Say Hello To Cletus

After the deal with Red fell though on Friday on October 25th, later that night I searched bloodhound rescue sites and found a website I had looked at over the years South Central Bloodhound Rescue.

Once I saw him I knew he was the one and I was reminded things happen for a reason. I didn't fill out an application but sent them some questions that I had about him. The listing said he was located at a fosters house in Indiana but he had been rehomed multiple times. 

The initial vet thought he to be the same age as Watson, he is neutered and the only red x in his writeup was that he didn't like cats. Sounded pretty good to me. I hit the submit button and went to bed.

The next morning as I was getting the day started with the hounds and dogs breakfast, my coffee and turning on the computer ... I saw I had an email reply back from SCBR, that was sent at 4:15am my time ... but they were on ET. I was shocked, happy, actually excited when I saw where he was located ... Linton Indiana.

I was expecting someplace up north a few hundred miles but that near my old "stomping grounds" where I lived before. Bloomfield, where I lived before, is 12 miles from Linton. So this trip was going to be pretty simple and no others were needed to help out.

I filled out the adoption application on Saturday morning. Soon after I had a phone call from a certified trainer at the website. We talked about the dog, my home, my hounds and dogs etc. She later verified my vet and a couple of references I had filled in. She told me the man fostering Cletus would call me later.

Rick manages the Greene County Shelter and has had Cletus since August 23rd. We spoke for over an hour on the phone as he told me about the hound, how he trains his hounds and said if he had more time in his schedule he would keep Cletus for himself since he was that great of a bloodhound. Cletus had changed from a scared skinny bloodhound to one that was sociable, gained 15 pounds in 8 weeks and didn't pull on the leash, plus obeyed commands. He still has a lot of weight to gain because he is still thin.

Today I saw the scar on his neck where he had been abused. Whatever previous owners had him tied up to, the scar on his neck where that collar was, is nothing but skin and the hair will not grow back. 

I was told he has a loud bay and I thought that sounded like he may have a better, louder bay than Watson. Cletus is afraid of only one thing ... a garden hose, walks well on a leash, does not jump on people, cars/trucks do not freak him out when they pass by.

Which brings up something that Watson has always done. I was close in fixing that issue and I found out from Rick, who is a certified dog trainer, told me what to do to keep Watson from rearing up on his hind legs and barking at the passing vehicle. I will practice the process suggested in the backyard before I try it out on his next walk along the side of the street. He said what Watson was doing was protecting me when those cars/trucks passed slowly.

I found out Cletus was dumped by his second owner because she didn't want him anymore. She had never owned a dog let along an obnoxious bloodhound and lived in an apartment. He was found roaming the streets of their town and picked up by the town's animal shelter. They called the bloodhound rescue service to turn Cletus over to them to keep him out of the kennels at the shelter. Plus that would be an easier place for him to find a new home.

By the time Rick had picked him up, Cletus was skin and bones, extremely scared and shy of people. It took nearly three weeks before Cletus let Rick do anything with him. Rick said his first walks looked like Cletus had never been walked before let alone walking with a leash. 

I met Rick at their town shelter at noon today. Cletus ran right up to me when he saw me walking towards him with Rick having a leash attached to his harness. I did the meet and greet outside then we took off on their trail for a walk close to 3/4 miles while Rick and I talked.

Rick is a certified trainer of bloodhounds and SAR. He was showing all the things Cletus was doing on his walk through the woods we let him work his nose the whole way. Then we went into an area where you see him in the above photo. No leash, big area to exercise. I could already tell Cletus was a great bloodhound, although I believe he is younger than Watson, not older. Very playful and a true lover boy. He doesn't hesitate to show you his affection.

While getting ready to do the paper work his nose went up under the bill of my ballcap and he proceeded to clean my whole face with that large wet bloodhound tongue. Ha Ha.

He handled the 110 mile drive without any issues. I walked inside the house, closed the patio door and let Ava out of her crate. Then I went back to the garage to let Cletus out of the car, walk through the shed and outside for him to explore his new yard by himself, not leashed. 

Ava was going crazy inside. All the hounds and dogs were standing at the patio door wanting to know who that was in their yard. 

It went great. No growling, no fights, just identifying each other and I let all of them go anywhere they wanted, inside and outside the house. It wasn't long before it felt like and looked like he had lived here for a long time.

I will let the photos tell the story.

That is the scar on his neck where the hair will not grow back. I am not sure what the previous owners used to tie him up outside but obviously he was trying to get out of the situation and by the looks of it, he was tied up for a long long time. 

As I expected, Watson is pouting just a little bit but he will come around. Ava is the one that plays with with him and Henry would too if he were just a little taller. Due to all the training that Rick did the bloodhound has slid right into my crew without any signs of resistance, hesitation etc. 

It did not take long to realize Cletus was meant to be here.

It's a cool 62° here in "the tropics" of Southern Indiana.