Karen Wils photo Sunday, on the right with Gert, at her first hunt and overnight at camp.

ESCANABA — Sometimes borrowed things prove to be better than brand new… even with dogs!

We borrowed a beagle in September of 2007. “Sunday” a perky, little, speckled, tri-colored, year-old beagle came to our backyard unbeknownst to me.

We already had one hound and my husband wanted to have a hunting partner for her. So, thanks to another kind-hearted beagler, “Sore on Sunday” showed up at our house. The dog was born March 21, 2006, and required minor surgery when she was a pup.

In the fall of 2007, Sunday was doing well raring to run rabbits.

I said, “No,” we didn’t need another dog.

But as usual, no one listened to me. It was busy times at our house back then. I was working full-time, with two young kids and my husband was without a job!

We needed a new fridge, not a new dog!

“Well, let’s just give her a try for a few weeks,” my husband suggested. We could bring her back anytime when we were done borrowing her.

The kids were overjoyed.

We took Sunday over to my folks’ house. My mother, who was at that time in a wheelchair due to a stroke, unleashed the little kennel dog in her house.

With a big smile, Mom said “cute… keep!”

The next thing I knew, the borrowed beagle was back at our house getting a bath in the basement laundry tubs.

OK, OK, she could stay for a few weeks, I supposed.

But, what was Gert, our first beagle, going to think of this spotted one?

When they two beagles met off-leash in the backyard, they sniffed… and walked on tip toes… and wagged tails, and then they ran in circles playing like two silly pups.

The two hounds soon became inseparable. In the woods, Gert’s speed and Sunday’s nose made them one of the best hunting twosomes that we ever owned.

Whether we were at a field trial (dog contest) or running near camp or at beagle training grounds, Sunday and Gert’s adventures were always great fun. We even won a few ribbons.

We weathered a lot of storms together. Sunday was with us at the time of the passing of my mother and my husband’s father. Sunday saw me off to the Mayo Clinic for treatment and back twice.

Sunday got picked up by a wolf in 2009. Fortunately, my husband was near enough to make noise and rescue her. She has some scars.

Gert has been gone for a couple of years now. Sunday runs with Gert’s son and grandson, although the hunts are a bit shorter now.

The old girl is very pale and gray, and she is getting pretty hard of hearing, but her tail still whips with spunk and enthusiasm.

Oh, and if that other beagler would want her back now, I’d say “not for a million dollars!”

Happy 13th birthday, Sunday, the best borrowed beagle ever!

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Karen (Rose) Wils is a lifelong north Escanaba resident. Her folksy columns appear weekly in Lifestyles.