Ferg's First Sleepover

It's been a long week. Ferguson has been on Fluoxetine for over a month now, yet still seems anxious...it's driving me crazy. But, I've been configuring a different set up that might make his improvement more noticeable. For one thing, we're going to set up an ex-pen in the family room after disposing some trash-quality furniture left by previous renters (so it's space no one was using anyway). I think part of the problem is the amount of negative associations Ferguson has had upstairs, so if we move him downstairs where he can see more going on, I can begin without flaw the step-by-step guide that is in the book, "I'll Be Home Soon."

Additionally, we are going to be babysitting another greyhound from the Greyhound Welfare group that lives just down the road to see is there is a significant difference in Ferguson when he is left with another hound. At work, as you all know, Ferg's dangerous anxious behaviors ceased completely when he has been placed with another dog and has had the same result with 3 different dogs, so it sounds like a very good hypothesis. While it would be just GREAT if Ferg could get over his moderate SA on his own, it's important for us to keep an open mind to know what works. Additionally, having him stay with another dog that has no anxiety at all about being left might help contribute to his conditioning of people coming and going.

So, Walter is coming to visit this weekend while his family goes out of town for business. From his owner's description, Walter sounds like a very well-behaved, well-adjusted guy that is the same age as Ferguson. I think they'll have a blast. The plan for now is to first try having them stay in the Ex-Pen together; his owner seemed to think this would be no problem at all for Walter, and he very much enjoys the company of other dogs. Ferguson also seems to have little concern over personal space, so I'm hoping this will work for them. Of course, muzzles will be worn, dogs will be extensively exercised, and many practice sessions will occur before we decide it to be feasible. If it doesn't seem plausible, we may have to try crating Ferguson next to Walter in the pen, etc. But I'm really crossing my fingers that it will work out just fine.

I will have to videotape all the practice sessions and have them to compare. But, in the least, I'm quite excited to have Walter stay, and I think Ferg will be too!

RIP Gerta (aka, Gert the Flirt)

May 5th 2008 to December ? 2010?

I loved you sweetheart, and am glad I didn't see you being anything other than happy, bouncy, and the puppy I knew, adored, and cherished. Always in my heart you will be <3.

CP Dog Park Visit

Ferguson's official "membership ID" tag came in the mail, so we are now free to use the normally deserted dog park whenever we'd like! This afternoon, just as I suspected, no one was there, so we were free to use the park in peace. Ferguson had quite a nice time; I love to watch him run.



(if the link doesn't work, you can also view the video here: http://youtu.be/nkFehXACYtA ).

In the above video, he'd already run somewhat before I remembered I had my Ipod. Next time I'll try to get his first initial sprint. A few other photos we took while visiting:






As I mentioned before, I'm hoping that more frequent trips to a large open running space will help him cope along with behavioral modification to tackling his SA. He is certainly dead tired at the moment, passed out in the corner on his favorite yoga mat. It was overall a fun time.

Speaking of which, that blue squeaky ball is Ferguson's current favorite thing and has been for a few weeks. It is Kong brand, and have a few other shapes made of the same material...perhaps I'll consider getting him some for Xmas so we can keep one in the car, and one for the yard at home.

Country Piebald

While perusing the pages of the new November, 2011 issue of Country Living, your Long and Short of it All host Joey let out a couple of big woofs when he turned to page 101 to discover a beautiful Piebald Dachshund named 'Dot' gracing the pages.  "Woof Woof!"  said Joey.  That means "Dot's Hot!"  Above, Dot lingers below a Pottery Barn clock in the family's mudroom. 

Here, Dot lounges on an estate-sale bench covered with oilcloth.  "I'd like to snuggle up next to her," Joey was heard to exclaim.  See more of Dot's Mission Hill, Kansas 1930's Colonial Home in the November issue of Country Living. 

Dachshunds are everywhere:  Country Living's Editor-in-Chief Sarah Gray Miller

Saturday Night Special: Dachshund Dragulous

The Unconditional Love of a Dachshund 

Vintage photo circa 1920s(?!) - source unknown.

Still Whining and Panting....

Don't Cry Ferguson...

