Monday, May 23, 2011

In Praise of Bassett Hounds, and Orange Tabbies

We've now had Pumpkin (orange tabby) for just over a year (he was my Mother's Day present last year) and Hardie (bassett hound) for just under a year (he was Husband's Father's Day present).  Both were adopted from the MDSPCA.  Both were adult animals. 

Pumpkin I loved immediately for the way he inhales while purring, mouth slightly ajar ("rrrronk!"), his freckled lips, his predilection for laying down on my chest, even while I'm upright, and the fact that he sleeps with me every night (unless, increasingly common of late, he's sleeping with Clara).

Hardie the inscrutable has taken a bit longer but I am, to my surprise, smitten with him these days.  His implacable droopiness conceals a mischievous streak. Lost a toy?  Chances are Hardie has whisked it upstairs.  Despite being shaped like a keg on short legs, he can whisk, however creeping, silent on his massive feet, is his real forte.  Here's a 45 pound hound who can cross a hard wood floor silently.  Hardie never ever shows aggression with children, even those of strangers.  That's a wonderful thing.  And on Saturday mornings (my day to sleep in til 8.30) he stands with his head on my mattress whiffling softly until I get up.  I've given up trying to train him (ie he's trained me not to train him) and now we are all quite content.

Sweet animals, both of them.  I wonder what their years were like before they came to us.  I'm glad we have 'em.

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