Granddog

I knew my husband and I would be seeing more of Murphy when our daughter married. Murphy, her husband’s redbone coonhound, was part of the package.

My husband and I established “Murphy’s Laws” for our house: no drinking from toilets and no lounging on furniture or beds. On his first visit, he ran from room to room exploding up the stairs and trotting around everywhere smelling things and looking out the window. Then he fell asleep. He has visited many times now; he is no longer in anxiety when left alone. He probably consoles himself with a nap on the couch.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) describes this breed as having a temperament that likes to please. This is true. Under the title “Head” in the Breed Standard, the expression is described as “pleading.” This is also true. Humans sitting on couches and around dining room tables produce prompt pleading responses.  These pleading looks also reminds us of how these relationships with canines got started in the first place.

Murphy’s bay, however, is what sets him apart from other dogs in our “Small-White-Dog Subdivision.” His bay is a thunderous, baritone, guttural wail that is meant to communicate “a find” across the swamps of Louisiana as well as the mountains of the Blue Ridge. I can literally feel the bay in my chest when I am standing next to him. Since we don’t have those habitats in our house, however, his bays mostly signal potentially dangerous window washers, delivery people, and the rabbits, squirrels, and skunks that occasionally roam the neighborhood. [Hear Murphy’s bay here: IMG_1191]

Unless you are ready to go outside there are certain things you don’t do when Murph is around—like putting on your tennis shoes, picking out a coat in the closet, picking up his leash, or just standing around in a circle with other people which triggers a primeval notion in him that we are all going out on a hunt together. Never mind that we are scent-impaired and not very fast, we are still part of his pack and considered somewhat useful for food procurement in an ambiguous way.

Tracking and hunting is essential to a hound which cannot really turn it off when on a walk around a neighborhood. Murphy is muscular and determined when on a leash which is not fun for the person on the other end of the leash. Despite his even temperament, he is just a body attached to a nose when outside. The nose follows the scents.

Going to the dog park is tons of fun however. Murphy loves to run and will tease other dogs into chasing him which they go along with for a while until he kicks into high speed like Secretariat and outdistances them. They find other interests. If two dogs get into a fight, he watches from a distance and does not get involved.

What makes Murphy really fun though is that he does not belong to us. We do not have to take him to the vet or the groomer, give him heartworm pills, or brush his teeth. We do not have to see to it that he is exercised or taken out for bodily functions except when he comes for a visit. He stays for a while and then he goes home with his family. We love having a granddog.

©Rita Venable 2013