Boo Boo and her Magic Belly

Miss Peaches naturally has an assortment of nick names, she is the only dog here affectionately known as Boo Boo. Somehow that name is natural to her, just as Sandie is Miss Waggers. That's pretty self explanatory. Anyway, I thought that I would share the wonder of the"Magic Belly". Peaches has had it all her life, she cannot help it.

Rest assured if your having a rough day all you need is to rub the magic belly and you start to feel better. And Peachy will pretty much be available as long as she is needed. The service is free, and as far as I can tell, there is no time limit. You yourself may have a dachshund with a magic belly and find yourself among the fortunate.

 Sandie has a pretty magical belly too, but she hasn't quite the legend status as Boo Boo. Sandie has a very "doughy" quality about her that is nice, and she is usually willing to lend a tummy when needed. Then you might be real nice and throw a toy for her 100 times.

Spaatz, well he is a boy so he does enjoy having that big dachshund chest rubbed quite a bit. That's only available on a limited basis as there may be a squirrel outside that needs to be barked at. This dog has an agenda and a mission, so he may have to leave at a moments notice.

Foozeball, aka Mr Foo is the oddball here. Not really into tummy or chest rubs. He does like a good cranium scratch and is fond of having his rear quarter panel rubbed, and if your on the toilet he will come and stand on your foot until you do so. Then if he's really into it he will extend his leg straight back and get the inside of his leg. That's as close as you will get to a belly rub with him.

So as we find ourselves in the midst of the holiday season, you may find yourself stressed with so much to do and just little time. Don't forget to take advantage of the tummy therapy that is available to you. You'll be glad you did and your dachshund will be too!

Shout out: Get Well Crusoe from MYTHREEDOXSONS !

I feel compelled to send a shout out to Crusoe the Celebrity Dachshund who as you may or may not know is recovering from spine surgery. The reason is not only that we admire Crusoe and his blog, something we dachshund bloggers strive to be, but the similarities between our stories is interesting.

Some of you may know that last July our Miss Peaches blew out a disc in her back as told in Peaches, down but not out . That was a really tough day, not only for the Peach, but for us as well. We took her to the Animal Specialty Center in Yonkers, New York, where she had her surgery and the best of care while she spent 3 days, and I visited her everyday. I felt kind of lost with her in the hospital, but once I decided to visit I felt better, even with the hour drive each way.

You see I had a mission to see her. Just as she had come to see me. Crusoe's mom had been in an auto accident and spent a summer in the hospital, so they both had to recover from spine injuries. I had the unfortunate luck to get Guillian Barre' Syndrome back in 2008 and spent 2 month's in the hospital, some of that time on life support. My daughter Marlena was able to sneak Peaches in to see me in a big handbag. So she visited me and I visited her. I had to learn to walk again, and Peachy did too.

We did the sling thing with going out as Crusoe is, and were so pleased when Peachy was able to pee and poop on her own right away without discomfort. We kept her quiet of course, and I slept on the floor with her for 10 days. We all did, you think the rest of the crew would sleep somewhere else? 

Fast forward to this summer, Miss Peachy is going strong. You would never guess that she had back surgery or that she is 10 years old. The only thing she does is use both back feet as one when she runs. We call it "double footin", but she always did that a little, now it's most of the time. You can only notice her scar when I shave some of that wiry hair off for summer. Best wishes to Crusoe for a speedy and full recovery! Crusoe: Going for surgery

Ride, Walk, Swim, Dachshund

So we went on the dachshund triathlon today, which included the ride, to the rail trail, which is kind of anxiety filled because they know we're going for a walk and they can't wait to get there. I usually have to diddle around a bit before I start the walk because 2 or 3 of them will have the so excited I have to poop now urge. That's okay, I expect it and it gets it over with before we go.

Then we get going, and believe me they go, 4 dachshunds can pull pretty hard, especially when a chipmunk crosses our path. Today we did 2.5 miles, which they do without blinking, even Miss Peachy who is ten and had major back surgery last year. Foozie, who is nine is a little slower than the rest, but doesn't keep anybody waiting.

As a special treat we stop at the creek on the trail on the way back so they can cool off and get a drink. Peachy, Sandie and even Spaatz go in while Fooze usually puts on the breaks and wants no part of the swimming portion of the event. We continue back to the car where we finish up with a ride back home. Everyone is tired and no one is whining on the way back

At home the garden is getting pretty jungle like at this point of the summer. The gang loves that too, you never know what kind of critter might be hiding in there. With them it's always game on.

When Badger dogs can't find a Badger

What should any seriously minded badger dog do when there aren't any badgers handy. Well they do what we all do, that is, make do with the next best thing. Today it was the long tailed weasel.

Spaatz- My Leetle Keeler

Now Spaatz and Peaches, Sandie too. She does try. They have been concentrating most of their efforts on squirrels and chipmunks, because they are plentiful. Chipmunks especially this year, lots of them. Miss Peaches got a chipmunk last week and a snake the week before.

Sandie, E for effort, no gold star yet
Spaatz definitely gets the prize this week, because he got a weasel all by himself. Let me tell you those critters stink when there fighting for they're lives. So now the dogs are on high alert even more than ever because now we have cool animals to hunt.

