Grady

My husband and I were heart-broken a little over a year ago when our beloved Basset Hound, Bo, died of cancer. It truly was like losing a family member. We knew we wanted to get another dog eventually, but couldn't decide on the breed. I love Basset Hounds, but my husband didn't want another one so soon after losing Bo. . . too much of a reminder. Well, after a few months, a dear friend that I teach with asked if I had ever heard of a PBGV (Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen). I had to admit that I hadn't. She told me about Barb and Heartland Classics, so I checked it out. I fell in love immediately when I saw the pictures of the little PBGVs online when I was researching the breed. I contacted Barb, and she was so kind and helpful. We picked out "Geo" a couple of months ago. We renamed him "Grady" because of his little old man beard, and my grandfather's name was Grady, so the name stuck. Our little guy was shuttled, and we met him about halfway between Heartland and Colorado where we live. The moment he peeked his little head out of the kennel, our hearts melted. He has this adorable way of having the tip of his little pink tongue stick out quite often - endearing. We found that he is a great little traveler. Our Basset Hound was always getting carsick, but not Grady. He will often go over and grab his leash off the entry table to let us know he's ready to go! PBGVs are nicknamed the "happy breed", and nothing could be more true. Grady has personality plus. We've been to the vet a few times to finish up his shots, and the vet and his staff are always excited to see Grady. They've fallen in love with him also. and our vet was so intrigued, as he had not heard of the PBGV breed either, and he's been a vet for over 25 years. PBGVs do require lots of exercise and attention. My husband has lovingly nicknamed Grady "The Beast of Bayberry Circle" because of his playful spirit. They are a really intelligent breed. I was worried about house-training, as I still had a few weeks of school left before my summer break, but luckily, my husband's schedule allowed him to be home with Grady. We thought about using crate-training to housebreak our little guy, but my husband didn't want to do that. We were pleasantly surprised how easily Grady was house-broken. It was no time before he was running over to the door on his own and pawing at the door to let us know he needs out. We have had only a handful of "accidents". Yes, Grady sleeps with us. . . . and . . . he sleeps the whole night through - from the very first night! He will lick your cheek or ear in the morning to let you know he needs out, but often we wake before our little "lounge lizard". Grady play hard, but when he sleeps, he's out like a light. I am concerned about separation anxiety when I go back to school in a few weeks, so we may have to consider getting a little friend for Grady. He loves his walks and is such a little social butterfly. Barb is such a professional. I was so impressed with the whole process, and all the papers he needed about shots, AKC, etc. were with him when he arrived for us to pick him up. I most definitely would get another puppy from Barb at Heartland Classics with no hesitation. Christy from Colorado

- Christy Price