This week I got to meet Huck Martin, he’s almost 2. He’s a Mostly Basset Hound and, since I haven’t interviewed too many Bassets, I thought I should bone up on the breed (get it, bone up?). I did remember their pawsome bark. Made me wanna take voice lessons. Anyway, I Googled and found out Bassets are friendly, outgoing and playful. Yep, I remembered that part, and that they have, like, the best sniffers in the World.
Huck and his Mom were waiting for us at the door. “Welcome Mr. Bonzo,” he said, and came right up for the Wag-and-Sniff. He was a nice black and tan with white places and Really, Really Big Paws. And loooong ears. And then aNOTHER Basset Hound, a white and tan one, also came up for the Wag-and-Sniff.
“Er …” I said brilliantly.
The white and tan pooch nudged Huck. “So, Huckleberry, introduce us, why doncha.”
“Oh, right. I’m Huck, I’m the Spokespooch. THIS is my older brother, Radar, and my Mom, Jennifer. Our Dad, Eric’s back in the back somewhere with our other brother, Finn, who’s VERY bouncy. He’s my age. He’s the only non-Basset in the family. But he looks like me anyway, ’cept taller.”
“This is gonna be fun,” I thought, opening my notebook. “I’m ready when you are,” I told him.
“Mom and Dad are Basset People. Before me, they had Radar and Mako, who looked a lot like me. Then, it was so sad. Mako ate one of those frogs you’re not s’pose to eat and went to Dog Heaven. Well, when Mom and Dad took my human brother Tyler to college in North Carolina, they found Finn in a shelter. He was a stray and he couldn’t even lift his head, he was so weak. So they made an exception to their Bassets Only rule and rescued him. Mom and Dad think he’s sorta a Coon Hound with maybe some German Shepherd. Soon as they got back home they got a call from the lady they had got Mako from. She said Mako’s pooch Mom and Dad were having another litter. WELL, Mom called right away and said she HAD TO HAVE FIRST PICK. ABSOLUTELY! NO MATTER WHAT! So guess who she picked out of that big pile of puppies?”
I took a wild guess. “Um, you?”
“Yep! ME! So, guess what. I’m Mako’s little brother.”
“That is Totally Cool Dog Biscuits!” I exclaimed. “What was it like when you first got to your Forever Home?”
“Mom had her hands full, with three pooches and two little kids. At first, me and Finn each had our own Baby Crates. Radar took to us right away. I was used to bein’ around other pooches, from bein’ in my litter. Me and Finn puppied around a lot together. Radar was already grown up, so he mostly just watched and shook his head. But now he plays with us, too. Mom and Dad taught us to swim in case we accidently fall in the pool, but we don’t like it. Us Basset Hounds have heavy cabooses and we don’t bob around like regular dogs. We swim like rocks.
“When I was little, I was always tripping over my ears. They dragged on the ground, cuz I hadn’t grown all the way up yet. Radar told me a pooch called Shakespeare wrote about our ears. He called ’em ‘Ears which sweep away the morning dew.’ Mine did do that, and they got all soggy and ukky. I was real glad when I grew into ‘em. I don’t think Shakespeare was a Basset Hound.”
“Probly not,” I agreed, then asked, “What’s your favorite thing to do?”
“CHEW BONES! Mom freezes beef bones, then I slurp ’em all day long. When the yummy stuff is all gone she puts ’em in a bone basket and we chew on ‘em till they fall apart. And there is one other little thing I love to do. Guess what?”
“I have no idea.”
“Pillow corners!”
“How’s that?”
“I have always loved chewing pillow corners off. Mom would rather I didn’t, and I sometimes sorta try not to, but there they ARE! All fluffy! With those delicious corners. I mean, what’s a pooch s’pose to do? And sometimes a lot of fluff falls out and goes everywhere. Talk about FUN! Once when Mom came home and found pillow pieces and fluff everywhere, and we didn’t wanna rat each other out, she said, “NO MORE BONES TODAY!”
“Bummer! Where do you guys go when your folks are at work?”
“Mom used to take us to Doggy Day Care. but now Grampa Richard ushully dogsits us. He’s SO FUN. He calls us The Boys. We always know when our Dad or Mom or our brother Tyler or sister Gracie are coming home. We race to the door and wait.”
Just then their Dad walked in with this good lookin’ poocheroo. He had the same coloring as Huck, but was shaped more like a shepherd. “This is Finn,” Huck said.
It was hard to imagine he’d ever been sick. “He’s our official guard dog,” said Huck. “He keeps watch over all of us. He can hear the slightest thing.”
“Bonz, how’s it goin?” Finn said. “Just dropped in to say Hey. Gotta go back out and guard the perimeters. Gotta keep my family safe, ya’ know.” And back out he went.
“You’ve got great family here,” I told Huck.
I know! I’m a lucky pooch,” he said.
I couldn’t believe an hour had passed and I had to say goodbye.
Heading home, I was smiling, picturing Huck as a happy little puppy, gleefully ripping pillow corners to shreds, and tumbling over his ears.
Till next time,
The Bonz
