Bessie

B’s adoption My husband Francois and I moved to Monterey about 8 months ago after a year or so of moving around, during which Francois finished his PhD, we got married, and finally he got a postdoc position at Hopkins Marine Station in Pacific Grove. Our most recent semi-permanent address was in Townsville, Australia, where we were both PhD students for the last 4-6 years. In Australia, we had a rescue dog named Swampy. He is an Australian Kelpie-Labrador Retriever Mix who Francois found one day as a puppy in the swamp of course, while fishing with friends. Since neither of us are Australian or intended to stay there, it was certainly an unexpected adoption. But, when there is love at first sight sometimes you just have to fight reason with heart. Well, the time came when our adventure in Oz was drawing to a close. We were unsure where the next year would take us, or when we might be settled again. And so, we decided that the best option for Swampy was to go to France and live with Francois’ mother on her B&B farm in Provence. It was a traumatic parting for all of us, and at the time we doubted whether we had made the right decision. Moreover, Australia has somewhat stricter regulations for exporting animals, and suffice it to say that it cost more than twice as much for Swampy to get to France as two roundtrip people tickets from Oz to Europe. But, Swampy has now been living in France for more than a year and he and Francois’ mother couldn’t be happier. We actually got to visit him in September and it really is the best possible place for him. He’s settled and he’ll stay there: we decided one transcontinental/ oceanic trip was enough for his lifetime. So, that left us settled and dog-less in California. We had been casually checking the rescue pages since last summer, but always with the understanding that it wasn’t quite the right time for us to adopt again. I had a basset hound before and adored him: Jackson, a beautiful little tricolor from Mississippi who loved everyone and believed that everyone loved him too. My family also had a wonderful bloodhound and my sister has another basset, so I knew I wanted a hound. You either love them for their hound-ness or can’t stand them for it, and I have been smitten since the beginning. Well, Francois was working late one evening and I spontaneously decided to take a peek at the GGBR page to check the available dogs…and there was Betsy (or Bessie as she was known on the website)! I took one look at her photo, read her description and I knew she was meant for us. I didn’t even wait to show Francois or discuss it with him at all; I just applied at that very moment to adopt her. After a relatively quick and pleasant application and interview process through the GGBR organization, we were approved to adopt Betsy. We couldn’t even wait a week for the GGBR network to move her down from Reno: the day after we got back from Thanksgiving holidays I drove up to Sacramento to pick her up from her foster mom, Ellen. And, then the real adventure began… It’s been two months since Betsy joined our family in Monterey. The weekend after we picked her up she was introduced to the beach (for the first time I believe) in Carmel. Two weeks after she arrived we all drove the 3000 miles home to my parent’s house in Florida (and back again) for the holidays and introduced B to her extended family, including fellow basset Cousin Mia. We had already planned to go to Florida for Christmas, and we didn’t want to leave her for two weeks right after adopting her. So, we decided to make the long drive together. She was amazingly calm for whole ride, and arrived in the warm southern weather to be adored by all she met. We didn’t tell the family about her, so her appearance was a complete surprise (and delight)! Since then our lives have been full of doggy playdates, beach runs and forest hikes. We have all enjoyed the increased time spent outdoors in this beautiful place, and we could not be happier with B. She is the perfect little basset, and of course I am not biased at all! She was a bit shy at first with other dogs, but never with people. She immediately bonded to us and loves to cuddle more than anything else. She is extremely active and athletic when outdoors, but loves to sleep (especially in the sunshine) when at home. When people meet her, wherever we are, they are always amazed by her activity and delighted by her adorable appearance. Inevitably, the will exclaim: “I’ve never seen a basset move like that” or “She’s the fittest basset I’ve ever seen”! My husband and I are both so happy to have found Betsy and adopt her. We truly believe she was meant for us and cannot imagine our life without her. Thank you to the GGBR organization for taking good care of her while she was waiting for us, and choosing us to be her parents! Francois and Patricia

Cassidy

Both Butch (formerly "Louie") and Cassidy are doing wonderful here at our house. Cassidy has gained quite a bit of weight and now is looking like a real basset. She is madly in love with Butchie and they are together all the time. Their favorite spot is on my husbands lap when he is on the recliner (very cozy). They have the run of the house and feel quite comfortable anywhere and on anything in the house. One morning I woke up to find Butch sound asleep on my dining room table! How he got up there I will never know. He also likes to lay on the back edge of the couch (our couch is not backed up to a wall). We try to make it to the local Basset meet ups and they have alot of fun running with the other dogs around Union City and Fremont dog parks. Butch is very loving and has a favorite tickle spot of under the front paws. Cassidy's spot is more normal for a basset right on her belly. They are good about sharing toys and take all of them out of the box everyday. Now it would be great if I could teach them to put them back. I have attached a picture of them on their favorite spont, I hope you enjoy it. Best Regards, Jan

Jasmine

When we picked Jasmine up at the shelter we had no idea that she would be the lovely little houndie she is today. Nor did we imagine that we, as GGBR foster parents, would have another foster failure. Now, 5 months from the day she so timidly entered our home, she is a happy, healthy, lively little gal, full of tricks and always looking for the next adventure or an available warm lap. Her terrible skin, so bad it would be impossible to describe, has cleared and her coat is shiny and soft. We didn't need to adopt another dog but Jasmine made it clear that she had selected us to be her forever family and we are ever so glad she did. We totally adore her and love having her be another one of our precious 'forever' hounds. Mike and Sally Mitchell

Stretch NKA Wilbur

My husband and I lost our basset hound George in June of 2011, He was 13 years old. We had rescued him when he was around one to two years old. We thought we could never get another dog because we would compare that dog to George. But, after a few months we really missed having a friend to walk with and hang out with. So we started looking for another dog. We almost got a different breed, but I saw Stretch, (now known as Wilbur) on the GG Basset Rescue site and we knew we had to meet him. I filled out the application and we met Wilbur a few days later. The minute we saw him we knew he was coming home with us. He is the most amazing, sweet, loving, affectionate, dog. He fit right in, It was like he lived here his whole life. He gets along with my cats, he loves playing with the other dogs in the park, and he loves people and has to say hello to everyone we pass. We couldn’t imagine our lives without him. We love him so much. Margaret

Sandy (nka Savannah)

Savannah and I bonded almost immediately. I was very surprised that she was so easy to handle and once she got over her new home she has fit right in. She is very friendly with all people and most dogs. Once she likes you, you are her friend forever. She used to bark and howl at everything while she was in the house. We worked on that and it only took three squirts from a water sprayer bottle to let her know that that behavior wasn't acceptable. Now she goes out of her dog door and barks to her heart's content. She gets excited when we go for a walk. I walk, she hunts. And she loves to run in the field near our house. She has so many great characteristics. When its time to eat, she lays on her stomach with her head on the floor and her ears are fanned out. Her nose is close to her food bowl. She is my bud and we go everywhere together. I could not have asked for a better Basset. Walter Davis