My friends and I went out to eat this evening, leaving poor Ferguson for his first official trial run. I did everything by the book: extensive exercise first, leaving him for 20 minutes, k9 lullabies, right next to the DAP, etc. I recorded him with my webcam, and though I can't see him (it got dark quickly), I could hear him.

He was a little better than he's been in the past; that is, in the past, he would outright back for hours the entire time I was gone. Today, he panted excessively and would have episodes of whining occasionally. Because I think putting the video up would be pointless, it went something like this:

Ferg: *pant pant pant hrrmmmm hrrrooommm pant pant pant* silence for 30 seconds-2 min. Repeat.

Additionally, our room always smells of poo when we return, though I suspect it's just gas from the stress.

So, in short, I guess its getting better; it's certainly not getting worse. I think we need to build up our time a bit more, and see what things work for him. This outing was too long in that I wasn't comfortable leaving him out in our room for 90 minutes (plus, our room could use some cleaning), but in the future, I will mix it up and try different things with the initial routine being generally the same. We may even try doing an X-pen in the family room if I can clear out some of the stuff downstairs...I'd just worry for his paws :/.

OHH Ferguson. Good thing everything else about you is perfect.

Those Special Dachshunds: Meet Charlie!

Deep Thoughts

Thanks so much to Stephanie Rand for writing in with the tale of her beloved handsome 'Charlie.'  Boy was he lucky to find such a wonderful home with his new human.  She writes:

Dear Joey and Rowdy,

First welcome Rowdy! You're adorable and I look forward to getting to
meet you and see you grow-up with your new pal Joey.
I have been reading your blog on a daily basis since adopting Charlie,
my older rescue Dachshund, on December 4th of last year.
I was thinking of adopting a dog for about a year prior to finding
Charlie - I did my research and found him on Petfinder. A lady - who
usually rescues cats - was forwarded an email saying Charlie was going
to be euthanized by the end of the day. She rescued him immediately
and then, after making sure he was socially adjusted, put a listing
for him on Petfinder. I was the first person to reply to her ad and I
met him a day later and then he moved into my home.

When Charlie first entered my apartment - after sniffing out the place
- he stood in the middle of the kitchen and peed while smiling and
looking right at me. It was as if he claimed territory to my apartment
- I loved his spark of personality from the start. I had been living
alone for about a year after a long-term relationship break-up. I
can't begin to express how much laughter and fun the little guy has
brought into my life on a daily basis. I like to take him to work from
time to time, we've gone to both Dachshund gatherings at Washington
Square Park and he has made some new friends on my block as well.

This summer my apartment was broken into and Charlie happened to be
home at the time. He wasn't hurt but he has stepped up his growling
and barking when he hears any noises in the hallway to make sure we
both remain safe. He has also become an extended member of my family -
this summer I took him up to Vermont to spend a week in a cabin on a
lake with my Dad and sister. He went in the lake for a swim and really
enjoyed all the new sniffs and life in the woods. He loves to visit my
Dad's house and run around the yard and take naps with his granddogdad
on the couch.

Charlie at Work

Who's a Good Boy?

Teresa Berg/DFW Dachshund Rescue on CBS News!

(If you can't see video embedded here, click the title of this post to view)

This was on CBS Sunday Morning News a few days after our Maggie's passing when we were taking some time off the blog, but thanks so much to reader Jo Anne for writing in to remind us to post this!  It's awesome!   She writes:

Hi Joey and Rowdy!

I'm just one of your many loyal blog followers and I came across a really neat video about a lady using her skills to increase adoption rates. I had never thought of doing so before, and after watching the video I sure want to follow in her footsteps!

We have featured Teresa Berg's work here in the past, and also many stories on DFW Dachshund Rescue.  Ms. Berg was featured again this week on Dogster:  Teresa Berg’s Five Tips For Better Dog Photography, so be sure and check that out.  Also, fans of her work will want to know that her 2012 Picture A New Life Calendars are ready for delivery at DFW Dachshund Rescue.  100% of the proceeds go to Dachshund Rescue.

