Guest Blog by Brianne Charbonneau

It all started back in fall of 2007, in Denver, Colorado. My roommates decided that it was time we got a four-legged friend. One roommate had her heart set on a basset hound and the other on a Dalmatian. I had been dog-deprived for two years and knew I needed something, but retained an open mind about what kind of dog. Together, we decided we wanted a rescue dog. 

We came across a couple of great rescue organizations and heard of a Dalmatian at a shelter near us. We made the drive over, but no Dalmatian. So, we looked at other dogs for over two hours. The last stop was in the sick dog ward. There she was--a beautiful dog. But she was emaciated.

Something about her was so amazing, but my other roommates were not so keen. I waited for hours at the shelter to meet her and it was the best thing I ever did.
The first question out of my mouth was, "Why is she so skinny?" The shelter person told me, “People starve them to make them hunt.”

[Editor’s comment: Coonhounds hunt just fine even if they are well fed. There are lots of reasons coonhounds come into shelters emaciated—most frequently, because they have gotten lost while hunting and haven’t eaten for several days. However, many coonhounds are not allowed to hunt on a full stomach because that can result in bloat, a potentially fatal problem, and an all-day or all-night hunt can burn off five pounds from a 65-pound coonhound easily. Of course, some hunters do abuse their dogs. On the other hand, many very poor coon hunters take better care of their hounds than they do of themselves. Shelters often perpetuate a lot of myths about coonhounds and coon hunters that make it hard to find pet homes them. Coonhound Companions was formed to help correct that problem.]

I decided to put the skinny Bluetick on a 24-hour hold to allow me to research the breed, since I had never even heard of coonhounds.

[Coonhound Companions wishes more potential adopters would do their homework like this!]

Long story short, I adopted her. If I hadn't put her on the 24-hour hold, she wouldn't have been there the next day. People at that shelter believed coonhounds to be "undesirable" and put them down faster than, say, a Lab. They warned me that they are stupid dogs that are not good for much. [For more info on the breed, see 1 ]

[Ridiculous myth! No wonder that shelter’s coonhounds weren’t getting adopted!]

My Sadie Mae is not stupid and has proven her intelligence over and over again to me. 

Sadie seemed a little bored, so I started to train her at home, in Denver, to give her something to keep her busy.

[Engaging coonhounds in mental work often keeps them out of mischief. Bored coonhounds have good imaginations and can engage in naughty behavior!]

Sadie was always able to pick something up after about the third time seeing it done. So, my roommates and I decided that we needed to expand her knowledge. I saw something on Animal Planet showing off dogs doing amazing things, so I decided to teach her myself. She loved to play tug, so we started off with tugging on the dishtowel and then progressed to opening the cupboard. The fridge was a greater temptation for Sadie since tasty food was so close to the front. After losing a couple of hot dogs and some chicken, we decided that the teaching her to open the fridge on her own was not the best idea!

By now, Sadie May has been trained in commands for service dogs and she will open cupboards on her own when she is hungry.

[Not uncommon, even for untrained coonhounds. Childproof latches may prove necessary in some cases!]

She opens cupboards and the fridge with a towel.  She has mastered removing socks from your feet without causing pain. She is also trained to match the speed of the person walking with her (never pulling). She will walk next to a wheelchair and match its speed. Sadie has been trained for Touch, so when I put a Post-it in front of her nose, she will touch it with her nose. I can then put the Post-it on a light switch and she will turn it off or on. She will pick some things up on command, but doesn’t like to do this with metal objects. She also knows: Back, Brace, Take It, Drop It, Leave It, Ask (she will touch you with her paw for an object instead of howling or jumping), Fix It (to get leash untangled from feet), Boundary (not allowed outside a certain area). I got most of my ideas from a website 2.

