Taken from a letter written by Steve and Sue McConnell to the Bloodhound Bunch webmaster on 5/2/97.Diane,
Greetings! I can't believe how wonderful my new boy is!!! Cute? Sure, anyone could see that coming from his picture. But I wasn't prepared for how lovey & clingy he is! Sigh. What a great dog!
Thanks for your offer to scan and post some photos of Clem. Enclosed are 2 photos and a photocopy of the ad (tell me -- could ANYONE resist that cute little face???).
The photos were taken the day after we brought him home. I'd like to point out that the shelter had him in the choke-chain which we replaced later that day. We lost a dog a couple years ago who had tangled herself up in her chain while we were gone. It was very sad -- we definitely do not recommend choke-chains under any circumstances (I didn't want the photos to suggest otherwise....). We're also completing a good sized fenced-in area of our yard for him to run around in without a chain at all.
The photo of him having his ears scratched is a fave. That face!!! Don't you just love him!?!?!
Yesterday, we took him to the "Canine Chateau" -- the local doggy beauty parlor -- for a good bath, ear cleaning, toe-nail clipping and undercoat brushing. We'll have to get you some new pictures - he's even cuter!
Clem is such a great dog. We don't use him for tracking or any kind of work -- we just wanted a companion, and he's certainly that. I read all the "warnings" I could find through various websites, and I'm prepared (as best I can be) for him to have a shorter life than most dogs, but a day with him is a lifetime itself! He's the greatest animal I've ever had the pleasure to know.
Steve, Sue & Clem
From a message to the Bloodhound Bunch on 5/13/97
This past weekend, we celebrated Clem's first month in his new house (apparently, Sue and I are now only guests here ;-).
Though there were no candles & cake, we did stuff a flea control pill in his heartworm chew. I do believe he liked it. Then again, with the possible exception of vegetables, there isn't much he doesn't like!
I still can't believe how great our new boy is! He's done all kinds of terrible stuff; like busting through the screen door when we were out one afternoon, breaking out of the new fenced in area we had built for him, stealing a pizza off the counter and eating it (cheese side down) on the playroom carpet and so forth -- but we just can't get mad at the fella! He constantly makes me laugh -- I mean really laugh, not just smile (though he does that too) just by being him. This has got to be the greatest dog I've ever met.
I'm hooked!!
have a great one, bunch,
Steve (& Clem)
mcconnell_steve@isus.emc.com