Dachshund Humor

Smiles everyone, it's Friday!  Thanks so much to 'Tootsie,' the Bicontinental Dachshund for writing in:

Dear Rowdy & Joey,

We were so saddened by the passing of Maggie. I have loved reading your blog with my humans since they rescued me.

And welcome, welcome Rowdy to the able companionship of the J-man.

I think your rowdiness, dear Rowdy, has already inspired much fun. We love your posting about the Wiener bitch.

To welcome you, I herewith enclose one of my cartoons from my own dog blog.

We look forward to many more barks!

In admiration,

Tootsie

Make sure and check out Tootsie's adventures on her blog!  She's an American by birth and a naturalized Swiss citizen who has some wacky adventures!

Vintage Dachshund Pride

Up on a pedestal - where every Dachshund belongs.  Aren't you proud of your Dachshund?

Vintage photo circa 1910 - source unknown.

Fun Stuff

Ferguson and I went to Greyt Expectation's Fun Run in Herndon VA, and he looked greyt! We got there a bit late so only had time for the last run, but BOY did he like it! He took it so seriously; someone was standing at the other side of the indoor field squeaking a squawker, and though the other three dogs he was with went in the complete opposite direction, he saw, focused, and RAN, all on his own at top speed! He made me so proud :). I think he would make a very good lure courser...

Unfortunately, while I was attempting to take pictures my camera decided its battery was low and turned off before I could do anything (of course, once I get home, it's working 100% fine. Urg. Technology.). So, I will attempt to make up for the complete lack of photos with a few cute ones I got off my camera I took a while ago during Ferg's recovery time for his paws. Enjoy:

Dachshunds in New Scorsese Film: HUGO

Watch closely Dachshund fanatics, and catch Martin Scorsese's first 3D movie, Hugo, an adaptation of the childrens book "Hugo Cabret," this Thanksgiving. 
Thanks to our good friend Jerry for sending this in.  Will the Dachshunds be even longer in 3D?  Can't wait to find out!

Dachshunds in Politics: Westminster Dog of the Year Contest 2011

The 2011 Westminster Dog of The Year competition took place in Victoria Tower Gardens on October 13, 2011 in London, England. The annual competition was won by Conservative MP for Tiiverton and Honiton Neil Parish with his Labrador 'Wilberforce,' who was among the 15 Conservative MPs to enter versus only two Labour MP entrants.  Politics may be a dog-eat-dog world, but for one day at least, the dogs were cute and cuddly.  Above, Harriett Baldwin MP stands in sight of Parliament with her English Cream Dachshund 'Poppy' during the competition.  Source.

Day 15

Ferguson continues to do well with our rehab alone training. He has been panting a lot less, and seems more compliant about the prospect of going into his kennel. He randomly gets tasty treats, and the length of time he spends in there varies drastically, so he never quite knows what to expect, but that it's really not that bad.

Something else I've recently learned about him is that he appears less stressed when left with his muzzle on, both in and out of his crate. I recorded him while I left the room (leaving him out and muzzled), and while he seemed to miss me, he didn't pant, and seemed more able to settle himself than before. Of course, he also decided that it would be okay to wait on our bed for me (in our house, no dogs on the furniture, ever), but he seemed compliant and gladly hopped down when asked like it was no big deal. To be truthful, if that's all it took to make him happy, then by all means (He still needs to get down when asked though). The only thing I don't like about it is that I can't then leave him with something tasty to distract him...though lately he still doesn't bother much with them anyway :/. Oh well. We'll figure it out.



Today, I was also productive in that I registered Ferguson in PG county so that I can apply to have us become members of that dog park down the road we always walk passed. We got the licence, and I've since applied, so we're waiting to hear back on whether or not the "board" has accepted our application. Having the park will be nice since no one is ever there when we've seen it (probably a deterrent to most people), because then Ferguson will have a large area in which he can run at higher speeds legitimately and regularly. There will definitely be videos of this to come, at least while the weather continues to be nice :).

I Have My Morning Coffee In My Bed

Do you prefer the German or the English version? By youtuber Detlef Cordes
who notes: Dachshund Hella having her morning coffee in bed.
 

