Devorguilla, The Original Baying Hound {Obituary}

dog obituary Devorguilla, a.k.a. Devie, our blue tick coon hound mix, died today, December 29, 2013. She was approximately thirteen years old, having been adopted as a young adult at the Capital Area Humane Society in January 2002. She is survived by little hound Hawise, cats Moonshine and Nightshade and people Alex, Lillian, and Rachel.

Despite our attempts at training, Devie was a headstrong troublemaker. She bayed at everyone who entered, stopping only when she was ready. Barking was how she related to other dogs and while we understood her noise to be playful, most other hounds cowered away from her. She surfed counters, scavenged floors, and ate anything possibly food-like. In her twelve years with the Tayse Baillieuls, she consumed the following in addition to regular meals: human birthday cakes, six packages of raisins to include packaging in one sitting, several bronze ring nails and the plywood they were attached to, boozy fruitcakes, chocolate truffles, a sheet pan of cookies, compost, a bag of flour, trash, and countless breakfasts, lunches, and dinners left unattended for a few seconds. Devie's stomach of steel allowed that these indiscretions were uncomfortable for her but didn't results in messes for her family beyond the missing food.

hugging devie

While she was difficult to live with, Devie was easy to love. Friends and neighbors who understand hounds carried on howling conversations with her. Many admired Dev's unflagging devotion to food, annoying as it was.

She was extremely gentle, especially around Lillian. Devie not only tolerated but seemed to enjoy being dressed up and always won 'cuteness contests', Lil's habit of dressing up pets and stuffed animals for fashion shows. Devie's coloring was beautiful and inspired our first business name, the Baying Hound. After losing an eye to persistent infection in 2010 she became even more striking.

We noticed Devie slowing down this autumn. When she stopped enjoying food, her one true love, this week, it was our signal that organ degeneration or cancer had progressed enough to severely affect her quality of life. We made the difficult choice of euthanasia. She was buried at home.

Rest in peace, Devorguilla. You will be missed.

Old Hound Devie {Wordless Wednesday}

old coon hound dog sleeping grey faced hound

click clack paws

hound dog lip jowls

They say moving is one of the most stressful life events along with death, divorce, and illness. Most of the family is holding up well but the old hound dog Devie is a mess. Alex insists that I tell you I am the second in line for 'most stressed'.

First we took away her couch. Her twelve-year-old paws click and clack on the hardwood floors downstairs as she tries to find somewhere comfortable to rest.

Then, when we have showings, we are taking her on rides in the car (which she hates) to new and unfamiliar places.

She has taken to lying on our bed (previously forbidden) where I snapped these shots of her sweet greyed face, outstretched paws, and my favorite droopy lips.

I wish Dev could understand me when I promise that she will have a wide wonderful world to explore at a new house soon. We'll even find a place for her old stinky couch.

The Dog with the Purple Eyelashes

devorguilla coonhound with one eye Devie the big hound is adapting wonderfully to life with a single eye.

At our dinner party Wednesday, everyone commented on what a different dog she is now.  She is calmer, quieter, and seems happier than any time in the last year.

dog with eye removedGuilt creeps in when I think that perhaps her bum eye was hurting her for a long time.  But there was no way to know how much pain she was feeling and only now we can notice that she feels enormously better.

Soon, Dev's 'purple eyelashes', as Lil calls the stitches, will be removed.  I hope all traces of trauma will also be tossed aside and many years will follow with our one eyed pirate dog.