Sad story actually. My husbands grandpa's basset hound had puppies. Almost every nite we went over there during May to see the puppies. He finally let us take one home in mid-June. We spent a lot of time with his grandpa when we visited the puppies. Guess what, grandpa passed away in July, he was 88 years old and fit as can be. I think the puppies brought all his children and grandchildren and great grandchildren to his house who otherwise might not have visited that often before his death.