Feeling Rowdy

Apparently your new co-host at The Long and Short of it All isn't the only one who's feeling a bit disorderly and a little boisterous.  Meet Rowdy!   Thanks so much to his human, Kris Wilson, for writing in:

Dear Joey and Rowdy,

I've been reading your delightful blog since shortly after our dachshund joined the family, about a year and a half ago.  I was so sad to hear of Maggie's passing and so glad to hear about your rescue Rowdy.  I love the name as you can tell from this guy -- this is our own sweet Rowdy taken when he was about 6 months, one of my favorite pictures.  He looks all black but in the sunlight you can see he is a very dark chocolate.  He is an absolute delight to our family.

An Indian woman at Dad's place of work said of the name 'Rowdy':  Rowdy is a very good name, something different. Indian language the meaning of ‘Rowdy’ is "courageous unprecedented king."

Who Could Blame Her?

bitch [bich]
noun

1. a female dog: The bitch won first place in the sporting dogs category.
2. a female of canines generally.

This is a dog blog!  Viral photo source unknown.

Wiener Racin'

It's our favorite time of the year - Dachtober! - and all the Dachshund events are in full swing around the country and the world.  We're not so sure where these Wiener Races were held, but the light-hearted video will kick off your week with a smile.  By vimeoer Backyard Auter who notes:  After breakfast today I saw a bunch of people walking dachshunds around downtown. I was informed that it was an annual wiener dog race. I quickly drove home and grabbed my GH2 and came back to catch the action.

Video Progress

(or, if that doesn't work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ed-JfzrvZl8 )

Here's Ferguson practicing alone training for about 5 minutes. We've been practicing frequently and will continue to do so to help him get more comfortable. Nothing really happens in the video, though the power did go out, so you see his ears perk up and look a little confused for a moment. He just lays there and pants, but recently I've had a difficult time figuring out if he's stress panting or if he's really truly hot...actually, pretty sure I'm driving myself insane with the concept. I guess we'll figure it out in the winter when our room becomes freezing. *sighs*

In any case, this video is 2 days shy of 2 weeks being on fluoxetine. I've not seen any dramatic changes yet more than what I would assume if we were relying only on behavior modification, but we're just half-way before it reaches full effect. Not expecting any miracles, but if it IS stress panting, even that lessening would be great.

As for work, yes, he likes Svara just as much as Lily, so we're set there. I'm hoping this madness of coordinating schedules will end by the time November comes around...

Please Welcome Your New 'Long and Short of it All' Co-Host!

Who, Me?

We're pleased to announce that the exhaustive search for your new 'Long and Short of it All' co-host is now over.  Ladies and Gentlemen, please put your hands together and give a warm welcome to.....black and tan wirehaired 'Rowdy!'  Yep, things are about to get a lot more "wirey" around here!  And the search wasn't really that exhaustive - we weren't looking for a new Dachshund, but Hot Toddy (his foster name), appeared on our MidWest Dachshund Rescue facebook feed, and we immediately fell in love with his soulful little eyes.  We can't thank MidWest Dachshund Rescue enough for all that they have done to bring some joy back in our lives after the loss of our beloved 'Maggie.' 

Rowdy was born on May 2nd, so he is just over five months old.  At the vets yesterday, he weighed in at 9.4 pounds, and the vet thinks that he will be about 16 pounds when fully grown.  Rowdy came in through MWDR with 10 other puppies as a result of a few puppy mill/large breeding facilities which closed down in Missouri.  He has been fostered for several weeks by a fantastic family near Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Joey and Dad went to visit him a few weeks ago to see if he was a good match for us, and Joey took to him right away - they played some, and when Joey had enough, he let out a little growl, and Rowdy respected him and went and played with his toys.  So, Joey does like to play some, and he will also teach Rowdy how to be a great dog.

He is doing well in his new home.  Potty training is a work in progress, obviously, for a young pup whose world has just been turned upside down.  But in almost 3 days, he has had just one accident in the house.  He is distracted by the city noises when we go outside to take care of business, although he is less and less distracted as each day passes.  He loves to play, he loves his toys, he loves to snuggle, and like any Dachshund, boy does he love his food!  We're slowly switching him over to raw food, which he loves.  He hasn't had any diarrhea or stomach upset, so the transition is going well.  He is fascinated when Dad is in the kitchen - he'll just sit on the floor and watch in amazement at what goes on, and his eyes light up every time a cabinet door opens. 

