Gary

Gary came to us on November 24, 2012 originally as a foster.   We took him until Golden Gate Basset Rescue can find him a forever home, it turned out his forever home was with us all along.

He was a very quiet and handsome basset and we fell in love with him immediately.  He was very loyal to his humans and was very easy to please.   Gary only liked his humans…he did not like having other dogs in the house and clearly he showed his dominance towards his four legged companions.   We had issues that we needed to iron out but through trials, failures, and success we managed to figure out what he liked and so did the other bassets in the house.

Clearly, Gary was a very strong willed and regimented dog and he needed a family who can keep his schedule just the way he was used to.   During this time, we were in the midst of moving to Kansas and decided to keep him because we know underneath all his issues he is a very good dog; and he truly was.   

After four years with us, at the age of 12, Gary was laid to rest on September 9, 2016 in the comfort of his home lying next to me.  His mobility and anxiety has taken a toll on him and we knew he will be okay if our vet came to the house to make him forever comfortable.  No more thunderstorms to scare him off, no more loud noises and no more pain; he is safe now with his friends at the Rainbow Bridge.  Despite his issues and quirkiness, he was a great dog and he truly left a piece of him in our hearts and home.  We will miss him so much, he followed me everywhere and kept me company especially in the kitchen.  

We will always remember Gary when we hear the rumbles during the summer months in Kansas.  We have wonderful memories of him and we will never forget Gary.  He is safe now.  

With all our love,
Vince, Maria, Christian, and Walter

George
After 18 treatment of radiation for a nasal cancer tumor it was not a success. We let George go to heaven this afternoon. The doctor came to the house. I, of course, as with all of our other beloved bassets who have passed, held him in my arms. Then Trent, from caringpetservice.com in Santa Cruz, who was here with us throughout it, took Georgey with him to be cremated. We have had 9 WONDERFUL laughter filled years with our George, and of course Georgey was a (well, back then a Northern Calif Basset Hound Club) rescue baby. Our hearts are bleeding for him. We loved him so much and we did everything possible to save him. FYI, please check out the website of caringpetservice. They are really wonderful caring and very compassionate people. They run a cremation service in Los Gatos/Santa Cruz. Trent really helped make things smoother. God bless to everyone. David and Dan (Feb 2010)

Gracie
Greetings, My name is Roberta and this is In loving memory of Gracie: Eleven years ago I fostered Gracie via Northern CA Basset Hound Rescue - the director lived in Petaluma. Gracie was removed from a very bad situation in Richmond CA, was removed from someone’s apartment by the police, went to the Richmond Shelter and wound up in a veterinarians pet hospital in Napa where she was being treated for a skin ailment that nearly killed her. The rescue director and I met at the hospital in Napa and I brought Gracie home - that was the first day of 11 years of love. At the time, Gracie was known as Pandora - because of her awful beginnings, I immediately changed her name to Gracie to help her start a new chapter in her life. She was still very ill with a rather challenging skin condition. After a few months of no progress, the rescue director pointed me in the direction of a very fine veterinary dermatologist who turned turned Gracie’s life around. After about 2 years of treatment, she was finally off of all medications, gained much needed weight and was off and running. There is a long list of participants who were integral in saving Gracie all those years ago - Basset Hound Rescue leading the list. Gracie certainly deserved everything all of us did for her. She has been a sweet, loving little girl with a kind and forgiving heart. She brought joy to everyone she touched especially me - I was lucky enough to get to share my life with Gracie and have the please of her company for the last 11 years. Gracie died on May 29th after having a stroke. She lived to be about 14 years of age and because of work of yours and others like you, most of those years were happy and joyful. I could never explain my deep gratitude for your rescue efforts and for saving my Gracie. Love, Roberta

Gus
Gus, Gusmo, Gusmoto, Goose, Gooseman. Gus came into our lives in June 2007, on his second pass through rescue. His age was unknown, but his shelter record from his first rescue in 2005 listed his general appearance as “old”. A nice couple adopted Gus and even adopted another dog to keep him company, but in 2007 Gus turned up again in a shelter. Through his microchip, Gus was returned to GGBR. Gus had deep-set eyes, which, with age, sunk farther and farther into his head. It eventually interfered with his vision, but it also gave him a goofy look. I always thought Gus looked a little like Walter Matthau. Our dogs, Kirby, Ralph (a.t.b. September 2009) and Gus made up the three GOM (grumpy old men). Gus was never grumpy, though; he was just a happy, bumbling old guy. Gus was not a low maintenance dog. In December 2007, Gus underwent emergency surgery for bloat and gastric torsion, but he came through the surgery and even walked out of the emergency clinic the next day. Gus had arthritis in his spine, which, in summer 2008 caused him hind limb weakness and paralysis. Fortunately, it didn’t seem to be painful, and with rest, acupuncture and mild exercise, he regained the ability to walk, and although his feet went out from under him frequently, he could get himself back up on his feet again. Gus didn’t let much get him down or keep him down, and he trucked around on his wobbly old legs for two years. He lost his sight and his hearing and was unsteady on his feet, but he could negotiate either of our two homes, and even get himself up and down ramps and stairs. Gus was a dog who needed the company of another dog, and was always more content if he knew that Kirby was nearby. I called him Kirby’s wingman. We miss the noisy old guy, and his constant wanting to go out, and then come back in again. He was a kind, happy, wonderful old dog. Fran and Mark Madden, Kirby and Jackie. June 12, 2010.

Gus
We adopted Gus from GGBR on Feb 14th, 2006. He was believed to be about 6 years old. His owner was unable to keep him because not everyone in the house approved. Before that he lived with a homeless man. I used to joke with Gus that now he has his very own girl since both of his previous people were male. For three years, I was honored to call him my shadow. He always wanted to be with me. We attended GGBR's 4th of July picnic, in Novato, the same year we got Gus. Gus was normally sort of timid around other dogs. But as soon as he saw all those Bassets, he was howling and going up trying to meet as many as he could get near. There was one woman, another Basset owner, who sat on the floor with Gus, giving him love. Gus would let her love him, then he'd turn around and come up to me and look up. I'd bend down and he'd give me kisses and then go back to her. He did this a few times. I guess he thought I'd be jealous and wanted me to know he was still my boy. One thing that Gus really loved was my laugh. He'd do silly things to get me to laugh and as soon as I would start laughing, his tail would be going. Sometimes I would wake up to his face on top of mine. He slept with me everynight. In the mornings, before I even opened my eyes, he'd somehow know I was awake and would come up to get his morning love. He always wanted to start the day with kisses and hugs. He was also one of the most intelligent dogs, I've ever met. When he would see my Dad get out the ear cleaner, he would run over to his bed and flip on his side, so that my Dad could clean his ears. He was always so polite, such good manners. When my Dad would do work in the front yard, Gus would go out and lay in the grass and just watch. Our neighbors, Tom and his little girl Katie, would come lay in the grass and give him love. Gus is loved by so many people. The day that he passed away, left a huge hole in my heart and in the hearts of so many. Even our Veterinarian could not stop crying. When I got the news that Gus had passed, I could not stop shaking. After our Veterinarian took me to go see him, a calmness came over me and the shaking stopped. That was Gus for you. He was determined to bring me comfort and happiness from the day he entered my life. I can not say that the pain of losing him was easy. But having him for 3 years, made it all worth it. Whether the Basset is 15 days old or 15 years old, the love they bring is amazing. My boy waiting for me in Heaven, I love you and I'm sure you're bringing God, love. See you in Heaven - Love, Ali and Dennis Blanchette