New Puppy adopted-Happy Home-Long

mtandg · 06-13-2007, 09:51 AM

Hi I am new to this bassett ownership and just wondering where to start? Our puppy 'Dobby the House Hound' (my kids love Harry Potter)

Background is when my daughter was a baby she was allergic to our dog or so we thought, her asthma would only act up around him and it got better when we adopted him out to another family after trying everything else for a year (he was a NewFoundland) she would also get a huge rash on her face when he licked her. We have been very careful over the past few years (about 5) and have not exposed her to any dogs licking her face or any dogs that have a thick undercoat (those seem to be the ones that set her off) or anyone's house that is a true dog house where the dog is allowed to go everywhere thus not giving my daughter a safe clean space if she needs it. Her asthma is under control and when we had her allergy tested (when she was old enough) the test was negative to dog, but I still have my suspicions that certain types of dogs will set her off in certain situations.

Fast foward to a month ago, the college kid neighbors next door buy a bassett hound pup 8 wks old don't have the time to take care of it, leave it out in the hot backyard (we live in a desert) no shelter barely leave it water which evaporates by mid morning, barely leave it food...it howls all day all night and only stops the few times they let it in the house. We talk to them early on and they say 'oh you can come into the yard to visit if you want when we are not here' so we start going in to give it water and then they let us start taking him in our yard to dogsit during the day. Then we discover the pup out without it's collar on one day wandering around we end up babysitting him all day until they got home, they take him and 'have no idea where his collar is' next day same thing happens and then the girl confesses that they can not keep the dog they are skipping out on their lease and have no where to take him and have no arrangements made. We convince them to give him to us at least we could find him a good home and get him some medical care because at this point his ribs are sticking out. So we get him -they actually mail us his AKC papers which I did not believe they were going to do and we take him to the vet to get a check-up-thankfully nothing a little food and TLC doesn't cure.

He was 12 wks old yesterday! And in the two weeks we have had him we have managed to get him to a ripe puppy plump size and he is growing quick. My daughter has not had issues so far but we have a family that is willing to take him and love him should problems arise. The first day we had him we started to get him on a schedule of sorts and potty training and so far he for the most part goes potty in his section of the yard, sits, comes and speaks on command (small bits of beggin strips work wonders), goes to bed at night, sleeps all day because the two hours he is actually awake my girls play with him till he does the four paw out splay flat on the ground or nosedives into the dirt and stays there. Unfortunately for him we don't let him on the couch (he has a huge dog pillow to grow into, we don't let him upstairs where the bedrooms are (he has his bed that we put in the kitchen during the day and stays in the laundry room at night)

He did get into my plants so we built a fence around the garden. He does snap when he is backtalking but ONLY when he is past his bedtime-we are working on this because this behavior is not appropriate even if you are tired. He does nibble my oldest daughters knees and grab her clothes because she is a little cautious of him and he knows it so we are working on that with both of them. He has had accidents but they are getting less every day and yesterday he sat at the back door and barked and whined to go out! All in all we are having good success and having worked with dogs for most of my life training him has been a daily exercise-exhausting to be sure can't remember a time when I wanted to go bed by 10PM-except when my kids were young.

He is starting to make strange vocalizations-what I call mooing is the most interesting but all in all he is a happy dog and we are learning the ins and outs of bassett hound living. I am sure I will be asking questions on here every time something happens! One thing that does concern me is all this talk about rock eating, he seems to be eating mulch now and loves sticks and I have seen him sniffing and licking rocks... how do you work on stopping that?

I am trying to figure out how to make my images smaller so I can post them he is a tricolor with black leg freckles that go to brown at the knee....

Elvismom · 06-13-2007, 10:29 AM

Wow!! What could've been a tragedy turns out to have a very happy ending! Bless you for rescuing that poor guy from people who weren't equipped to take care of him.

Sounds like you are doing all the right things and that he will have a wonderful life.

None of mine eat rocks (knock on wood), but if he has a tendency to eat anything and everything you might do a rock patrol in his area so he won't be tempted. Some mulch can be deadly to dogs - the mulch that has cocao in it. Why do these houndies think the whole world is edible!!

