#SeasonofSmiles A letter of gratitude by Samson The Basset Hound: I can’t see you, but I know you are there. I sense your smile. I hear your voice. Most of all, I feel your love. You took me in when I was no longer wanted, and loved me just when I thought nobody else ever would. For that, and so much more, I am grateful. I know I was and am still sick, and that once my Lyme disease is under control my eyes have to be removed. “One thing at a time” is what I am told. But hey, I am one lucky Basset Hound. Foster Mom Kelly (FMK) says that I am a laid back senior who enjoys being in the middle of the action. Even though I lost my eye sight to glaucoma, I can (mostly) find my way to the doggy door and of course my food dish. (And let’s be clear, I have trained FMK that I am not a vegetarian). Thank you to North Texas Basset Hound Rescue for saving me. Thank you to FMK for taking me into your awesome (and super fun) home! Thanks to my fellow house Bassets, foster Sebastian and resident Jackson, for showing me the ropes around the house and yard. Thanks for sharing the sofa with me, for keeping me safe, and giving me a warm bed. FMK- thanks for all of the love, hugs and attention- you are pawsome! Thank you for everyone who donates money to help pay for all of my medical care. I know that #ntbhr collects money in many ways, but know that when you shop Amazon Smile (http://smile.amazon.com/ch/75-2706935) and choose NTBHR as your charity, this is how some of the money helps. I am living and loving proof that a little bit of money and a whole lot of love save more than a life, it saved my broken heart and soul. I know that once I get healthy that I will find my forever home, and will have even more to be thankful for. With gratitude and love, Samson #SeasonofSmiles

Don't forget to join us at Sloan & Williams Winery on Tuesday, December 5th between the hours of 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm for our fundraiser. We have confirmed attendance for Elvis & Petunia- a couple of sweet seniors hoping to find their forever home in time for the holidays. Happy Hour pricing and 30% of proceeds will be donated directly to NTBHR - don't miss this fun night out and the chance to see all of the beautiful lights in Grapevine.

Foster Miss Molly is dreaming of joining her forever home in time to celebrate the holiday season with her new family. Miss Molly is a senior hound and her adoption fee is only $50 until December 15! Here's a strict warning from Molly's foster parents: "Don't meet her if you're not ready to take her home. She'll steal your heart!" They go on to say, "Miss Molly has turned out to be the most loyal, attentive, and happiest basset we've ever had. She is always handy, and loves her humans. At this point, we can tell that she hasn't got much vision or hearing left, but her basset nose makes sure she knows everything important to her. She can't jump, as much as she'd love to be able to. Her snaggle-toothed smile and happy hopping are her way of saying how glad she is to see you. All of our adopted seniors have gone to homes where they obviously had a job that only they could do. Clearly Miss Molly has something special in her future. She is the sweetest soul to ever inhabit a basset body. If you love bassets like we love bassets, you know that's saying a lot." Molly is a 12 year old basset who is in good health. Are you ready to meet this sweet girl and be her forever home? Complete an application here: http://www.bassetrescuedfw.org/info/adoption

#SeasonofSmiles Did you miss this amazing story of Cecil? This is a heartfelt story with very happy ending for a Basset Hound who had an unimaginable life before hitting the jackpot in his forever home. Thanks to everyone who uses Amazon Smile (smile.amazon.com/ch/75-2706935) and designates #ntbhr as their charity. Cecil is living proof that every $ and a whole lot of love really do matter. Thank you to all of you for all year long.

Tomorrow is #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. Every donation and every dollar matters to our Basset Hounds. Donate here on Giving Tuesday and throughout the year. http://www.bassetrescuedfw.org/info/donate. Thank you for your support!

