The waddle is back in our lives...

When we lost our beloved basset, Jackie last July, we agreed…..no more dogs until retirement.

Our jobs are very demanding and we agreed we would not box up a dog all day while we were away.

But one phone call changed all that.

In February we called a family friend with two pups in my hometown so we could “rent them” to play with us and our grandsons in the park. We didn’t pay anything…but we had a wonderful time watching the pups and the boys interact. I took a bunch of pictures and we were sad when the pups waddled home.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago and the pup’s owner called to say he was trying to find a home for them. He saw how much we enjoyed them….and wanted to offer them to us first. They needed to stay together. Bassets are communal dogs. These two were somewhat dependent on one another. Cletus and Jojo were brother and sister from the same litter.

We thought about it for at least two or three minutes.

Yes. We will figure this out.

Our neighbor suggested a highbrow West County Doggie Daycare called Puppingham Palace. We applied. They decided they would take our money.

We run the pups up a ramp into the back of my SUV each weekday morning, take them to daycare where they rub elbows with poodles and Labrador Retrievers (mostly pure breed) before I come pick them up after work. During the day I have an app that allows me to see them in real time video.

Last week I watched on as my new kids teamed up to back a beagle into a corner where they took its lunch money. Puppingham Palace Personnel were perplexed with our pups. I donated to the foundation and they agreed to look the other way. We had to talk with Jojo and Cletus about it later that night. We are not raising thugs. Besides, we give them cash for brunch every day.

It all hasn’t been roses since assuming the responsibility. There have been mistakes around the house. We have cleaned them all up.

But just when you get miffed because Clete roughs up his sister for looking lustfully at his rawhide chewy, he gives you a basset hug and everything is forgotten.

In this life, God gives us the need to love and protect those who need protection. Carol and I have raised five kids…and we have the parenting gene deep within us. We now have a couple more youngsters to raise. They keep us quite busy. And they have already been to our retreat in Southern Illinois. They behaved.

Back home, it didn’t take long before the entire neighborhood knew the duo had arrived. They howl at the Shelties next door….and the squirrel in the creek…and the bird that flies over the backyard…..

And they are great listeners…

In fact, they’re all ears.