Tracking Trash

A friend of mine from the dog park grew up in Minnesota, where her brothers, cousins, uncles, etc. had Black and Tans, for hunting raccoon. She is a dog lover; she has the most gorgeous 7-year-old Mastiff, Tinkerbelle, and a gangly German Shephard puppy, Buddy. She is a wonderful dog-person. I love walking with her, I love talking with her. She brightens my day, as do her dogs. Tinkerbelle is so huge that she wears little girls' belts as collars -- sparkly, pink, purple, heart-decorated confections. Tinkerbelle follows us slowly around the park, exasperated but patient. Buddy is a great wrestling partner for Booker.

She knows lots about Coonhounds. "I'd be embarrassed to tell you how they treat those dogs," she said one day.

Then she shares little factoids.

Working to train coonhounds from trailing deer, which makes them useless as raccoon dogs, hunters fill a bag with deer scent, tie it around the puppies' heads, and then beat them.

I'm serious. Rescue a coonie: American Black and Tan Coonhound Rescue.