A pair of birds have decided to roost in our roof, probably thinking it is safe to have a nest of Bassets downstairs from you. Let the Jones' compete with that.

They are a modest little family, no doubt preparing for the joys of parenthood. I can hear them get up in the morning and I am pretty sure that they have tapped into our electricity since it is still dark when they get up. Besides, I can hear their little kettle boiling as they tidy the nest, polish the egg(s) and do some general pecking about. 

The Bassets sleep like the dead in the morning, so none of this bugs them. They don't have to worry about the electricity bill. 

Raising the Lawn.

And carrying it inside...

The facial expression that states: I know what you want to say but already, I don't care.

While Searching For a Hound Friendly Vet...

Horton and I recently looked up some more local vets. Our preferred vets are far from our home, someone closer as backup makes perfect sense.

Vet 1 just around the corner. Probably a fresh graduate with little practical experience. Loves her own voice, wants to put Horton on phenobarbital to prevent the once a year seizure he has. Wants to put him on a special diet in spite of me repeatedly saying 'new food is a trigger...' Prescribes antibiotics without testing for bacteria. No points scored by Vet 1.

100% scored by Horton who was a big star in the waiting room while we waited to pay. He charmed 2 cat lovers into giving him belly rubs, befriended one of the crated cats, exchanged phone numbers with a Staffy girl in a hot pink collar and convinced a scared little human boy to relax enough to reach out and stroke his ears.

Vet 2 a little further away, also a holistic vet who sometimes uses homeopathy to obtain the desired results. First thing he noticed was Horton's size. He called him 'big and sturdy'. When I asked him if he meant overweight, he said no, Mr. H is not quite there yet. Vet 2 scored big points right of the bat!

Vet 2 had a lot of sensible stuff to say about what dogs eat and are supposed to eat and how any type of grain (even rice) should be avoided. He was in favor of home cooking or an organic food (which he happened to have on the shelve). Vet 2 knows how to absorb, integrate and connect information and results.

Vet 2 also made no promises about the immediate relieve of H's symptoms but asked that we report back every seven days so that we can adjust the medication until it is near perfect. More points.

At the end of the visit (where I produced my credit card and paid for a consultation, medicine, a small bag of holistic food and the bone Horton stole off a shelve) , I noticed the list of ingredients on the bag of holistic food: Brown Rice, Chicken and Linseed. And with that Vet 2 lost some crucial points for having said that grains should be avoided but recommending a food that contains one. But we will give him a chance to redeem himself. And we will educate him at the same time.

Wipe your mouth after eating.

Bark.. growl...

Grunt...

Clean face. Cool as ice.

A little nap.

Bofa is always the hound in the house with the sweetest face when he sleeps. Except for this one time.

Pay attention Human

Whenever Butter thinks I might miss the Dinner Deadline, she gives me a little dinner show by lying on her back running with her legs in the air. One night I failed to notice the show that was offered in exchange for food. She improvised.

Every time I tried to put a hand full of stuffing back Butter would push her head into the hole to prevent me from doing so.

Dinner first Human! Stuffing later. Unless you're planning to serve a stuffed turkey...

Hounds. They rule this house with a wicked sense of humor.

The Tiniest Guard Dog

Our neighbour Cloë is but a couple of months old but managed to prevent a burglary a few weeks ago.

Cloë woke up and alerted her human when a stranger walked past their bedroom window. Bewildered by her barking and the panic alarm going off, the man jumped the fence into our yard where he was further accosted  by a hysterical Nougat. The rest of us were significantly slower in our response, but once we were awake and aware the panic alarm could hardly be heard above the baying and snarling of the four Bassets. They were quite prepared to have a go at the armed response too just to get a piece of the action. The would be thief was apprehended about an hour later while running down the street, a less than successful night for him.

Cloë is an infrequent visitor at our house and never stays longer than what it takes her to flatten the last of four Bassets. She's a handful. When she came over shortly after foiling the burglary, I overheard her telling Bofa her version of that night. Like all children, the story has become larger than life. But who's to say that it wasn't all true?

... and I said to my Human, DON'T look, I've got this!

I shouted to the crook HEY! Hands up!!

But he wasn't listening so I told him, I'm gonna rip your heart out through your throat man...

He got so scared he jumped the fence...

And then I left it cause I could hear the Nougat had him cornered. Hectic hey?

Way hectic man! I'm floored!

Photo Bomb! Butt...