sue fitzpatrick FITZPATRICK
Posted : 7/5/2007 1:04:11 PM
I am definitely in the hound camp, because if you can provide a safe and secure area for them to play in, they are extremely good at amusing themselves. They will push soccer balls around with their noses, chase tennis balls and frisbees, and generally burn alot of energy without you necessarily having to get off the adirondack lawn chair....However, they also make great companions on long hikes, and are quite social, so rarely do you have problems with aggression when you do take them out in public. The larger the hound, usually the mellower the temperment. The Beagles and Dachshunds are just such bundles of energy and activity-but then they were bred as varmint hounds-little fast moving varmints...And when it comes to smaller hounds, they always seem to retain a real sense of puppyhood. Even at over 16, my beagle could be a total goof-trying to chase his tail (which looked even more ridiculous at that age than it did when he was younger) and if you are strictly interested in pet, well a hound mix w/lab from a shelter might fill the bill nicely. Another great thing about hounds-except of the pin up Betty Grable of the hound world, the Afghan-they all have pretty simple and basic coat maintenance requirements-grooming is usually quite painless for all concerned.