Long days of work, less time to train

Today is day 3 of 4 days working, but today and tomorrow's shifts are especially long (today, 6:45-5:30, tomorrow, 6:30-4). I, of course, am beat, but Ferguson seems to be in good spirits, despite the fact that he's had to come to work with me three days in a row for longer time periods. Shortly after we got home, we had an especially nice training session with a little help from our friend, the elephant dog toy with rope ears. The toy was admittedly a present intended for his birthday, but I think the training and work we got out of it today was worth the early meeting. With the elephant, we were able to practice alternating reinforcements, as well as teaching "off" and "okay" discrimination. In mid play, Ferguson will drop the toy, and was rewarded with lots of praise and a kibble....

Grand Dachshunds in History: A Royal Love Affair

It's not always about the Corgis, or the "Dorgis."  There had to be a Royal Dachshund or two.Photo source:  unknownRelated:  Queen, Queen Mother, and Dachshund Watch Badminton Horse Trials...

The Dachshund House - Berkeley, California

We're sure some of our readers feel the same way, but as Dachshund chachki collectors, sometimes we look around the house and wonder "Geez, do I really need all this Dachshund stuff?  Are we a wee bit crazy for adding another Dachshund figurine to the collection?  Do we really need these Dachshund towels for the kitchen?  These Dachshund flannel sheets are sure warm, but...really?"  As part of our therapy for Doxiemania, it helps to look at the collections or displays of other Dachshund Lovers - "Wow - you've got over 1,000 Dachshund figurines!  No one will doubt you're a Dachshund Lover, your...

Meet Sam the Service Dog!

Golden Retrievers step aside, there's a new service dog in town, and his name is 'Sam,' a 4-year-old black and tan dappled smooth Dachshund who "enjoys tearing the stuffing out of toy animals in his free time."  Sam assists his human Amber Cornford, who attends Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois where she is majoring in Nursing.  Amber suffers from chronic pain caused by Ollier’s disease, a bone disorder resulting in tumors in the joints.  Excerpt from the Loyola Phoenix:Amber was diagnosed with the disease before her first birthday, and since then, she has undergone six limb-lengthening procedures to help her condition.When...

Birthday Parties Done Right

Thanks so much to our pal 'Phoebe' from Northern Virginia for writing in with a photo of a party that we would have loved to attend!  She writes:Greetings Maggie and Joey!The Dachshund cake in last week's blog looked so good I thought I would share the one made for my "Mom" on her birthday late last month. Unfortunately, my humans wouldn't share any with me, but it looked yummie!A big woof to all!Pho...

Crafters Corner: Dachshund Fabric

If there's one thing we've learned over our years of interactions with Dachshund Lovers, it's that, much like Dachshunds themselves, the humans sure are crafty!   Thanks to an Anonymous Dachshund Lover for sending in photos and a link to some new Dachshund fabric that you may not be able to live without for your next project.  It was recently found at a fabric store in Gastonia, NC for just $7.98 a yard.  Labeled:  "Hot Dogs" by P/K Lifestyles - 100% made in USA.  Find it online in both colors - Blue Jay or Flamingo - at fabric.com for $10....

Fun with The Long and Short of it All

If you've downloaded the latest web browsers, and you've got nothing but extra time on your hands, type the word "view" after our url, or just click here http://dachshundlove.blogspot.com/view to see what blogger (who hosts the site) calls "dynamic views."  You can select from 5 different views when selecting the drop-down in the upper right-hand corner.  It's just a time-killer at this point, but soon sites can be customized to be viewed like this all the time.  You've got to have an upgraded web browser to vi...

They Have Eyes!

I'd like to make at least one more for the picnic. I was able to FINALLY find eyes for .99...

Monday CGC Prep

I just got off the phone with the local evaluator for the Canine Good Citizen test. Amazingly, they do classes and testing both in Frederick and RIGHT next to where I work 30 minutes down the road. The evaluator was very helpful, and answered all of the questions I had. As it turns out, Ferguson does not need to perform a "down" from a "sit", and I can break free, walk in a circle, and tell him to do one or the other. Hurray! On Monday evenings, they hold class at the dog park near my work (of course, the one day a week when I don't work), and Ferguson and I have been invited to go for the last few minutes of class to get used to the environment...

Wirehair Wednesday: Meet Gustaf!

What beautiful photos of an extremely handsome wirehair boy!  Meet 'Gustaf,' who hails from Fall Creek, Oregon.  His human, Tamara Kabush writes:Dear Joey and Maggie,Love your site, love your doxies! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!I check in every morning to savor all the Dachshund photos and stories. What a great way to start the day!!!!!!! Thank you!In honor of Wirehair Wednesday, I'm including a couple photos of Gustaf, my 11 year old Wheaten Wirehair. He is my best buddy, soul mate and the love of my life.Someone doesn't want to get out of bed.Gustaf sure looks great for an 11-year-old g...

Collector's Corner: A Vintage Bronze Dachshund Beauty

This handsome vintage piece - a smooth bronze Dachshund figurine mounted on a black marble base recently sold at auction for $455.  Dating to the early 1900's, it measures roughly 5 inches tall.  Excelle...

