Keep the wag in their tail
and the bounce in their step
with Pet Products from Beagle-Land
Beagle lovers everywhere will agree that it is important to keep their Beagle or pet dog in a safe and healthy environment. After all, a healthy beagle is a happy beagle.
MEET HARLEY
(Forming a Parnership: Dogs and Cats that Get Along and Do Not Fight)
Mischievious and Whimsical Harley
Meet Harley. Harley was only with us a short time; he belonging to an x-girlfriend who has since moved on. I cannot remember too much about Harley, except to say he was a mischievious but pleasant Beagle... even whimsical at times. I truly believe that often Beagles, or any breed of dog for that matter will pick up on the personality traits of its owner, and in Harley's case, its owner was also mischievious and whimsical. Now the mischievious part we can do without, but there is something to be said about a personality, whether in man or in dog, that one just has to love and gravitate towards when they are cute and cuddly. And in this instance, that goes for both Beagle and its owner.
My son's girlfriend was with us for about 6 months, and then again for about 2 years while she was living in my son's home. During that time period while son and girlfriend went to work, I dog sat for Harley and basically housetrained him from the time he was a pup. The episode that sticks out in my mind was when we first brought Harley home. It was a nice summer's day and we were all standing around in our backyard. Barum and Harley were with us also. When it came time to come in, Harley couldn't make it up the three steps to get from ground level to patio deck. So there we all were trying to coax him up the steps. But he never seeing steps didn't know what to make of them and kind of looked at us with a strange look in his eye. It was truly comical seeing four adults taking turns going up and down three little steps in an attempt to get Harley into the house. What happened next became for us, but especially for me the most teachable and adorable moment, not only for Harley but for Barum who was truly a natural born teacher and leader of the pack. He, proud dog that he was, walked up the steps and quickly turned around and came back down again. He did this for 3 or 4 times, mimicing our behavior I do suppose. Then on the third trip down, he stopped alongside of Harley and stretched out his front leg and placed his paw on Harley's back as if to give him a gentle hug. Immediately, Harley understanding, walked up the steps as he followed Barum into the house. Truly an amazing moment!
Harley The Roaming Beagle
Harley's current owner tells me, however, that Harley also likes his roaming time as well as carrying around his playmate on his back, an unusual trick for a dog, especially since his new partner, Davidson is a female cat. The roaming part I can understand because our son had a 2 acre fenced-in yard, plenty of room for Barum and Harley, but when girlfriend got her own place is was a trailer park home and unfenced. So I guess she never put Harley on a leash to walk him. Instead she did what she was accustomed to when she was living with our son... she opened the door and let him out. Hence, Harley became a roamer... partially out of neccessity and partially because that's what Beagles do. They hunt, and sniff and wander about. In Harley's case he would be gone for hours or days at a time. I don't know about you, but that alone would have sent me over the top with worry. Our dogs are completely fenced in. We have also taken the time and money in putting extra protection at the bottom of our fence so that they cannot dig their way out. In any event, Harley never returned to our son's home and I guess if he wanted to, he could have becasue the trailer was only 10-15 minutes away. Harley was also a licker. He loved to lick your face if you let him and owner did just that, she often saying it was one of the traits she loved about him. Bottom line is, Harley and owner are doing just fine.
As an aside: Last I heard she was moving to California, although this was never varified because our telephone conversations stopped at this time. So, keeping up with the trials and tribulations of both Beagle and owner cannot be ascertained. Harley and "C" I wish you well. God speed, my friend!
Meet Shadow