Betty

Meet Betty: 4yr old, female, Coonhound mix, 44 pounds. Hedgesville Hounds took in Betty in December 2023. While clearly very shy, her evaluators perceived a dog who wanted to trust humans and had a sweetness about her that was very promising. Since coming into care, Betty’s health has improved by leaps and bounds. Weighing about 27 pounds when she came to us, she now weighs a long, lean, and leggy 44 pounds. Her once dull and rough coat is softer and shines in the sunlight. Betty came to Hedgesville Hounds burdened with heartworms. She did very well during her heartworm treatment and after 3 months of treatment, is now clear of any heartworm disease. Betty is a sweet and gentle dog. She is very good about handling and is excellent at toenail clipping and ear cleaning. Because of the heartworm disease, Betty spent months on crate rest. Since being released from her physical restrictions, Betty has enjoyed her freedom and progressed to daily runs around the yard with other dogs and by herself, leaping off the deck and rolling around in the grass, chasing robins on the ground and buzzards in the air, even adding silly leaps and twists just for the sheer fun of it. Betty’s foster Mom thinks she is mixed with some kind of site hound, like Whippet or Greyhound. Betty is streamlined in shape, has long and delicate legs, a sleek head, and doesn’t like to SIT. Her favorite positions are standing and fully reclining. Jumping up on items does not come naturally to her, hence her rare use of the couch and her current inability to jump into the back of the car. She doesn’t mind being lifted into the car and climbs right into the car crate. She is an excellent and quiet car passenger. Betty is potty trained and she can be trusted loose in the house as long as she gets outside every 3-4 hours during the day. She is fine all night long, even uncrated. Betty is crate-trained as well. She may whine a bit at first, but then she settles down well. Betty’s leash walking skills have steadily improved while in foster care. When out on walks, Betty still tends to pull on the leash. Her foster mom has been using a Gentle Leader head halter, which works better for her than a no-pull harness. Betty will need continued positive training and practice to master this skillfully. It seems like Betty is going through a second puppyhood as she has been exploring her world by mouth. Nothing has been damaged beyond repair, but her new family will want to keep items out of her reach and continue to teach her what is appropriate to chew on. Betty occasionally chews her Nylabones or soft chew toys. She also really enjoys her Collagen Retriever Rolls (rawhide replacements). Betty would likely be best suited for someone who is home all or most of the day. We do not have any knowledge of her experience with children, therefore we recommend a home with children over age 10. A securely fenced yard with a 4ft or higher fence is a necessity. Betty gets along well with other dogs and also with cats. Betty has come a long way since she joined Hedgesville Hounds. She has proven that our initial assessment of her sweetness was spot on. She probably won’t win any obedience titles; however, if you’re looking for a gentle dog to simply love you unconditionally, well, Betty has the rule book memorized!