She proved herself so smart at home that I decided we should train in AKC-style obedience and agility. The first class we took was Intermediate Obedience, and then we took three progressively difficult levels of Agility. The instructor, in Michigan, where we live now, runs the number one and two AKC-Agility Corgis in the U.S., and competes in everything with her dogs. She took one look at Sadie and almost died laughing. I still remember her words: "She will never live up to your expectations."

[It's not just shelter people that have misconceptions about coonhounds. A lot of trainers do too!]

That stung, but Sadie and I proved her wrong. Sadie was the first in her class for everything--the first with off-leash heel, the first for off-leash recall, the first coonhound to take agility training off-leash outdoors with this trainer and with the AKC club I train with.
She doesn't get to open doors at our current residence out of fear she'll get a hold of the peanut butter jar.

Sadie’s agility career came to an end suddenly at the age of three-and-a-half, when we learned that she suffers from a back problem, calcification of the backbones.  [This is a problem common in dachshunds, bassets, and other “dwarf” breeds 3.]  Our vet called it Spondylosis deformans. It is also known as “bridging” or “calcifying“ of the backbones. It may be a genetic issue, although it can also be caused by trauma. 4  It can either remain stable or it can progressively get worse. These days, Sadie is not allowed to jump anything over 16 inches and has been on joint medicine. One day she may be paralyzed from this disease, but we take it a day, week, month, and year at a time. We do x-rays every year and there hasn’t yet been any change. Hang the expense. Her well-being comes first for me.

Many say that coonhounds should not be off leash. That may be true for the majority of coonhounds, but not for all. I have owned Sadie five years now and she has been off leash for three-and-a-half years and HAS NEVER, EVER run off or disobeyed a “Come” command in her life. Although she is not a hunter in the traditional manner (when she ran into a raccoon once, she ran the other way!), she has taken up hunting on her own. Her prey of choice? Mice!

Sadie is stubborn when it comes to sleeping in a comfy bed and will chase off her brother the Mountain Cur (another rescue) [often used for squirrel hunting 5 ].

She wakes me up at 5 a.m. for breakfast every single day. She hates snow, rain or any other precipitation.

My Sadie Mae is not overly lovey and doesn’t play much with toys. Yet she is my best friend, and my snuggle buddy whenever it’s cold. She loves to sleep, eat, and hunt mice--and not always in that order. She is the best dog I have ever owned or even known.

Coonhounds see into your soul and love you with all they have. I was lucky enough to find a coonhound, my Sadie Mae. Even though I added a mountain cur to our family, I will always have at least one coonhound. I need one to complete my soul.

Footnotes
1 http://www.ukcdogs.com/WebSite.nsf/Breeds/BLUETICKCOONHOUNDRevisedJanuary12011 or http://www.Bluetickbreedersofamerica.com/
2 http://www.poodleglue.com/poodleglue/commands_for_service_dogs.html  
3 http://www.dodgerslist.com/literature/CalcifiedDiscs.htm
4 http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/musculoskeletal/c_multi_spondylosis_deformans or http://www.dogstuff.info/spondylosis_deformans_lanting.html or
http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/projects/saortho/chapter_61/61mast.htm
5  http://www.omcba.com/  

The fox hunter's horn has echoed through the Virginia countryside since colonial days, calling together hunters on horseback and long-eared hounds in pursuit of the poultry-snatching fox. George Washington, the first President of the United States, eagerly participated in the sport, which combined horsemanship, the music of skilled dogs, and an exhilarating gallivant through miles of forest and farmland. The same sport continues to attract adherents to the present day, although in contemporary hunts, foxes are seldom harmed.

The hounds form an enthusiastic and noisy pack and love what they do. Many of today’s foxhounds trace their ancestry to the famous pack developed by President Washington. These dogs are very good at what they do in the field, but as they get older, they slow down and begin having trouble keeping up with the pack. They are still very social with other dogs and people, but they are better suited for pedestrian companionship than keeping up with horses and foxes. They prefer a life filled with praise and company to getting left behind. That makes them great potential pets.

