I adopted Phoebe over a year ago. I thought she was a beagle with really long legs, but as a pound puppy, she was just called a “hound mix.” My daughter googled “beagle with long legs” and up popped a site for coonhounds — Treeing Walker Coonhounds to be exact. The picture on the screen could have been Phoebe.
I was injured last year, pretty severely (more on that in another post) and Phoebe was strong and healthy. Finally we have put in enough miles that she is okay on a leash, not great, she still pulls with just her regular collar, but she doesn’t stick her nose in everyone’s crotch, etc.
We went to the 1st Annual Dog Days of Summer at Durango Mountain Resort (aka Purgatory/Purgy to the locals). She did so well! So proud of her. Okay, so she did lick a small child right in the face. Felt sorry for the little girl, dog breath-uck. Phoebe also stood very still when a little boy, who was a bit frightened of her size wanted to pet her. I started with him petting her soft, floppy ears, and then moved to her shoulder. She stood like a trooper. The little boy was so excited that he was jumping up and down in front of his mom. He must have been all of three. It seems the little boy had been knocked down by a big dog and had some fear from that. Phoebe made me proud.
At two Phoebe is starting to mature a bit. She still goes crazy and zooms around the back yard. She still likes to jump up (we are working on that), and her nose still gets her into trouble–it overrides everything else when it is fully engaged. But I am still so happy I brought her home.
I was a total newbie with coonhounds. Of course I googled about everything. I found out that most hounds are bred to hunt large game, from bear, cougars and deer to raccoons. Just a disclaimer– I don’t do any of those things. I also found out that many hounds are “set free”(aka abandoned, dumped) if they don’t hunt or if they get too old to hunt.
One description I read about coonhounds said they were “tireless”. Yikes, I am not! I was worried about her fitting in to our life. Remember, we are empty nesters now. I couldn’t find anyone locally with dogs like this, but I did find Colorado Coonhound Rescue and Adoption Service in Denver. Charleston, the coonhound who runs the site, gave me great tips on what to do with Phoebe to help her settle in. I have to give them a plug, because they have been so great.
Charleston Marie is also a scent tracker, so I am looking in to something like that or perhaps therapy dog work for Phoebe, because I do believe that every dog needs a job to be happy.
Phoebe, Odin and I need to do our morning walk,
Have a great Father’s Day!
Anna
