A Dachshund Mends a Broken Heart

     My dog, Willie, was my loving companion for 15 wonderful years. When the time came that I had to make the heart breaking decision of having him put down, I vowed I would never go through that agony again. The solution seemed simple: no more dogs. It was inconceivable to me that I could ever have a place in my heart for any other dog―until a dachshund entered my life.

     There were times that I felt that Willie was sending me a message, telling me it was time for me to let a new dog into my life. However, I stayed firm in my decision for nearly two and a half years, until I met DJ. When DJ entered my life, so did George, her 6 year old miniature dachshund.

     The joy a dog brings into one's life was a feeling that I had purposely buried deep inside me. However, the instant George crawled onto my lap and I looked into his eyes, I was hooked. Out went all my excuses for not wanting to love another dog. His humorous antics quickly began to mend my broken heart.

     George was a tenacious little man, a trait that could be quite comical. I've heard the saying, 'a dachshund is a big dog in a little package'; that described George perfectly. As I observed his behavior, I truly believed he thought he was equal to the largest of dogs.

     However, each winter when the snow fell, it was clear he thought he was smaller than his actual size. With his short little legs I'm sure he thought that the snow would just swallow him up if he dared step in it. George had a rule whenever it snowed, "I won't step out there until you shovel me a path!"

     His 'big size' definitely surfaced whenever he was around a cat. Cats were something George loved to torment. A cat could be twice the height of George, but since he envisioned himself as a 'giant', a cat was mere toy size in his eyes, until...

     One day, while we visited some friends, George immediately spotted a cat sitting by a doorway. Big brave George proceeded to charge toward the cat. The waiting cat showed no fear as George approached. As he stood face to face with the cat, the cat raised its paw and swiftly took a swipe at him. I really don't think the paw even touched him, but he immediately started to scream. His scream was a clear, "Ow, ow, ow."

     With a satisfied smirk on its face, the cat peered at George as he screamed and ran off. I could almost hear the cat say, "Gotcha, little doggie!" From then on 'Big George' was 'Little George' when it came to cats.

     Whether he was the ‘Big Brave George’ or the ‘Little George’, he had clearly found his way into my heart.

     So long, I'll see you soon!

Kill the Squeaker, Kill the Toy

     Christmas is moving ever closer, and although my gifts for the dogs are bought, they have yet to be wrapped. I've delayed that task for fear that the sight of a wrapped package may be too much of a temptation to the four-leggers. I do know that an accidental sound from the squeaker in an unattended package would set the dogs in a curious frenzy. It is a priority that each toy I purchase has a squeaker inside and be in working order―even knowing that the toy will be quickly dismantled by the eager four-leggers.

     Whitney and Stanley have a tag team routine they do with each new toy. At the sound of a squeaker both dogs quickly race to the sound. Whitney dominates and takes control of the new toy. A few squeaks and she wildly shakes and slaps it back and forth on the floor, snarling with each shake. Stanley, keeping a safe distance away during her frenzy, patiently awaits his turn with the new menace.

     If Whitney should tire and temporarily walk away from the toy before she has killed the squeaker, Stanley will step in to help with the ‘kill’. However, he quickly realizes that this was a wrong move on his part.

     In Whitney’s mind that toy is hers and hers alone, until that squeaker is dead. By just the look in her eyes, Stanley understands they have to play by her rules. He steps aside while she moves in and reclaims the toy. To bide his time, he patiently will move on to something else, knowing that in the end he will get this toy back.

     Killing the squeaker may happen quickly or it may take a few days―that is part of the enjoyment of the game for these two. When Whitney is sure the squeaker is dead, she walks away and waits for Stanley to move in for the final kill.

     At the start of the final kill, he first bites off any eyes on the toy that might be watching him. Next, in search of the dead squeaker, he will tear a hole in the toy. Once the squeaker is removed, he proceeds to destroy the once menacing object. The final step in the kill is quite comical to watch as the stuffing from the toy flies through the air.

     When the tag team ‘kill’ is over, the two now have a new floppy rag toy. They’re both proud of their accomplishment, and together they will share this new found toy for many months to come.

     So if that new Christmas toy is torn open during your pet’s search for the squeaker, don’t be angry. Just sit back and enjoy the entertainment your four-legger is providing.

     So long, I’ll see you soon!

The Gift Beneath the Christmas Tree

      Christmas is fast approaching, and it’s time to buy that special present for our four-legger companions. Most dogs enjoy the unwrapping of these gifts with the same excitement as a child. At times it doesn’t seem to matter what’s in the package, the joy of tearing apart the paper is excitement enough for the four-legger. Of course, each dog has its own style of dealing with the gift under the tree.

