Have You Ever Had a Heart Dog?
APRIL 16, 2023
I have. His name was Sam and he came to us via the old SPCA offices which used to be just off Robie Street in Halifax. It was love at first sight, and a love that would stay in my heart forever. If you've been blessed with such a dog, I don't need to explain that feeling and connection. You totally know.
Last week, I was fortunate to be have Summer over with her own heart dog, Lucy. It's been many years since I've seen a Bassett up close, so I was super happy to have the chance to make a little fuss over her and get some images for Summer.
According to the Hill's Pet site, the Bassett Hound is " ....a friendly, easygoing dog.... are people oriented and get along well with children. ... and are happiest when they have their families around."(1) That sounds like Lucy! The site also said that Bassets can be hard to train sometimes as they can be stubborn. Lucy, is that you?
Me being me, I was curious to know how Summer and Lucy came to be such a great team.
Summer says it all started when a friend had a Basset Hound named Sadie, and that dog was so sweet that Summer decided that was the breed for her. Ten years ago, she bravely made her first plane trip to meet Lucy's breeder in Ontario and bring her new puppy home. Their first night together was alone in a motel on New Year's Eve. I think that having a warm puppy to cuddle would have been a pretty wonderful way to ring in the new year, don't you? (They had to fly standby the next day to get home!)
Ten years have passed since then, and Lucy has been all that Summer hoped for and more. Summer told me that Lucy has brought happiness with her visits to seniors' homes and youth facitilities . A few years ago, Lucy was a stand-in reindeer and Summer was an Elf as they visited a seniors' home with Santa. Lucy and Summer have also dressed up at Halloween time and visited their local hospital.
The two have been there for each other through the years, and have seen some pretty momentous changes in their lives, including the addition of two very big canine siblings AND a little human sister in 2021. Through it all, Lucy has maintained her role of guardian of hearth and home and has developed an amazing bond with her little sister. What hasn't changed is Summer's and Lucy's dedication to each other.
Lucy is a Heart Dog. That much is very clear when you hear Summer talk about her and when you see them together. If you've never experienced this type of relationship with a dog, I hope you someday will. Thank you, Summer, for sharing Lucy's story with us!
(1)Basset Hound Dog Breed Information and Personality Traits https://www.hillspet.com/dog-care/dog-breeds/basset-hound?lightboxfired=true#