Cassandra

After losing both our beloved bassets Electra and Cleo in May and September 2012 (13-1/2 and 14 yrs old) our house was very empty without a dog. So in October we adopted an 8 month old German Shepherd/Catahoula mix from the local shelter. Quite a difference after elderly bassets but I had a German Shepherd mix growing up and she was one of my favorites (we had bassets too of course!). Anyway, we also immediately contacted all the local breeders (thinking maybe a basset puppy) and Golden Gate Basset Rescue. After losing two dogs so recently we just couldn’t face adopting an elderly basset and so decided while we were waiting for the right adoption opportunity that we could offer to foster a dog in the meantime. Well it didn’t take long for the right fostering opportunity to present itself. We found out about Cassie the week before Thanksgiving and it just felt like she would be a good fit for our home (albeit temporarily) as she was a younger dog. So on the day after Thanksgiving we drove to Sacramento to pick her up from the shelter. She was sweet and friendly from the minute we met her and very excited. She didn’t like the car ride home and poor thing was a little sick and cried a lot. I sat with her in the back so that I could reassure her (she was in a crate). Once we got home our dog Pixie was delighted to meet a new friend. They took to each other right away. Cassie was a stray so we don’t know anything about her, but can’t possibly understand who would let her go. She’s very cuddly and will climb into your lap if you sit on the floor. She would love to sit on our laps on the couch or sleep with us if we let her! Our first day and night was a bit interesting. We left her and Pixie in their crates for about an hour to run some errands. When we came home Cassie had escaped from the crate and was sitting looking out the window in the living room waiting for our return. Needless to say we determined that the soft crate we had borrowed wasn’t going to work as she knew how to work the zippers! So we purchased a wire crate. She didn’t like it at first and cried a lot of the first few nights. We toughed it out but it was so hard! In addition to crying at night she would also become upset and cry if you left the room or walked out of sight in the backyard. One can only wonder how much she must have been missing her former family, whoever they were. Cassie is very food motivated so once she got over her separation anxiety she happily went in her crate and she often sleeps in Pixie’s crate during the day. Speaking of food motivation, she is also very agile which is a bad combination in the kitchen. Cassie quickly learned how to jump from our breakfast bench onto the adjacent kitchen counter. Luckily we don’t keep any food up there but it doesn’t stop her from trying when she gets the chance. Have you ever seen a basset on a kitchen counter? Not a sight you will soon forget. Funnily enough our basset Electra who passed last year was also able to do the same thing in her younger years. It brought back bittersweet memories. In December we took Cassie and Pixie up to our cabin in Lake Tahoe where they enjoyed romping in all the fresh snow and then crashing in front of the fireplace afterwards. Two lucky dogs! After much consideration on my part (I was and still am mourning for Electra & Cleo) and absolutely no hesitation on my husband’s part (he says he knew the minute we brought her home) we decided to adopt Cassie in January. She is now a firm member of our family and Pixie’s best friend. Our vet estimates that Cassie is 2-3 years old but she plays for hours with Pixie and can run circles around her. She’s also got a great hunting instinct and has chased rats out of our back garden several times – good girl! Needless to say we’re one big happy family now. Cassie even gets along with our cat Celeste which you can’t say for all dogs. We hope our story encourages others to adopt and/or foster a basset with Golden Gate Basset Rescue. Puppies are cute but they grow up quickly! There are so many older dogs needing homes and we’re certain there is a “Cassie” out there for everyone who is looking. Elke M. Wood