Beagles (Somewhat OT, but with an On Topic Note)

[Kiralynx]

(The following is with apologies to CPAPTalk's own Babette. I didn't pick the name.)

While the family was gathered for my Mom's memorial service a few weeks ago, we had an adventure. Which has become on-going.

We went out to Don's Seafood Friday night. (My brother-in-law wanted real New Orleans seafood, and Don's is one of my folks' favorite spots.) A seafood restaurant on Friday night in New Orleans = hurry up and wait. We got in after 11p.

And we found a puppy cowering on the doorstep, shivering from the cold, with no collar or tags.

Harry and I pulled into the driveway in our van. I went to open the side door. Set my cane down, opened the door, started to step forward, and bumped into something... and there she was. Suspect she was hiding under our old car, because there was no sign of her when we pulled in. She huddled against my legs, shivering, and I bent down and picked her up, and she just sagged against me, shivering even harder.

Harry let Shadow and Sunny out one at a time, and neither was particularly worried about her. They got their beef cubes, and then Harry offered her some beef cube, which was very acceptable. I gave S&S their cottage cheese and flax oil, and then offered her some cottage cheese, which she ate. She drank two bowls of water, and Harry took her out for a walk.

We weren't sure what kind of dog she was, though I was guessing beagle or beagle-x, as she's black and tan. I'm guesstimated her age at maybe 3-4 months. Her teeth are definitely adult teeth and not puppy-needles.

Saturday was a trifle more problematical. She spent the night in the spare crate, and Shadow and Sunny didn't mind that. This morning, though, she came up on the bed, and was trying to push in to get some attention (she has obviously been well socialized, and does not act at all like a feral pup), Shadow informed her she did not get between the alpha dachshund and his Missy. He did not hurt her, just growled and snapped at her, not connecting... and a moment later, as far as he was concerned, it was over. Sunny remains very, very anxious. Harry has dubbed her "Babette." I think it should have been "Nanette," because I keep repeating, "No, No!"

Our Foundling Beagle has no chip, and so no ID. She's also about seven months old -- a bit older than I thought. She charmed Dr. Sagrera at Natural Pet into giving her a lambs wool plush turtle. She tests negative on parasites and so forth. And it appears that someone tried to dock her tail and did a poor job of it. She weighs 12.5 pounds. Dr. S is going to check with an uncle of hers who loves beagles and doesn't currently have a dog. My Dad is also considering adopting her.

Babette the Foundling also appears to have separation anxiety, and shrieked her head off when we locked her in the bathroom while I was at work. Came home to find she'd somehow gotten on the counter and had shredded, and peed on an entire case of toilet paper, that, if we'd had the sense ghod gave a Zabriskan fontema, we'd have removed from the bathroom. We're not used to dogs who can leap onto the counter, although Mr. Shadow Dachshund can do a good job of figuring out how to reach the things like the butter dish on the counter.

Second day, Babette went in the large spare crate with water and a toy, and she again shrieked herself hoarse. Rescue Remedy and a pheromone dispenser helps. Methinks we might have found the reason she was left to find her own home. Fortunately, our walls are thick enough that she shouldn't disturb the neighbors. But Shadow and Sunny sure look long-suffering.

We have searched the neighborhood for "lost dog" signs, and checked with several neighbors. No sign of anyone missing her. So I guess she's ours. (Although she and my Dad got along fine.) It's that darn psychic neon sign on the house: I claim it reads S-U-C-K-E-R, but my husband says it reads S-U-C-C-O-R.

Now for the on-topic part: I've posted about my Shadow-goof turning my CPAP hose into an under-fur air conditioner, and just incidentally giving me perhaps the oddest heated hose on the Forum.

Although Shadow and Sunny have toys galore, they've never been interested in my mask. I've hung it up, out of reach, nonetheless.

Yesterday, I started down the hall to the bathroom. First I found the band to my "brandy keg" chin strap. Then I found the wrap to the "keg," and finally the "keg" itself with teethmarks on it.

And then I found the piece of silver wicking fabric I use over the rubber... and I ran. To find Babette Beagle wrestling with my mask.... she had pulled it off the hook, somehow.

I shrieked, and smacked her hard on her rump. She let go, then went for the mask again. I shrieked and smacked her and as she was trying to get the mask out of my hands a third time, Shadow arrived. He grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, pinned her down with his body, and snarled at her. Multiple times. Every time she tried to get up and lunge for my mask, he pinned her and snarled until she stopped trying. Then he came over and washed my hands and face rather anxiously, as if to say, "Sorry I didn't get here faster..."

FORTUNATELY, we apparently got there just as she found the mask. Aeiomed builds a better mask... 'cause those darned beagle teeth did not puncture it... my leak rate was quite normal last night.

Mask is now hanging out of sight.... my pulse and blood pressure may return to normal some century or three from now. Yes, I still have my CL2 which I love. Yes, I have my Zzz-mask full-face. So I wouldn't be without a mask. But, heavens, I had no idea how critical my hind-brain considered that mask, because talk about adrenalin surges when I thought it was threatened...

Wow.

Moral: Good deeds are great. Just make sure they don't come back to bite you.