     To a dog new to the experience of the Christmas ‘unwrapping’, it may take some coaxing for them to understand that it’s okay to tear the paper apart. Whatever treasure is under the paper may determine how eagerly they attack the wrapping. Usually a toy with a squeaker or something with an especially yummy smell is sure to pique the interest of the dog.  

     Each dog has their own preference to the type of toy they enjoy. Whether it be a soft stuffed toy or a rubber toy, when they hear the package squeak the paper will be flying in all directions very quickly.

     My former dog, Willie, always preferred the rubber toys with a squeaker inside. He learned as a puppy the joy of opening his presents. Each Christmas season he sensed which presents under the tree were his, long before the opening time, but not once did he disturb his presents before Christmas morning. On that morning, as the presents were handed out, he would crawl under the tree, pull out his presents, and eagerly tear open the wrapping. Later, when the discarded paper was placed into a bag he would crawl inside the bag in search of just one more gift.

     Neighbor dog Tucker is by far the most enthusiastic gift opener I have known. He eagerly tears open his presents, sets them aside, and quickly moves along to assist everyone with their unwrapping. Not until all gifts have been opened to his satisfaction, will he return to his own gifts. Like so many four-leggers, his toy of choice is the soft stuffed variety.

     When Whitney joined our family it was obvious she had very little practice in the art of gift opening. Even with our guidance she is hesitant to aggressively tear at the wrapping. In Tucker’s enthusiasm he will offer her his assistance―a gesture she declines by protectively standing over her package. Her excitement does pique when she hears the squeak of the stuffed toy inside the paper, and with our help she begins to tear at the wrapping. Once the toy is out, it’s anybody’s guess as to how long before she kills the squeaker.

     Whichever is your dog’s toy of choice, put a little surprise under the tree for them―the joy of Christmas is in their eyes, too.

     So long, I’ll see you soon!

The Chipmunks Are Over There

      In my posting of Nov. 25 the chase was on for the elusive squirrel. It seems appropriate to follow that up with the chase for the speedy chipmunk. The chipmunk may torment our four-leggers even more than the squirrel. Their smaller size makes it easier for them to scurry into the smallest of hiding places. 

     To our Whitney and neighbor dog Stanley, it seems the smaller the animal the more determined they are to catch it. Sensing no danger in the chase, both of these four-leggers will follow a chipmunk wherever it leads them. Being that they are constant companions, the duo has developed their own strategy of double teaming while on the chase. At times their strategy has taken them on a dangerous route.

     Stanley’s Grandpa Ron lives across a busy highway from where we live, and his yard is host to many chipmunks. Unbeknownst to any of us, if Stanley was loose and bored he would dart across the highway on a chipmunk hunt. It’s not that his mission was dangerous, but the journey to his hunting spot was where the danger lay.

     Most dogs enjoy the thrill of a ride in their owner’s vehicle. In their innocent minds they sense no danger from a moving vehicle, because to them, cars are fun. How do we get them to understand that these fast moving machines of the road can cause grave harm if they innocently cross paths with one?

     With a considerable amount of training, we all assumed Stanley was finally cured of his ‘across the highway adventures’―that is until one day last spring. On that day, Stanley and Whitney escaped from our yard. After a considerable amount of time calling and whistling for the two, Whitney reappeared―without her cohort. Later that evening we were told that the duo was seen chasing Grandpa Ron’s chipmunks.

     After my anger passed, I envisioned the conversation that transpired between the duo as they set out on their mission:

     Stanley: “My Grandpa lives across that road and he has a lot of chipmunks.”

     Whitney: “But we aren’t supposed to go that way.”

     Stanley: “We run fast and no one will know. Just follow me, Whitney.”

     Whitney: “Okay, pal, I’m right behind you.”

     A couple of weeks went by before the duo escaped on another mission to Grandpa’s. It took some time, but we finally were able to catch the pair and bring them safely home. It was obvious more training was in store for the pair.

     After a mission free week passed by, Whitney suddenly disappeared from the yard. A few shouts and whistles she was spotted running from Grandpa Ron’s. This mission she had done alone, without the urging from Stanley.

     The latch was fixed on the gate and the pair no longer has a means of escape from the yard. Under careful watch, the pair is given time each day to have their ‘freedom run’. During this time they are now content to stay on our side of the highway and hunt for gophers and mice.

     Listen up, you two, if you get the urge to cross that highway, remember that the road is a dangerous place―no matter how fast you run.

     So long, I’ll see you soon!

Squirrel or Chipmunk, The Chase Is On

     A squirrel or a chipmunk crosses your path, what do you do? Probably, with a smile, you stop and watch it scamper away. However, to a four-legger the instant they get a glimpse of one, the race is on to nab the teasing intruder. It doesn’t matter the breed of dog, all dogs want to catch that elusive little creature.

