My first rescue hound was a Plott Hound. She had been pretty badly broken because of previous owners not treating her right. The only reason we knew her history is that she would frequently run away and was known to most of the dog officers within a 10-mile radius of her places of living.

We knew that Coonhounds had to be introduced to cats in a very carefully because they frequently confuse them for prey, and we succeeded. She integrated nicely into a household with five cats.

It's been decades since she's passed and I still miss her very much. I grew up with Black and Tan Coonhounds and had blues and Black and Tans as an adult. I miss them all.