Ears the News! BassetFest Take note: Inside this issue: How Can I Help? 2. Upcoming Events 2. Fat, Lazy Mamas 3.

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1 Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue s Newsletter For Basset Lovers Helping Homeless Hounds Ears the News! Winter 2015 Take note: Tri-State reached and surpassed its 2014 goal of adopting a dog for each day of the year. Total adoptions for the year numbered 372. Thanks to everyone who made that possible by fostering, transporting, interviewing potential adopters, working events, donating, and otherwise taking care of all the details that make a rescue run smoothly. Thanks to the TSBHR board, who do a fine job of running a very busy rescue. And many thanks to everyone from the hounds. Have a Facebook account? Like Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue, and you can keep up to date on all the latest news, see pictures of events, and get a sneak peek at adoptable hounds. BassetFest 2014 At BassetFest, basset mix Pearl was happy to find her new home! (Photo courtesy of Dana Mania.) Tri-State s newly renamed BassetFest (formerly called September- Fest) again made use of its traditionally beautiful weather on September 20, 2014, to draw a record-breaking crowd of basset lovers and their four-legged friends. The unprecedentedly high attendance made parking a challenge, but that did not stop bassets and their adopters from gathering for a day filled with basset games, a line of raffle tables covered with items for bassets and their favorite people, and a store filled with the new, limited-edition Flash-the-WonderDog-painted T- shirts and hoodies, along with many other items required by both canine and human shoppers. As usual, food abounded, with a groaning board of hot dogs, hamburgers, and all the fixings and side dishes necessary to make the picnic a success. If anyone went away hungry, it wasn t for lack of choices. And there are certainly good cooks (and good buyers of precooked items) in the TSBHR ranks! John Lang and Marty Packer kept the hot dogs and burgers going on the grills for all those hungry humans and a few hounds too! Homeless hounds rode for many miles to seek their adopters,. At the picnic, Tri-State folks, including Lisa Packer and Steve Zserai, worked hard to make sure the hounds met their new humans and that all the paperwork was filled out The moon artwork by Flash the Wonder- Dog. (Photo courtesy of Pamela McQuade.) just right. By the end of the day, 12 happy hounds found their new homes. Inside this issue: How Can I Help? 2 Upcoming Events 2 Fat, Lazy Mamas 3 Howliday Joy 3 Fear Factors: Dealing with Nervous Hounds In Memory Sydney crosses her fingers that Baxter will win the Lights Out contest (Photo courtesy of Dana Mania.) While everyone was enjoying the day, a host of selfless volunteers took care of store sales, basset games, the raffle, registration, and every other event detail, The usual basset games brought attendees to laughter, especially when Bella and Baxter Frisch s human dad, Bruce, tried to take part in the Lights Out contest. Thankfully, the rules say no nonbassets can win this event! To benefit TSBHR, beekeeper Rita Jenkins honey, Karen Kohl s popular pretzel bark, and the Dashing Basset Bakery s homemade dog treats were sold at tables around the picnic area. In addition, Chris and Bob Martin raffled off a beautiful Yankee Candle basket. And of course, thanks to everyone who helped, donated, and otherwise supported the day and the rescue. Without you, more hounds would never find new homes.