     Whether the animal is an annoyance to our dogs or the chase is simply a fun game, a squirrel or chipmunk can keep our four-leggers busy for hours. A day outdoors ‘on the chase’, can be an enjoyable, but exhausting task for the four-leggers. When they settle in for a long night of rest and their legs begin to move as they dream, my guess is that they are still on the hunt.

     I have yet to meet a dog that doesn’t enjoy the chase. My former dog Willie was no exception―squirrel chasing was his favorite pastime. If I said the word squirrel while we were in the house, he would instantly charge at the patio door―excited for the game to begin. In fact, his favorite spot to nap during the day was by this same door; not just to absorb some sun rays, but also to make sure none of these pests ventured into his space.

     While Willie snoozed inside the house, an unattended yard was an irresistible invitation to the squirrels. Inevitably at least one would climb onto the deck, peer through the door, and chatter at Willie in a taunting tone. By the time I opened the door, the squirrels had scattered, and Willie flew out the door in pursuit. Game on!

     As the game began, the squirrels would dash around the yard, with Willie in hot pursuit. Each squirrel always seemed to have an escape route planned out―except for one. The one that dared to stay in the yard would scurry up a tree and chatter down at Willie. Once the squirrel was treed, there was no distraction that could pull Willie away from his duties of guarding that tree. Eventually, unobserved by Willie, the squirrel would find his escape by jumping from tree to tree to the neighbor’s yard.

      Only one time in this daily game was Willie able to catch one of his tormentors. When I saw he did have one in his mouth, I mistakenly yelled his name. In the split second that he glanced at me, the squirrel dropped from his mouth.

     It wasn’t until Willie came whimpering into the house that I realized his tormentor had bit through his lip. While I tended to his wound, I looked into his eyes and said, “Let that be a lesson for you to leave the squirrels alone.”

     Perhaps that lesson lasted as long as two days, after that it was game on again.

     So long, I’ll see you soon!

The Lure of an Amazing Pillow

     Two-leggers are taught at a young age the comfort of a pillow. For the sleeping comfort of our four-legger companions, we train them to sleep, not on our pillow, but in their own bed. However, when given an opportunity, these same four-leggers will sneak a snooze on a human pillow whenever possible. What is it that lures them to our amazing pillow?

     To sleep comfortably, a two-legger, generally needs a bed and of course a pillow to rest one’s head. However, our dogs are able to sleep quite soundly in a spot that looks downright uncomfortable to a human. But when they sense an unattended pillow they will quickly give up their sleeping spot for a chance to lay their head on that pillow.

     I have witnessed the lure of the pillow with every dog I have owned. As a young girl I willingly shared my bed with my dog, Missy. To assure that she would get a fair share of my pillow, she would hurry to the bedroom ahead of me. As we shared my pillow, the only issue I encountered was her loud snoring. Hmm… looking back now, maybe that was a ploy to force me to move aside and give her the entire pillow. 

     Our current dog, Whitney, is no exception to the lure of the pillow. She loves the pillow and somehow knows that is where her head should be. Each night I come to bed, I find her sleeping like a little princess―her head on my pillow. Does she willingly give up my pillow? No way! I look into her eyes and hear, “Are you crazy? I was here first, so find another pillow for yourself.” 

     It doesn’t matter if we are home with her or if she is alone, she can’t seem to ignore an unattended pillow. As innocent as she may appear, if she is home alone there is no denying where she has spent her time―the imprint of her head on my pillow tells it all.

     Recently, ‘cousin’ Sophie spent some time with us. On her first night as our guest, she claimed our extra bedroom as her sleeping quarters. The whole bed was her domain, but her place of choice―each and every night―was one or both of the pillows.

     Now we move on to neighbor dog, Stanley. Stanley is not allowed on the human bed at his house. However, at our house he finds the lure of the pillow irresistible. Whenever he and Whitney take a break from one another, he disappears down the hallway, with just one destination in mind―my pillow. On sleepover nights, after a playful dispute as to which one gets my pillow, they come to an agreement to share the pillow. When I come to bed it can be a struggle to get the sleeping pair to give up my pillow.

     So not having been taught the luxury of a pillow, how is it our four-legger companions understand the use of a pillow? Is it from observing how a human uses a pillow? Or is it simply our scent that lures them? Whatever their reason, I find it truly adorable.

     So long, I’ll see you soon!  

Is That Popcorn I Smell

      “Is it my imagination or does my dog’s feet actually smell like popcorn?” Not that I am in the habit of sniffing dog paws, but with each dog I have owned I have noticed an odor on their footpads that smells strangely like popcorn. I always thought this odd, but I set the sensation aside and chalked it up to my imagination.