Naming him was a tough job, and it was down to Rowdy, Barney, Harry Callahan (call 'Cal'), Cowboy, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (call Henry), Iggy, Teddy,Wiley the Wirehair, and Murdoch (Murdach?) the Dachshund.  Rowdy, after Rowdy Yates, the Clint Eastwood character in Rawhide was always near the top though, and it sounds a little like Toddy, and he was responding to it, so Rowdy he is, both in name and spirit.  It probably didn't hurt that there was a photo of Clint Eastwood on the sidebar to your right when the decision was finally made. 

And so, a new era has begun at The Long and Short of it All. 

Mr. Crazy-Eyebrows

Joey and Rowdy

Sing it Clint! Rowdy by Clint Eastwood.

Money Not Blown

I did not spend as much as I could have in merchandise, which is good, considering I had to pay for a tank of gas, food, and Ferg's licence before anything else. So, my spending was limited to:


^This cute shirt that Eric liked (he said it made sense, since I own a "golden" grey)

and



^Some really adorable stationary cards that reminded me of Ferguson.

All in all, I think if I were to go again next year, I'd definitely go ahead and arrange to stay for the whole weekend. Because of the lack of structured events, it was mostly just a collective place to veg with your hound on the beach while also doing a bit of shopping. It was lovely getting to see so many hounds though...I think Ferguson thought so too :). I regret not taking more pictures of them, but I thought it would be awkward for me to randomly photograph stranger's dogs.

Since we've been back, Ferguson is surprisingly alert; he seeems to have enjoyed the excitement and activity of Dewey to where he acts bored and a little restless at home. *rolls eyes* We just got back from an hour long walk along the paint branch trail again though, so perhaps that will take the edge off. He'll also be coming to work with me for the next four days. Hopefully he likes Svara as much as he likes Lily, as she will be his daycare buddy for the week, with the exception of Thursday.


^She is also pretty cute, and around the same size/demeanor as Lily.

Ohh Ferguson <3

Beach Photos

A Note From The J-Man

Joey, Autumn 2008 

Dear Gentle Readers,

We'll be on vacation for a few days, but we'll be back later in the week.  Have fun in the archives while we're gone. 

Yours in Dachshund Love,

Joey.....

We're Gearing Up for DE!

The plan is that Eric, Ferguson, and I will be heading to DE for a Saturday day trip to attend Greyhounds Reach the Beach 2011! Obviously, this will be our first year going, so there will have to be pictures to follow. Ferguson hasn't been the best subject lately while he's recovering (again) from his self-inflicted paw injury.




However, he does seem to be doing better. This weekend should take a fair amount out of him mentally and physically, which he will appreciate after extended boring days around the house. Today though, we were able to walk about 1/2 a mile...just no running. *sighs*

Something I'm considering is registering him in PG County so we could be members of the dog park 1/2 a mile down the road. Admittedly, I really wouldn't use the dog park for letting him play with other dogs (I confess, I'm still wary of them after hearing horror stories, and he gets enough social interaction when he has to come with me to work), but would use it as an open space for him to run. We now frequently walk along the paint branch trail and therefore, go right passed the dog park and find it to be unoccupied most afternoons. While we do have a yard, it's not spacious enough for him to run remotely close to full-speed, and I really do LOVE to watch him run. I'll add this to my to-do list once he is up to par again.

In any case, we're hanging in there. I will have to try my best to not blow *too* much money at GRTB!!!

Molly

With heavy hearts, we report the passing of our friend 'Molly,' who hailed from McLean, Virginia.  Long-time readers of The Long and Short of it All will remember reading about this sweet gal way back in December of 2009.   Her human, Melinda Fancher, writes of her beloved one:

Dear Joey,

I was so saddened by Maggie's passing, but am glad to see the blog is back up and running.