2 Page 2 Ears the News! Winter 2015 How Can I Help? Meet-and-Greet Events Do you enjoy meeting people and talking to them about bassets? Then perhaps you d like to arrange or work on a meet-and-greet event where new people can get to know something about bassets and put in an application to adopt a hound. According to Kathy Frisch, one of Tri-States experienced meet-and-greet organizers, It is always a fun time, and getting to meet new people, who just can't seem to walk past the bassets without petting them. Cathy Larsen, another meetand-greet expert, adds, There really is nothing simpler than sitting in a Petco and chatting people up about a favorite subject, the basset hound. Both women are willing to help new organizers establish new events. Sometimes Tri-State receives requests from pet stores to be part of their efforts to support rescue. Usually these are announced on Tri-State s Yahoo Group, and people can volunteer to be part of them. But any Tri-State supporter can also contact a local pet store or other place that supports rescue and arrange a meet-and-greet. These events are great places for dog lovers to learn about the breed from rescue folks who have experience adopting or fostering through Tri- State and know what it s like to live with a basset. Anyone who has owned a basset for a while knows something about the breed and can share information about the joys of having one and the kind of family that suits it best. Those who have owned bassets for years may provide even more extensive information. If you want some key points to share, ask Dana Mania for the ones interviewers use when they talk to a first-time adopter (though no interviews are done at the meet and greets). Every basset owner has experienced these things and will be able to speak about them. A meet and greet at the Allentown, PA, Petco, staffed by Yair Lahav, Kathy Frisch, Barb Lease, Cathy Larsen, and Desiree DiRossi. Hounds are Sophie and Abraham, Jack and Jill, and Duke, all of whom have since been adopted. Don t want to go it alone? That s a good idea. The Yahoo Group is a great place to ask for other volunteers (to join the group, contact Dana at dana@tristatebassets.org). Or simply ask some other local Tri-State folks if they d like to chip in for a few hours. Such events usually last four hours. If someone who is fostering is willing to be part of the meet and greet, adoptable dogs can attend it; the foster parent simply brings the dog or dogs along. If people want to adopt a hound that s met at the event, they can put in an application online. Workers can also bring their own friendly dogs, so would-be adopters can get to know the breed and have an idea of whether a basset would be perfect in their home. (No, your dog does not go home with a stranger.) The best Tri-State spokeshounds will be those who are confident around strangers and who love to be petted. If event arrangers let Lisa Packer know ahead of time and adopters live nearby, meet and greets may also become opportunities for new adopters to pick up their hounds. The final part of the adoption process is not difficult, just a matter of filling out paperwork and receiving a check that is sent to Treasurer Amy Allen. At last fall s meet and greet, pictured above, in Allentown, two dogs, Copper and Tucker, were adopted, Duke was turned in, and he and York found foster homes. Meet and greets are not just window dressing; they can be important events for the rescue and the hounds. The more people who meet and love bassets, the more adoptions Tri-State can make in a year. And our constant goal is to find more hounds the loving homes they deserve. Upcoming Events February 21, :00 5:00 PM Bowling for Bassets AMF Parkway Lanes, 1630 S. 12th St., Allentown, PA 18103, (610) , Preregistration is required. Cost: $20 per person or $80 per four-person team. Participants should arrive by 12:30 PM for check-in and lane assignments. Contact: Kathy Frisch, or , schmenge@ptd.net. April 10 11, th Annual Boardwaddle Ocean City, NJ Tri-State s biggest fundraiser, a two-day celebration that includes Friday s Olympic games and Pawction, and Saturday s Waddle on the boardwalk, followed by a picnic with vendors. If you ve never seen hundreds of hounds at the same event, you are in for a big surprise. To get information on becoming a vendor, contact: barbaragrimley@yahoo.com. Or contact event coordinator Sue Mason at sue@tristatebassets.org. If you ve Waddled before, expect a Waddle Packet in your mailbox in February.

3 Winter 2015 Ears the News! Page 3 Fat, Lazy Mamas Become Lucky Hounds I am just getting tired of fooling with them; the fat, lazy mommas keep laying on the babies and killing them, complained a backyard breeder Tri-State began to help dismantle during December, The breeder had lost more than five litters in that year, not including a puppy who froze to death during a cold snap. The thirteen basset hounds Tri-State were to save were all intact, living in a single outdoor pen with just one dog house. The breeder wouldn t separate them during nursing so that mama didn t crush her babies while trying to protect them, nor would he provide the mamas adequate shelter from the weather to aid their body heat as they tried to keep their babies alive. None of these females were kept separate from the males during their heat cycles so that they didn t This is no way for hounds to live, especially when they re pregnant. have a litter every single cycle. Having a litter every time is very hard on a hound s body. When Tri- State took the nine hounds in, none of the dogs had been to a vet. That meant a large expense, including nine veterinarian exams, nine spay or neuters, nine sets of shots that included rabies, bordetella, and DHPP, nine dewormings, and nine health