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Open Your Heart, Love, and Go On

2/20/2021

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By Marilyn Swan

I recently had to put my 11-year-old Walker Coonhound, Daisy, to rest. She developed a very aggressive form of lymphoma which took her quickly. Needless to say, I was devastated and could not imagine finding another such loving companion. I had rescued her as a 5-year-old.

A good friend found this beautiful saying and showed it to me.

You can shed tears because they are gone,
or you can smile because they lived.

You can close you eyes and pray they will come back,
or you can open your eyes and see all that they left for you.

Your heart can be empty because you can't see them,
or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday,
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember only that they are gone,
or you can cherish their memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind and feel empty,
or you can do what they would want...
​
SMILE, open your heart, love... and go on.

(Anonymous)


I certainly allowed myself time to grieve but this saying helped me pick up the phone and call a rescue that had listed a dog on Petfinder, Dixie. I am now in a trial adoption with a lovely English Coonhound/ Foxhound mix. She is very frightened now, but I am committed to working with her. Dixie's owner died in March 2020 and she had been in the shelter since then.

I keep this saying on my desk and certainly need to read it often to "get a grip" when I'm missing Daisy. I thought it's positive encouragement might help others.

​Editor's Note: Marilyn wrote a blog post about Daisy's thunderphobia several years ago. You can read it here.
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$100 for 50 Fundraising Challenge for Coonhound Companions!

12/15/2012

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Please help us by going to our home page and clicking on the Donate Now Button!
We need 50 of our fans and supporters to donate toward
our new fundraising campaign to help us meet our
new $100 challenge.  When we get to our goal of 50 donations, one of our board members will generously add $50 and a long-time friend and hound lover will donate the other $50.  WOW!  an additional $100!

We are on our way to meeting the challenge; our numbers are growing! Can you help us get the word out by emailing this to a friend or sharing it on your facebook page? A donation in any amount of $10 and over counts toward the 50 needed to qualify for the challenge. 

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  • Do you admire the work of Coonhound Companions and want to help share the message that coonhounds and foxhounds make great pets? Please share this blog with a friend!
  • Do you like the colorful promotional posters we supply for free to shelters and pounds?  They help hounds get attention from potential adopters. They really work. Please donate!
  • Do you like to help ill or injured coonhounds in shelters? Ringo got that help! A sweet, older Treeing Walker, Ringo came in to an Ohio shelter very skinny, hungry, with dangling tumors. Our Long Ears Alive! program donated to his care to have the tumors removed. He's now alive and well and living with his new family in New Jersey. Help us help them!

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Ringo's winning smile says it all!
Coonhound Companions is the first international advocacy group for the adoption of coonhounds and foxhounds and we are making a difference. More hounds are being adopted because of our work and your support.
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We have helped get dozens of “long ear” dogs the care they need to become adoptable.

Thank you for helping us spread the word so we can help more Coonhounds and Foxhounds in need!

Coonhound Companions is registered as a 501(c)3 through our fiscal sponsor Sunbear Squad Inc. and your donation is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law in the United States.
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Visiting the Coondog Cemetary in Alabama

7/24/2011

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When travelling to judge a national bird dog championship, I saw a sign for the coondog cemetery and I just had to see it! As luck would have it, I got an afternoon off from judging and had some free time to travel to Colbert County, Alabama to the Key Underwood Coondog Cemetary.

Over Labor Day every year, there is a large celebration and bluegrass music festival at the cemetery. I can only imagine how much fun that is! The day I visited was a dreary February day in Alabama. You could hear the rustling of critters in the woods, but no hound song or music in the hills. Yet, the beauty and love exhibited in that memorial showed loud and clear.

We won't find our family pets in the Key Underwood Coondog Cemetary. Dogs must be coondogs (no other breeds allowed) and must be hunting dogs true to their heritage. Yet, every one of the nearly 200 dogs in the cemetery is loved and honored as much or more than any dog you can imagine.

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If you want to see artwork, gaze carefully at Troop's memorial. It has a tree and two treeing hounds on it.
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Many of the other headstones also have beautiful images of hounds. You can feel the love oozing from even the most simple wooden crosses with hand etched words.
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What brought tears to my eyes were the orange hunting collars and tags hanging from the dog's cross. So many people find comfort in holding on to their dogs' collars and their ID tags or licenses long after they are gone. A collar is a very personal item specific to that one special dog.
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Stopping by the Key Underwood Coondog Cemetary for a moment of peace in the woods on the mountain top in rural Colbert County, Alabama was well worth it. It was a touching reminder of how important my beloved coonhounds are to their owners, no matter where or what walk of life they come.

I will forever picture those collars resting gently atop gravestones and crosses.

Go to www.coondogcemetary.com if you'd like to see some of the pictures and information about this touching ritual.