A good hunting hound must be very social with other dogs or he couldn’t hunt in a huge, dense, excited pack. The social skills developed in the hunting pack carry over to a “family pack”, and these dogs do well with children as well as other dogs. The urge to please humans is necessary in their profession, and just as desirable in a pet. By the time they are ready to retire, the high energy level of a hound puppy has mellowed and they are just happy to be with you. Like many working breeds, foxhounds have fewer health problems than breeds bred primarily for show or to meet pet market demands, and even older dogs can have many healthy years ahead.

This situation is very similar to the plight of racing Greyhounds some years ago, and today many ex-racing Greyhounds find themselves in wonderful retirement homes with families who consider them the best couch potatoes ever. It’s time for the same to happen to hunting hounds.

An example of these wonderful hounds is retiring from a foxhunt in Virginia and is available for adoption. She was born at the home of a woman who is now helping arrange for her to retire from the hunt. Here’s her description of this wonderful hound:

If you would like to learn more about this wonderful hound and possibly adopt her, please contact us here at Coonhound Companions (info@CoonhoundCompanions.com).

You can read about other successful adoptions of foxhounds from a hunt at:

http://articles.philly.com/2004-08-17/news/25392204_1_foxhounds-rescue-group-hunting-dogs

To see hunting foxhounds at work, click on:

http://www.klmimages.com/foxhunting

Coonhound Companions (and Foxhound Companions) have now posted helpful hints for starting a Long Ear League chapter. These tips can be found on our website for free download. Just click on our logo, left, to get started. Our web page includes a start-up kit with art for signs, posters, business cards, and a link to a store with logo t-shirts and other gear, and lots of links to outside coonhound information.

Long Ear League is a new idea from Coonhound Companions. We hope to encourage the formation of meet-up groups for owners of pet coonhounds and foxhounds that will enable coonhound people to meet each other and have social events with each other, both with and without the presence of their pet coonhounds.

Getting together with other hound owners and their dogs is great fun. Most hounds are sociable with dogs and people, and interact well with each other and with children. Meeting other hound owners will help you compare experiences and learn about training ideas, fun activities, and quirks of the breed from each other. And no one appreciates how gaga you get over your long-eared companion than another pet hound owner!  What could be more enjoyable than a group of sociable coonhounds singing their hearts out?

Coonhound Companions (including Foxhound Companions) is an advocacy group educating the general public about coonhounds and foxhounds, with the aim of helping long-eared hounds in shelters find adoptive homes more quickly. Coonhounds and foxhounds are bred primarily as hunting dogs.  Since they also make great pets, those that lose their hunting homes are often stranded in shelters and rescues for lack of interest. We want Long Ear League chapters to be mostly fun, but we also hope that gatherings of pet coonhound owners will attract public attention to the full range of potential for these lovable long-eared dogs.

__ I had always wanted a bluetick coonhound and when I met the Hildenbrands of Pontiac, IL and bought "Cry Baby" from them, it was a dream come true. I had no idea of how that decision would change my life.

Jeb's first years with me we just did basic obedience necessary for a CGC (Canine Good Citizen) certificate and mantrailing (a type of canine search and rescue, typically done by bloodhounds). We traveled around the US and attended well over 30 seminars in trailing, cadaver, and some obedience. I met people that didn't set limits on Jeb because of his breed. This was the beginning of my journey as a professional trainer.

_ When Blueticks became eligible to compete in American Kennel Club obedience competition in January 2004, we were in the ring that month and earned our CD. A CD is the Companion Dog title given by the American Kennel Club after a dog and handler pass a test three times with a minimum score of 170 points out of 200. The exercises in the test include heeling on leash, heeling in a figure eight pattern on leash, a stand stay while the judge touches the dog, heeling off leash, calling your dog to come from across the ring, a 1 minute sit stay with the handler across the ring from the dog and a 3 minute down stay with the handler across the ring from the dog.