certificates, without which they couldn t travel north. Then followed transport for nine dogs, nine hours driving each way for their transporters. Along the road that meant short-term boarding in nine kennels each night. But, despite the expenses and challenges along the way, they got safely onto Tri-State turf, and the rescue s wheels began turning for them. When they got up north, the hound named Charlene had a surprise for TSBHR: She was about to become a fat lazy mama in rescue. So while Judge, Jenny, Basal, Henry, Cline, Lindsey, Spud, and Maude started looking for awesome new forever indoor homes for their holidays, Charlene settled in with Tri-State to have her litter. On December 15, 2014, the rescue got an early Christmas present with the news that overnight she d had her puppies. As we go to press, all six are nearing the time when they ll go to the homes lined up for them. And there s even more good news for that never-again mama: Charlene and one of her pups will share a home. Howliday Joy Unhappily, the breeder who was so fed up with his breeding operation refused to let go of four of his hounds. Tri-State was able to get nine dogs and is still working to get the remaining four. Tri-State s annual Howliday Party was smaller than usual this year, perhaps because the weather was so bad. But those who braved the rain to get to the Wescosville Fire Hall on December 6, 2014, had a great time with the usual wonderful buffet, pictures with Santa Paws, and a groaning raffle table with items for both hounds and their humans. The Tree of Life was decorated with monetary donations for the homeless hounds, and the Santa Paws gift exchange sent hounds home with toys and tasty treats. Before the event, Kathy Frisch had made a beautiful basset quilt to be raffled separately. Beforehand she sold tickets online, and they were available at the event, so keen interest was shown both by Tri-State s regular supporters and other basset lovers. Thank you to everyone who donated raffle items, helped out, or took part in the Howliday Party. Though the crowd this year was small, the event is usually crowded, so event planner Pam McQuade is seeking out a larger venue for Finding just the right place that allows dogs, so that adoptions can take place and attendees can bring their own hounds, has limited the rescue s ability to find another spot. In addition, health codes and venue policies that limit Tri-State s ability to do the International Pot-Luck Buffet have added to the challenge. Anyone who has an idea about a larger location for the party is encouraged to contact Pam McQuade at The quilt by Kathy Frisch that was raffled off at the Howliday party. (Photo courtesy of Kathy Frisch.)

4 Page 4 Ears the News! Winter 2015 Fear Factors: Dealing with Nervous Hounds If you ve fostered or adopted from rescue, chances are good that at some point you ve seen a nervous hound. My first view of Horton (whom we fostered and later adopted) was at a Tri-State Howliday Party, two years ago, where he was curled up at the back of an exercise pen, trying to avoid all contact with the horde of happy people and hounds. While his brother, who had come into rescue with him, happily found his family that day, Horton saw the whole event as dangerous. Who knows what was experienced by these two hounds, who came into rescue as strays; but though both puppies had some degree of fear, smaller Horton s was much worse than his brother s. Rescues get their fair share of nervous dogs. Many are undersocialized animals from puppy mills or those who have simply never gotten the human attention they needed in less-than-attentive homes. But they can become wonderful pets if their new people have patience and learn training skills. Ideally, a puppy gets lots of socialization before it s 12 weeks old this is the best time for these little sponges to learn all about life. During this period, based on its experiences, a dog learns that life is happy or dangerous. When a puppy is 8-10 weeks old and again in its adolescent period, fearful experiences can teach it to respond with fear reactions. And, sadly, some dogs are simply genetically predisposed towards nervousness. Once that youthful window of opportunity closes, getting a dog to change his attitude about danger takes a lot more work and may even be accompanied by only partial success, but patience and training can help him feel more comfortable in his new surroundings. In a caring home, slightly nervous dogs may get over their fears quickly, but others, like Horton, take much more effort. In rescue, we rarely know exactly what causes a dog s fear, but we look to put such dogs in calm homes where they can become at least relatively happy hounds who enjoy family life. But the truth of the matter is that love alone is not enough to rehabilitate any fearful dog. Adopters need to commit to daily working with a fearful dog to overcome that false danger message that has left it constantly on high alert. A dog who has learned that the world is a dangerous place needs intensive, perhaps long-term training to overcome that message. A safe environment and experiences that over and over again disprove the false conclusions that all people are out to hurt him and that loud noises are a serious threat can eventually make a dog understand that he is safe. But the message needs to be repeated until the dog builds up his trust level. Humans who try to rush this confidence building may unnecessarily experience aggression from a dog who has tried to give the message leave me alone and has not been heeded. Not all fearful dogs resort to this, but it s a good thing to keep in mind, since no dog can withstand constant challenges to its fears. Some find their escape in flight, while others push back. Giving a fearful dog its