Thirty Two Years of Beagle

Beagles are dogs that immediately make you laugh when you first meet them. Why? That friendly face, wagging tail, and never in a super bad mood.

For 32 years, I’ve had the joy of beagles. That may sound like a long time, but I can tell you it wasn’t. Both dogs lived to be 16 years old, a bit more than average. I want to think it was where they were and how content life was.

Who were these wonder dogs? Lady and Ginger. That’s Ginger in the picture, retrieving some yummy thingy from the cup.

The first wonder beagle was Lady. She came to my family from neighbors round the way. I don’t remember the exact circumstances. Lady was among my first memories.

She was the classic fat beagle. Dogs back in the day roamed the neighborhood. Trash day was her favorite day of the week. That came to a stop when she put on weight fast. She liked being outside, even if on a leash. No neighbor called or yelled at her – Lady was mellow even for a beagle.

I remember walking to the local mall one day when I was 15. This mall was on the other side of a north and southbound highway. I just arrived at the edge of the parking lot. There was one bridge to cross over on. Suddenly Lady comes bebopping along, tail wagging. She either crossed the bridge or played dodge a car.

The mall is over three miles from my house. I bailed on my friends that night to make sure she got home. Where she roamed in her life, I’ll never know. Lady’s nocturnal roamings will only be known to her.

Lady lived to be 16. She got sick fast and went downhill—simply a great dog who provided many good memories.

Ginger came around a few years later. The family wasn’t ready for another dog right away. My Dad was like, “no more dogs.” Right.

My sister asked sometime later about a dog. The answer was no, but they ended up at the local pound. “No” came home in the form of a 6-month-old beagle named Ginger. A good Samaritan rescued her from wandering around in a thunderstorm.

The rain scared her, always going forward. Go outside to pee when it’s raining? Uhm no. Need to cross a puddle? Beagle be like Jesus walking on water, but running.

Ginger possessed even more personality than Lady. She was livelier, more energetic, and LOVED to be around people. The “No More Dogs” Dad got reduced to babbling happily at her when she cuddled up.

The best memories of Ginger are easy to remember. Her sleeping in front of the wood-burning stove with legs in the air. Until yelled at to move...

Another is what I read was acceptance by a dog. Get on your hands and knees. Next, point the top of your head at the dog. If the dog does a headbutt and rubs around, you’re one of the pack. Imagine my happiness at Ginger’s response in kind.

She was always ready for a walk. Like really long walks but on a leash (times did change). She, too, was the neighborhood kids’ favorite. They’d stop by on their ramblings to pet the funny, cute beagle. Ginger did well too. Like most little kids, they’d pet her, and she’d get to taste their snacks—an even exchange.

I left to live in Japan for a while. On calls home, I’d hear the characteristic BOOW in the background. Ginger was about 8-ish and slowed a bit but was still lively. Even being thousands of miles away made me laugh.

Ginger, like Lady, lived to be 16. She, too, went downhill quickly; her quality of life deteriorated. Still, even now, 20 years later, I miss this dog. I wish my kids could have met her too. The memories make you laugh.