I will go first.  I am Penny and I am very bossy!  (Did you guess?)

Well, before I arrived here my life was not so good.  I was what you’d call a working girl.  No, I did not chase sheep or run after dead birds, I made babies. 

When my owner had problems I went somewhere else and that was really horrible.  My living conditions were not so good and I had very bad skin problems (just the thought of it makes me itch).  Anyway, one day, some nice people came along and took me home with them.  I was okay there.  There were lots of other bassets and we got on fine. I ate well, had a nice bedroom and I loved sniffing around all the visitors.  I polished up my party trick and I was a winner. I can sit up on my hind legs all by myself. Now I am a proud member of Kaylee’s “Sitters Upper Club”. I also had that “look” that will melt any human being within a five-mile radius.

Anyway, one day this nice lady and gentleman came along to visit and of course I put on my charm. It worked.  They fell hook, line and sinker.  The lady even cried when she left. <sigh> I heard some mutterings about “you can have her in September”.  Of course, I had no idea what that meant.  They had a dog with them, a nice gentle old lady – just like my grandma, I remember. 

When they left I carried on with my life but I knew something was happening. Yes, I had some more babies!  This time it was okay, it was even fun bringing them up. Then, one day, when I was no longer interested in my babies, who comes along but that nice lady who cried.  I was pleased to see her – obviously my party trick had worked wonders on her and she was back for another show.  I obliged.

I did have a surprise.  I found myself with a collar round my neck, attached to a leash and I was being walked to a car.  They then hoisted me into the car next to that nice old girl. I soon found out that her name was Misty.  Well, I was a bit confused.  I know it was my fault for charming these folks but I never expected them to kidnap me!

I must say I liked my new home but it was so different to what I had been used to. The only company I had was Misty.  I soon got attached to her and she tolerated me very well. I’d snuggle up to her and keep her warm.  She had all sort of aches and pains and my warmth helped her keep comfy. We had no garden, so that was a bit boring, but I got to go for long walks in the woods every day. That was great –so many new and different scents every time.  Misty didn’t come for these walks, it was too tiring for her, so I’d have to keep myself company.  From time to time a friend of Misty’s came to stay, Mirabelle. She’s okay.  She turns up now and again, sleeping on our bed, in our chairs. I suppose I can’t grumble – I sleep in her bed, too.

Well, one day when Mirabelle was here, mum was crying a lot and that nasty vetman came to visit.  It’s bad enough having to go to see him, but to have him come into my own home is VERY unpleasant.  I wanted to run and hide but I was curious to see why he was there.  Well, he took no notice of me and went to talk to Misty.  I did not like that, so I went and snuggled up to her in her basket. Mum and the vetman were sitting on the floor with Misty, mum absent-mindedly stroking me.  The vetman stuck a needle in Misty and then he and mum carried Misty away in her blankie.  I never saw Misty again.  I was very sad.  It was a good thing that Mirabelle was there to keep me company.  When Mirabelle left I was even sadder and I went into depression.  It was really no fun being an “only-basset”.  I was used to company.

Time passed and I was no more cheerful so one day we went for a long drive in the car. We went to my previous home.  I was a bit worried.  I was sad but I did not want to leave my new family. Were they going to ‘unkidnap’ me? Despite everything, I enjoyed being ‘kidnapped’. Anyway, the humans chatted away, as humans do, and we spent the night there.  Next day I kept a close eye on them and when I saw them get ready to leave I was there at the door before them to let them know that if they were going, I was going too.  It worked!  I went too.

We did not go home, we went away on holiday.  It was fun, lots of new people to meet and lots of new scents and I discovered that the holiday place was full of rabbits. That kept me very busy, but the humans did not play fair and I never actually managed to catch a rabbit. I caught a pigeon, though. Then another long drive and we were back at my previous home. Oops!  Maybe I shouldn’t have chased those rabbits and caught that pigeon. Or maybe they did not approve of me rolling around in all that delicious smelling stuff all the time.

The next day they were leaving again and there I was ready by the door so they would not forget me.  What a shock I had. They went and put a collar and lead on ANOTHER dog! I was most upset.  They put her in the car and (sigh of relief) they put me in as well!  We set off and I started getting to know my new car-mate. Her name was Polly. She was younger than me and very shy!  Hmmm! Looked like I had a new baby sis.

We arrived home and she’s been here ever since. We soon became friends and now we always do everything together. She’s great fun to go for walks in the woods with and she’s a good playmate too. I’ll let her tell you her story, but I’m sure she won’t tell it half as well as I would have.

Bonjour, I am Polly.

When these people turned up with Penny I was so scared of them. In fact I was scared of everybody and I still am scared of lots of things. They kept looking at me and calling me over but I stayed well out of the way, hiding behind my friend Venice, a German Shepherd. She was a scaredy-cat too so I suppose I felt safe with her. She was much bigger than me and I thought she would protect me.

I had known Penny before because I had been living here for about a year.  My previous owners were not very kind to me at all. I was always being told off. I could never do anything right. I got shouted at and hit all the time. In the end they brought me here.  I was okay here as long as nobody came and bothered me. Anyway, when these people put a collar and lead on me and dragged me to the car I was very worried. Where on earth was I going?  In the car I chatted with Penny and she reassured me that these people were nice and that I was going to a new home, which she was sure I would like. We’ll see.

I was very wary.  When we woke up the first morning my new mum kept calling me to her but I would not go. Penny may have confidence in them but I wasn’t so sure.  The lady kept trying to put the collar and lead on me but I was not having that.  We chassed around the table for ages and in the end she caught me.  She was okay, she didn’t hit me. Maybe she wasn’t so bad after all.

I soon got used to my new home.  It is great and I have a wonderful big sis in Penny.  We snuggle together all the time and we play a lot, too. I have met Mirabelle, who comes to stay occasionally and we also go and stay with other friends, Noah and Nabab.  They have a big house with a garden and an enormous water bowl in the garden (that’s a swimming pool, Polly, NOT for drinking out of). I love that big house with the garden, maybe one day we can live there forever.

I am much more relaxed now, but I still have a few problems.  I have to sleep in a crate at night because sometimes I would wake up in the middle of the night and I’d be frightened so I’d go and pee in the dining room. Apparently I sleep walk! The humans have seen me do it! I never got told off, which is good. I also don’t like being watched when I am eating. I’m always afraid of being told off or kicked.  They never do tell me off or kick me, but all the same I’m wary. Sometimes we go back to visit our previous home but we never stay long, we always come home.

This year I went away for my first holiday.  It was great fun running along cold, windy beaches.  I was good as gold but Penny found dead fish, crabs and seagulls!  Na! said I’d tell!

I am not at all like Penny, I do not chase rabbits and birds and I do NOT roll in anything that mum would think unpleasant.  However, I do have a penchant for chickens…. But, there were no chickens within reach on this holiday … maybe next year ?

Polly: "what's that on your head, Pen?"

Penny: " Zzzzzzzz ...."