Category: Dackels

When I first married Hubby he had a great dog. His name was Rex. I wasn’t his first Mommy. I was his step-mommy. Rex liked people and kids and was a great companion for me when Hubby was off flying.

There was a time when I was working in our orchard selling apples and I had a man threaten me with his movements and Rex placed himself between the man and me and gave him the biggest toothiest growl ever! Good doggy!!!

Anyway, as Rex got older arthritis seemed to be setting in. We had him on medication for that, and at night, when he could no longer walk up the stairs, we made a comfy bed for him.

One night when Hubby was off flying I decided to paint our bedroom. (Can you tell I was a lot younger then?) Anyway, it started to storm with great loud booming thunder. One thing Rex hated more than anything was thunder. As I stood with white paint covering my clothes I looked over at the door and saw that Rex was standing there. That sweet boy had dragged himself up the stairs to be with me during that storm.

Rex’s arthritis seemed to get worse and so Hubby and I took him to the Vet’s to see if there was anything we could do. They x-rayed his hips and then showed us something I didn’t think I would ever see.

Rex had no hip sockets. His bones were just floating in the hip area. No wonder he was in such pain! Hip dysplasia is a terrible thing!

We kept Rex as comfortable as we could until the day arrived that we made the last trip to the Vet’s with him. He had gone into a stream near our house to rest his hips in the cold water. We helped him out and when he could no longer stand, we called to go in.

As we drove to the Vet’s office, I thought about the night of the thunder storm. You see the day Rex left us, there was a terrible thunder and lightening storm.

I held my step-doggy in my arms as the Vet eased him from this world and I promised Rex then that if I ever went on to breed dogs I would do it right, so that they would not have these terrible, painful genetic diseases passed along.

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A few years later when I fell hopelessly in love with wire-haired dackels, I realized that there were not too many of them in this country. Also the ones here were in-bred and many had terrible back problems. The more I read the more I knew that I wanted to do things differently.

So after bringing Shubi home and deciding not to breed her due to pedigree restrictions, I started to explore breeding practices. I found what I thought made perfect sense in Germany. So, I went back and I got Greta.

You see the German Breed Clubs are very strict with their breeding practices. In-breeding isn’t allowed and their dogs are in far better health than ours. I decided if I was going to breed the wire-haired dachshunds in this country, I was going to do it right.

I have had all my dogs judged by a German judge. He examines them from top to bottom looking for any disqualifications. I have their eyes examined to make sure they are not passing on a problematic illness called PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy). And when I select a husband for my girls, I make sure that they are not related in any way.

I do this so that no puppy that I bring into this world will suffer from a genetic disease if I can possibly help it.

My dogs are one of the best parts of my life and I want other people to know how wonderful the wire-haired dachshunds are. Happy, healthy and full of fun!

Thank you, Rex. For being a wonderful boy and for teaching me such a valuable lesson.

I gave the three dackels dingo bones this morning. They each went off to chew their bones, but Greta wasn’t feeling well so she just sat next to hers. Soon Anneliese stole the bone from her. Greta did not care, but Arnie knew that Anneliese had stolen the bone and he began to follow her all around the house, barking at her.

She decided to drive Arnie crazy. She jumped up into the chair next to me and then she tucked the bone with her two front paws under her chest! Then I swear to you, she stuck that needle nose of hers in the air!

You can just see the bone peeking out between her two paws!

You can see how she tormented her brother, Arnie. Every time he got close she would snarl at him, “Get Away!”.
This lasted for over an hour. Poor Arnie was making us all crazy with his fussing and barking. Then Anneliese heard a truck drive down the street and she leapt to go and see what the noise was and Arnie dove in and stole the bone from her! But he was smart. He quickly ate the bone up and the little game was over!

I just love these dogs!

I had Anneliese out again today, as I try to get her ready for her trip abroad. She hopped into the car, and then I carried her from the car into the Post Office (I wanted to keep her feet clean!) where she greeted many strangers.

She did well and then on our return trip she was happily looking out the windows of the car at everything going by.

She is a happy little thing, and so loving. I’m just hoping when she gets to Germany and meets her German “husband” she will be as sweet to him.

Arnie wanted to get into the act too. As I stood holding Anneliese, he was jumping up wanting to be held. So I picked him up and Hubby snapped this picture.

I was pretty busy doing laundry today too. So I decided to grab Fritz’s toy named “monkey” and wash it. Once it was done I brought it back up and tossed it at him. Before I knew what was happening Greta leapt off the sofa and grabbed the toy in mid-air! Then she climbed up in my chair and dared anyone to just try to get it.

We all decided just to let her have it!
Wouldn’t you?

It was one of those fun days. Okay, maybe not totally fun, I mean I did things like dust (achoo!), and laundry and straighten the house, but I also had the pleasure of watching Juno again on the movie channel, and also going outside and taking pictures of the four dogs while they played in the snow with Hubby.

Oh my goodness, Greta barked like she was viciously attacking an intruder, while Fritz, Arnie and Anneliese barked happily around her.

Hubby tossed the toy for the dogs and they ran and dug it out the toy and then brought it back so he could toss it again.

They dug and played and ran and tunneled and I watched and laughed at their silliness.

Eventually Anneliese got cold and wanted to go in.

And Arnie too, who proved once again that he is the boy with the snowballs! Poor Arnie! I brought him in and after taking this embarrassing picture of him I put him in the sink and sprayed him off with warm water and wrapped him in a nice towel.

Later in the day we went to see the movie “Gran Torino” and it was terrific! This may well be one of Clint Eastwood’s best movies. He is really a Hollywood Gem.

We’ve had more snow over the last few days. Currently we have about 2 feet of snow in the yard.  The best part of having all of this snow? Watching the dogs play around in it. Now of my four furry friends, who do you suppose likes the snow the best?

Yes, Anneliese. The smallest of my dogs, is the one with the biggest love of the snow. She literally stays out until she is frozen and then comes in to warm up.

She loves to run and jump in it, tunnel and roll her very own snowballs!

Then there is Mr. Fritz. He likes it too, but then, Fritz loves being outside in general.

Fritz is a big helper. If you are out shoveling, he will play around you, or sit and watch and keep you company. If I could only figure out how to get him to shovel snow with me, I’d be all set!

If he hears the snow blower turns on, Fritz heads inside the house. He is a big boy who is a real chicken!!!

Now Greta will go out int he snow, take three or four steps from the door and do her thing.

Then she turns around and heads back in. Greta would be much happier if we lived in a warmer climate.

Arnie, will go out and play like a crazy man, but as soon as he gets covered with those teeny, tiny snowballs, it’s in the house he goes. I always laugh at the way he looks. None of the other dogs get them, but poor Arnie gets those little snowballs all over his legs, tail and tummy. We’re talking, adorable!

Now you can see a little bit why I don’t really mind the snow. Watching the dogs play, in their own ways, makes it worth all the work that each storm brings.

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~LAZY~

Arnie is very good at climbing back in bed and being lazy!

This is Greta being lazy with her babies. Arnie is the one with the blue collar and Anneliese is directly on his left.

Me being lazy with the dackels.