Bloodhounds Off Leash

I had to try it ... of course it would be under my watchful eyes and a feeling of when to know that I would have to go get her. The previous owner told me the day I picked her up that she would stay around me if I were outside with her, that she wouldn't run off. Hounds will wonder off based on my experience but it always seems to happen when they see you are not around, some are bred with that wander gene.

She had been showing signs that I could trust her and also responding to her new name when called. I know that's hard to believe she is doing that within days of changing her name but it also happened this afternoon while she was off leash and pretty far away from me.

The time of day will also determine if I let her off leash with me around. I know that early in the morning and dusk it may not be possible this fall due to the amount of deer that are in the field in back. There isn't a lot but it only takes just one for bloodhounds to take off chasing it.

Although there was a time last fall where there five deer at the tree line in the field. I thought for sure Sadie was gone but she didn't see them and evidently didn't smell them. By the time I was able to round up my camera, the deer had seen Sadie and took off back into the woods.

Today I sat in my chair with camera in hand the whole time we were outside. At first Stella went all the way to the left side of the property, where I was mowing this morning when she found me after breaking out of the house. I was about to get up to go get her but instead yelled her new name. She came running immediately.

Her and Sadie headed for the field and eventually split up. Here are the photos of that test of Stella being off leash.

Can you tell which bloodhound is which?

That is Stella thinking about a nap

Here Sadie is looking for Stella

Looks at me as if asking for help

On to other smells

 It's cooled down a little and Stella decides it's time for a nap

Here I ask Sadie "where's Stella?"

Once Stella heard her name, she jumped up and came running towards Sadie

I can't say she will always be off leash, even coming outside from the house due to my fears of her taking off after a bird, squirrel and in Sadie's case  ... butterflies. Still she seems trustworthy and will probably get a little more freedom as time goes on just like I have done with the other three hounds.

Is it confusing to you if I have more than one blog post per day? One writer I follow has numerous posts per day with different photos. Almost all of the blogs on the left sidebar only have one blog post per day.

Well I am off for the night ... football starts at 6pm and I have some things to bbq.