[Guest]

Jake has a funny habit. When he's under bushes or in long grass and can feel branches / grasses brushing along his back, he moves really slowly, making little sound, delicately placing one paw in front of the next. He looks for 'tunnels' in the bushes and heads for them, abruptly slowing down to stalking pace as soon as something touches his back.

As soon as his back is brush-free, he gets back to normal, shakes himself and trots away quite happily!

Does anyone else's Basset do this? WHY do they do it? Mikey T, can you shed any light on the matter...?!

BTW he does this under the Christmas tree every year also!

 

[Guest]

My Maggie Mae did that!!!!! We use to say she was "creeping" under the pine trees! She did exactly what you described. It was too funny to watch! Rusty & Stickers haven't done this yet. I also haven't seen them "carpet swim". I think those behaviors is what made my Maggie Mae so special and entertaining!!

 

[AmyB]

Spencer does not stalk under bushes, but he definitely stalks the squirrels, chipmunks, bunnies & all the other dangerous animals in my backyard. We have a big chipmunk problem here - digging up our garden. We have been catching them & re-locating them to a more wooded area. When there is one in the cage, Spencer stalks it. That is funny. He stalks verrrry slowly up to the cage & then jumps & barks at it.

 

[kittiesareus]

Duncan couldn't stalk something if it walked in front of him. He is so happy go lucky running around. He reminds me of the guy from "of mice and men" Which way did he go george. He is very destructive of my "greenery" and dirt, I just wish if he were to dig, it would at least be somewhere I could plant something. :lol:

 

[BashfulnBasset]

LOL Charlie was doing that the day we brought him home. We have a retaining wall that lines our walkway filled with hostas and phlox. He keeps squeezing through the hostas along the wall in a low creepy manner, comes out the end, does the doggy shake, runs back to the beginning and does it again.

 

[Guest]

What does (BTW) mean? Have seen on several posts. :? . Tummy Boy's Mom.

 

[BashfulnBasset]

BTW = By the Way,

 

[Beverly Anne]

Remember, "basset" is old French for low and these guys were bred to hunt small game under low bushes and shrubbery. There must be some instinct that kicks in when certain primal events occur. I think it's the same reason that Francis absolutely MUST bury every soupbone he's given and will drive me to distraction whining until I let him out the door. He walks along the side of the house (remember, he can't see) until he hits the bush at the end of the driveway, he buries it for 5 minutes under the mulch then brings it back in.
I don't know if all breeds are so instinct driven.

 

[Kezzy&Snoops]

Hmm. The only time Snoopy stalks is when I'm reading, and he likes to creep along the back of the sofa and steal the band out of my hair.

 

[faysie]

What is the "Carpet Swim"?