MINNIE PEARL

MINNIE PEARL IS NOT AT THE HUMANE SOCIETY ANIMAL SHELTER. MINNIE PEARL IS A COURTESY POSTING FOR A FOSTER MOM. DO NOT CALL THE SHELTER FOR INFO ON MINNIE. PLEASE CALL KIM PERRY AT (606) 483-2959. This petite girl was picked up as a stray by a southern Ohio Dog Warden on 2/24/09. By law in that Appalachian area jurisdiction, a stray must be retained 5 days before euthanasia in order to provide the owner an opportunity to reclaim their dog. This hound girl's retention period expired 2/28/09. The routine WEEKLY MASS EUTHANASIA at this shelter (to make room for the inevitable influx before the next weekly kill day) is scheduled for Tuesdays to coincide with garbage pick up day. Therefore, Minnie Pearl (then nameless) was scheduled for euthanasia on 3/3/09; but her [future] foster mom saw her the Monday before and asked the shelter manager to please hold her til the 3/10/09 euthanasia session while she tried to find another humane volunteer to rescue her. Alas, no one did. So Minnie's foster mom picked her up 3/13/09 after the pound had had her spayed on 3/12/09.

On 3/13/09, skinny Minnie weighed a mere 35.3 lbs. and was estimated by her foster mom's veterinarian to be about 2 years of age. Because Minnie had TWO forms of upper respiratory infection, she was treated with a series of antibiotics: Cephalexin, then Baytril, and, lastly for the Bordatella (commonly referred to as "kennel cough"), Doxycycline. (BTW, Minnie is very good about swallowing pills.) By 4/8/09, with improving health and abundant nutrition (and lots of affection), Minnie's weight had increased to 41.4 lbs. Standing 20" tall (height at the top of her shoulders) with a torso of the same length (20" from the base of her neck to the base of her friendly tail), she might (or might not) reach 45 lbs. with continued good care; but it is doubtful that she would ever get any heavier than that since she is a fully grown adult.

As with most Treeing Walker Coonhounds, Minnie resembles a long-legged Beagle. These Coonhounds are bred for their treeing instinct but, fortunately, Minnie has not shown a propensity for this activity--which can be really intolerable to the peace lover. Minnie Pearl the hound girl does not exhibit the annoying conduct of some Coonhounds such as incessant barking/howling/baying or predatory behavior toward house cats. Minnie barks only when there is an acute object of her attention and has been readily corrected whenever she has "voiced" her focus. And she has never shown aggression toward any of the many cats roaming around inside her foster home (OUTSIDE cats very probably would be treated as prey to be treed). She will stare at the house cats incessantly and sometimes will bark at one of them until she is told to "shut up" but would probably "drop her drawers" if one of the cats started after her. Yeah, you got it ! She is a little bit of a scaredy cat--okay, gutless !

Coonhounds are scent hounds. Trailing Bloodhound fashion, they put their noses to the ground and follow scents, "barking up" or giving voice the moment their quarry is treed. Once they are on a scent, it is difficult to divert their attention. They may travel miles from home in pursuit of game. A SECURELY FENCED YARD IS ESSENTIAL TO PREVENT WANDERING. BECAUSE SCENT HOUNDS WILL TRAVEL, THEY MUST NEVER BE ALLOWED OFF LEAD UNLESS WITHIN A SECURE AREA.

As house dogs, Coonhounds tend to be very laid back. However, house rules must be made and consistently enforced. Coonhounds are very smart and easy to house "break" (PC: house train). Keeping them off the bed and other furniture is more difficult. If you aren't willing to share your furniture with your hound, you may be fighting an uphill battle since they enjoy their "creature comforts."

Obedience training is always recommended for bonding and safety's sake for any new canine addition to a family. Minnie is pretty good about coming to her foster mom when called--that is, unless she has more interesting things to do, such as playing with or just hanging out with the other foster dogs. And she does not appear to have had obedience training (sit, stay, etc.)...or to have successfully completed a course in "hunter's helper." She just really seems to love being loved, sleeping on soft, warm bedding provided for her IN THE HOUSE, and--since her health was restored--playing with canine buddies in her foster home. Since hounds are known for their silly antics, Minnie would make an excellent companion for gentle, elementary school aged human siblings in her adoptive family. Coonhounds may not be as frivolous in play as some other breeds, but they have a good sense of humor.

Although they have a strong desire to please their owners, Coonhounds are independent by nature and cannot be expected to perform exacting obedience. Coonhounds are slow to mature (about 24 months) and require patience and a firm but loving hand in obedience training. Coonhounds do not respond favorably to a heavy hand. In order to have a well-mannered dog, you need to teach Coonhounds limits and restrictions consistently as soon as possible. They need to be trained at a fast pace so that they have less time to think about other things. Formal obedience classes are recommended to avoid training incorrectly. Coonhounds never forget. If you let them get away with an improperly executed response to a training command, they'll do it every time. Exercise before and after training sessions is a good way to run out excess energy and to make the Coonhound look forward to the obedience class sessions

Having been started on heartworm preventative, vaccinated, and spayed, Minnie is ready to join a permanent family to share her life, love, fun, and happy memories for many years to come.

MINNIE PEARL THE HOUND GIRL ISO OF LOVING FAMILY WITH A SENSE OF HUMOR.

For more information on Minnie Pearl, please contact Kim Perry at (606) 483-2959 or by email at [email protected]. Call for a quicker response.