Here's some non-Irish Basset Hound History, though, as an FYI:
The recorded history of the Basset Hound dates all the way back to a 16th century French text about badger hunting. The Basset Hound was developed by the friars of the French Abbey of St. Hubert, who wanted to breed a dog that was similar to the Bloodhound but smaller and slower moving, allowing humans to follow it on foot. The term "Basset" is derivative from the French bas, meaning "low" or "dwarf." At the beginning of the 18th century, these dogs were extremely popular in France. Legend has it that Lafayette gave a pair of Basset Hounds to George Washington, making him the first man to introduce the breed to North America.
The Basset Hound was recognized by the English Kennel Club in 1882, and the English Basset Hound Club was formed in 1884. The American Kennel Club followed suit in 1885, accepting the Basset Hound as a breed. The Basset Hound Club of America was founded in 1935, and breed standard was created in 1964. In the US today, these dogs are primarily used for rabbit hunting, but will hunt and track just about anything. The breed’s ubiquitous appearances in books, magazines, movies and even as the mascot for Hush Puppies footwear is a tribute to their continued popularity and admiration.
http://www.breederretriever.com/dog-breed-history/100/basset-hound.php
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So it looks like Leo may somehow be a descendant of our first president's pet bassets. Hey, you never know... :)
My walking buddy and I have been hitting the pavement in the mornings again, as the weather has gotten much better. We've enjoyed visiting Pentagon Row and Leo has enjoyed being able to sniff out snacks in the grass. I completed the 5 mile walk last Sunday and was surprised at how fast it went. Then I realized that 5 miles is only about 1/8th of how far I'll have to walk on May 1st and 2nd. Yikes!
That's the GOOD news I have to report for this week. The BAD news is that Leo has realized that the stuffing inside his animals is a tasty little indulgence (cotton candy-ish, perhaps?) and our most recent evening fiasco included the exiting of excrement that included the stuffing from both Mr. Raccoon and Mr. Cow. So, on Tuesday night we said a solemn good-bye to the dismembered animals as I dumped them in the garbage, unaware that we would be soon seeing them again as last night I had to, very unfortunately, pull their remains from Leo's bum.
I know. That was a disgusting story and I'm sorry you had to read it. At least you weren't there!
Cheers to digesting things that we were meant to!
Have a great weekend!
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Yikes, Leo! Yikes, Suz!
ReplyDelete:)