Category: Greta

The Birthday Party!

Today was our sweet Greta’s birthday party. The kids arrived and we set the table with party plates and cups. I made an ice cream sherbet punch for the humans, and we got Greta and sang Happy Birthday to her and then the twins blew out the candles for her on the cake.

Cake was served to humans and dogs alike (I refrained as I am a cake-a-holic and I didn’t want to mess up my diet) and after we finished up, we got out the presents.

Hubby and I gave her a stuffed Wild Boar toy! This thing is so cute, and she really loved it. The twins brought her cupcakes and Emily gave her a Dingo bone. Which Greta loved and has already consumed!

Here are a few pictures of the event. I hope you enjoy them!

Happy Fourth Birthday Greta!

Today is the celebration of Greta’s fourth birthday. The neighborhood children are due in later on to have cake and ice cream with our little birthday girl, and she will get a few nice presents I am sure.

I look back at my life 4 years ago. It was around this time that I learned that a breeder in Germany had a litter of pups and a woman I know arranged for me to call him and get one of his puppies.

I remember the day we first saw her! She was really something. Bright, alert and full of confidence, even though she was just 8 weeks old!

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We flew home with her and I worried about how she would fit in with the other dogs. I worried she would get hurt because they were so much bigger than she was. Well, what a waste of time that was. My Greta moved in and took over the house!

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She stole our hearts and those of our neighbors. She learned all about dackel life from our old girl, Shubi, and she played with wild abandon with Fritz.

She loves the children in our neighborhood and the grandchildren of our neighbor, and just about wags her tail off when they come to visit.

She is the mother of Arnie and Anneliese, and really, she was such a good Mom to all of her five babies. I can hardly wait for her to do it again!

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She is a sweetheart with me too. After Shubi passed away, Greta moved into her spot nuzzled next to my stomach when I am in bed. She is such a cuddler and such a little friend. How blessed I am to have this wonderful dog in my life!

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Happy Birthday, Dearest Greta!

Kids and Dogs

Have I mentioned that we have new neighbors? Neighbors with twin six year old daughters. Sarah and Kimmy. They have found us and the dogs, and we see them almost every day. They were over bright and early today and brought along their friend, Jacob. I pulled up the stools to the breakfast bar and they all sat coloring and I thought this would make a good picture.

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Jacob, Sarah and Kimmy

I love the fact that the neighborhood kids all feel comfortable coming here. The only thing is I need to buy some more art supplies. Crayons, coloring books and some activity books. I want to have things to keep the younger ones busy. Perhaps some reading books as well.

Hubby and I were standing in the kitchen after the kids left today and he looked over at me and said, “You are really a kid magnet”.

I guess he is right. I love the fact that they come, and I know that here they are safe.

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My back is better, and I am finally able to sleep at night. Yay!!! I was starting to think that something drastic would need to be done, but it looks like resting it is doing the trick.

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That wraps things up from cold, snowy, icy and rainy New Hampshire. Have a good week everyone!

I’m waiting…

I’m waiting. Not patiently either. Just waiting.

What am I waiting for?

Greta to go into heat. It could be any day now and then the real excitement begins. The breeding (yes, we will use Bernie again. He was such a good Papa to the pups and made beautiful babies!) and then counting down the days until the puppies arrive!

Every day I get up and look at Greta. Does she look like she is retaining fluid? Is she acting a little PMS-ish? Is she being quieter than usual?

I’m telling you, it’s driving me nuts!

At least one thing is for sure. Greta is enjoying the extra attention. She is quite a “Dackel Princess”!

Continue reading “I’m waiting…”

The Dachshund Dating Game

Today Greta and Bernie went on a little date. You know that when Greta goes into heat again (January?), they will be “getting together” for a little dachshund loving. So today was a Dachshund Date.

Hubby drove me down to Barbie’s house and we took Bernie and Greta over to the coast to see Dr. C. for their eye examinations. Before each breeding the two need to have their eyes examined for PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) and Cataracts. Both were examined and both passed with flying colors.

The fun part of the time spent with Bernie, was just how much Arnie looks like his Daddy! It’s amazing! The only difference is that Arnie is actually just a little larger than his Daddy, but their faces are the same.