That same year we earned our CDX. The CDX is the Companion Dog Excellent title given by the American Kennel Club when a dog and handler pass a test three times earning minimum scores of 170 out of 200 points. This test is called the Open class. The dog is taken off leash as soon as he enters the ring. There is a heel off leash and heel in a figure eight exercise. The dog must retrieve a dumbbell thrown by the handler across the ring on the ground and over a jump. And the dog must go over a broad jump. The sit and down stay exercises are much harder since the handlers must leave the ring and go out of sight.

After a break while we focused on canine search and rescue work, we returned to obedience competition two years later to earn a title in the advanced class called Utility. In April 2006 we earned our UD (Utility Dog) title. In the Utility class the dog has to execute some very difficult exercises. The running joke of obedience competitors is to call it the "Futility class". Jeb had to complete an off leash heeling (NOI) . A good friend tells me I trained an hour just about every day. I was working hard because by then I believe I realized we could finish the OTCH. Hard to believe when I never thought I'd care about precision nor did I think I had the dog to do it. BUT....I learned that it takes hard work and good solid training -- not necessarily some "perfect" dog. It's work....and yes money to travel and enter shows. The more I pushed Jeb, the more we learned and accomplished together and the more fun we had. I had to constantly balance the "have to" and "fun to" of obedience. With Jeb there were a lot of times it was more about the "have to."

_Back to 2006. We traveled to Long Beach, CA for our first NOI experience. The National Obedience Invitational is held once a year. Dogs who have competed at the highest levels and earned the best scores for their breeds are invited to come compete. Only the best of the best get to come. It was so fun to see so many people I knew and had met at shows. It was wonderful to see all the wonderful dogs. I remember walking in the room that first day and it felt like you could cut the tension with a knife! Very nerve wracking even if you were just there for the experience of it all. Jeb did quite nicely. My goal was to have no NQs (non-qualifying scores or errors) and we didn't. He was quite clean in his performance. That first day was EXHAUSTING! I felt like I was about 90 years old! We were ranked 18th after the first day. I will say that we would have made it to day two even without the only 4 per group count (only the top four dogs in each group get to go to the next round, i.e. sporting group, herding group, hound group, toy group, non-sporting group, working group, terrier group). Jeb was in the top 32 of 95 or so dogs.

On to day 2 of the NOI. I remember hoping to at least maybe win one round. The 2nd day works much like the NCAA Basketball tournament. There are 32 dogs and you are in brackets based on your rank. If I remember correctly, my first round I was up against the dog ranked #15. A sheltie? We won that first round and I was thrilled! I didn't care what happened from there. :) On to round two - another sheltie, this one ranked #3. Jeb was so tired. He lost 12-15 points on no sits. However, the sheltie NQ'd an exercise and lost 20-30 points. We managed to win the 2nd round! I couldn't believe it. (I didn't see the sheltie perform, so I was surprised).

_ By now we were down to 8 dogs. I had someone helping me and they were taking me so seriously, I remember thinking I'd better do so too and at least try to look like I belonged at that level. So I sat by Jeb's crate, kept him quiet, got some water in him (with chicken broth in it to get him to drink some). I played my iPod and visualized success. I wanted to at least look good out there. I was up against a border collie -- nice dog. I had no idea there were so many people in the stands -- so many people watching that I felt should have been out there instead of me. But...I was totally focused on Jeb and doing my mental management, so I just did my thing.

Jeb performed beautifully! He did all his sits; he was just wonderful! I was so proud! The applause was HUGE and it was so heartwarming. It was also adorable when Jeb realized all those people were watching -- he looked over and tilted his head at the crowd. It was a great moment. When we came back in with the other team to find out who won, I gave no thought that it would be us. When they went to shake our hands the crowd went CRAZY!!!!! I was STUNNED! We had just made the final four which meant we would be on the podium. I was honestly so stunned I didn't feel much at all. I was done, too. I went in two more times to find out if we'd run off for 3rd/4th or for 1st/2nd. I was done. I just went through the
motions. I was exhausted and happy to be where I was. I lost to Bridget Carlson. I sent Jeb over the wrong jump, but I didn't care. I was oblivious and floating around in a stupor. So I would run off for 3rd/4th. In hindsight, I wish I'd tried, but I was so floored. Jeb did a no sit on a pivot so we were 4th.

