We got  as a GABR foster with 2 other bassets in late spring of 2001 and she was morbidly obese weighing in at 93 lbs.  She had been used as a puppy factory having 16 litters by age 8!  Poor weighed so much that she was stepping on her belly and mammorary glands.  She couldn't walk up the driveway to the house, so Mark had to carry her!!  went on a diet plan and exercise regiment that she was NOT at all happy about!!  She had been on people food all her life with no exercise.  's exercise started out as 1 trip up and down the driveway and within 6 months worked her up to a mile twice a day.  She lost 36 pounds!  She had absolutely no socialization skills, was afraid of everyone, but Mark, and had a real female basset attitude!!  Fran then called to say she had someone wanting Lydia and Lydia laid the pitiful brown eyed look on Mark and that was it, she became part of our family!!  Mark was the only she ever trusted fully!  She was our second basset that we adopted through GABR!

She has been Mark's, "Daddy's Girl", from day #1!!!!!!!!  Her and I always butt heads!!  Lydia would sit in a doorway that I'm trying to get through and of course, I can't step over her being in a wheelchair, but I could ask her to move until I'm blue in the face and she would become instantly deaf and oblivious to what is going on, however as soon as Mark says, "Lydia move!", she graciously gets up to allow me through!!   goal in life was to get on my every last nerve!  If it made her happy, then that's what I was here for! 

Lydia had a severe heart murmur causing congestive heart failure and she was also going into renal failure, but was showing no signs of stress, pain, or discomfort.  I truly believe that Lydia knew her Daddy couldn't have made the decision to euthanize her, if it had come to that, so did what she felt was right for Mark.  Mark let dogs out at 8:00 PM last night and she was drinking and playing with Trucker.  At 12 PM on April 1st, 2007, we let dogs out again and since was older, she was losing her hearing, so if she was asleep you had to tap her head to get her attention.  Well Mark tapped her on the head and nothing, she had passed on.  It dawned on us that morning that died on Copper's birthday, he was a GABR permanent foster who had Cancer that was very fond of!  It was one of those goosebump moments!  She will always be affectionately known as our "sweet little Holstein heifer" (she's black and white) or our "Queen B%$#@!". 

was a living testament to these people who only want to adopt younger dogs, we get her at 8 1/2 years old and almost had her almost 8 years!  Thank you Lydia for pushing our buttons, for putting fosters in their place, for being your pushy, no nonsense self, but most importantly for the privilege and honor of allowing us to be the ones you chose to love and trust!  We love you sweet angel, may you bask in the endless rays of sunshine and growl at the dogs that bothers you and you will never be told "NO!" ever again!