44 Saber Tails Fall 2017

Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen Club of America

“Jackpot”

Mulligan - Submitted By Carol Quaranta

“Jackpot”

Oliver & Sammy - Submitted by Diane Dudgeon

“Puppy”

Odie - Submitted Terry Dennison

“Jackpot”

Strudel

&

Mulligan

Submitted

By

Carol

Quaranta

“Jackpot”

Ricky & William  - Susan Stevens

river is a small cattle ranch across the street from us.  I think it was Patty Whitock who wrote and told me that she didn’t 

think the cattle being evacuated was a good sign for us. After my initial excitement and fascination watching a real life 

round up...I started to think that she might be right!

O

n Sunday, we had made arrangements to head to Julie Shannon’s 

house, if necessary.  What wonderful people our PBGVCA members 

are.  Julie had volunteered to take us and all the dogs in the event that 

we were required to evacuate.  Never could we have imagined the im-

pact of 51 inches of rain!  Sunday night, we were awakened to another 

Emergency Alert.  Flood warning.  Not wide awake, but nowhere near 

falling back to sleep, I decided to look at the river gauge online.  Un-

believable!  The river had risen 5 feet since we’d gone to bed.  Now the 

river was expected to reach its crest by Monday afternoon.  Based on 

the rate of rise, we estimated we had until 11:00 am to get out of the 

house.  After that, water would have covered the road to the point that 

we would only be able to get high clearance vehicles out.  A quick check 

of the road closure situation also revealed that Houston was experienc-

ing large scale flooding with road closures on all major freeways.  We 

would have no possible way of reaching Julie’s house.  For the first time 

in my life, I think I had a full blown panic attack!

W

aking Bill up, I told him we had to be out as close to 9 am as pos-

sible.  We wouldn’t be able 

to ferry dogs out a few at a time.  

We’d need to do it all at once or 

my Sienna wouldn’t make it out.  

We have wonderful friends who 

had offered to take us in with 

Apple and her puppies.  And as 

much as I hate to ask for help, 

they responded immediately to 

our middle of the night text say-

ing we would need to come first 

thing in the morning – and we’d be bringing all the dogs…7 adults and a litter 

of 5 puppies!  Our wonderful friends didn’t think twice and were at our house by 

7:30 am.  Together we loaded up everybody, our suitcases and a bunch of food 

from the refrigerator and freezer and away we went.  Bill followed after hooking 

up the fish tanks to the generator.  We weren’t able to move back for a week.

M

oving in to our friends’ master bedroom, we had crates lining the walls, an 

x-pen set up for the puppies with a tarp laid underneath and a door into the 

backyard for easy access.  And the adventures began!  Our friends’ yard is a typical 

subdivision yard, which is fine, except that our dogs are used to having an acre 

and a half.  We don’t ever walk our dogs because they run all day.  Our friends 

don’t allow their dogs on the furniture – a foreign concept to our bohemians.  Be-

ing cooped up in crates wasn’t easy but they were so good compared to what I’d 

anticipated.  Still...they are PBGVs and some adventures were definitely had by all.  

Day 1

 – the dogs discovered that there were rats living in the neighbors bushes. 

Bushes that back up to the fence.  Bark, Bark, Bark, Bark!  And…as any good PBGV 

would do, Apple and Aslak thought they might be able to chew their way out.  

The bottom fence boards looked a bit ragged from my little monsters.

The puppies turned 6 weeks old in our temporary home

Several time a day, we would block off the master 

bathroom and let the puppies play.  Bill, Aslak and the 

other dogs would take turns babysitting.  The puppies 

couldn’t be with Apple since she had mastitis and was 

on antibiotics

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Cont’d on p 65