Dogs truly man’s best friend

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First, I want to say that I love my little basset hound “Flow” (or “Flo”).

From the time she was very little, she was as abstinent as any animal I have ever had. I named her “Flo” because it seems that she would just let it flow any place at all.

She was not housebroken for a very long time. She loved to sit on my lap. When I first got her as a puppy, she slept in my arms all the way home. So, she believed that is where she belonged. I would be working under my truck, and she would come over and sit on me. I would be driving down the road, and she would sit on me.

Whenever I sat in a chair, there she was. As she got older, she started to become afraid of loud noises, gunfire, trucks and any other loud noise. She was afraid of strangers, too. It takes her a very long time to make up to anyone.

When she was younger, we took her around lots of people and had her around a little of everything. But when she got older, something happened that made her somewhat skittish. If you know bassets, they are very strong in their legs. They were used for the purpose of hunting rabbits. Messing with their feet is more than a challenge. They do not like for their feet to be touched.

Now, if we are going out at night, we first take her outside to do her business. It is like trying to herd a kitten, or make a child go to bed. She drags her feet, she pouts, she walks very slowly and goes in the wrong direction all the time, with her tail between her legs. If I go away, she will not eat until I get home.

Same thing happens if my wife leaves. We both have to be home before she will eat. When she barks, you would think she was twice as big as she is.

Now when she eats, you have to give her a “Greenie” which is a dog’s snack, or she will stand and look at you until you do. As for some of the other funny things she does, last summer my sister-in-law was visiting us, and Flo was running all over the yard. She stepped on one of her own ears and flipped head over heels at full speed. Then, when she drinks, her ears are in the middle of the bowl. She loves stealing our seats. If I am home by myself, she will sit right beside me until Carolee gets home. Then she will go sit in Carolee’s seat. If I get up, she will take my seat as I am getting up.

All in all, she has been a very good friend. She sits with me when I am very tired. Whenever I am blue, she sits very close to me. She has been my best friend for such a very long time. Flow the basset. What a pain, what a friend. Dogs will never turn their backs on you.

May your day be full of peace.

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By Loren Pool

Contributing columnist

Loren Pool is a retired Delaware County deputy sheriff.

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