By Mary Beth Hall
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Those Colorful Coonhound Names!

6/12/2011

166 Comments

 
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“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”-Shakespeare

With coonhounds having such colorful backgrounds and history and such vivid personalities, I find that their names are often just as fun. Peruse a list of names of real coonhounds…

Montgomery, Blaze, Leila, Savannah, Huckleberry, Blue, Bayou, Austin, Clamour, Mudd, Jed, Maggie, Bonnie, Zooey, Duke, Bubba, Mikki, Billie, Whitey, Hubert, Ruthie, Penelope, Pearl, Rocky, Olivia Rose, Atticus, Ringo, Pepper, Barney, Belle, Maya, Chase, Roscoe, Ellie, Jill, Lucie, Gunner, Kali, Daphne, Clementine, Daisy, Boomer, Lacey, Darby, Buddy, Biscuit, Hank, Xena, Pickles, Milton, Comisky, Holly, Elvis, Buckshot, Addie, Granger, Colonel Harlan, Beaux, Big Dan, Ranger, Rooster, Fern, Rusty, Juanita, Bert, Tucker, Guinness, Moses, Daisy Mae, Maggie May, Liza Jane, Rufus, Gator, Happy, Libby, Grimm, Wanda, Trouble, Chester, Waldon, Henry, Brendon, Chuck, Shiloh, Floppy, Captain RC, Fender, Mandy, Ruby, Copper, Princess, Dodger, Watson, Harley, Buddy, Boss, Rebel, Gypsy, Mitch, Rex, Ladybird, King of the Hill, Zeke, Chloe, Bodacious, Gracie, Marty, Farrah, Stanley, Fred, Rap, Gizmo, Chip, Reba, Homerette, Jasper, Tilly, Sharona, Natalie, Winky, Bailey, Hiram, Molly, Traveller, Daffy, Dixie, Brandy, Scout, Hunter, Ruger, Tank, Pepsi, Snickers, Grizzly, Moon, Roscoe, Lightning, Thunder, Diesel, Donner, Kink, Nemo, Bella Blue, Blue Belle, Cyrus, Conrad, Archie, Ellie Mae, Earl, Otis, Sophie, Rosy, Posy, Happy, Frankie, Johnny, Clyde, Jossee, Dakota, Trooper, Finnigan, Alafair, Annalaise, Carter, Libby, Rusty, Gunner, Treagle, Dryfuss, Peanut, Mojo, and Copperette, Della, Brego, Jethro, and the list goes on!

Homerette?

Tell us what you have named your special coonhound and why!
166 Comments

Soulmates!

6/12/2011

8 Comments

 
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We are very excited to launch a new poster on Coonhound Companions!  (See our Posters & More page.) The new "Soulmates" poster focuses on the incredible bond between hounds and their owners.   As soon as I saw the pictures on the poster, it brought back memories of my soulmate who died just a few years ago.

Montgomery (left), my black and tan, was truly my once in a lifetime dog, yet I didn't know it till he was gone.  He was never the star, never at the forefront, and never my first pick to take anywhere or do anything.  He was my soulmate.  I talk to his grave, cry when I hear his recordings, and miss him every day.  When I brought him home as a clutzy pup, he didn't cling to me or follow me around.  He sat in the adjoining room and stared at me.  Yet, he grew in to my steady eddie, my rock, my buddy. 

The Weimaraners always stole the show.  Their ribbon box was overflowing.  But, when called upon, Montgomery would put on a solid performance, especially if it was necessary and not superfluous.

The Labs were the party all the time dogs out in the yard.  Yet, Montgomery ruled the yard.  With a glance, he could keep order in the pack and make sure all was okay.

I wonder that hounds don't get passed over at shelters because they don't automatically leap in to your arms and hand over their heart.  Just like my young pup staring at me and evaluating me, I think they hold off for a bit, but oh, when they give in and lean softly against you and gaze deeply in to your eyes with those beautiful hound eyes, its all over! When they decide that you are their "people," they will be your faithful defender, your soulmate, your best buddy, and hands down the best dog you've ever owned.  They will steal your heart and wrap you around their little toe without you ever realizing it.   

They won't necessarily put on a big show or do a victory dance the day they steal your heart.  It'll just simply happen.  You'll see a certain wiseness in their steady gaze.  

Hounds do put on shows, but not over the deep, intense bond they'll share with you.  They aren't the ones bringing big bouquets of flowers and screaming "I love you" a hundred times a day.  They are the steady, reliable beloved companions for us every day of their lives.  The goofy shows they will do for everyone when they feel like pulling a joke or being silly.  A hound in his element can make even the most dour laugh!

I think I need to go give the love of my life a hug.  The big goofy spotted thing has been waiting gently at my side for his turn for attention!

~Mary Beth Hall

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