[kteague]

Moral: Good deeds are great. Just make sure they don't come back to bite you.

Or your favorite mask!

Kathy

[Kiralynx]

Yah, definitely, that too!

[tattooyu]

Wow... I think I would have had a heart attack if that happened to my mask. Yikes.

On the flip side, I think you are a wonderful person for taking the dog into your home, and I'm impressed with how your dog Shadow handled her.

[twokatmew]

What a wonderful story, Kira!!

Please keep us posted on how your foundling beagle is doing. I'm sooooooo glad she didn't succeed in eating your mask. I too am very impressed at how Shadow got her under control!

[wlk]

Good for you for taking that beagle baby into your home! Beagles are very smart and lovable. However, they are stubborn, and are more motivated by food than praise. They are also scent driven, and can easily become lost when they take off tracking an interesting smell. Unfortunately, many beagles are killed by cars when thay escape and follow the scent trail. Beagles must have a secure, fenced yard, and must always be on leash when out for walks.
That being said, I LOVE them, and have a six month old beagle in our family. She is great with the kids, and LOVES everybody. We keep bedroom doors shut, so my CPAP gear has not been molested. When she has made it into a bedroom, her warped sense of humor leads her to grab a pair uf underwear and run frantic laps around the house, swinging the garment into the air. She provided great amusement when she grabbed an out of town relatives underwear on Thanksgiving day. She ran out into the living room and did laps, allowing all twelve dinner guests to see it! She was so proud!



Miss Isabel, a completely spoiled, and beloved beagle baby.

[Kiralynx]

Wow... I think I would have had a heart attack if that happened to my mask. Yikes.

Well, as I said, my pulse and blood pressure may return to normal some century or three from now.

On the flip side, I think you are a wonderful person for taking the dog into your home, and I'm impressed with how your dog Shadow handled her.

Harry and I are suckers for lost fur kids. At one point, we had seven cats in residence, along with four dachshunds. And when our friends' apartment flooded during hurricane Katrina, THEY could stay in a hotel. Their five cats could not... so our spare bedroom became a cat-hotel.

<g> Mr. Shadow is, as I have observed on more than one occasion, too darned smart for OUR good.

[Kiralynx]

What a wonderful story, Kira!!

Please keep us posted on how your foundling beagle is doing. I'm sooooooo glad she didn't succeed in eating your mask. I too am very impressed at how Shadow got her under control!

Well, our foundling met our second vet today. (She's been checked for parasites, heart worms, etc. by our first vet, who is holistic. Second vet does acupuncture and is also a very good surgeon.)

Second vet said beagles were smart, scent oriented, stubborn.... geeze, sounds like a miniature dachshund on long legs!

[Kiralynx]

Good for you for taking that beagle baby into your home! Beagles are very smart and lovable. However, they are stubborn, and are more motivated by food than praise. They are also scent driven, and can easily become lost when they take off tracking an interesting smell. Unfortunately, many beagles are killed by cars when thay escape and follow the scent trail. Beagles must have a secure, fenced yard, and must always be on leash when out for walks.

I've had standard dachshunds for almost 40 years. Dachshunds are stubborn, scent-oriented, stubborn, intelligent, stubborn, lovable, stubborn... did I mention dachshunds can be a trifle stubborn?

We have a secure, fenced yard for the Dachshund Duo, and Babette Beagle is enjoying it.

That being said, I LOVE them, and have a six month old beagle in our family. She is great with the kids, and LOVES everybody. We keep bedroom doors shut, so my CPAP gear has not been molested. When she has made it into a bedroom, her warped sense of humor leads her to grab a pair uf underwear and run frantic laps around the house, swinging the garment into the air. She provided great amusement when she grabbed an out of town relatives underwear on Thanksgiving day. She ran out into the living room and did laps, allowing all twelve dinner guests to see it! She was so proud!

Underwear theft must be a beagle thing, 'cause she's forever trying to take mine. How red did the guest whose underwear was displayed by Miss Isabel turn?

We've never needed to shut the bedroom doors. We now have a gate with a pass-through in the hall so that we will not have a repeat of the heart-stopper event. We also bought her her own rolled leather collar today, and a flexi-lead.

We just received a set of tags for her -- the same tags we have on Shadow and Sunny. Tag one has name, physical street address, house phone, and "If I'm Out, I'm Lost." Tag two has name, house phone, and both our cell phones, plus "If I'm Out, I'm Lost."

We had an 18" x 36" Central Metal crate from another dachshund, so that's now set up at the foot of our king-sized bed, next to the ones for Shadow and Sunny. This gives her a secure place she can call her own if she's scared, and also gives us a secure place to put her so she can't get into trouble. Putting her right next to Shadow and Sunny seems to help Babette's separation anxiety, too.

She's a sweetie. Right at the moment, she's curled up on the ottoman next to my desk, plastered against Shadow. Sunny is looking long-suffering. I think she's got a touch of middle-child anxiety.

[Kiralynx]

And, oh yeah....

It's a lousy picture, from my phone's camera.

Shadow is actually a dark red with a sable overlay. Babette is mostly black with some tan.



That's Sunny, off to one side. She's a new-copper penny red.

So you can see how washed out this is.