My sweet little Molly passed away suddenly, at just 8 1/2, on September 21, 2011. She was diagnosed with IMHA, a blood disorder, on Tuesday, September 20, so losing her was a complete shock. There is a line from a Lyle Lovett song, "she wasn't good, but she had good intentions." Molly was always a bit mischievous and never let the opportunity for a good time go to waste. She had an intense love for playing with balls and destroying stuffed toys. She was a true friend to my mother when she was terminally ill, sitting quietly in my mom's lap in her final hours. I was lucky to have been her friend.

She was a grand Dachshund. 

We're so saddened with the passing of Molly and many of our Dachshund friends over the last few weeks and months.  It was painful to read about them in the comments of Maggie's passing, every single one touched our hearts.  Now, it's really time for all this to just stop.  Hug your furry friends tight and live in the moment like all dogs do, because these wonderful little animals are often with us for such a short time.

Hot Dog Tag

Just in case anyone doesn't know how hot you are, you may want to consider this "Hot Dog" dog tag available at Dog Tag Art for just $11.99, which includes engraving.  Thanks so much to our pal 'Geneva' for sending in the link!  She writes:

Greetings from Rhode Island!

Mom just bought me this super cool dog tag with a Dachshund on it. She also bought me one that says "I'm deaf," because at 15, I am!

Inspiration On Wheels

Via CBS out of Dallas-Fort Worth: They are inspiration on wheels. Two handicapped recruits to a Dallas rehabilitation program are providing the kind of hope and encouragement nobody else can. They do that without saying a single word.

Excellent.

Hounded For A Blessing

Rev. Donald DeGroat blesses red longhair 'Cassie,' at the annual Blessing of the Animals, held at the Midvale United Methodist Church in Wanaque, New Jersey. The Blessing of the Animals usually takes place on or around Oct. 4, the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals.  Source.

Cute Dachshund Puppy Destroys Home

Poor Lucy....Dad may seem a little rough on the little girl, but boy did she make a mess!  An unlisted video via youtuber BusterBay, who notes:  Yes this cute 8 month old Dachshund Puppy decided to do some redecoration. Within just a few short hours she pulled a 5 gallon bucket of dog food thru the house and ate her dog bed.

If you liked this, you'll love Little Guy's Big Mess

The Lowe's Holiday/Christmas Tinsel Dachshund

Lovers of all things Long and Short may want to head to their nearest Lowe's Home Improvement store as soon as possible to pick up this season's hottest must-have:  the 1.7-foot-long Holiday Living Tinsel Dachshund Dog/Teckel/Perro Dachshund.  For indoor or outdoor use, it's sure to brighten up your home or neighborhood.  $44 at Lowe's, where you can order online and pick up at the store. 

Dachshund Relaxation: Tater Ventures For Foreign Shores

Thanks so much to Derek Prowse for sending in this video of his beloved 'Tater' enjoying the sand and surf.  He writes:  Tater and I live on the west end of Panama City Beach, Florida, and in this video, we kayaked over to Camp Helen State Park on a lovely calm day on the gulf.  When we got there, he found some buried treasure (a dead seabird), rolled in it, and went along his way back home for some serious napping.

Happy 20th Anniversary to Dachshund Delights

We'd like to send the warmest of congratulations to our friends at Dachshund Delights on their 20th Anniversary!  20 years is a long time to provide us long dogs with the best in Dachshund harnesses and doggie supplies.  Head on over to their site for contests, prizes, and specials throughout the month. 

And for those in the NE Ohio and surrounding areas, they will be hosting their Wine & Hallowiener event again, Oct. 22 (1-4pm), at The Candelight Winery in Garrettsville. Don't miss it!  Please RSVP number of people and dogs to info@wineandhallowieners.com. Follow them on Facebook for more details.

Red

Before Abercrombie & Fitch made expensive t-shirts for pouty gals and shirtless guys, they made quality wares that Dachshund Lovers would like, such as this 1950's Abercrombie & Fitch Leather Dog Ottoman available at 1stdibs for $1,600.  Currently residing at Red Modern Furniture in Phoenix, Arizona, Red measures in at 28 inches long and 17.5 inches short.