Why My Puppy isn't a Basset Hound

Recently, I've noticed a few characteristics about my puppy Charlotte that make me rethink what kind of breed she is. I mean, she obviously has the looks - the wrinkles, the long ears, the build...but the way she acts falls short of being your typical hound dog.

-Basset hounds have the 2nd best nose out of all dog breeds (coming in right after the bloodhound) yet Charlie decided that the best way for her to use her power is to find the buried treasure - poop from stray cats - and try to eat it. A few weeks ago, I was out with her at night, and she was so focused on digging up poop that she failed to notice that there was a cat just 3 feet away from her!

Charlie, intently focused on flies swarming around outside. She's only ever tortured one, and it was hilarious.

-Basset hounds were bred to hunt rabbits. Charlie doesn't have much interest in creatures bigger than...a fly. Or ants. She takes her ant tracking and fly torturing very seriously.

-We got a basset thinking that she'd be a laid back dog who could also maybe do some active things with us if we wanted to... that apparently is not on Charlie's agenda. Don't get me wrong, she does take several naps a day, but the times when she's awake are highly energetic. I mean, this dog has done long peak hikes with us and will hardly take a rest even when we carry her or are stopped!

Maybe someday she'll grow into a "typical basset," but for now she's a hound dog with her own special personality! 

Today, she discovered that she likes Key Lime Pie. We bonded while licking the filling off the spatulas together. Even though it made her sneeze 79 times, she decided it was worth it and just kept coming back for more.

This week, we've had a cold front come through, with lows going into the 50's. On a few occasions, we've tried to take Charlie outside in the cold, and she'll decide very quickly that she wants no part in the cold and will run back inside. I guess she's a true Arizonan, just like me! I'm counting this as a blessing. We'll see how she does when we go back to Iowa and she has to deal with a REAL winter... poor girl!

Speaking of which, we're going to be taking Charlie on some longer car rides soon to see how she handles it. Hopefully she'll be the little angel she usually is, and will make our long drive pleasant! Wow, that's real wishful thinking. ;)

Charlie's first Halloween. Yes, that's a pumpkin sticker on her head.

That's our Charlotte! 16 weeks old now, and as funny and cute as ever.