forest each day with his master. In my child’s mind’s eye that hound was a basset because my father’s good friend had three bassets.
From an early age dog = basset hound for me. And as you know, Cat, I currently have four and lots of puppies we’ve bred are out in the world bringing joy to their owners.
Thanks Cat for adding the picture. He was so loyal and protective of me. He had an incredible sense of smell, but we discovered that I was the only person he would track. We did a little experiment when I was in high school … I walked around our neighborhood (crossing streets, going around trees, etc) and then my brother put Lovable on his leash and told him to find me. That good dog tracked my every step and came right to where I was waiting. We tried it again about a week later with my brother, and Lovable wasn’t interested.
What a great post Cat! Thanks for stirring good memories.
My first basset was Bailey. I went to the pound to find another Sheltie for Ashley to play with. I knew nothing about hounds. They had at least 3 bassets that day, but all were young, except for Bailey. He had a gray muzzle and when I squatted down to talk to him, his lips quivered. He was real scared. I left to think about adopting him. I didn’t even go on the internet to research the breed. Very odd since I am usually so logical about things. I couldn’t get that image of him standing there with his lips quivering and his eyes fearful. Went back the next day to adopt him and I’ve loved bassets ever since.
Back before we were aware of the horrors of puppy mills and pet store chains, I was at a local mall. I had been thinking about getting a dog. I stepped into the pet store and saw him–my first dog of my own. Benjamin the basset hound. Like Marley in the book, Ben was also asked not to return to training class (HAHA). He was a great dog. After he went to the bridge, he was followed by Molly. After Molly, I now have Bailey. I love all dogs, but my heart belongs to bassets.
I was in high school and my dad brought home Hercules, a 6 year old tri-color basset. Someone at work was giving him away. He was very fearful of men for the longest time. A few years later my folks went to the pet store and bought a basset puppy and named her Cleo. After I moved out and got married we couldn’t have a dog in a apartment so I was houndless for 3 years. We bought a house on November 15th and on the 23rd bought 2 basset puppies (Duncan and Charlotte) from a local breeder. They have gone to the bridge. I now have Belle and Bailey two rescue girls. Puppies are cute, but I love all the affection my senior hounds give me.
We always had beagles when I was growing up. Unfortunately we were back yard breeders as we would let our beagle breed with the dog next door that was full blood too. We let them have one litter then would get them fixed. Fortunately we always found the puppies good homes. Our dogs usually didn’t live that long because back then there was no cure for heart worms and we had no fence so a lot of them got ran over or possibly killed by coyote’s since we lived in the country. So, I’ve always had a soft heart for hounds. I decided I wanted a basset because I always thought they were just so cute. Before we knew better my husband bought Jethro from a breeder and gave him to me for my birthday. I’ve been hooked ever since. Now we rescue bassets and I have 3 rescues and still have Jethro too.
Oh, Jon what a great story! I added a photo of one of your beauties. I just love your hounds!
Cat
Wanda – that is so funny about getting married to your hubby! LOL!
Lois, what a great story about the famous Mr. Cooper. Thanks for sharing it!
Mary, did you ever send me a picture of Bailey? I can’t seem to find any within the over 10 thousand pictures I have. Can you send us one so I can post it here? What a wonderful story about Bailey. He was one lucky hound he was!
Thanks Cat.
Candy – do you have any pictures of Ben? I totally hear what you are saying. My Chloe was a puppy mill hound from the pet store. Later I learned the horrors of puppy mills. It just breaks my heart now.
Cat
Debra! Pictures my dear! I love all of these stories!
Love the pictures! More, more!
Cat- I’m sure I have photos of Ben and Molly–I’ll check. I will also be sending you pictures of new new girl basset at doggie daycare, Abby. Sadly, Bailey is playing hard to get with her. He is only interested in her when she is playing with another boy. It is sooooo Bevery Hills 90210 🙂
Cindy! Wow, what a story. I am really enjoying this post over this very hot weekend. I am really learning a lot about the residents. What a birthday present Jethro was, INDEED!
That’s my baby boy! All ears and paws!
What a sweet baby picture of Jethro! I’m glad he grew into those ears and paws! Could he have looked any sadder? Poor Jethro – I can hear the whimper from here. Give him (and Ozzie, Harriet and Rugs) an extra hug from us, Cindy!
Cat this is a great post – so fun to hear how we all ended up lovers of hounds.
Here is a picture of Candy’s Bailey! Just take a look at that smart bump!
Here is another cute picture of Natalie. Grandma loved her spots and thought they looked like an artist painted them on. Gosh she was so sweet.
Her eyes just did me in…..
Cat
Gosh, this post really has me thinking about basset hounds and it brought up a great memory. When I was just a kid I remember my Dad always loving blood hounds. He thought they were so cool. He would point them out and show me pictures. For some reason, (grandma) we never got one. Looking back on it I bet she thought they were too messy. She was kind of a clean freak.
