Thursday, April 28, 2011

Peabody

Peabody at Gilletts Lake
This is Peabody, my sister Mindy and her husband Steve's Basset Hound.They named him after Peabody on the Bullwinkle and Rocky Cartoon TV series. He died about 20 years ago and was the nicest dog to kids ever. Kids could pull on his ears or his tail and Peabody just didn't care. I don't think I ever saw him get upset or angry. Peabody was extremely shy. Whever some one besides my sister her husband or her kids came inside the house, Peabody would hide behind the couch and not come out untill they were gone. With one exception, I was the only non-immediate family member Peabody was not afraid of. The first time I met Peabody , he was just a puppy and was outside in the yard. I came up to him slowly and sat down and talked to him. I said"You sure are a nice puppy" I gave him a few reassuring strokes on his back and a few ear rubs, he seemed to enjoy that. For some reason he liked me right there on the spot. I was able to be inside the house and have Peabody sit next to me and was there to witness his shyness first hand when a stranger came inside.
I would go on walks with my sister Mindy with the kids in a wagon and Peabody on a leash and we would walk around the block a few times. As we first started out Peabody's tail would be strait up in the air, but with each successive lap his tail would droop further and further lower. Mindy called it Peabody's "tailometer" indicating his ability to go on. Once Peabody got "hit" by a skunk and Mindy soon learned the special bath sauce to "De-Stink" Peabody. Something to do with tomatoes I think.