Introducing Nikkie

This is Nikkie on 9/20/08. She's Brad's 1 yr. old bassett. This pose is normal for Nikkie, because being a bassett is hard work. It's tough sleeping all day!

When we first brought her home in March of this year, that sad, pitiful look got to me every time she got in trouble. It wasn't too long before I could look at her and tell her "That look won't work on me anymore." LOL

Nikkie is a joy to have in the family. She loves the kids, the neighbor kids, our friends, and pretty much anyone else that comes in the house.

There's actually been someone that she hasn't liked, so I really do believe she has a sense of who's good and who's not. Her and Digit get along, and actually play together. It took several days for Digit to stop hissing at her, but he calmed down and now they at least tolerate each other if they don't consider themselves buddies. When Brad comes home, she wags her tail so hard that her rear end wiggles. It's so funny to watch.

She thinks she's a lapdog, but convincing this 50 pound bassett that she's not a lapdog is a different story. So her and I comprimise. She can lay her head or front part of her body in my lap and we're fine.

On the 28th of September, we noticed a huge lump on the underside of her neck. It was about the size of a lemon, and I will be the first to admit that I was scared for her. So off to the vet she went a couple days later. The vet says it's an allergic reaction of some kind. She'll be fine, it's just going to take time to get her all better. Short of sending off blood for allergy test, it'll be a bit hard to find out exactly what she's allergic to. So for right now, the vet's starting with a possible food allergy. This means only her food, no scraps. Sure, tell that to Nikkie, who's a walking vaccum. She can find the smallest bite that the kids drop on the floor. Her dry food can stay the same, but her little multi-flavored treats are going to have to change since she can only have the light-tan colored ones. In the meantime, she's on an antibiotic and gets a medicated bath. In the past, she's taken pills just find when they're hidden in cheese. Not now. It was like wrestling a walrus for the first several days. It's easier now though, especially since Brad started hiding it in a small bite of turkey lunchmeat. Oh, except for when she finds the pill hiding in the turkey and spits it out. Hmmm....I wonder if that's why the vet's office told me "Get as much of this medicine down her that you can."

Giving her the bath is easier than the medicine! She just stands there. But she started feeling better a few days after seeing the vet. She's really feeling better now, but still on the antibiotic and baths.

I knew she was feeling better when I had to fish the water bottle cap out of her mouth. Yep, the walking vaccum has returned! It's times like this that I wish God had given animals (or at least my pets!) human-like vocal chords so they could talk to me. That or someone invent a translator thingy for animals like they have in Star Trek. Of course, I may not want to know the thoughts that go through my furbabies heads!