space is a great confidence builder and prevents reactions that could label a dog as a biter. One key to identifying nervous behavior and avoiding aggression is the dog s body language. Those who become skilled at dealing with nervous dogs learn to read what the dog is saying. Common I m nervous language includes a tail that s tucked under the hound s legs, flattened ears, eyes that refuse to connect with humans, and nervous lip licking. Some dogs will do anything to escape, including hiding under furniture or turning their backs on humans. Though they may be screaming, I m scared. such dogs often do not get their message through to humans. That s when fear-filled aggression may take place. The sad thing is that it could have been avoided, if only the human understood hound communication. Foster homes and new families need to be very patient with the fearful hound and provide calm conditions as much as possible. An extremely fearful dog may want to stay in one room, apart from people. Let it. This kind of dog needs to set its own agenda until it can begin to trust. Building trust can be a long and somewhat discouraging process. The battle goes to those who are patient. Other methods that may help you connect with a nervous dog are: Always speaking to the dog with a very soft voice. Providing an unstressful environment, as much as possible. Fearful dogs carry their stress with them and do not need to pick up on more around them. Letting the dog come to you instead of forcing yourself on him. Ignore him as much as possible until he begins to make consistent advances towards you. Let him slowly initiate the connection and build it up to a regular level. Never pushing the envelope increases the chance of success. When feeding, bringing the food to the dog, then walking away into another room. Not forcing a hound to meet anyone. Always, whether in your home or outside, allow a fearful dog a way out of meeting someone. You may walk your dog away from people or simply give it a long enough leash that it can do so itself. In your home, you may allow the dog to go in another room. When a dog is very scared or a flight risk, putting him in a harness and attaching leashes to both the harness and collar may provide more security. Should the dog escape harness or collar, you will have a backup. If the dog does escape, do not run after him, yelling his name. This will cause him to run farther and faster (and, as with Horton, before he came to us, it may cause it to escape and get hurt). Instead, move slowly and speak softly. Encouraging others to ignore the dog can be very hard, especially with a very cute basset. Do not encourage people to ignore the dog for a little while, then try to make friends. Friendship must come from the dog, and it may not happen in one day or visit. This has been Horton s biggest challenge, since everyone who has ever met him simply wants to cuddle him. The few people who have been successful in gaining his trust have spent a lot of time with him and have ignored him for most of it. Turning your back or side to the dog will give the dog the idea that you are not trying to threaten it. This is an especially helpful technique when you are trying to get a dog to go through narrow spaces, like hallways. (Continued on page 5.)

5 Winter 2015 Ears the News! Page 5 Fear Factors: Dealing with Nervous Hounds (continued) (Continued from page 4) Encouraging people not to look the dog straight in the eye. Dogs see this as confrontation. Everyone can look at the top if a dog s head instead or, even better, simply look away entirely. Using only gentle training techniques with your hound. Everything you do with a fearful hound should be supportive. Giving the dog regular, vigorous exercise. This will increase the endorphins (those feel-good hormones) in the hound s body. If simple training alone does not work, consult a behaviorist. (Your vet may be able to recommend one.) Medication can be used to soothe the nerves, but it must be used with behavioral methods to be fully effective. Do not expect miracles from medication alone. You cannot depend on it to solve the whole problem. Instead become part of the solution by working often with your hound. Encouraging other dogs to become examples. Often fearful hounds make fast connections with other dogs in the household, who can help them learn that everyone and everything is not to be feared. Limiting expectations. Some dogs simply will never be the life of the party. They may learn to be comfortable with family members and never enjoy a wider social circle. Do not expect more of a fearful dog than it can reasonably give. What seems like a no-brainer for you may be a big deal for a dog with a less-than-happy background. Avoid: Yelling at a fearful dog or otherwise becoming angry. We all get angry sometimes, but taking it out on the dog, even a dog who is not doing what you want, is counterproductive. Forcing a dog to do what it fears, just because you are in a hurry. Constantly trying to put a fearful dog on your own timeline could be a disaster. Rewarding fearful behavior. Only give a dog treats when he shows the confidence you want to encourage. One good method of training is to have the dog look at a feared person or object. When he does not react negatively, bring a treat up to your eyes, say watch me, and offer the treat to the dog when it has remained confident for a short time. Over time the dog may understand that fear is not the best response. Giving confusing directions. When you train your dog, use the same commands consistently. Pick a word or phrase to describe an action and stick to it. As a dog begins to gain confidence, it may come near, then suddenly flee. This is a good sign that the hound wants to make a connection, but each dog must