GIGI – Regal, astute and totally lovable

All about GIGI – Regal, astute and totally lovable

CHIP NO: 250269610204877
BREED TYPE: Basset Bleu de Gascogne
DATE OF BIRTH: 14 November 2021
WEIGHT: 22 kg
VACCINATED: YES including rabies and passport
STERILISED: Being organised
OK DOGS: Yes

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Meet GIGI – a beautiful 18 month old girlie who we have known since birth.
Unfortunately her adoption did not work out and she came back to us as a “lost soul” – and was fortunate enough that her original fosterer had space for her to help her back to “normality”.   It has taken months for her to settle properly and now we feel she is fully ready for a new life.   GIGI weighs in at only 22 kg so is much slighter (as you can see from the video below) than her photos have her appear.
Since leaving us as a puppy GIGI had a normal start and then life for the family got in the way and – we later discovered –  GIGI was often left to her own devices . . . and this resulted in much escaping, wandering and honing her natural scenting ability which as a Basset Bleu de Gascogne is pretty good anyway.  However, because it was so much fun and because there was the opportunity it became habitual.
So the first question we asked ourselves was: how much could she decompress and become a companion dog again?  This breed are well known for their love of family, their home comforts, and being part of their “pack”.  Thankfully GIGI has managed to unpack a lot of her “stuff” – it has taken a lengthy period of patience and understanding.  Here’s what we know and here’s what we believe will give her the best life possible.  It is not necessarily what you might expect!
  • GIGI has the most beautiful temperament, is well socialised and is great with other dogs in the family though it may take her a little while to totally integrate with them.  This is however continually developing.  .
  • She has got used to good lead walking, especially on lanes and pathways where scents are much lower
  • She is totally clean in the home and loves her home comforts
  • She has learned to curb her exuberance, especially around jumping up.
  • She really is trying her best to be “good” and please her foster Mum – but like all youngsters she occasionally forgets.
  • She is gradually learning to connect closely with humans and others – playing with toys and other canines was either unknown or deemed of little interest because there were “better” things to do.
  • She absolutely thrives on routine.

So, we most unusually believe (and past experience has shown) that GIGI’s continuing development will best be served by taking her away from the sort of environment which has previously been allowed to wind her up (open fields, woods, lots of wildlife that is hunted such as deer and sanglier), and place her in a more urban/less rural setting where lanes and paths are the walking spaces, where running free happens in contained areas, where opportunity to ramp up her instinct is very much reduced.   If this sounds perverse – in the human context we are saying don’t allow an alcoholic to live in a pub; or someone addicted to food to live next door to a takeaway.  Such is GIGI’s addiction that we do not believe she would even serve as a chasse dog because she just does her own thing once out in the wild.

If she were in a less naturally stimulating environment – then she would need to be stimulated in other ways to use her brain.  Living with dogs who are nothing like her in breed type would be a real advantage because she would learn from them that there are other things of interest – like a good game of chase, or tug of war, (something she has just learned about – see video) – plus of course a whole array of brain games to build rapport and connection between GIGI and her human.

If you feel you could proudly give “PRINCESS” GIGI the sort of home she needs, and in that way give her the full life that she deserves, we would love to hear from you.  Please complete the online form by clicking the link on this page or, if you are already known to us, then please drop us a line at enquiries@lesamisdesanimaux.com.

GIGI is currently fostered in Department 19 (Corrèze) but the right home for her is paramount regardless of geographical location.