My dog, by the way, thinks I have much to learn about partridges, and I agree. He persists in tutoring me, with the calm patience of a professor of logic, in the art of drawing deductions from an educated nose. Perhaps he hopes his dull pupil will one day learn to smell.
-A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold
Olefacio ergo sum
-with apologies to Descartes
Perro Bravo. Cilgin Kopek. Boser Hund. Txakur Txarra. Caine Rau. Plokhaya Sobaka. Gos Dolent. Chien Mechant. Warui Inu. Droch Mhadra. Cane Cattivo. Kelb Hazin. Qen i Keq.
Many ways to warn about a bad dog, but basset hounds need no warning, because they are never bad. Cave canem? No need if he has velvet ears, knock kneed legs, rheumy eyes, and twitchy nose when napping. What is he sniffing in his sleep? Himself? Some hole in the ground? A day old rabbit trace?
I had travelled late into Christmas Eve to reach Antigua Guatemala and the next morning in the Parque Central I saw two leashed and well groomed bassets sitting near the life size creche. Camels, donkeys, sheep- the manger had been almost full. Now it was. The gift of the Magi… Bark! The herald angels sing…On the first day of Christmas my true love scent to me…It’s getting to smell a lot like Christmas…