Sunday, January 4, 2009

In happier dog-related news

After months of talking about it, me and B went to the dog shelter on Friday and met this cutie:



He is a beagle/basset hound mix (a bagel!). He's small like a beagle, but also a bit longer like a basset, and has a gorgeous bassety face. His ears are kinda halfway between beagle and basset. He is 5 years old, and was found on the side of the road and taken to this shelter. It turns out that this was the shelter were he was originally adopted out from, and they still had the info for the owners. When they called the owners, the owners said the dog had 'ran away' and surrendered him to the shelter.

Any good scent hound owner knows they can't really be let off leash without extensive training, because they will find something interesting to smell, wander off, and get lost. And why just surrender him to the shelter if he did? It probably means they were bad dog owners, and maybe even abandoned him on the side of the road. :( I don't know why though, he is such a sweetie, and was really quiet and well behaved when we met him. I don't understand pet owners who can just throw out animals like trash. :(

We put in an application and will find out tomorrow or Tuesday if we can take him home. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high, as I read one review of this shelter that says that someone applied for a dog and they adopted the dog out to another family like a day later, and didn't even inform them until they called the shelter 2 days later. But we have our kitties up to date on their shots, neutered/spayed, and our landlord has given us permission for a dog, so hopefully it will work out. I really really like this dog, so I really hope we get him. I've been reading all about how to handle dogs, teach them commands, take them on walks, and introduce them to kitties. We will most likely crate him for a few months at first when we leave the house, cause I don't want to come home to dead kitties.

We are thinking of naming him Moody (since he looks moody, after hank and mad eye moody). Or maybe Archimedes.

11 comments:

  1. He looks very noble. I hope he becomes your new dog.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yay! He seems very sweet. Find out what the previous owners named him because, horrible owners that they were, it is very confusing to a dog to rename him after three years. Also, expect that your dog will be a little bit nuts for a few weeks after bringing him home. Shelters are horrible places for animals and they come out of them all crazy. It took Bonnie (my beagle) about two months until she stopped having a nervous breakdown every time I walked out the door.

    Also, you probably already know this, but first thing you do after bringing him home is take him to Petsmart for a "professional" bath. He is going to be a mess after the shelter and since most dogs hate baths, you don't want to be the one giving it to him first thing...you don't want your first experience together to be a negative one, but a bath is an absolute must before he comes home with you.

    I am going to email you a bunch of links to free dog treat and food samples and other such stuff.

    ReplyDelete
  3. They named him roony, which is why we were thinking of moody...cause it kind of has the same sound, so maybe it would be less confusing. I'm not sure if he knows his name though, we will find out if we get him. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a dumb name...can see why you'd want to change it.

    Hope you get him. The very day I adopted Bonnie, she was slated for being put to sleep. The shelter I got her from was also pathetic...I had to call every day to see if I got her. The way they screened me, you'd think I was adopting a child. Keep annoying them.

    Also, a lot of vets in NY will give you the first visit for free. I don't know if they do that in your area, but it never hurts to ask. Vet visits can cost a fortune.

    Good luck!

    -WG

    ReplyDelete
  5. We used to run an animal rescue group, and all of our dogs have been rescue adoptions, and all of those have had their names changed.

    Renaming a dog is trivial. The dog will learn the new name in under a week; they are highly motivated. It's easy, and does no harm to the animal.

    ReplyDelete
  6. He is ADORABLE!!! I have a beagle named Molly and yes, beagles should not be allowed off leash or out of an enclosed area/yard.

    Beagles are noses on four paws!

    HAHA!

    Raven
    Happy Tails Beagle List, come check us out!
    http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/happytails

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a cutie. Hopefully it will get your mind away from your parents.

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a cutie. Hopefully it will get your mind away from your parents.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Now THAT is a good dog. I have a sense for these things. I love the name, Moody fits well.

    ReplyDelete
  10. He's so cute! Almost makes me want to run out and adopt one myself - but not quite.
    The part that's beagle will be a howler, maybe the part bassett hound will be a calming influence.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh Bagel!
    let me bask in your doggy splendor
    your cuteness knows no bounds
    your eyes tell the tale of the doggy days of yore.

    Alas, we shall soon be together
    and we shall frolick and play in the fields and the meadows.
    And it shall be grand...
    Woof.

    ReplyDelete

Anonymous comments are enabled for now