I was so proud of that dog. He was so exhausted, but he did everything I asked of him. The one round where I really focused and raised the bar, he rose to the occasion. What a wonderful boy. The rest of the day I was literally numb. It was the greatest thing ever and thanks to hard training and some luck -- we have our medal and crystal eagle for our third runner-up NOI finish. A true Cinderella story if you ask me.

Paula McCollum

OTCH UUD Smokin' Bullet Jebediah Blue UDX3 VER Bh (NAPWDA Cadaver/SAR Area/Obed)

Last March I received an email from a woman in Wisconsin who was trying to help her neighbor’s eleven-year-old coonhound, Elvis. The family was moving and could only take two of their dogs to their new home. Elvis was dealt the bum card—they either had to find him a home or have him euthanized. 
 
After posting his picture and description on the Nose to the Ground to Help Hounds’ Facebook page and other sites, I saw negligible interest in poor Elvis.  Every night I would talk to my husband, Bill, about how Elvis’ time was almost up and it did not look good.  Bill slowly started asking questions: “Where does Elvis live”? “Is
he housetrained, ”? “Crate trained”?  Finally Bill said, “Set up an appointment. We will check Elvis out.“
 
Off to Wisconsin we go---mind you we were thinking of a 60 lb coonhound. Little did we know that Elvis was 105 lbs, full of lumps and warts, and a little unsteady on his legs.  Boy, were we surprised when we met Elvis!  
 
However, he was also a big, absolutely lovable lug of a senior hound!  He had the sweetest big face, droopy lips, and a bark that shook the windows in the house.  We had brought our dog-reactive “Bagel” (Beagle/Basset), Elroy, to meet Elvis, so we took them for a walk together. They seemed to get along – a big plus.  Bill looked at me and said, “Your decision.”  Why did he even say that?  He knew what my decision was._

_So, we drove back home to Illinois with a big dog head poking between our front seats, I am sure it was a sight!  We arrived home and introduced the rest of the Taney clan to Elvis.  Our Beagle, Ricky, was fine but our normally accepting Basset, Ellie, and Chihuahua, Tippy, made it clear they did not approve, lunging and snapping at poor Elvis.  Ever the good boy, Elvis, did not react to their rudeness.  Whew!  He was to stay. The first couple of months took some adjustment, but now all get along fine, including our parrot, Bob. 
 
Each day we learn something new about Elvis; he is house and crated trained, knows sit, down, high five, shake, catches treats in mid air, hates garden tractors, loves to ride in the car, loves to counter surf (proudly rearranging the kitchen counter), loves to boat and wade in the lake.  My husband even sold his sports car so we could get a van, because Elvis, our other dogs and Bob the parrot just did not fit in our smaller car!

We have adopted other senior dogs in the past, smaller in size, but their time in our household was just as rewarding and we cherished our time together.  As I am finishing up this article, Elvis is lying in the middle of the floor, relaxed and happy, as are we.  I know many people worry that senior dogs “won’t adjust.” Well, we know from experience that is not true.  Seniors have so much to offer! Go ahead. Take a chance and see!  Adopt a senior hound!

By Susan Taney, from Nose to the Ground to Help Hounds


Visit her website at:
http://www.savethehounds.org/index.html
And on Face Book at:
http://www.facebook.com/nosetothegroundtohelphounds?ref=search&sid=1137528323.3648328271..1

_

_CoonhoundCompanions.com is embarking on a “senior blitz” to highlight the virtues of adult hounds as pets. Today, we are releasing a new poster, "Long Ears + Maturity = Deep Bonds." The poster is available on our Posters & More page (above). The public should feel free to print out copies of the new and older posters and put them up wherever coonhounds may be awaiting adoption, or wherever else hounds' sterling qualities as pets could use some favorable publicity. Also look forward to a new web page/flyer, “When Older is Best,” and a series of blog posts about senior hound adoption success stories.

