Grand...another basset hound lover...all my life, from I guess birth on, I have always been surrounded by dogs...my parents had the usual groupings of mutts, and we loved them all...then they got a cocker spaniel, Jingles...I was 8 when we got him, and I was 21 when he died...it broke my heart, to know that my greatest pal, while I was growing up, was my dear Jingles...I was so broken up when he died, I could not go to work for a few days and even when I did return, one could still find me doing my work, my face dripping with tears...
And then, a few weeks later, I came home from work, and mom said, go into the kitchen, and see what is there....and there was the sweetest, cutest, most adorable basset hound...we called him 'Jones', and he stole my heart, and put my tears for Jingles at bay....
Jones was so laid back, and so sweet...when I got married and moved away, a few years later, I always made sure I got home once a week to see mom and dad...but almost more than seeing mom and dad, I wanted to see my old pal Jones...when I had a baby, and brought him to mom and dads, old Jones, would take up residence under the crib, and guard 'his' baby, for that is how he acted...he watched and guarded that baby with every inch of himself...that was my first son, and its hard to find a pic of him, when at mom and dads, unless Jones was right by his side...
A few years later, on a visit, Jones was acting very strangely around me...no one could figure it out...then mom asked me if I might be pregnant again, as sometimes doggies do sense such things...I replied "no", as I did not at the time believe I was pregnant...however, a few weeks later, I gave mom a call to inform her that Jones, had indeed been correct, I was indeed pregnant...Jones and the good Lord, knew I was pregnant before anyone...
Jones lived a very long life, 13yrs, and finally his tired body gave out and he died...mom and dad were heartbroken, but immediately bought another basset hound, "Bridgeport"...he was quite the character, but got cancer, and lived only 3-4 yrs....
Then came the third basset, Miss Helga..she was the oddest, sweetest, most loveable dog I have ever known...when she was just 4, dad got cancer and died within a few months...mom already had Alzheimers, and was unable to care for herself, so we moved her in with me and the hubby and our two boys...Helga, sensing that mom and dad could not care for her any longer, bonded with me...she was my sweet baby...tho as long as mom was sick, Helga would lie under her hospital bed set up in our home, and offer her sweetness and concern to mom...occasionally she would get into bed with mom, as if to comfort her...
After a few years mom died, but our dear Helga stayed with us and our menagerie of cats, and rats, and other dogs...she loved all the other animals, and they loved her...one by one, the boys left(as children do), the other animals died, and my hubby and I were left with just Helga..she was the absolute joy of our lives...she was a sweet, chunky, stumpy, velvet eared, wrinkled, baying, singing basset hound, who made us think that God was laughing and grinning when he created such a funny looking, clownish, loving dog, as the basset hound...
Helga died a few years ago, and again, our hearts were broken...but we have a little cemetary in the back yard, where all our deceased pets are buried..for each of the pets, my hubby builds a little coffin, and we wrap the pet in his favorite blankie, and wrap his paws around a favorite toy...and then we bury them out back...Helga is buried with all her 'friends', under the big tree where she loved to sleep in the grass in the warm weather...
Dogs....a grand gift from God...
Loved your beautifully written story, but it made me cry.
All of your dogs were so fortunate to have been with your family.
I loved your stories. Thanks for sharing.