[Valerie and George]

I took George for a walk yesterday and chose a much shorter route than usual in the (vain) hope of avoiding an episode of Flat Basset. When it was time to turn toward home, of course and as usual, he balked. We were right across the street from the small neighborhood park, so I thought, okay, we'll take a turn in the park and maybe THEN he'll be ready to go home. At the very back corner, he stopped again and just stood there, staring through the fence like he was waiting for a revelation. None being forthcoming, I finally convinced him to head back toward the street. A few feet shy of the street, once more we stopped and he just stood. Refused to budge another inch. I know he was tired; I can tell by his eyes when he's tired. But we'd taken a shorter walk than usual and were still a good three blocks from home. So ... I pulled out the cell and called Hubby and asked him to come fetch us. As soon as George saw the truck coming down the street, he got all excited and waggy and barked and when Bill pulled up and I opened the truck door, George said, "Well, FINALLY my RIDE is here," but I had to lift him into the truck (when he's made up his mind to be served, that's what you gotta do -- even though on any other occasion he can get into the truck on his own). All the rest of the day, Bill made fun of him and threatened to take his Basset Union card away because "REAL bassets want to WALK." I told George the next walk we take, we're not even going out of sight of the house. We'll just wander up and down our street and in our yard (which is quite large as yards go in this part of town) so if I have to carry him home, it won't be very far. What made it even more embarrassing is a whole bunch of teenage boys were playing basketball in the park and probably got a huge kick out of this whole thing (and the argument George and I had with me begging him to "come ON" and him saying "I ain't budging!")

 

[Anonymous]

This is a GREAT story!!!!!!!
Jennifer

 

[Anonymous]

George obviously knows what he wants.... and how to get it! yvonne

 

[Rocket]

Too funny, I feel your pain! I always walk with treats, and when Scooter goes flat (which she really only does when it is hot), I let her rest for a minute or two and then tempt her along with the treat. You might want to give it a try!

 

[copsmom]

My Copper not only does the flat basset he also does the flop over on his back with one leg up in the air. This happened one time and I was trying to get him rolled over and he was twisting on his back and someone actually stopped to see if I needed help because they thought he had been hit by a car. Other times when we walk he goes 500 miles a minute dragging me with so I don't know with is worse. We get laughed at either way. I shuddered to think what it is going to be like walking three when the girls get older.

 

[Elvismom]

I needed that to brighten my day a bit!! Thank you for sharing. Isn't it wonderful how they can find an audience for those times when they want to cause us pain and suffering?

Glad hubby was home to come bail you out. Hauling a basset for any length can be difficult.

 

[biscuit]

Biscuit taught Yogi how to do Flat Basset.

And Yogi thinks it's tremendous fun and yippee! a game!

So, while Yogi's Flat Basset lacks the goal orientation of Biscuit's, Yogi's is even more annoying (if you can believe it) because there's absolutely no rhyme or reason to it.

Flat Basset is a curse visited upon humankind to remind us who's really in charge.

 

[Emma and Doris]

What a funny story, happy that this don't happen to me with two bassets deep in the forest!

[ April 13, 2006, 04:49 PM: Message edited by: Steinar, Emma and Doris ]

 

[Basset Momma]

LOL! Our little Indy- doxie/beagle mix has learned the flat basset. He gets so frustrated cause we can just scoop him up and put him back on his feet

[ April 13, 2006, 05:23 PM: Message edited by: Basset Momma ]

 

[Lina]

he...he...he...I need to remember this, so I don't make a mistake by taking my hounds for too long of a walk. Perhaps, 3-4 blocks are enough. :roll:

Winston went flat basset once during a man Best Friend run/walk 5K. My hubby and him had to take a ride at the end. My hubby still can't forget how embarassing it was.

Henrietta went flat basset once when we had a basset waddle in a hot summer day. But not for long. he...he... (lucky me!!)

 

[Valerie and George]

I have tried the treats to tempt him to keep walking and sometimes it works. Not always. If he's really determined to be done walking, he'll just shrug. LOL I forgot to take treats that day, but I remembered my PHONE!

 

[emmasmom]

I can SO relate to this! Emma only makes it as far as our neighbor's yard on the way out to the street and does flat basset on her back with the one back leg in the air. My neighbors have sat in their dining room laughing at me as I've tried "Who's here?", "Is Dad home?", "Wanna go to Grammies?", and "Want some cheese?"... to no avail. Until I said "okay, let's just go home", then she gets up. It is terribly embarrassing, but I laugh everytime. Last night, for the first time EVER (Emma is SIX), we walked around an entire block... and it's a pretty big block. She was really pooped at the end.