03 Aug 2025 Pets of the Month: Winston and Ted Davis

By Colleen Holt

When you’re a basset hound, life can be very exciting. 

When you’re a basset hound that lives with the first family of a university, you’re truly living the dog’s life!

Just ask Winston and Ted, two basset hound boys who live with Houston and Jenny Davis, the president and first lady of the University of Central Arkansas.

Winston Danger Davis (Winston) and Theodore Bear Davis (Ted) are frequent features around the campus at UCA. These two sweet boys are not only known for their long walks around campus, but also for their love of those people who are part of UCA’s campus community. They truly have stolen the hearts of everyone they meet.

“We love to walk the campus with the boys, and the students love seeing them and petting them,” Jenny said. “Often, as they pet Winston or Ted, the students will tell us about their dogs, show us pictures of their pets and tell us how much they miss them. Living on a college campus has spoiled the boys; they believe everyone wants to pet them!”

Winston and Ted are the Davises’ third and fourth basset hounds. “We love this breed because they are sweet and great with children, which is important to us. We host people at our home as we represent UCA, and it is important that we have dogs that love people and are not threatening,” Jenny said.

What drew the Davises to basset hounds is their gentle temperament. However, Winston and Ted show this in truly diverse ways. “Our dogs are definitely loving. Both dogs love to run and play together and appreciate some snuggle time on the couch. They are very different, though. Winston, the larger one, has big feelings and is shy and often afraid. He is highly intelligent and empathetic, and I believe that is the source of his anxiety. Ted loves everyone and fears nothing. He is a happy soul.”

The two boys have been part of the family since they were puppies, following a long tradition of both Houston and Jenny growing up with dogs in the house. Houston is from middle Tennessee and Jenny, who is an adjunct English teacher at UCA, grew up in Mississippi.

“Our family includes us, of course, and our children Polly (29), Whitney (26), and Josh (23),” Jenny said. “The kids love coming home and visiting their dogs. Our oldest, Polly, lives in Atlanta with her husband, Mason, and they also have a basset hound, Dave.”

According to the American Kennel Club standard, basset hounds are extreme in their devotion, have great endurance in the field and are not clumsy, although their gait may look to be. Their wrinkled brow and mournful eyes give a basset hound what is termed a sad clown face. Jenny has a different view of these gentle canines.

“Basset hound puppies are the most adorable of them all — floppy ears, big feet, sweet eyes,” she said. “Both Houston and I grew up with dogs, and we feel like our pets make our house feel like home. As long as we can take good care of them, we will always be a dog family.