A Tale of Two Hounds

Chapter One: Dennis

How did a beautiful Bluetick Coonhound end up wandering alone on a beach near Key West? He was clean, healthy, and friendly. Surely an owner was not far away and would be looking for him. Although a stray with no identification, we felt confident he wouldn’t be with us long

But then we got our first clue why he might have been on his own. It was the bark, then the next and the next. Dennis’s voice was VERY loud and persistent. Like a good hunting dog, his barks carried across distance; ie the entire shelter, the parking lot, down the street, and even across the mangroves to the nearby golf course. It wasn’t only his bark that was challenging. He was powerful. At times when excited, he would jump to shoulder height and above and bark, blasting a force of hot air into your face. While intimidating at first, we soon realized was not meant to scare or harm. He seemed to be desperately trying to communicate using his only communication skills. He would pull us towards the street as cars would pass, causing us to wonder if he’d been dumped and abandoned. We hoped to learn his story, but without a microchip and no one coming forward to claim him, his history was a mystery  and he became ours. Rescues were contacted in the hopes we could find a better situation for him up north, but there were no takers. So we were faced with the challenge of finding a very sweet but large loud hound dog a home in our tiny island community.

Chapter Two: Winnie

We rarely get purebred hounds so Dennis was a surprise. Yet only a few weeks later, in came Winnie, a younger Dennis Mini-me; just as handsome, just as sweet, and just as loud! This boy was surrendered by a family that relocated to the Keys and found they had no time or space for a rapidly maturing hound dog. Suddenly we had a choir of two baying and barking hounds! Winnie was an adolescent with all the energy and challenges that come with a young dog. Fortunately, he was smart, eager to learn, and showed all the potential to become a great companion.

When dogs are selectively bred for a job but don’t have one, both the dogs and their caretakers can pay a price. For dogs like Dennis and Winnie to succeed as family companions, they need homes where their hound-y ways are understood, and their needs are met.

Chapter Three: Rescued Again

Chris and Alicia saw Dennis’s picture on Facebook when he was first found. Like us, they figured a dog like him would have an owner and assumed he was reunited. Weeks later, Chris was at work where we were holding a dog wash fundraiser when he saw a familiar-looking dog. It was Dennis who was there with us looking for a home. Chris immediately called his wife to meet Dennis. They both fell in love. They knew hounds well and all that came with them! They couldn’t believe he was available for adoption and quickly made their move to make him theirs. Dennis got everything he

needed: a loving family, a fenced yard, a partner to go running with, and a potential job. He may  be on a pathway to becoming a search and rescue dog. He certainly has the nose for it!

Winnie was just as fortunate. When we met Thomas and Madison, we learned they were from a part of the country where hounds are plentiful. We wondered if they were familiar with Winnie’s breed type. Turns out they were and like Chris and Alicia, loved hounds and knew what to expect. They also seemed to have common sense and a sense of humor, a great combo when sharing your life with a young dog. We saw Thomas and Madison as a great fit for Winnie, and their updates since adopting seem to be confirming that.

These two look-alike dogs have landed on all eight feet and are now enjoying what a good life has to offer with people who love them!

Thank you!

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