New Pictures of Dudley and Gary

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A few weeks ago someone asked when we were going to post new pictures of Dudley and Gary, our beloved basset hounds. I took some pictures but never got around to putting them on the blog, and then I forgot about it until yesterday when I got some good news from Derek Taylor, our webmaster. Derek told me that in looking at the Topics list on the left-hand side of the blog page, the seventh-most searched topic was Dudley. That made me smile, and then I remembered the request for more pictures.

Dudley and Gary take a break.

We got Dudley on Christmas Eve 2006 when he was only five weeks old and I could hold him in my hand. We named him Dudley because, well, it seemed like a good name for a basset hound. Later we inherited Gary from Nick after he and his friends graduated from Samford University. I think the essential difference between the two dogs is that Dudley spent his early years (a year and a half, which is like ten dog years) at the cabin in the woods while Gary grew up in Birmingham. Dudley is a country basset while Gary has the refined breeding that you would expect of a city dog. 

Two very fine basset hounds.

Of course they both have long drooping ears, they are very social dogs, they both drool and shed more or less constantly, and they love to flop on the carpet in my office. And they both think they are lap dogs even though Gary weighs over 50 pounds and Dudley is only a few pounds lighter. 

Gary, a city basset.

They are wonderful dogs and excellent companions. Oh, did I mention they howl a lot? But that’s what hounds do. On warm days Dudley will roll over on his back and sleep with his feet splayed in all directions. If I say, “Let’s go for a walk,” they come running even when they know I’m only teasing them. Gary loves to hide under our bed whenever we let him into our bedroom. 

Dudley, a country basset.

So here are the latest pictures of our two fine “basset boys.” Life would be dull without them.

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Visitor Comments:

September 30, 2008, 11:03 PM Patrick Sullivan says:
British / Australian . Retired Pastor. Hospital Chaplain. Creator and Webmaster of www.jesuschristonly.com	What beautiful dogs. I hope Billy Graham is right about dogs in heaven when he say’s, “God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in heaven, and if it takes my dog being there, I believe he’ll be there” BG
October 1, 2008, 9:36 AM Ray Pritchard says:
	Pat, I agree with you — and with Billy Graham. Ray
October 1, 2008, 10:10 AM MaryAnn says:
	I love how you can see the little pucker that Alan stitched into Garry’s left ear - and how the sag in Dudley’s lower eye lid gives him a perpetual look of “Who, me?” Such sweeties!
October 1, 2008, 10:23 AM Lynette Hoy says:
Marriage and Family Counselor.	My Mom loved these pictures and wishes her bassett - Sydney - could meet Dudley and Gary. Thanks for posting ‘em. Hoys
October 2, 2008, 2:25 PM Mapster says:
I’m a Central Illinoisan transplanted to the big city.	Hi Pastor Ray, Those are some very good pics of Gary and Dudley. By the way, Do you know why God made their ears so big and droopy? Its because Bassets are scenthounds and when they put their nose to the ground those big ears droop down and sort of corral the scent around their noses making the scent trail easy to follow.
October 2, 2008, 5:37 PM Ray Pritchard says:
	Mapster, that’s a great explanation of those long, droopy ears. I’ve seen Dudley and Gary use their ears in exactly that way. When I take them out for a walk, they want to stop and sniff everything—esp. Gary. Dudley will run but Gary wants to stop and (literally) smell the roses. Ray
October 6, 2008, 10:35 AM linda Grace says:
	They pose SO WELL! Love ‘em! Linda