For example, a picture of Scarlett, an older Walker hound from the mountains of North Carolina, stole the hearts of an Ohio family with her soulful eyes. The captivated family that adopted her runs BarkPark (http://barkpark.org/), a wonderful fundraising organization for animal causes. 

Shortly after Scarlett moved to her forever home, BarkPark held a very successful fund raising event for Coonhound Companions. Scarlett  stole the show as the ambassador and greeter of the day.

_ Another example: Moses, a Black and Tan Coonhound who sauntered into the large wards in an urban shelter, managed to grab the attention of a busy Animal Control Officer who was quickly suckered into fostering him.  Moses inspired a whole new passion for his new owners who became Black and Tan Coonhound fanciers.

If you’re not cautious, you’ll find out firsthand just how lovely a companion a mature hound can be.

The new poster highlights the advantages of an adopting an adult hound.  While the “cute” factor of pups is undeniable, older dogs are easier to live with and are a better match for many hound lovers. The poster notes that “Coonhounds of a certain age are calmer and wiser.” Adults are past teething, past teenage rebellion, easier to housebreak, their voices have matured past that annoying puppy whine. They have longer attention spans. It’s easier to predict their ultimate personalities and physical characteristics. Those cute puppies pee on carpets, turn your best shoes into chew toys, dig holes in the lawn and the upholstered furniture, and usually destroy at least one remote control while growing up. Adults are far less inclined to such aggravating behavior!

Our poster illustrates that adult hounds often still enjoy being active without engaging in exhausting, frenetic behavior. They still like to go for a hike, play on the lawn, or loll on your couch without needing to run a marathon every day.

For those with unsettled life plans, adult hounds are a shorter-term commitment. Plus, there are so many adult hounds out there in need of permanent homes.  Choosing to adopt a mature dog gives you a lot of choices and the chance to bypass puppy mills while saving the life of a hound with experience. When a hound is experienced at reading humans, its natural eagerness to please contributes to instant bonding. 

Please check out "Long Ears + Maturity = Deep Bonds,” as well as our earlier posters,"  "Long Ears = Social Networking," "Long Ears & You = Soulmates," "Long Ears = Lotsa Cute," "Long Ears = Lotsa Fun," and "Long Ears = Lotsa Talent." Download them,  post them, and hand them out. Help find homes for coonhounds and foxhounds in your local rescues and shelters.

Emily Plisher, December 2011

_ CoonhoundCompanions.com
December 21, 2011

2011 is quickly drawing to a close, along with Coonhound Companions first full year as a non-profit promoting the adoption and public awareness of Coonhounds in shelters through out the Untied States and Canada.

I was the last member of our group to join up, living in the largest urban city in Maine, I don’t see many coonhounds being walked on the streets on Portland. That may be changing due to the efforts of a shelter in Dunn County Humane Society in Menomonie, Wisconsin.

Here’s the story:

Coonhound Companion founding member Anna lives in Wisconsin, an active volunteer at her local shelter she emailed shelters state wide offering them posters from our site: http://www.coonhoundcompanions.com/posters--more.html beautiful, downloadable posters singing the praises of coonhounds as family pets.

She received a great email back from one a shelter in Dunn County, Wisconsin sharing their new brochure helping to “drown” the stereotypes of coonhounds in their area, where they have a lot of coonhounds available for adoption.

Way to go Dunn County Humane Society!  I love their creative, fun message.

Days later this article in the Kennebec Journal, Augusta Maine caught my eye:

_What a surprise when I read that LL Bean was coming from the Dunn County Shelter!
 