Look forward to seeing pics of him. Enjoy every moment with him.

Rubydoo · 06-13-2007, 10:35 AM

Congratulations and welcome to basset ownership (or should I say, your basset will own you)! Ruby moo's too and we have full on conversations with her.

As for your daughters asthma, I too have it. I suggest, if you haven't already done so, get a Swiffer thing (dry cloths) and use them daily on the flooring. If you have carpet, I have to vaccuum daily during shedding season. Wash the dog's bedding covers a couple of times a week.

Have you thought of taking your baby to puppy kindergarten type classes? Ruby did at a young age. She's not a therapy dog or anything like that, but she learned to sit and stay, no jumping, no biting etc.

Hope you enjoy your basset hound!

Janice and little Ruby

clarejon · 06-13-2007, 10:43 AM

wow what a lovely story. Im so glad you took him in. imagin if you hadnt spotted him when he got out he'd might of been all alone now with no food for days/weeks on end. poor guy. he's going to have a great life with you now im sure of it!

what his name? look forward to seeing some pictures soon.

as for rocks my basset hasnt done that but she's not a big eater and she often refuses cookies etc - she's a strange dog!!!

oh, and if he's really vocal already good luck for when he gets older - aroooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

mtandg · 06-13-2007, 12:12 PM

His name is Dobby the House Hound after Dobby in Harry Potter.

We have been patrolling for rocks but we live in a desert and while we are getting our yard slowly landscaped sand and rocks are the norm here and he seems to be able to dig up rocks buried in the ground, he has been slowly trying to get to the lava rocks in the landscaping too, not the ones that are bagged for landscaping but real ones from the extinct volcanoes near our neighborhood.

I am going to have to look for puppy kindergarten classes in our area I am sure they are here. I know some of his issues are that he thinks my girls are below him in the pack and thus the nibbling and jumping but we are working it out it is as much an education for him as for all of us and my girls have never been around a dog that they remember so we are working as a family.

I did work with him this AM when he was in his best form, not tired, and he managed to stay twice while I walked away but then he got mad and nippy. We are going out to get some squirt guns this afternoon and I think those will work for a while at least till he manages to find them and destroy them, he is like those dinos in the movie Jurassic park when he is watching you you know he is thinking something.

We also have a 19yr old cat who has decided that she will tolerate him, he does not get to come into her space upstairs so she is ok with that but in the AM's now I put them out back together while getting my girls breakfast and they walk around the yard exploring together and it is quite amusing. He also has allowed her to eat and drink from his bowls mostly because we explained to him the first day that this was her house and she was the boss and she had to approve him...she is part Siamese so she is going to be the Alpha no matter what...snippy little thing that she is.

I will get some pictures up tonight when my hubby gets home and can show me again how to make the jpg smaller.

José · 06-13-2007, 02:40 PM

Bless you for taking him and not just thinking someone else will step in!

A 12 week old basset.... wow.... I remember like it was yesterday. José was teething so he was biting everything and everyone. He had a crabby disposition if awakened at night to go out, which he had until the end. He was the most gentle dog but if you saw me trying to get him off the couch at 11 pm to go take one last pee... you would think the dog had hopeless aggression issues. Just one of those quirks we got used to.

At that age, my José would also throw "fits" of barking and would squirm like a little piglet if you tried to hold him or calm him, he would bite at me too, like he was possessed by the devil. That later evolved into the Basset 500, just a way of running and acting the fool for about 2 minutes that it seems all bassets do. Then they lay down as if nothing happened. So many quirks and funny things about these dogs. Enjoy!
Edited to add one more thing about pictures. If you put your pictures on photobucket and just copy and paste the address into your post, you dont need to resize anything, it is done automatically.