So, I was wondering if that was a hound dog seed that was planted in my sponge type brain. If so………
Thank you Grandpa!
Love, Cat
We were living in Kentucky at the time, and had always had cats. I always wanted a dog, so into our hearts came Miss Ellie May Low Rider, born in Springfield Tennessee, she was a great beauty, and people would gasp, “what a BEAUTIFUL basset hound!” I guess they had only seen homely ones up until then! LOL (not that there IS such a thing as a HOMELY basset hound!!!!!!! They are ALL show dogs to me!) I will send you a photo if I haven’t already, I have BOXES!
Debbie – send me one of Ellie May of KY! A gal after my own heart!
You may have but I did a search and it was not coming up. You are like me! Boxes and Boxes of pics!
Thanks Dear!
I think I was just born to love bassets, because I’ve been fascinated with them for as long as I can remember; even before I had ever met a real live one. If anything started it, it was a stuffed basset toy named Baxter that I begged for as a Christmas present, and did end up receiving. I couldn’t have been more than 5 or so, and 30 years later I still have the thing.
Never was allowed to have a dog growing up, so I made sure I got a good share of basset books and “basset crap” to feed my addiction until I could love a hound of my own. I dragged my family and friends to pet expos, just in case I could get a basset fix. Even trained Martin to love bassets right from the get-go, which wasn’t hard to do. When we were in high school, the two of us would often walk up the street from our school to visit a basset that lived in the neighborhood. He was frequently out in the yard, so we would just play with him through the fence.
I had to wait a very long time for the hound of my dreams, and at the age of 23, Scully waddled into our lives and completely took over my heart. Need I say more?? I couldn’t have imagined a more amazing introduction to real live bassetness…and now I have to shut up ’cause it still makes me cry. lol
P.S. Natalie was a beauty!
Mary! What a wonderful story. I had no idea that you and Martin were Highschool sweethearts! What wonderful memories! Scully was certainly a beauty!
My heart is breaking, but in a good way. I think this is the best post I’ve seen since I’ve been coming to basset hound town. That would be since 2007. This post has such a personal touch about it and what fun did we have seeing the photos!
yup. gotta agree…even if seeing da coopster with his statue on dog mountain did make me all teary too..i know he & stephen huneck are enjoying a grand old time up at the buffet…stephen is showing new arrival coop around to all the best feeding spots.
ya done good..even if its still a little raw..you have have 3 yrs..i have 3 weeks
Years ago, I was watching Columbo and he had a Basset Hound that he rescued from a pound. I said, if I ever get a dog, it is going to be a basset hound. then came Gus and the love affair began.
I just love this post. The stories and photos. What beautiful hounds they all are. I remember when I was preg. with my son Gus the family went to have Christmas with my husbands family. We had three hounds Paddy, Annie and Vanna( White), when we got home I just cried my eyes out wanting the kids from the vet kennel. Poor Brent that was a long weekend. Our Vet told Brent you should have called, it would have made his holiday weekend easier. Haven’t spent a holiday with out my hounds since:) lola
What wonderful stories about hounds that have touched your life.
My mother would never let us have a dog, my sisters and I all had allergies, and my mother thought if you wanted a dog you should live on a farm.
When I was a little girl I read a book (it was some kind of Dick and Jane book but they had a Basset Hound). It was all about how Dick, Jane and the dog played and enjoyed each other. One day Dick and Jane got new bikes and in enjoying their bikes they forgot about the dog. The illustrator made the Basset look so lonely and sad. I thought one day I will have a dog like that it will be smiling all the time.
My love for Basset Hounds came when my wife got us a Basset Hound which she named Dixie Bella. Dixie and I were unseperable. Just like me and Beau are now. I gave her hugs everyday because she made me so happy. I had to laugh at her because late a night she thought she was a lap dog and had to lay on her Daddy. She never wanted to other dogs around me because she wanted me to herself hehehe. My poor Dixie died about a year and a half ago and she was only 3 and it Broke my heart. Shortly after that Beau came into my life. Here is a picture of Dixie, I could add a 100 pictures of her 🙂
I hope I posted it right 🙂
http://www.flickr.com/photos/parariggerman/4743668180/
Or do I do it like this?
Boyd, that link works for me. WOW! She was and is an angel! Precious!
Thanks for posting that link.
Cat
Love the story Maureen, howl very touching!
Kip, I would love to see that episode of Columbo. I must look for it.
Wanda – Do you have any pictures for us? I will post them!
Cat
Yeah Cat I found a special soap that it would help keep her white fur very white. I use the stuff on Beau now 🙂
Cindy! That was so sweet of you! I am so glad you loved this post. I do to!
Cat