Fred was an amazing soul.  He spent close to 8 years
teaching me patience...without ever once losing his
own.  He took so much of life in stride.  Even my own
failings.
The Happy Hound
Havin' Fun with Tricks & Good Manners
Peg Dawson Harrington,
Trainer & Behavior Consultant
Member, Association Pet Dog Trainers
#63215 12/08
Member, International Association of Dog Behavior Consultants
AKC CGC Evaluator #27443
615-584-2940
Copyright © 2008 Peg Dawson Harrington
All rights reserved.

To those of you who are as surprised by this news as
I was myself, I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to
let you know.  It all happened so terribly fast.  
About Us
Fred, Dog of Destiny
ca. November 3, 1998 - December 21, 2007

We discovered after a trip on the 4th of December
to the emergency clinic, that Fred had cancer.  A
subsequent visit to UT on the 10th revealed that he
had hemangiosarcoma, an extremely aggressive
cancer of the blood vessels.  His prognosis was poor.
Fred, Dog of Destiny passed away last Friday,
December 21, 2007.  He was euthanized at home,
in his favorite spot in the kitchen after having two
breakfasts, many treats, visits with the neighbors,
and a walk around the block where he was able to
sniff EVERY blade of grass until he was truly tired
of sniffing.  

We spent Fred's last days doing the things he loved
doing.  I am proud to say that his last days were
not all that different--albeit much more
deliberate--than most of our life together.  Fred  
got to visit friends, go to the bank, eat his favorite
foods (without having to steal them!), amble one last
time around the Steeple Chase, go to Sam and Zoe's
and sit on the porch with a chewie.  Most nights he
and I were able to figure out how to get him up on
the bed with me to snuggle under the covers.  An
absolute sign of his illness was that he was able to
walk off-lead with me in the 'hood, and I knew he
couldn't take off after some scent.

When he had no strength to do anything else, he let
me know that he'd be perfectly happy to revisit a
very early training game we used to play:  I'll lie on
my beddie like a good dog and you toss me treats.

It's as clear a testament to the powers of positive
training that I'll ever need.  And please, don't ever
think a Basset Hound doesn't have a "work ethic."  
(It's always a matter of motivation.)
He led me to this incredible life....surrounded with
dogs and a rehabilitated kitty.  His accomplishments
include an AKC Canine Good Citizen certificate,
certification through Therapy Dogs International,
learning agility, riding a skateboard, hiking on the
Appalachian Trail, doing a mean tango, visiting
handicapped children and elderly shut-ins, being a
"bullet-proof" dog when working with aggressive
dogs, calming fearful dogs, and teaching Calpurrnia
Jean (Callie) that dogs aren't all that bad.  
(well, not all of them).  

Fred appeared on TV and cut his own demo CD.  

He also worked extensively with Music City Pug
Rescue (he was not a breedist, in any sense)...he
would be honored if you would like to make a
contribution in his memory.

Ancillary accomplishments include: figuring out how to
open the refrigerator, the pantry door, and lifting
porcelain dishes off counters--anywhere from
37-41" in height--and setting said dishes on the
floor without breaking them...and quietly, oh, so
quietly, consuming their contents.  

All this without opposable thumbs.

Fred had his dark side, but without question, Fred
was a saint.  He had infinite patience in teaching
this slow learning human so many new things.  He
was one of my closest friends....and filled my life
with even more friends, both furry and human.

He will be missed.  This dog made my life whole.