Peaches, the huntress

It was surprising when Spaatz pulled the weasel out of the wood pile that is inside the dog fence. The weasel didn't have the big picture in mind. Perhaps he wanted chipmunk for breakfast too, or a bird perhaps.Unfortunately for him there was a team of badger dogs on staff here. Also known as the mighty dachshund.

Foozeball- I'll be on the couch if you need me.

Spaatz never ceases to amaze me with his hunting drive, I always thought the wire hair or even the long hair varieties of dachshund were more into hunting. Foozeball, my first smoothie is mostly into the couch. He'll hunt if you drop the animal in front of him, but he's not going to go looking for one. Sandie certainly is a gamer, no doubt, she doesn't possess the smarts Spaatz has. She is very fast, the rest of it is a work in progress.

Bad day for the weasel.

Results Are In

Yes, the results are in, and it's official.- Miss Sandie has been voted dog most likely to leave my house tucked in someones suitcase. Sandie has warmed her way into the hearts of many a visitor, who by the end of their stay are contemplating sneaking her out the door whilst no one is watching. This, even though she fairly resembles an anteater the way her tongue is always trying to lick some bit of exposed skin she can find. That, and she will bark at you more than anyone when you arrive.

My son Henry was just here for a visit and already knew he loved Sandie. They bonded the last time he was here over a game of Frisbee. That's because she will fetch longer than you will feel like throwing. My daughter also loves Sandie, but that's because she's sweet, soft and "squishy"

Spaatz also got as close to Hank as he has anyone who isn't here regular. He was able to hold him like a baby as I do. One of the reason's he's also known as "babyman"

Miss Peachy warmly welcomed my daughter, after all, she was originally her dog, but otherwise she's pretty much my girl. I've become even more important to her since her back surgery last year. Here she is before a recent haircut.

Mr.Foo, aka Foozeball, really seems to remember when Hank used to come home from college and Fooze would always pee himself because he was so excited to see him. Now that Foober is 9 he does have control of himself, but he still runs upstairs everyday to see if Henry is still here, and sadly he's not.

Recent guests included extra dachshunds

  

3 out of 4 dachshunds like to be hugged

I saw an article recently that said that dogs don't like to be hugged. I don't know if the person who wrote this has any experience with dachshunds, but I beg to differ. An exhaustive study recently done here at my house concludes that 3 out of 4 dachshunds most definitely do like hugs, some may even initiate them themselves.

That would of course be my black and tan dapple with one blue eye Spaatz. He will climb along the back of the couch, stand with his front paws on my shoulder then wrap his head and neck around my face. It feels like a hug. Not only can I not see, I can hardly breathe,because he has himself pushed against me so hard. I don't know, maybe he's trying to kill me off so he can have all the kibble. I also pick him up like a baby, with his paws in the air and gaze into his eyes. He really likes it if I bite his neck a little. It's a dog thing.

Now Miss Peaches, the old gal, really wants to just lay in my lap, and I can hold her tight, and she will just go to sleep. That's it, that's all she wants, plain and simple. The bond we share became all the more stronger last year after she had back surgery. I made sure I was there for her and I think she really appreciated that.

 Then we have the sweet Sandie-poo. Well, Miss Waggers loves life in general, and hugging, patting, rubbing, playing fetch until your sick of throwing the toy, it's all good. Oh, and dancing too. Loves to dance. I'm know to dance around the house when a good tune is playing and Sandie is my partner. She comes a running if I start to dance, and I swear she knows some of my favorite tunes to dance to

. Then there is Fooze, or Foozeball, or as I currently call him Mr. Foo. Fooze has always been a little off. We got him from the SPCA and his former life was not the best. So Fooze doesn't go for hugs. In fact, he sometime growls when he gets patted, even by me. He likes being patted, I think he's confused. Sometimes it seems like we're connected at the ankle by a chain, cause that's where he is. The other day he was overly concerned about me and insisted on following me up two flights of stairs more than once even though I was coming right back. I ended up carrying him down the stairs more than once that day.

Now I'm just saying there are a lot of exceptions here. Most animals, people, don't like to be restrained. Then there's a problem. But hugs by the right people they love. Certainly not strangers, many would have comfort issues with that. Well if you read this, you, yourself may have a dachshund, or at least a dog that needs hugging. No time like the present.

Miss Peaches turns Ten

My sweet Peaches has turned 10 this month. It seems not so long ago we brought her home, a scared little puppy terrified of everything, leaves blowing outside, men, my husband included. She got to spend time with our older standard wire haired dachshund Watson. He showed her the ropes and with a lot of loving she turned into quite the sweet dog, actually a tough little girl. She loves to hunt anything that moves, a great mouser and watch dog. She's funny, while the other dogs have to be told to stop licking you she is very stingy with the kisses and you feel special when she give s you a little peck. On rare occasions when she's excited she will jump on you and lick you like mad.

2015 was a tough year for the Peach, blew her back out in July, but she had surgery and has recovered almost completely. She does use her two back feet as if they were one when she runs, but she always did that a little before. Now it's science. She also got into an altercation with Sandie. A case of two over excited dogs. She ended up with an inch long laceration on one leg. Fortunately for us it was in a spot she couldn't lick so it healed up quick.

All these things have made me value her all the more and appreciate the time we have together. Dogs are with us for shorter times than we wish. Everyday I tell her I love her and give her lots of pats, belly rubs and chin scratches. As I do with all of my crew, they are certainly a big part of my life and I hope that Miss Peaches is with us for another 10 years.