I have been the proud owner of six basset hounds. Currently I have two rescued basset hounds, 10 yr old Will B. Hound and 5 yr.old Molly.

I have had Willie for 8 yrs. He was a replacement for another male rescue whowent on to become a TV star as the weather dog on a local channel. He would be dressed in a uyellow rain slicker and floppy rain hat with doggie boots for rainy weather, scarf, toboggan and ear muffs for snowy weather and sun glasses and a Hawaiin shirt with sun tan lotion for summer heat waves.

After fostring this hound until he could be adopted out, I cried when he left me for his forever home and quickly replaced him with Willie.

Willie was rescued by a good samaritan when found dodging trafic on a downtown freeway during rush hour. I was called to keep him until a home could be found for the young puppy.

He was seriesly abused and when i got him very araid of people. He would ghide behind furniture from people. But with time he came to trust. He was a great almost perfict dog and I couldnt figure out why someone through this shy houn away. He was house trained, so well in fact he would flip the toilet seat when he wanted water and he could let himself in and out of the house opening both the inside and storm doors with his mouth and paws!!

I decided any dog that considerate had to be a keeper so I kept him…

I had four other female bassets who Willie came to live with as the youngest dog and immediately wanted to be alpha dog. However the girls quickly put him in his place as omega dog.

Eventually the older dogs died off and he became alpha to his new little sister Molly. So Willie became the “Archie Bunker” of the basset hound world and orders Molly aka Edith to get him a k-9 beer and stifle herself whenever she gets excited.

I had a stroke and open heart surgery and was recouping in a wheelchair when Mollys rescuer saw Willie. She approached me and offered my the little hound Molly but I told her I could hardly care for myself let alone care for another dog.

She left and returnde a little while later with Molly. I took one look at this young girl hound and I melted and took the hound in.

Molly was owned by an elderly couple who would not allow her to be a puppy. They punished her for being and acting like a puppy, straving her until her growth was stunted, (1/3 her normal size), They beat her about the head so sheis partically deaf, crushed her vocal cords, moved away and left her chained and abandoned in the back yard.
the neighbor took the dog home and gave her to his kids to use as a target for B.B. gun practice. Another neighbor saw this and had the little girl taken away. She spent 6 months in a vet hospitol learning to eat all over again. Going from I.V. to learning to swallow again. She is the sweetest thing wouldnt bite if you went after you with a knife…such a sweetheart.

Anyway, it amazes me how dogs who just want love and to love you…who would give their life for you, who doesnt cheat on you, lie behind your back, spread rumours or stab you in the back…but some irresponsaable selfish human and throw such loving creatures away and the dog is put down for the owners irresponsibility. AMAZING!!

Thank you Mark for a great book and a wonderful story. My dogs are my life and I wouldnt have survived my ordeal without knowing I had to live to care for them. They were my motivation to live. It has drove me to volunteer at 2 shelters in two rural counties and work as a foster home to rescue bassets in need.

Thank you Mark and God bless!!!

Craig from Ohio