Harrier

Meet Bootsy! I just love her head and her soulful eyes. She's got those raised eyebrows, which makes her seem filled with emotional intelligence.

We live in New Jersey, in the Cedar Ridge Country Club area near Livingston. One of our favorite activities at the Club is the annual Hounds and Harriers Run. It's a good three-mile run that crosses roads and park trails, including rugged horse trails with possible hazards such as roots, rocks, ruts and mud. Each year, the race is held in a different location, so the challenges vary. Harriers are a very active breed, which makes the Hounds and Harriers Run an absolute must. They enjoy the hunt, and when we run that race, she's competing on every level. Harriers are known to bay, and Oh Boy! does she let it out as we take off in that race. We have to carefully watch the wear on her pads when we run long distances, as she is unlikely to let us know about injuries or cuts because she's not conscious of them in her joy of running.

Bootsy gets along well with other dogs because she enjoys being in a pack; in fact, she thinks we humans are also pack members. Harriers get along with horses, children and other pets, which makes Bootsy ideal for our household (three children, three dogs, two cats, a rat, two tarantulas, three fish tanks and a baby gerbil.) We are thankful that as a breed, Harriers are gentle, social, and tolerant.

Bootsy loves to go exploring, sniffing, and trailing, so we are strict about keeping her on a leash when we're out and about. When we're at home and she's outside, we have her in a safe enclosed area. But we're changing things as a result of the call I got at work this morning. Livingston Animal Control phoned to notify me that our dogs had gotten out of the yard. I posted bail at the doggy jail and brought them home. Luckily, they were found quickly and did not suffer any harm. They dug out under one section of fence, apparently a group effort. Now we're waiting for the contractor to come install an electric 'invisible' fence and we'll train the dogs to respect that. Better a gentle zap than another escape!