do so at its own speed. Do not begin to push things now. Over time, the dog may learn that it s safe to approach people. You may carry very tasty meat or meat-flavored treats that you can give to others. They should throw these towards the dog without trying to touch or have eye contact with the dog. As it gains confidence, the dog may slowly connect with people. Training a dog in basic obedience work may also help boost its confidence. This may require the adoptee or foster family to work with the dog on its own, since a class environment may be too challenging. Many trainers will not be enthusiastic about having a fearful dog disrupt a class. So private classes may be a better option, at least initially. A trainer may also be able to provide advice on how to help your dog with fear issues. Getting a dog out to meet people and be in new situations is a great way to build confidence. Be certain to follow the guidelines above and not to put the dog in an environment that s too busy or challenging. Dog parks are probably not a good idea initially unless you can go at a time when very few dogs and people are there. You may go and have to leave quickly if things become too challenging. But a quiet street where the hound can meet people one at a time might be better. If you can get a friend to approach the dog slowly and ignore him, while tossing him treats, you can design a safe meeting in which the dog will not feel threatened. Fearful dogs thrive in homes that provide them with a lot of structure. The more a dog knows what to expect, the more secure it can feel. Regular times of feeding and exercise also help a dog feel secure. When life gets crazy for you, you may expect a fearful dog to pick up on that and be less certain of his environment. Expect that you may see some variations of security in such situations. Though dogs may not understand that you re changing your job and feel more nervous, they pick up on your energy. The change in schedule can also give your hound clues that things are changing. Change can be threatening to a dog with fear issues. Horton connected with me after just 24 hours in our home, but has more trouble trusting my husband and strangers. My husband has never hurt him, so we suspect that Horton has PTSD from his early experiences. We believe he may have been abused and has seen a woman he loved abused by a man in a baseball cap (my husband loves baseball caps, unfortunately). Horton is a work in progress, but medication and training have gone a long way towards helping him. He has even been able to attend other Howliday Parties with increasing confidence. Though he still clings to us, he no longer curls up at the back of an ex pen, afraid to see anyone or do anything. He allows some people to pet him, though he still has his own set of rules about who gets a touch. Every fearful dog has a different story. No one can predict how long one will take to come out of that fear zone. Some fearful dogs may end up gaining confidence and being the life of every party, while others do well simply connecting well with familiar people. Think of the fearful dog as being similar to fearful people everyone has an individual personality and needs to be treated differently. But humans who are willing to work patiently with a hound often can experience serious improvement in that dog s fears. And as love grows, those fears can seem less important

6 Donation Form Ears the News! Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue PO Box 24 Pennsville, NJ Editor: Pamela McQuade Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization run entirely by volunteers. Our modest adoption fees, which keep adoptions affordable for most people, cover only a portion of our vet bills and other expenses. We rely on fundraisers and donations for the rest. A vital part of the rescue process is supporters who donate money to help the bassets. Please help rescue hounds by printing and filling out the form below and sending it to: Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue PO Box 24 Pennsville, NJ Visit us on the Web at: Find us on Facebook TSBHR. Name Street Address City State Zip Phone: (H) (W) (C) Please do not send cash. Make checks payable to Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue. Amount enclosed: I would like to make a donation using my credit card: Contacts Adoptions: Lisa Packer lpacker458@msn.com Surrenders: Sue Mason irescue2@comcast.net Fostering: Valerie Mazzei vmazzei1@aol.com Donations: Amy Allen, treasurer tsbr_allen@yahoo.com Want to keep up on the latest Tri-State news? Join our Yahoo group. Get on the list by contacting Dana Mania at: dana@tristatebassets.org Circle one: MasterCard Visa Credit Card Number Expiration Date Amount: $ Signature: To donate through PayPal, go to and follow the prompts. You can also set up regular, automatic donations. In Memory I don't want to write this. Glenda [one of the Hattiesburg 7] passed away yesterday. We were so excited and relieved, thinking she was going to be okay. But yesterday the hospital called and said she was having trouble breathing. Her heart stopped, and they brought her back, then called us. I phoned the surgeon quickly, and she said I had to let her go. In the time it took to do that, Glenda's heart stopped again, and they brought her back again. They think a blood clot went to her lungs. They had just started treatment for it. I had to tell them to put her to sleep. Jim and I went to see her to say goodbye. I can't tell you how bad I feel. My skin aches. I'll miss her dreadfully. God gives and he takes away. I just wish he could have waited a little longer. Glenda was just too good for this earth. I know she'll be waiting for me. Thanks for your prayers. HEIDI POTTER Glenda. (Photo courtesy of Heidi Potter.)