Coonhound Companion’s efforts and creative shelters like Dunn County ARE making a difference for coonhounds. This is a wonderful way to end the year, and I’m looking forward to spotting this handsome Coonhound being walked on the streets of Portland in the near future.
 
Happy Holidays from Angela and Olivia

On Saturday, September 17, 2011 with many thanks to Marcia Perry Rhoades and Lenny Rhoades, Coonhound Companions was the beneficiary of a fundraiser by Bark Park (www.barkpark.org)
 
This is difficult to write because I was moved in so many ways. Coonhound Companions is my pet project and I'm happy, overwhelmed and grateful to see this fundraising success on its behalf.
 
 "Thank you" is too simple and understated for the incredible generosity of the participants who paid gate fees, had their dogs bathed, nails trimmed, bought raffle tickets, donated raffle items, who baked and donated desserts, who bought food, buttons, notepads, t-shirts and other items, who baked and donated gluten free homemade dog biscuits and more.
 

Bark Park is held on a slice of doggie heaven, a completely fenced property with dual gates for safety including open areas and wooded areas and a lovely pond for swimming. 
Spayed or neutered, vaccinated dogs that are friendly with people and other dogs are welcome to join in the fun for a great play date.  Bark Park is the one event where dozens of people cater to my hound's love of chasing balls and are humored by his loud vocalizations demanding that someone throw a ball for him. 

Blaze literally ran and swam and bayed for three hours, at which point he flopped at my feet to take a well deserved nap amidst the fun and games.   I do not think my Blaze was the coonhound star of the day. He was just one of the clowns, joined by Melody and Arthur(two hounds up for adoption from Madison County Humane Society). 

This is one of the Madison County Humane Societies coonhounds, having the time of his life and looking forward to his forever home.

The true star was the hound with all the grace and dignity in the world.  The Grand Hostess of the event. Miss Scarlett, the newest addition to the Rhoades' family, spent the day near the gate so she could greet and welcome every new arrival.  What a gal!  It was moving to watch hundreds of dogs constantly rotating through the park, playing and enjoying the glorious autumn weather that Ohio provided.



Some dogs ran, some dogs swam; some dogs lounged under the trees and watched the action.  Some dogs played with their best buddies, some played solo.  Some dogs begged and melted against any human who would pet them.

So,the most moving part of the Bark Park day for me?  The volunteers!  The Humane Society of Madison County sent at least a dozen volunteers to help and to bring a couple hounds and a retriever mix to play for the day.  Mind you, Madison is undergoing the remodeling of a building that will be their new shelter right now so they've got no shortage of need for volunteers on their own home front! They ran the concession stand, sold raffles and ran the sales table, manned the gate, you name it they did it.

Then, Bark Park had-more than 16 volunteers show up to work their tails off for the day setting up chairs, poop bag stations, tables, tents, and so much more.   I can't even begin to thank everyone.  I just don't know how.

Perhaps you are saying, why is this so important? People volunteer everyday so that's not so remarkable.  But it was.  The entire day was perfect.  It went off without a hitch.  Not a single grumpy word, not a single problem, not even a grumbly dog.  With eagerness, enthusiasm, and a willingness to do anything that was needed, so many volunteers cheerfully gave up their beautiful weekend day to commit to a cause very important to me. 


Many of these volunteers I hadn't met before, but I'd certainly be proud to call them "friend" after seeing their character in action.  I didn't beg them, badger them, push them, and order them to help. They simply showed up and made the day a success.  It was like someone waved a magic wand.  I think I've learned a new life lesson, magic wands exist and they are made up of good people.  Thank you, my friends, thank you.
 
Mary Beth Hall
CoonhoundCompanions.com

We didn’t think we could love again. We didn’t think we could laugh again. It was March, cold and raw, when we lost our beloved Dalmatian, the first dog we’d ever had. We were crazy about him, and miserable without him.
 