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Bernie & Greta last year.

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Arnie, their son.

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Anneliese their daughter.

It was also easy to see where the puppies get their wonderful personalities. Bernie and Greta are both so easy going and sweet, and so are their children!

It’s easy to see that the apples didn’t fall far from the tree!!!

Ten Months Old

Today I’m doing “Cute Puppy Day” on Dackel Princess. It’s been a while since you have seen Arnie and Anneliese, so I thought today was a good day to share the joy. I hope you enjoy seeing their adorable faces.

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First a picture of me with Arnie and Anneliese. Oh how I love my babies! They have grown so quickly in such a short period of time and I wonder all the time, where have my babies gone?

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Mr. Arnie. Hard to believe he will be 10 months old next week! isn’t he a doll?

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His equally lovely, yet feminine sister, Anneliese. Where Arnie is a big boy at 18 pounds, Anneliese is quite petite at 15.

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And last but not least, Greta the mother of these two. Still lovely and sweet.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Health Certificates and Suitcases

I took the puppies to the Vets on Monday for their Health Certificates. This way they can go to Canada and come back across the border. It was kind of exciting taking them back to the place where they were born. It seems like just yesterday that I held those tiny pups in my hand for the very first time, and now they are proper doggies. Large, (Arnie weighs 17 pounds and Anneliese is 14 pounds) able to walk around and make friends and sit and stay when told to do so. Okay, they’re still learning about that, but they’re trying.

The car ride was uneventful, which was good because Canada is a very long ride from here. We are leaving at 6 AM and do not expect to get to our motel until 9 or 10 PM. Yep, long day for puppies and humans!

I came home and got out the suitcases and we started to pack. All the puppy things are packed. The suitcases are on our bed and most of the clothing we plan to bring is folded neatly inside them.

That’s when I noticed one very big thing.

Greta.

Poor Greta knows we are leaving and she is not happy about it at all. She is sulking and giving us the cold doggy shoulder already. She knows. Fritz? Not so much. I know he will be a little upset when we go, but nothing like Greta. She really gets her nose out of joint!

Full Of Love

One day I think, I’m so in love with Arnie that I can’t imagine not having him. The next day I think I am so in love with Anneliese that I can’t imagine life without her. I already adore Fritz and Greta, and I couldn’t possibly choose between them, but now I have this whole new love affair going with the puppies. They are so sweet, so loving and yet, so different.

Fritz
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is your usual big dog. He loves to be outside with his daddy and he loves more than anything to sit under the peach tree with as many toy balls as he can find. He can be sweet, but he is also independent, in a big dog sort of way.

Greta
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is a sweet, loving dog, but she has a wildness to her that the others do not. She will chase down a mole in the field and watch for the cat next door to go and sun itself on the rock near our front window. She just loves to sit. To watch. And then bark to let us know that the gray cat is on our rock!

Anneliese

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She stole my heart early on. At Christmas I told Uschi I thought maybe I was going to keep this little girl. She is a comical puppy. She loves to curl up and is full of love, but she loves to do what I call her commando crawl. She will have a toy in her teeth and then crawl across the floor like she is on a mission with the military. She is always full of kisses and although she is petite, she has a big spirit!

My surprise love is Arnie
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I have never been a boy dog lover. My cousin is laughing at me about this, I am sure. Arnie came to us because the people who were due to buy him changed their minds. How lucky for me! Arnie is the sweetest of dogs. He wants to be in your lap, at your side, he follows me around the house and sits at my feet while I prepare meals or when I do the dishes. His heart is so big I can’t believe it. Of all he dogs, he is the one who is the easiest. He is the lover of all.

So I am hopelessly hooked on this wonderful group of dogs. How could I ever chose to have just one?

We Found It! (Or Puppy Pool Time!)

Today, just when I thought it was not going to be possible, Emily came running in and said, “I found the Puppy Pool!”

I called to make sure that the pool was, in fact there, and then the two of us raced off to get it.

It fit perfectly in the back of the station wagon and we got it home and immediately filled it up with crisp clean water! Today it was 90 degrees (F) and the pups were really enjoying the cool fun. Here is a small sample of our afternoon pool time.