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Meet Rusty
A Lemon Colored Beagle
(Born July 11, 1999)
Meet Rusty: Rusty is our Beagle. We acquired Rusty soon after our son moved into his own home. I, like Barum, was lonely and I just like he was becoming depressed. So, like our son, we too needed a second Beagle. We actually purchased Rusty and Travis on the same day and at the from the same breeder. Since this breeder was located within 45 minutes of our son's house, we stopped in and just said, "Hey, want to take a ride with us to see some beagles?" And of course, loving just to look at Beagles, he said, "Sure." He had no idea that we both would end up with additional family members.
Now, Rusty was four weeks old when we first saw him. That would make Travis four month his senior. In the photograph above, however, Rusty is actually about eight months old. On the lower left, you can see the tiny head of his half brother, K.C acquired the year following the purchase of both Rusty and Travis. As we walked around this kennel, no dog caught my eye. So I said to the breeder, "Is this all?" "Well," he said, "I do have a litter in the house because his mom just gave birth a few weeks ago." "Yes, yes," I said, "I am listening." The fella was quite reluctant to even talk about this litter, and I did wonder why. "Can we see them?" my husband and I asked. "Well," he said, "I do have two pups that are kind of special." "How so," we asked. "Let me go and get one," he added. So he went into his house, and in his hands was the most beautiful beagle I had ever seen. And except for the stripe on his head, under belly, paws and tail, (which are white), Rusty was a golden yellow. Magnificent, we thought. "Can I hold him?" I asked. "No," he said, he has not gotten his shots yet. Well, it just did not matter to me, because just the looks of him, and I knew I had to have him. I could also see that my husband were fascinated also. So he asked, as a man might, "How Much?" Well, we just could not believe our ears. We almost fainted when we heard the asking price. "Oh! can we," hun, I asked. "Please!" At that point, the beagle breeder, said, "I will let you pet him if you want." (He knew you see, that if I touched him, I might be able to bait my husband into a purchase. And so it was. His fur was so soft. And his bark, oh my gosh, he was so happy just to be near you. Not at all like Travis I thought, who wouldn't even let you near him. But this pup was starving for attention. So it was one quick glance to my husband, with the words, "I dont care, I WANT HIM."
Just look at the photo to your left, and tell me, who could not want him. Look how friendly he is. How utterly lovable. And this, for a first time meeting; or what I call, the HomeComing. Just look at how he took to Barum. And look at Barum, even though he too is a male, his behavior is also quite motherly; for he is the caretaker, the leader of the pack; something Rusty seemed to sense immediately. Hence, a kiss, hello. Travis on the other hand, is more interested in the click of the camera.
Or this one to your
right. Taken just a few weeks later. I mean, come on now, just look at those beautiful eyes and that wonderful smile. Just look at the way he is being so patient, so kind, so attentive. And do you know, Rusty required virtually no house training. Yep, this little guy is so particular about his grooming that he was housebroken within 48 hours after his arrival. A truly amazing feat for a dog.
The year is now 2006 and I have learned much about Rusty's temperment and personality. Moreso after observing his behavior in a pack. That pack being, he, his half-brother KC and me. You see, through the years, I have become leader of the pack. When we leave the house for a few hours, I have a sneaking suspicion that Rusty tries his darnest to dominate over KC. So, in one respect, Rusty is calm and mild mannered; yet in another regard he shows signs of insecurity. He is very much the possessive dog. And by that I do mean, he can be possessive over places, food, and yes, even of me. His biggest downfall is his desire to say hello to anyone and everyone be they animal or human. In other words, Rusty likes to bark and has a very keen sense of hearing. For example, he is capable of hearing other dogs in the neighborhood even if they are miles away---and yes, will call out to them. Ironically, though, he is not effected by thunder or lightning the way his brother is. I think his desire to say hello in his doggie way is because he was taken away from his litter at a very young age and separated from them. I know this because the breeder kept our Rusty in his house whereas his litter were kept out of doors. We believe due to his unusual lemon coloration he was not being trained as an outdoor hunter but rather as a family pet. And so very glad we are because our Rusty is a trusted and loved family member.
