Hello to all of you who have played a big role in getting my boys, Gus and Eagle, to me! Gus was adopted in January 2007 back when I lived in an apartment. He was so mellow and quiet, my neighbors likely wouldn’t have known he was there if they had not met on our walks. I moved into a house with a fenced yard about a year later and he still seemed to be more of an indoor dog. That changed a little when Eagle came along, but not much. Gus is now nearing 10 years old, so as he enters his senior years as a gentlemen…we have taken to calling him MR. Gus–much more fitting. His favorites still rank as belly rubs, food, and hanging out on the couch using anyone’s lap. Don’t be fooled—he is a traveller! Each year, we make the long drive to North Carolina to visit family for Christmas. My 2.5 year old neice just loves “her” Gus when they get to visit. He loves her mini-goldfish and yogurt bites equaly as much. My 17 year old neice enjoys his cuddling and ever-ready tail wags. She filmed him on her cell phone, wagging a tail non-stop underneath a throw blanket. With age comes some privileges, like we take more trips to the vet to keep an eye on his teeth and weight. He also gets “his” spot on the couch, without challenge from anyone. He still reserves some puppydom and “crazy beagle” moments for when he is really excited or sees the leashes being taken off the hook for a “W-A-L-K”!!
Eagle was adopted in February (leap day of the leap year) 2008 and joined Gus in our home. He was timid and lacked confidence in new situations, but his foster mom put alot of work into him and taught him what it meant to live with people and learn to trust them. Since then, he has come a LONG way! He settled right in with Mr. Gus, whose laid-back approach to life seemed to calm Eagle’s fears. In new situations, Eagle would turn to Gus to see what his response should be and follow along. With this mentoring, Eagle has rolled back his fears and embraced new situations better and better. Seems like the more we give him exposure to new situations, the more of his true sweet self comes out. So timid no more, except with new groups; he now barks and runs up and down the fence with the neighbor dogs, asserts himself vocally at mealtimes, and eats even when new people are in the house. He approaches my neices with cautious attention, but at least it takes him less time to lay down, sigh, and then doze off. His bond with Gus is complete and endearing. His bond with us is heartwarming, as we know where he started. What says turn-around better than to have him snuggle up to you on the bed and paw for a belly-rub
There is a third dog in the second picture, who has yet gone unmentioned. That is my brother-in-law’s beagle girl, Zoe. She was adopted by him from a shelter in Indiana. From there, he has moved to Texas and is living with us. Zoe in the house has brough a whole new dimension to the pack. Eagle now has two role models of beagle behaviour…and are they ever two ends of the spectrum! Zoe and Eagle started with, what we’ve termed, a “Kindergarten relationship”…where they play ouside together perfectly, but once inside…you’d never know Eagle knew she was alive. Things have come along since then, and now the couch is like the pack headquarters for snoozing!
All-in-all what a great set of dogs and the enjoyment we get out of them is no where near expectations–it is far beyond!
Best regards,
Kathy Christman