Elvis was adopted on October 10, 1998. 
He was rescued from the Lincoln County Missouri pound,
where he was "Dead Dog Walking."  Fortunately I had already contacted the local 
rescue group and they picked him up for me - I'm hooked on blue tick beagles. 
Naturally it was love at first site, and being told that he had just been neutered
the day before, you felt even more for him.  Dad had said at the time that he didn't
want another dog in the house, but Mom relented and we brought him home. 
From there first meeting Dad was hooked and he and El are best pals.  

At first Elvis wasn't too keen on his new accomodations and tried several times to
perform the "Great Escape", therefore insuring his middle name of McQueen 
after Steve. My family and I have never been able to figure out why such a wonderful 
animal had been dumped.  Elvis does not beg or bark especially when you are eating. 
He lays at your feet, enjoys a ride in the car, loves everybody and all animals.  It was
Elvis who found a nest of baby bunnies and instead of being the "typical dog", 
sat down and watched the babies move about.  The "king" also was responsible 
for the latest family member, a neighborhood kitten that immediately 
became Elvis' best companion.  

In the few years that El has been with us, he has attended two Mardi Gras' -
naturally dressing up as himself, Elvis in the Army and then Jailhouse Rock. 
He eventually will do Viva Las Vegas.  He also played Merlin in the Alton, IL 
Halloween parade in 2001.  Elvis loves children and they feel safe to come up
to him and give him a big hug.  He's the most gentle loving creature
I've ever had the experience to meet.

As for his health, he was diagnosed shortly after we got him with asthma. 
He tends to start wheezing if he has been running hard.  A year later he was 
diagnosed as being hypothyroid.  Elvis naturally put on weight when he 
came to our home, much as him namesake had.  He's been on medication now 
and his levels are good, but then this year he started showing 
the diabetic symptoms, and unfortunately was diagnosed in early July.  
Being biased I say that he is the best dog in the entire world, especially when
I give him his insulin and he's never once run away from me.  He likes to cuddle,
until he gets hot, and likes to lay with his cat Oliver, they do boy things together,
and Ollie likes to groom on El.  Elvis is also very protective of his "older sister" Marcie.
 She was never keen on having another dog in the family but the two work together
at times against us silly humans.  On rare occassions if Marcie is upset and feels
threatened or Elvis feels/sees Marcie being threatened, he shows another side of him, 
that says "I'm a big dog here and you better leave my girl alone."  But for the most
part he is just the sweet loving animal.  The groomer and vet all adore him, on 
numerous occassions they have told me how a dog or cat has come in upset
and Elvis goes up to them and someway/somehow he communicates with them 
and tells them that everything is going to be okay.  I adore my pets, and deep in 
my heart I know that loosing any of them especially Elvis would be more heart
wrenching then anything I've ever experienced. 

He's my "big boy" and I treat him like a child.  

I hope this gives you a sort of overview of what type of dog El is 
and well naturally he received his name cause, "he ain't nothin' but a hound dog." 

Let me know if you want more - hahaha
Ann & Elvis
 
haha if you want to write it Ann I will put it up!!!