On a chilly morning, we welcomed Hannah and her brother, Buster to our home. The “Welcome Home” sign was taped to the door and my daughter was anxiously riding her bike in the driveway, waiting for Cathy Howell to bring our new puppies. Our first Basset, Maggie, had crossed the bridge at age 12, a few months earlier.
The family of these littermates fell on hard times and held on to them as long as they could, and with love gave them to BBR.The pups were 9 months old and looked much different than our old Maggie, but were loveable, comical, and precious all the same. There were inseparable, always looking out for the other, but each had their own ways and looks.
Buster is easy going & calm, more black & brown markings, skinny crooked legs & slick shiny hair. While Hannah was more nervous and watchful, and had a much louder voice and would greet us each day and at chow time. She had very, very soft white fur, soft like a bunny, along with brown and black markings. She was a little chubby in her old age, but she had the perfect basset legs, straight and strong, along with solid big paws. She would race back and forth in the house waiting for Buster or her “bff” Maggie to join in. Then it was hard to see who was chasing who. Her big velvety ears would perk up and she would wiggle her butt and tail as if teasing Maggie come and play. These 2 had an instant bond when Maggie joined the pack 3 years ago.
I remember Hannah won a sheepskin bone for the longest stay in obedience class when she was young. Always the mischief maker, taking socks or towels, or breaking open the bag of flour on the carpet. It wasn’t hard to guess who had done it from the whiteness on her nose. She could always sense when we were close to the cottage up north and would break out in whining and barking. She liked to sit on the pier and watch the fish being pulled in or go on the pontoon. She even managed a few swims in the lake with her ears floating on the water.
You may remember Hannah from Bassetfest. She would have her fun, then when she lost sight of familiar faces would trudge the grounds looking for them. But towards the end of the party, she would get a little grumpy and cranky and lie under the picnic table and grumble.
I will miss her loyalty, sweetness, friendship and mischievous ways. It took a while to get used to the quietness. She died very suddenly this past Thanksgiving after taking ill the day before. Bleeding that started slowly, possibly from an antibiotic reaction, progressed very quickly, and she died warm and comfortable at the Animal ER. The doctors thought she may of had an underlying condition we did not know about. She would of been 11 this past June and left us much earlier than planned. I know our dogs and animals live much shorter lives, but I do believe I’ll see my friend again, and she’s running free with her new friends, the way she was meant to be.