     Recently, I awoke to a strong odor of popcorn. Had I dreamt about popcorn or was someone actually making popcorn this early in the morning? Upon opening my eyes, there laid neighbor dog Stanley, his feet pressed to my face. When I realized the odor was from Stanley’s feet, memories of my past dogs ‘popcorn feet’ flooded back to me.

     With this smell still fresh in my mind, I decided to do some research on this strange phenomenon. I was relieved to discover that this odor is real and not the works of my overactive imagination―scores of people have questioned this same odor. Some, as I have, likened the smell to that of popcorn. Others, likened the smell to that of corn chips. Apparently, corn chip prevails over popcorn because this phenomenon is commonly referred to as ‘Frito Feet’.

     In my quest for an explanation to this odor, I visited several web sites. The sites all basically came to the same conclusion as to the cause of this interesting odor. I have summed up the explanations with quotes from a few of these sites.

     ‘Dogster’ founder Ted Rheingold explains it this way: “The feet of dogs contain many folds and pockets between toes and the spaces between the foot pads. The increased moisture and decreased air circulation in these areas enables the bacteria and yeast to proliferate exuberantly. These micro-organisms give off odors. One such bacteria is famous for smelling like corn tortillas.”

     Yahoo answers, explains it this way: "It’s typically called ‘Frito Feet’. It’s natural, many dogs have it, and it is caused by the unique scent glands that dogs have in their feet. They use these glands for marking their territory."

     en.allexperts.com: “The ‘corn chip’ smell isn’t at all uncommon. Dogs have scent glands in their paws that they use to mark their territory, and while I’m sure we can’t tell the difference between dogs, they can!”

      I found the following of particular interest, simply because it was a fact I did not know about a dogs sweat glands. “All dogs have sweat glands in their feet. It’s one of the few places dogs actually have sweat glands.” The writer further added that, “Their feet smell funny because their sweat smells like that.”

     One site, http://www.seefido.com, has great answers to just about any quirky question you can imagine. It’s a fun site to visit if you seek answers to unusual questions.

     So, don’t be alarmed if you notice a popcorn or corn chip smell on your dog―it’s natural.

     So long, I’ll see you soon!

A Papillion Joins a Roofing Crew

      I have often stated that there is more to neighbor dog Stanley than the average Papillion. The abilities he exhibits often make me wonder if he is part cat. I found myself asking this question recently, when he joined his owner’s roofing crew. But was he on the roof to learn the task of roofing or while there, did he discover a more clever purpose?

     If something high up and out of reach peaks the interest of a cat, it’s sure to find a way to get to it. The same is true of Stanley―if he sees it and wants it; he will find a way to get to it.

     One example of his ability to climb and balance himself became evident as we sat on our deck one afternoon. Stanley began a slow climb up my body and then perched himself on my shoulder. From this position he was able to boost himself onto the narrow deck railing. Once he was sure of his footing, he moved with tiny catlike precision around the entire railing. As he reached the end post, he did a graceful turnaround and made the return journey back to my shoulder. I held my breath in fright as I watched, sure that he would fall. But he maintained his balance throughout the maneuver and showed no fear of the high height.

     Cats have the ability to sniff out a mouse and catch it with amazing speed. Well, Stanley could compete with the best of the ‘mousers’. However, when the chase is for a chipmunk that scurries up a tree, a cat definitely has the advantage over Stanley.

     So, it was of no surprise to me when I learned Stanley had been on a roof with his owner’s roofing crew. He did follow the crew for a short time, but soon his attention was drawn to the roof's edge. As he walked along the edge, he noticed something far below―chipmunks. From his high vantage point he was able to walk along the roof edge and scope out all of their hiding spots.

      Once he had zeroed in on their locations, his excited barks let it be known it was time for an escort down the ladder. With his feet back on the ground it was an easy run to where he had spotted the chipmunks. If, after a wild chase Stanley realized they had scattered in too many directions, it was time for a lift back up the ladder and another roof edge scope of the land below.

     The task of roofing may have interested Stanley on his first trip up to the roof; but when he caught sight of that first chipmunk his thoughts of being a roofer quickly vanished.

     Even though the roofing crew did not acquire a new roofer on that day, they did gain a loyal mascot. 

     So long, I’ll see you soon!

The Eye, Arrgh

     Just a quick update on my eye situation: My next surgery will be tomorrow morning―Halloween, of all days. If all goes well, as I’m hoping it will, I’ll soon be able to see again. Even though I may be out of commission for a few days, I promise that new stories will be taking shape as I recover.  Until next time…

    

     So long, I’ll see you soon.