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A lemon and white Basset Hound sits at the open oven door, gazing at a golden roasting turkey inside. 9 / 22

The Turkey Had Been in the Oven for Hours. The Basset Never Left His Post.

AI imagebasset houndthanksgivingkitchen

The oven door is open, warm air is drifting out, and inside sits a beautifully browned turkey in its pan. Right in front of it, a lemon and white Basset Hound named Waldo sits with his long ears hanging and his nose lifted toward the smell. A dish towel hangs over the oven handle, and the sunny kitchen tiles are cool under his paws. He is clearly not planning to leave until the bird is done.

Basset Hounds have one of the best noses in the dog world, bred for following scent trails, so a roasting turkey must feel like a perfume cloud. That strong nose combined with a love of food means they can be quite determined around the kitchen. Keep an eye on hot oven doors, since dogs can get burned if they get too close, and never leave a cooling bird where a hound can reach it. Cooked bones can splinter and are dangerous to dogs, and fatty poultry skin can upset their stomachs. A chew toy or a treat puzzle can keep a hopeful hound busy while the cooks work.

Waldo does not look greedy, just deeply interested. His soulful eyes say that he understands the importance of this moment and that he would be honored to serve as taste tester. Good things come to those who wait, and a Basset can wait with remarkable dignity.

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