Hay Animal Rescue Team
Benji
WalesA gloriously silly, affectionate clown ready to bring the full Basset experience to an active home.Meet Benji, a gorgeous 1-year-old Basset Hound who is ready to completely steal your heart.Benji is a big, strong, and wonderfully comedic lad who has had quite a dramatic journey recently, but he is now fully healed, happy and searching for the perfect forever home.He is a brilliant boy who has only ever known kindness in his life and he is absolutely convinced that he is a lap dog.If you love the full Basset experience, including the ears, the charm, the stubbornness and the comedy, Benji is definitely your boy!Benji is a stunning, purebred Basset Hound who comes complete with his full paperwork. He came into the care of Hay Animal Rescue Team due to unforeseen circumstances and has been a very well-loved pet. He is microchipped, fully vaccinated, flea and worm treated, and neutered.You might wonder why we went quiet about Benji for a little while during his initial search. To put it simply, Benji ate a rock… a whole rock! This led to major emergency surgery, a very long recovery, a very stressed rescue team and a vet bill that could make a grown adult weep. The good news is that he has bounced back beautifully, his medical journey is now behind him and he is fully ready to meet his match!Fully house trained, microchipped, and neuteredLooking for an active, structured forever homeBenji is the absolute definition of big dog energy on short legs. He is a joyful, affectionate sweetheart who loves to play and is highly toy-motivated. He is also an intelligent lad who already knows a lot of commands and is genuinely eager to learn more.Brilliant for handling: Benji absolutely loves being groomed and is incredibly patient for his nail trims.Fully house trained: He has excellent house manners and understands his routine perfectly.Eager to engage: He loves proper play sessions and is very responsive to training when toys are involved.Adopters should be prepared for the authentic, wonderful realities of the breed. With Benji in your life, you can expect hair everywhere, mud everywhere, and a nose that never switches off, meaning you will likely never eat a meal in peace again! He also has a total obsession with water. Puddles, water troughs, or buckets, if it splashes, Benji is going to be straight in it.Benji is a highly social boy who thoroughly enjoys the company of other dogs, but he currently lacks sharing manners. Because he can be a bit rude with his resources, he needs a dog-savvy home. He could happily live with a large, friendly and playful dog, but he is not suitable to live with elderly or frail resident dogs who might find his large presence a bit too much.Due to his background and traits, Benji has some strict non-negotiable requirements regarding his social setup:No young children: Benji is a big, powerful dog who will easily knock little ones over and he strongly dislikes being pulled around.No cats or small furries: He possesses a very strong prey drive.No livestock access: He cannot be rehomed where he has direct access to farm animals.Benji is not your typical couch-potato Basset Hound. He is an active, energetic boy who needs a physically capable home that can match his strength and provide plenty of daily simulation.Have a physically strong owner who can manage a powerful dog on short legsProvide a completely secure garden, as Benji is very strong, can jump, and is not traffic-savvyCommit to keeping him on-lead at all times in public, because when he is out and about, his nose makes all the decisionsShow a strong commitment to ongoing training and boundariesBe a home where he is not left alone for more than 4 hours, as he will cry and chew if left too long, which is something his new family will need to work on with structure and patienceWe would prefer applicants to have previous Basset Hound experience so they truly understand and appreciate the beautiful quirks of
