He was the first basset hound I had the pleasure of adopting, back in 2007, when I was single and living in Park Slope, Brooklyn. I don't really believe in fate, but the adoption process went so smoothly and quickly that I couldn't help but feel Rudy was meant to be my guy. He quickly settled into his new life with me and his older sister, Emme, a Pembroke Welsh corgi. And he proved to be, quite simply, the best dog ever.

Rudy was much more outgoing than your typical basset and was genuinely excited to meet each and every person or dog we encountered on our walks. After the three of us moved to the West Village—a few blocks away from Tony, whom I'd just started getting to know—my new veterinarian declared Rudy to be the biggest basset he'd ever encountered.

Rudy had immense paws, ears that went on forever and were so much fun to play with, and a super-long body that made him look like a cross between a beagle and a crocodile. Like all bassets, he could snooze like it was his job. But when he was awake, he was jazzed to be hanging out with his daddies or out among the public.

Tony and I made the difficult decision to have Rudy euthanized in August 2013 after he had a recurrence of oral melanoma that spread to his lungs.

Rudy lives on in our hearts and memories and as the mascot for Huge Hound. I hope my frozen desserts can give to my customers a fraction of the joy Rudy gave to us while we were so privileged to have him in our lives.