We adopted 2-year-old Lucy in July 2007, but it seems like she's been part of the family for much longer. In short, Lucy is probably one of the best dogs I have ever owned. She is extremely intelligent, gentle, energetic and inquisitive.

When we brought Lucy back to our house in Mississippi from her foster home in Alabama, we weren't sure what to expect. This was our first pet since we married 7 years ago, we hadn't had any children yet, and so we knew there would be some adjustment for all of us. Having had adopted an abused dog before, I expected to receive a shy, timid, and downright scared animal. Lucy, on the contrary, was hyper and into EVERYTHING in our house for the next several days!

I'm afraid that we were not used to having to be on our toes as much as we were back then, and even started getting second thoughts as to whether or not we did the right thing by bringing Lucy into our home. We had even contacted Jayne at the AB&TC Rescue after a couple of days for advice, as we were at our wit's end. Fortunately, Jayne was very sympathetic and recommended that we just ride it out for a couple of weeks. It proved to be wise advice, and I'm glad we did. She eventually settled down, we realized that we had to make some small environmental changes to avoid her temptation to explore, and we began to bond.

I mention this not to scare any potential owners, but to assure those who may not have adopted a coonhound for the first time that it is worth a little time and patience to allow the dog to adjust (and you as well!).

Attached are some photos of Lucy. She is a real goofball, and has just the sweetest temperament. She sleeps on the floor in our bedroom at night, and is well-behaved enough to stay inside our house during the day while we're away at work without supervision.

We find that many of our neighbors and the shoppers at PetSmart are intrigued by her and like to come up to love on her. One of the nurses at the vet we go to is a Black & Tan Coonhound fanatic (she has 4 of them herself), so she beams when she sees Lucy come through the door.

Lucy has truly become a member of our family. And we are thankful for the help and support of the American Black & Tan Coonhound Rescue.

Regards,
Jason and Lauren Catlin