BubbaLeroy · 06-13-2007, 03:00 PM

Welcome to the forum!! Dobby sonds like a precious and normal Basset puppy, who has found a wonderful family to live with. You are in for wonderful and "interesting" days ahead with your new guy. Puppy classes would really help, I'm sure. When ever he nibbles, bites, jumps on you, etc. immediately turn your back on him, and ignore him. He'll soon learn those behaviors do not get him the attention he is seeking. Be sure to give him plenty of safe puppy toys and items to chew on.
Enjoy your puppy and we can't wait to see pictures.

jallen9696 · 06-13-2007, 03:47 PM

What a great story....you folks are wonderful and I am so happy he is safe and in a good home. I have to agree with the puppy Kindergarten...although we did not elect to join one, because I was recovering from surgery right after he arrived...and then another procedure...we could not...but we have done well without it...but my Moo or Moo Moo (Moosie) has a good big sister to show him the way! I am always amazed at these wonderful dogs...there is something new everyday and their temperament is just wonderful. I have to agree with everyone...they are hysterical...one moment total theatrics and the next total calm serenity and they look at you as though you should have had a V-8! Moo talks to me all the time and when he really wants a belly rub or something else, begs politely for it...I would love to have one more, maybe someday. Moo Moo sends lots to drool and welcome kisses your way.

2hounds · 06-13-2007, 04:55 PM

What a wonderful story. Thank you so much for giving him a good home. Both of mine were rescues so I didn't have to go through much of that puppy stuff...no adivce from me today...just a warm welcome...can't wait to see pics.

~Heather

copsmom · 06-13-2007, 06:11 PM

What a wonderful story. Please enjoy your baby now they grow so fast.

P.S. I am a huge Harry Potter fan also!!!! Love the name

06-13-2007, 09:51 AM	#1 (permalink)
mtandg Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: New Mexico, USA Posts: 18	Hi I am new to this bassett ownership and just wondering where to start? Our puppy 'Dobby the House Hound' (my kids love Harry Potter) Background is when my daughter was a baby she was allergic to our dog or so we thought, her asthma would only act up around him and it got better when we adopted him out to another family after trying everything else for a year (he was a NewFoundland) she would also get a huge rash on her face when he licked her. We have been very careful over the past few years (about 5) and have not exposed her to any dogs licking her face or any dogs that have a thick undercoat (those seem to be the ones that set her off) or anyone's house that is a true dog house where the dog is allowed to go everywhere thus not giving my daughter a safe clean space if she needs it. Her asthma is under control and when we had her allergy tested (when she was old enough) the test was negative to dog, but I still have my suspicions that certain types of dogs will set her off in certain situations. Fast foward to a month ago, the college kid neighbors next door buy a bassett hound pup 8 wks old don't have the time to take care of it, leave it out in the hot backyard (we live in a desert) no shelter barely leave it water which evaporates by mid morning, barely leave it food...it howls all day all night and only stops the few times they let it in the house. We talk to them early on and they say 'oh you can come into the yard to visit if you want when we are not here' so we start going in to give it water and then they let us start taking him in our yard to dogsit during the day. Then we discover the pup out without it's collar on one day wandering around we end up babysitting him all day until they got home, they take him and 'have no idea where his collar is' next day same thing happens and then the girl confesses that they can not keep the dog they are skipping out on their lease and have no where to take him and have no arrangements made. We convince them to give him to us at least we could find him a good home and get him some medical care because at this point his ribs are sticking out. So we get him -they actually mail us his AKC papers which I did not believe they were going to do and we take him to the vet to get a check-up-thankfully nothing a little food and TLC doesn't cure. He was 12 wks old yesterday! And in the two weeks we have had him we have managed to get him to a ripe puppy plump size and he is growing quick. My daughter has not had issues so far but we have a family that is willing to take him and love him should problems arise. The first day we had him we started to get him on a schedule of sorts and potty training and so far he for the most part goes potty in his section of the yard, sits, comes and speaks on command (small bits of beggin strips work wonders), goes to bed at night, sleeps all day because the two hours he is actually awake my girls play with him till he does the four paw out splay flat on the ground or nosedives into the dirt and stays there. Unfortunately for him we don't let him on the couch (he has a huge dog pillow to grow into, we don't let him upstairs where the bedrooms are (he has his bed that we put in the kitchen during the day and stays in the laundry room at night) He did get into my plants so we built a fence around the garden. He does snap when he is backtalking but ONLY when he is past his bedtime-we are working on this because this behavior is not appropriate even if you are tired. He does nibble my oldest daughters knees and grab her clothes because she is a little cautious of him and he knows it so we are working on that with both of them. He has had accidents but they are getting less every day and yesterday he sat at the back door and barked and whined to go out! All in all we are having good success and having worked with dogs for most of my life training him has been a daily exercise-exhausting to be sure can't remember a time when I wanted to go bed by 10PM-except when my kids were young. He is starting to make strange vocalizations-what I call mooing is the most interesting but all in all he is a happy dog and we are learning the ins and outs of bassett hound living. I am sure I will be asking questions on here every time something happens! One thing that does concern me is all this talk about rock eating, he seems to be eating mulch now and loves sticks and I have seen him sniffing and licking rocks... how do you work on stopping that? I am trying to figure out how to make my images smaller so I can post them he is a tricolor with black leg freckles that go to brown at the knee.... __________________ Mom to some two-leggers and one Dobby the House Hound! No that is not a desert lizard in that photo that is a Bassett Hound!