*Tissue alert* *Happy ending alert* #SeasonofSmiles Want to know how the money that you spend using Amazon Smile helps our Hounds? Want to know how giving is as easy as click and shop with Amazon Smile? Here is the story of Cecil, a story of a very special boy. Cecil Gets Rescued A little over 2 years ago NTBHR took in 5 very special Basset Hounds. They were living in a puppy mill under the most deplorable conditions. Kathryn, an NTBHR Board member and foster, volunteered to take the only male, Cecil, who was approximately 7 years old. Cecil was so damaged from his life at the puppy mill, he had never been inside a house, slept in a warm bed, experienced what it was like to play or feel love. What he did experience was a life in a cage, a life of terror and a life of severe abuse as told by the many scars on his little body and chunks of skin missing from his ears. Cecil went into foster care with Kathryn, but he needed more than just love. NTBHR enlisted the help of a specialized trainer to help Cecil adjust to his new life. This trainer was made possible, in part, from funds NTBHR collected from Amazon Smile. Although he fit in well with the dogs in his world (another foster) and found some happiness playing with them, he was terrified of people. Kathryn and the trainer worked tirelessly to help him adjust, teaching him how to walk on a leash, socializing him through adventures to Home Depot and teaching him what it was like to be a loved and pampered puppy. The progress was slow to teach him how to not be such a fearful dog. Cecil gets Susan SmithEnter Angela Perez, Cecil’s forever mom and hero (and our hero too- she has adopted 5 Bassets from NTBHR). Here is the story of my Cecil. After a little over a year in foster, we adopted this sweet boy. When he got to our home he fell into our pack with a very natural ease. Sadly, not with my husband and myself. We had to leave a leash on him all the time so we could catch him in the yard and bring him in. He would recoil when we neared him and cower. We loved him so much and were just heartbroken at the damage done to our little Sir. After a few months in our home we began to see milestones! He would come inside on his own; without coaxing! That’s when the leash came off. (He actually wore the leash all the time up to then). Then he started to seek out our attention regularly, we were over the moon! After 6 months, he started to jump up in bed and sleep with us, then the snuggling began! With each passing month, we joyfully watched his confidence grow. And after a year with us he has become “my dog” and I am truly “his person”; we are inseparable. He loves to give kisses and hugs and snuggling is his best sport. He still has moments where he still gets a little fearful, but all in all he has become a happy, well adjusted, completely pampered puppy; living the comfy life he deserves (all dogs deserve) to have. The donations from Amazon Smile help dogs like this every day and I cannot imagine my life without my sweet, special, little Cecil. – Angela Perez You can help us help more abandoned and unwanted Basset Hounds by selecting North Texas Basset Hound Rescue when you shop at smile.amazon.com/ch/75-2706935.(Prime members too!) Thank you to everyone who donates and supports throughout the year. Your donations, no matter how small, mean the world to the Basset Hounds we rescue. Amazon Smile is a year-round program, so why not click-shop-give all year long? #SeasonOfSmiles #ntbhr

Smile – that’s right- smile! Did you know that if you shop Amazon Smile and designate North Texas Basset Hound Rescue as your charitable organization, we will receive .5% of your purchase price on eligible items? Holiday shopping is in full swing, but this benefit is available all year round. So why not click-shop-give? And don’t worry, we won’t tell your boss if you do it on company time during Cyber Monday- our little secret! So go ahead- smile – our Basset Hounds will.

Hey everyone, Buddy the Basset Hound here. Check out my new holiday sweater - it has a snowman on it! I like it waaaaaay better than the orange “rescue me” vest, I mean puh-lease, there’s no comparison. I am pretty darn handsome if I do say so myself. I am ready to be adopted and I have to tell you, I LOVE people, I am house trained, crate trained, and I LOVE to ride in the C-A-R! (My human fosters haven’t figured out yet that I really can spell). They say I am obedient, playful, affectionate and intelligent (hence, the spelling). I can also sing. Did you know that I am an (almost) famous karaoke star? Check out my YouTube Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0x-HkTUcio Will you open your home to me and adopt me before the holidays? Fill out an adoption application at www.bassetresucedfw.org. Love, Buddy

10th Anniversary North Texas Giving Day. In 2017, we raised over $16,000 and we know through our amazing community of donors and supporters, 2018 will be even bigger and better.

Reindeer Games! Fosters Sebastian (in the green circle) and Samson are in stiff competition with resident Jackson to see who will guide Santa’s sleigh on the big day. These 3 are training hard! Our money (and hopefully your $50) is on Sebastian, who is also campaigning to find his forever home before the holidays. He wants you to know that NTBHR is discounting adoption fees on all senior Bassets to $50 now through 12/15/17. He’s not quite sure why 10 makes him a senior, because he feels so young at heart. Sebastian came to us from his owner who sadly was no longer financially able to keep him. He was with his previous family all of his 10 years, and he is now looking for another cozy home to enjoy his golden years. Sebastian is an active Senior and does quite well to jump for treats. He has a way to move his nose under your arm to indicate he needs a good ear rub. He enjoys walks and watching you cook in order to clean up the floor for you. He would rather stay inside while you do the yard work, though. Sebastian will do well in a home with children older than 5 and gets along with other dogs. He and his foster brother enjoy chasing squirrels and saying hello to the neighbors. He is trained to sleep on his pillow bed and he is ready to start his day when your alarm goes off! Sebastian will make a great addition to a loving family. Will you be his forever family? Fill out an adoption application today www.bassetrescuedfw.org.

Here at NTBHR we have so many success stories and a big thanks to Larry for sharing the story of Anabelle. Clearly she is loved (even by the cat). We have some amazing dogs up for adoption now - be sure to check out our website at www.bassetrescuedfw.org. We hope they all are as lucky as Anabelle to land in a loving forever home. ❤️❤️

Dear Santa, Joe and I have been so nice all year- we are never naughty and we only have 1 wish this Christmas- to be adopted! The great folks at North Texas Basset Hound Rescue are reducing the adoption fees for all Senior Basset Hounds until December 15th - only $50 per senior Basset Hound. We are 9 years old and although considered “senior” we have so much love left to give in our life- we think that age is just a number. Our foster mom says we are super smart, well behaved, and good with dogs, cats, and kids; we’re even dog door trained. Now, we are a great “package” deal and we would really like to be adopted together. I mean, look at how cute we are. Can you and the elves help us make our Christmas wish come true? Hugs, kisses and candy canes. Love, Wilma www.bassetrescuedfw.org