My Arch Nemesis

I spend most of my day sitting on the couch peeking out the window. It's the perfect setup for me. I frump out and just peer my eyeballs over the back of the couch waiting for a good opportunity to pop out and bay at the world. Watching people jump because I startle them is very satisfying. 

Here's the thing. Most of the neighbors have caught on to my game and so they avoid our sidewalk. But there is one fellow...he actually has the audacity to come up to the front porch. I watch him walking up and down the block. Every morning...rain, snow or shine. And every morning (despite being scolded) I bay at him from the moment he hits our front porch until he is well out of my sight. And even then I usually try and get outside so I can track him. 

The other neighborhood dogs don't seem to be so fond of this guy either. Maybe it's his blue outfit or that mystery bag he's always got with him...I wonder how long it will take for me to scare this guy off. I've tried all sorts of barks at him, but he keeps coming back. I'll have to sleep on this one.

WOOOOOOOOOOOoooooOOOOO

New Year-New Resolution

Greetings All!

  Yes, we realize it has been way too long since we updated. Our apologies. It's just, well, life gets a little hectic sometimes and before you know it, it's 2010. Here's a quick rundown of 2009:

This spring the red headed lady moved back. Hooray! That means an extra body to cuddle with. Also, another person to try and beg from...and usually it works. With the whole pack back together we spent the summer here in South Bend. It was relaxing. We even took a few mini road trips, one to Nashville (hope we can move there one day!) and one to the Michigan shore. We much preferred the sand to the water and waves. But we got to spend time with our human friends and Aires (the golden retriever Molly likes to wrestle with). They drove all the way from Maryland to see us. :)

Fall came early, which is always slightly disappointing. But we made the best of it. We went to Notre Dame's tailgates every home game...too bad they didn't have a very good season. Maybe next year? If nothing else, we got lots of rubs and scraps of food!

We just got back to South Bend after an extended vacation at the grandparents place. Gotta love Christmas time. Although, we definitely need to get back out on long walks...we gained some weight over the holidays. Fortunately for us the weather has not been terrible. (knock on wood) It's January and the temps are just above freezing! Probably global warming. But we're not complaining. Remember last year when it was negative 20's and 30's?????? There's still some snow on the ground, but you can actually see grass. Maybe we'll have a mild rest of the winter.

There are rumblings that life will be changing for us in a few months. Something about graduation and full time jobs...we're not sure what that means, but we'll make sure to keep you on the up and up.

Thanks for sticking with us! We promise to update this more!!!

On training your basset hound

Welcome back!

Molly here.(Shannon has put herself to sleep for the night) Sorry we did not update sooner, but we just got back from a mini-vacation. Turns out the human folk spent the weekend in California; but we didn't get to go along. WOOOOoooo. It's not all bad; we got to stay two blocks away at a friend's house and had a blast. Shannon spent pretty much the whole weekend in the backyard working on her tan. I encourage her to use sunblock, but fortunately she doesn't burn easily. I will admit, I am a bit jealous-her hind quarters are getting very brown. Meanwhile, I am still a little reddish. I guess I just don't get as dark as my sister. Besides, I am not nearly the sun bunny that Shannon is. I prefer shade. Or staying indoors killing bugs. (My hosts were very generous, I just wanted to help out where I could!)

While on vacation, we had many compliments about how well behaved we were and how nice it is to see the two of us get along. And that gave me the idea for this blog post. Just how do you keep your basset hound in check? Well here are my little tricks.

1. Sunshine!!! 

I like to make sure Shannon gets to spend as much time baking herself as possible. Anytime she can find a sun patch, you can be sure to find a basset in it. It's a good thing the weather has finally changed, because I could not take Shannon complaining about the snow any longer!

2. Cuddles.

If you sit down, expect a basset in your lap. And not just laying in your lap. Actually sitting, sometimes even with paws around your neck. You may want to be prepared with doggy breath mints, because cuddles will be followed by kisses.

3. Clothing.

If it turns out your basset hound is getting a little too rambunctious, I suggest sticking her in a doggy sweater of some kind. These are not the breeds that like to be dressed up. Au natural baby-that's the way Shannon likes it. Yeah, so sticking Shannon in her outfits make her very angry and she just stands there looking annoyed. But it calms her down.

4. Mud.

Find a dirt patch somewhere and let your basset go to town. Not only will your pup find some great worms/insects the digging is a great workout for those front paws!

5. Bribery. 

I have found that food is especially useful. Banana peels or a little bit of peanut butter work wonders! They are healthy snacks and inexpensive. And aren't we all looking for ways to save some money these days?

6. Dancing.

If all else fails, put on some Big Band Jazz music and watch your basset dance! If you're not too self conscious you could join in.

Well, it is late and I need to rest up. Big day of chasing toys and long walks tomorrow. 

Wags!!!!

Getting this thing started

Spring is in the air! I can smell it. The last of the snow has melted away, the birds are coming back and the flowers are beginning to bloom. Although, Molly keeps eating the daffodils in the yard, so really, its the neighbor's flowers that are in bloom. In any case, it is spring time in South Bend. 

WOOOOoooo. 

Thank you Molly for that. 

So you are probably wondering why you should even bother reading our blog. Yeah, I said "our" Molly tries to help, but she gets distracted easily. Anyway, since our friends and family are all over the country/world we thought it might be nice to have a blog so they can check in on us and see what kind of shenanigans we are getting into. Plus, who doesn't love having a mindless distraction from work once in a while?  We'll try and keep you updated on a semi-regular basis, so remember to check in!

Ah, and for those curious about the title of the blog, it's a line from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream:

My hounds are bred out of the Spartan kind: 

So flewed, so sanded, and their heads are hung

With ears that sweep away the morning dew; 

Crook-kneed, and dewlapped like Thessalian bulls; 

Slow in pursuit, but matched in mouth like bells,

Each under each.

Okay, I smell a banana peel so I must go and find it out.