06-13-2007, 10:29 AM	#2 (permalink)
Elvismom Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: new mexico Posts: 1,196	Wow!! What could've been a tragedy turns out to have a very happy ending! Bless you for rescuing that poor guy from people who weren't equipped to take care of him. Sounds like you are doing all the right things and that he will have a wonderful life. None of mine eat rocks (knock on wood), but if he has a tendency to eat anything and everything you might do a rock patrol in his area so he won't be tempted. Some mulch can be deadly to dogs - the mulch that has cocao in it. Why do these houndies think the whole world is edible!! Look forward to seeing pics of him. Enjoy every moment with him. __________________ Chris Foodslave, chauffer & doorperson to Elvis, Georgia, Ginger & Maggie, Crissy & Dart

06-13-2007, 10:35 AM	#3 (permalink)
Rubydoo Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Southern California Posts: 1,681	Congratulations and welcome to basset ownership (or should I say, your basset will own you)! Ruby moo's too and we have full on conversations with her. As for your daughters asthma, I too have it. I suggest, if you haven't already done so, get a Swiffer thing (dry cloths) and use them daily on the flooring. If you have carpet, I have to vaccuum daily during shedding season. Wash the dog's bedding covers a couple of times a week. Have you thought of taking your baby to puppy kindergarten type classes? Ruby did at a young age. She's not a therapy dog or anything like that, but she learned to sit and stay, no jumping, no biting etc. Hope you enjoy your basset hound! Janice and little Ruby __________________ http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...w/IMG_1340.jpg Take a basset hound to lunch today! --Bassets rule....and drool!

06-13-2007, 12:12 PM	#5 (permalink)
mtandg Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: New Mexico, USA Posts: 18	His name is Dobby the House Hound after Dobby in Harry Potter. We have been patrolling for rocks but we live in a desert and while we are getting our yard slowly landscaped sand and rocks are the norm here and he seems to be able to dig up rocks buried in the ground, he has been slowly trying to get to the lava rocks in the landscaping too, not the ones that are bagged for landscaping but real ones from the extinct volcanoes near our neighborhood. I am going to have to look for puppy kindergarten classes in our area I am sure they are here. I know some of his issues are that he thinks my girls are below him in the pack and thus the nibbling and jumping but we are working it out it is as much an education for him as for all of us and my girls have never been around a dog that they remember so we are working as a family. I did work with him this AM when he was in his best form, not tired, and he managed to stay twice while I walked away but then he got mad and nippy. We are going out to get some squirt guns this afternoon and I think those will work for a while at least till he manages to find them and destroy them, he is like those dinos in the movie Jurassic park when he is watching you you know he is thinking something. We also have a 19yr old cat who has decided that she will tolerate him, he does not get to come into her space upstairs so she is ok with that but in the AM's now I put them out back together while getting my girls breakfast and they walk around the yard exploring together and it is quite amusing. He also has allowed her to eat and drink from his bowls mostly because we explained to him the first day that this was her house and she was the boss and she had to approve him...she is part Siamese so she is going to be the Alpha no matter what...snippy little thing that she is. I will get some pictures up tonight when my hubby gets home and can show me again how to make the jpg smaller. __________________ Mom to some two-leggers and one Dobby the House Hound! No that is not a desert lizard in that photo that is a Bassett Hound!