We were so sad we couldn’t live another day, it seemed, without a dog. So again, we made the trip to the animal shelter, Buddy Dog Humane Society, in Sudbury, Mass.
 
There, across from the cage where, ten years before, our Dalmatian had stood, gorgeous, noble and proud, waiting for a home, we watched a large, black, white and chestnut-colored pup fold his improbably long legs into the confines of a tiny round bed. We laughed, for the first time in weeks.
 
Some sound other than the furious barking of the shelter dogs attracted his attention. He unfolded his nimble body, stretched impossibly tall, and trotted off to investigate. Back he came, curiosity satisfied, and plopped down again. We laughed.
 
We took him for a walk to test him out. That was the plan, anyway. He took us on a dizzying tour of the shelter’s grounds. We were convinced he was the one. “What mix is he?” we asked, as we put down our deposit. “Actually, we think he’s a purebred Treeing Walker Coonhound,” the shelter worker said.

“A what?” we asked. We did our homework. I sat biting my nails as I watched videos of these tree-climbing dogs, then called the fence company to replace our four-foot picket fence with a more substantial six-footer.
 
When we went to pick him up, he spooked at a ball of cat hair rolling across the parking lot, then refused to get in the car. The shelter worker managed to coax him in, and knowing the shelter’s rule that I had to take him to the vet within 10 days, we practiced every day. We tried many treats. We had dog friends show him what to do. We climbed in, and out, and in, and out, ourselves. “He’s a hound,” said our neighbor, a Basset hound owner. “What does that mean?” I asked frantically. She just smiled knowingly. “You’ll find out.”
 
We did.

Lesson #1. Hounds are independent thinkers.
Hounds think a lot. Tucker considers where he wants to go—and doesn’t. Never having walked on a leash, he would simply sit when he had different plans than we did. We called it the Plop o’Doom, because 85 lbs. of stubborn hound are impossible to move. Tempting treats in one’s pocket are a necessity.
 
Lesson # 2. A hound is stealthy.
They’re hunters, so they’re experts at moving without making a sound. Tucker is so quiet, we often think he’s slipped out somehow and gone gallivanting. But no, he’s usually asleep in one of his many favorite spots or simply waiting to be noticed.
 
Lesson #3. A hound is sensitive. At first, Tucker didn’t know the difference between his food and ours. Rather, it was clear he preferred ours. When I sprayed him with water (a technique that would barely quiet our barky Dalmatian) after he tried to eat our dinner, he stood shaking in the hallway. I never did that again.
 
Lesson #4. A hound is gentle and friendly. Where our Dalmatian tended toward fear-aggressiveness, Tucker loves everyone and every dog, especially tiny ones. He can play with the big guys and the little ones. He stands still so toddlers can pet him. Easy!
 
Lesson #5. A hound is smart. Now that Tucker loves the car, we have to spell the word, otherwise we’ll get knocked over as he races to the door. He was easy to train, and possesses several graduation certificates. It seems like he knows what we’re going to do even before we do. He’ll also go get his leash when he’s ready for a walk.
 
Lesson #6. A hound sleeps a lot. Our Dalmatian was always underfoot, begging to go out for a run—three times a day! A coonhound’s job is to hang around until needed, so they’re perfectly willing to wait for a walk. Then, they’d like a good, long one.
 
When admirers used to ask us if we would recommend they adopt a Dalmatian, we would have to tell them no. We were up to the challenge, and loved it, but knew many families wouldn’t have the time or energy to keep up with the exuberant breed.
 
Now, when people ask about our hound—and they do, Walker hounds are known mainly to hunters in the Northeast—we enthusiastically can recommend the breed. Tucker barely sheds. He’s extremely quiet—no barking, and his throaty bay and his antics make everyone laugh. We laugh all the time now, with our goofy, sweet, lovable hound.
 
by Lisa Rogers
Guest Blogger
dreamsdudog@yahoo.com