A Basset Pup With a Mission Inspects the Tomatoes and Lettuce
With nose low and long ears dragging, a lemon and white Basset Hound puppy investigates a vegetable garden in the afternoon sun. Leafy green lettuce grows in the raised bed behind, a small green tomato hangs on the vine near its face, and the soil is dotted with fallen leaves. The puppy's eyes are half-lidded with concentration, the look of someone reading a very interesting newspaper.
A Basset's nose is one of the best in the dog world. Only the Bloodhound is considered to have a nose more sensitive, and Bassets were bred to track rabbits and other small game by scent. That means a garden, with its soil, plants, and visiting wildlife, is a puzzle too good to ignore. Let your Basset follow their nose on a leash or in a secure area, and they will be happy for a long while.
A garden does call for a little care. Tomato plants, including the leaves and stems and any unripe fruit, can be harmful to dogs, and so can onions, garlic, and a few other common garden plants. Fertilizers, slug bait, and compost can also cause trouble. Fence off beds where you can, and if you suspect your pup nibbled something unsafe, call your vet right away.
This puppy is only sniffing, though, and that is a fair bargain. Soil, leaves, and tomatoes all tell a story, and the little hound is absorbing every chapter before heading in for dinner.