06-13-2007, 02:40 PM	#6 (permalink)
José Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 118	Bless you for taking him and not just thinking someone else will step in! A 12 week old basset.... wow.... I remember like it was yesterday. José was teething so he was biting everything and everyone. He had a crabby disposition if awakened at night to go out, which he had until the end. He was the most gentle dog but if you saw me trying to get him off the couch at 11 pm to go take one last pee... you would think the dog had hopeless aggression issues. Just one of those quirks we got used to. At that age, my José would also throw "fits" of barking and would squirm like a little piglet if you tried to hold him or calm him, he would bite at me too, like he was possessed by the devil. That later evolved into the Basset 500, just a way of running and acting the fool for about 2 minutes that it seems all bassets do. Then they lay down as if nothing happened. So many quirks and funny things about these dogs. Enjoy! Edited to add one more thing about pictures. If you put your pictures on photobucket and just copy and paste the address into your post, you dont need to resize anything, it is done automatically. __________________ Lisa Remembering José 2001-2007

06-13-2007, 10:43 AM	#4 (permalink)
clarejon Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gloucestershire, UK Posts: 284	wow what a lovely story. Im so glad you took him in. imagin if you hadnt spotted him when he got out he'd might of been all alone now with no food for days/weeks on end. poor guy. he's going to have a great life with you now im sure of it! what his name? look forward to seeing some pictures soon. as for rocks my basset hasnt done that but she's not a big eater and she often refuses cookies etc - she's a strange dog!!! oh, and if he's really vocal already good luck for when he gets older - aroooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

06-13-2007, 03:00 PM	#7 (permalink)
BubbaLeroy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 1,288	Welcome to the forum!! Dobby sonds like a precious and normal Basset puppy, who has found a wonderful family to live with. You are in for wonderful and "interesting" days ahead with your new guy. Puppy classes would really help, I'm sure. When ever he nibbles, bites, jumps on you, etc. immediately turn your back on him, and ignore him. He'll soon learn those behaviors do not get him the attention he is seeking. Be sure to give him plenty of safe puppy toys and items to chew on. Enjoy your puppy and we can't wait to see pictures. __________________ You don't own a Basset, a Basset owns you!! Aroooooos from Bogie !! - Trumbull's Who's Teasin Bogart CGC- Born April 21, 2005 ATB: Bubba - (Trumbull's Surley It's Stormin Norman) Sept. 8, 1998 - Dec. 20, 2005

06-13-2007, 03:47 PM	#8 (permalink)
jallen9696 Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Kingsville, Maryland Posts: 59	What a great story....you folks are wonderful and I am so happy he is safe and in a good home. I have to agree with the puppy Kindergarten...although we did not elect to join one, because I was recovering from surgery right after he arrived...and then another procedure...we could not...but we have done well without it...but my Moo or Moo Moo (Moosie) has a good big sister to show him the way! I am always amazed at these wonderful dogs...there is something new everyday and their temperament is just wonderful. I have to agree with everyone...they are hysterical...one moment total theatrics and the next total calm serenity and they look at you as though you should have had a V-8! Moo talks to me all the time and when he really wants a belly rub or something else, begs politely for it...I would love to have one more, maybe someday. Moo Moo sends lots to drool and welcome kisses your way. __________________ Katie and Moosie's Mom

06-13-2007, 04:55 PM	#9 (permalink)
2hounds Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Norfolk, VA Posts: 1,152	What a wonderful story. Thank you so much for giving him a good home. Both of mine were rescues so I didn't have to go through much of that puppy stuff...no adivce from me today...just a warm welcome...can't wait to see pics. ~Heather __________________ Mommy to Gibbs and kitty kitty Eva Dear sweet *Lily (ATB )* you will never be forgotten.

06-13-2007, 06:11 PM	#10 (permalink)
copsmom Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: georgia Posts: 775	What a wonderful story. Please enjoy your baby now they grow so fast. P.S. I am a huge Harry Potter fan also!!!! Love the name __________________ Copper,Dolly,Patty,Nellie,Bunny and their mom Karen http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j1...m/scan0001.jpg

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