We have a basset hound, lucy, who turned seven years old on June 7. She's been an outdoors dog her whole life, but we had learned early on when she was just a puppy that she can't stand being away from others for more than like two seconds... So we ended up getting her a little mini-dachshund, not knowing how rowdy our girl would be when she played with the little guy. Well, he died years ago from a degenerative back disease, when he was only four years old (they were very close in age; and both were "fixed").
So, I've been trying to keep as close company with Lucy all this time, but I really don't spend anymore than forty five minutes a day with her, walking, grooming, playing, petting... it never seems to be enough for her. She is a very jealous dog (we have an indoor english bulldog, who is also a jealous little girl when I'm spending time with Lucy), and almost every time I take Matilda, our bulldog for a walk, Lucy will howl and bark and cut up the way they do the whole time so I usually just end up walking the bulldog in the front where Lucy can't see! Which is, of course, unfair...
Lucy is a really healthy dog, with a good-sized fenced-in backyard; I also take her on frequent walks in our fields, or sometimes down the road. She doesn't eat at all if I feed her manually from a bowl - I don't know why, but she does much better feeding herself! She has never been a fat dog, she loves to act crazy, and I've never known her to overeat. ANYWAY, it's about time I've made my point!! I want to make her an indoor dog. The only reason she's been an outdoor dog her whole life is because, quite frankly, she reeks! I give her a good bath about every month as an outdoor dog, but I would be willing to bath her as much as I had to to get her inside. My parents are a minor factor, but I'm sure she could prove herdelf. When she is allowed inside (only immediately after a bath, if not two days) all she ever does is lay on Matilda's doggie bed all day, or chew up some toilet paper... . For some reason she is very well potty-trained; she doesn't even ask to go outside, she just waits until it's convenient for me to let her out! So I'm not too worried about housebreaking as I am about three main things:
1. Guinea pigs. While my bulldog does quite well with my guinea pigs, as she grew up with them (she's only a year old, by the way) Lucy takes joy in watching them intently, and then lunging when they get close enough. They live in a 15 sq. ft. open pen, but I could just raise it or make it a *Closed* pen. OR.... just wouldn't let her in my bedroom if it came to it!
2. Matilda. All Matilda ever wants to do is be a typical puppy and play, play, play. Matilda would drive Lucy crazy! Any suggestions?
3.ODOR. This is the main and only reason Lucy was put outside by the time she was a year old. What do you guys do about your basset hounds' smell?! Would weekly baths be too frequent? I know she would SO prefer being inside. She likes to be in human presence, whether she's crawling onto your lap as if she were a shih-tzu, or laying across the room staring into space. Whether she's getting attention or not, she just hates being alone! There must be some sort of way to tone down her.... scent. I'm quite willing to do what I have to; convincing my parents that it could work is another story.
Input?
~K~<3
So, I've been trying to keep as close company with Lucy all this time, but I really don't spend anymore than forty five minutes a day with her, walking, grooming, playing, petting... it never seems to be enough for her. She is a very jealous dog (we have an indoor english bulldog, who is also a jealous little girl when I'm spending time with Lucy), and almost every time I take Matilda, our bulldog for a walk, Lucy will howl and bark and cut up the way they do the whole time so I usually just end up walking the bulldog in the front where Lucy can't see! Which is, of course, unfair...
Lucy is a really healthy dog, with a good-sized fenced-in backyard; I also take her on frequent walks in our fields, or sometimes down the road. She doesn't eat at all if I feed her manually from a bowl - I don't know why, but she does much better feeding herself! She has never been a fat dog, she loves to act crazy, and I've never known her to overeat. ANYWAY, it's about time I've made my point!! I want to make her an indoor dog. The only reason she's been an outdoor dog her whole life is because, quite frankly, she reeks! I give her a good bath about every month as an outdoor dog, but I would be willing to bath her as much as I had to to get her inside. My parents are a minor factor, but I'm sure she could prove herdelf. When she is allowed inside (only immediately after a bath, if not two days) all she ever does is lay on Matilda's doggie bed all day, or chew up some toilet paper... . For some reason she is very well potty-trained; she doesn't even ask to go outside, she just waits until it's convenient for me to let her out! So I'm not too worried about housebreaking as I am about three main things:
1. Guinea pigs. While my bulldog does quite well with my guinea pigs, as she grew up with them (she's only a year old, by the way) Lucy takes joy in watching them intently, and then lunging when they get close enough. They live in a 15 sq. ft. open pen, but I could just raise it or make it a *Closed* pen. OR.... just wouldn't let her in my bedroom if it came to it!
2. Matilda. All Matilda ever wants to do is be a typical puppy and play, play, play. Matilda would drive Lucy crazy! Any suggestions?
3.ODOR. This is the main and only reason Lucy was put outside by the time she was a year old. What do you guys do about your basset hounds' smell?! Would weekly baths be too frequent? I know she would SO prefer being inside. She likes to be in human presence, whether she's crawling onto your lap as if she were a shih-tzu, or laying across the room staring into space. Whether she's getting attention or not, she just hates being alone! There must be some sort of way to tone down her.... scent. I'm quite willing to do what I have to; convincing my parents that it could work is another story.
Input?
~K~<3