Sunday, May 16, 2010

Leo

We would like to introduce you to the newest member of Team DeBoer - meet Leo. We found Leo through Basset Buddies Rescue. We met/fell in love with him last Sunday, I jaunted off to Virginia for the week, flew home yesterday and we went directly from the airport to pick him up and bring him home. He hails from a foster home in Farmington just five miles from the birthplace of Norman. Coincidence? We think not.

Leo is a sweet soul at the ripe age of 3. He and Norman are almost one year apart exactly; Leo was born in November of 2006, Norman in December of 2005. Leo's story starts in a humane society in a different state. From there, he was adopted by a young couple from Roseville. Another coincidence? You tell us. He lived with them for over a year and a half until they had a baby and decided they couldn't do both. Leo wasn't getting his fair share of attention and so they gave him to Basset Buddies Rescue. From there he was adopted by a family with a small boy. Unfortunately, this is where Leo's story takes a turn. In under a week, the boy (who was witnessed to being very rough with Leo) bit Leo in the face causing Leo to bite him back. The family immediately gave him back to Basset Buddies and from there he ended up with a bad rap and in another foster home. He was scheduled to be put down until his foster mom (owning four bassets herself) decided he needed a second chance. She immediately had him evaluated for aggression by a local vet and he came out with flying colors! After a month, Leo was again free and clear to be adopted - by us!

We know he'll take some attention. We'll have to desensitize him to children again since the only one he ever knew bit him, but it's a challenge we're willing to take because frankly, he's a great big puddle of love with the demeanor of a witty, intelligent, adorable dope. In under 24 hours, we've learned quite a bit from the gentle goofball. He's somewhat smaller then our lover-of-all-things-caloric-Norman, he seems to be a wee bit more intelligent and surprisingly, he seems to be the boss. Piggalonie (aka Norman) has so far, learned a lesson not to touch Leo's food and that his bed will now become Leo's bed. It's funny, we always thought Norman, being an arse, would dominate another dog and let him know who's boss. Nope. The big fatty's a big pushover.

The beautiful thing of rescuing an adult basset, besides the fact that you're saving them from harsher circumstances, is they are already house trained and our biggest seller, they sleep through the night! Now, Norman will let us go to bed around midnight most weekends and will allow us to sleep pretty much until Noon the next day. Shut up! We don't have kids and we're enjoying it for now! Leo made it until 6:30am. However, with a quick bathroom break, he willingly went back to bed and under the exemplary paw of Norman, slept for another three hours. Ahhhh… life is good.

Sir Leo

The boys

Norman's reaction to Leo's food tutorial

Hunt 'em up

7 comments:

  1. Congrats on the new arrival! Leo and Norman look like a great team!

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  2. Your household is filling up!! You are making wonderful parents!

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  3. Bassets are fantastic. But now you have two very sad faces to try and discipline. Lucy (younger basset) is mostly in charge too. Except with food. Banjo isn't giving up food for anything.

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  4. We used to sleep like that too :)

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  5. I can't wait to meet my new grandson Leo! Yeah for Norman for getting a brother. Cool beans!!!

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  6. Norman and Leo. Quite a great story there. And you know, I thought Norman would be the pushy one. I guess Leo has led a tougher life and Norman and he have worked it out that this time, Leo gets to be the boss. My yorkie was abused by kids -- when Melissa got him for dad we had to keep him separated from them. When I 'adopted' him from dad, I began working with him...eventually, he became the dog that loved kids the most. Would literally BEG for them to hold and love on him. Took quite awhile, but I'd like to think he spent his last 12 years of life well. Good luck with 'the boys.' Glad to see your house is filling up with bassets!

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  7. Oh I want to meet Leo!

    Congratulations to you both. I've wanted to move into the DeBoer house for sometime now... and well he just did.

    Does this mean double the barking!?!

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