Krackjack Dachshund Commercial

Coming to you all the way from India, Krackjack is the world's first sweet and salty biscuit. "This delicious cookie is wonderful by itself or enjoy it with a nice cup of tea."&nb...

Dachshund Hot Mess: Rage Over Doggie Doo Doo

If you love hot drama, you'll love this story.  Us?  Not so much - the only party hurt here is the Dachshund.  Meet Long Island, New Yorker Barbara Bottiglieri with her cute little black and tan smooth, 'Coco.'  Ms. Bottiglieri was walking Coco on Saturday when her neighbor Jaime Sanchez, who lives across the street, warned her to not let her dog doody on his grass, or he would sic his 50 pound dog on both of them.  Excerpt from the New York Daily News:"She's constantly letting her dog defecate and urinate on our property," said Sanchez's wife, Antoinette, noting that there's been a bitter feud between the neighbors...

Mark Your Calendars - Upcoming Dachshund Events!

If you live near Riverside, California, you won't want to miss WIENERFEST, Wieners-N-Wheels 2011, at Fairmount Park, May 7th, 2011.  With such a nice graphics promoting the event, how could it not be a blast?  Call the numbers on the flyer for more info, or check out Sunny Oasis Dachshund Rescue and Friends.  Thanks to our pals at Dachshund Delights for sending in the flyer!Thanks to an Anonymous Dachshund Lover for reminding us that the big Buda Wiener Dog Races are coming up THIS WEEKEND in Buda, Texas!  That's right, the 14th Annual Buda Lions Country Fair and Wiener Dog Races will take place on April 30 and May 1 at City...

Heated Work

Today was probably the first "hot" day we've had in Maryland for quite a while. The thermometer says it's well beyond 85 degrees, and my hot dog Ferguson here seems to think so too. We went for a simple walk, and for about half of it, Ferguson dragged along behind me, walking at what I call a "pokey" pace at the end of the leash six feet behind me. However, halfway through, he sped up to walk next to me...I think he realized we weren't going to turn around at that point and gave up. *rolls eyes*I wasn't unsympathetic to the weather, and had him wear his outward hound cooling bandanna (though ours is an embarrassing shade of pink...but hey!...

Easter With Those Handsome Sheridan Avenue Boys

Happy Easter from The Sheridan Avenue Boys and some Scary Chicks!Your 'Long and Short of it All' hostess 'Maggie' says "Oh, Jack, Jetson, Jordan, Lincoln, and Lego, you simply set my heart aflutter."  Keep up with these handsome guys on their official bl...

A Note From Joey and Maggie: Easter Sunday With Our Pals

Cell Phone Photo:  Joey, Maggie, Gina Marie, Tommy Lee, and Sampson"Everyone Sit.  Now, stay......."  No....stay....."  Hope everyone had a great Easter Sunday!  We had a fun time visiting our good friends.  It was Joey's DOCP shot day (OUCH!) that he gets every 28 days, and our friends' Mom thankfully sees that it gets executed properly.  Joey and Maggie wore their Easter best - Joey in a bright red bow tie, and Maggie in her pearl necklace - yep, they're real.  All three of our friends are agility dogs, so it's fun to go to their house - they get treats for every good thing they do all...

Frohe Ostern! Happy Easter!

We're hoping that you have a fantastic Easter Sunday and that maybe you got a colorful little toy or treat in your Easter basket.  Our Dad says no little pieces of ham for us this year thanks to Maggie's recent bout of pancreatitis, but the Easter Bunny told us that if we're good, we were going to get some fresh blueberries for dessert!  Heaven knows we're always good.Hoping yours is just as hap...

CGC and Rising Athletes!

Ferguson's Sit^I've continued my research and found there to be a testing center about 10 minutes away. Fees for the test seem to vary from $5 to $15. I emailed the center and requested information on their fees and such that will likely determine how and when Ferg and I will head over to testing to make sure no money is wasted. There are a lot of other questions I have, as the official guide says that the evaluator may allow the dog to retry if a single item is not passed on the test. We'll see if this place is so generous. Hopefully they even get back to me.Tomorrow, we shall practice down-staying on a long line, as well as recall and...

The Dachshund

The Dachshund Part I.The Dachshund is the Longest Dog In the whole Canine Catalog.He is so Long - to show him Here He must in Serial Parts appear. This is Part One - Observe his Air Of Lack-a-daisi-cal Despair. I fear he finds it does not Pay To wag a Tail so Far Away, He is so very Long and Low. And yet he was not always so. The Dachshund once was Tall and Fleet As any Dog you'd wish to meet. Alas! He met a Fearful Fate. One Day - but we anticipate Continued. The Dachshund Part II. And now, Dear Reader, we must go Back some Six Thousand Years or So To Eden's Lovely Garden, where With an Historic Happy Pair Lived the First Dachshund,...

Canine Good Citizen's Test: What we need to do.

As I've mentioned before, the CGC Test is something I've wanted to do for a long time, even before I got Ferguson. This evening I've looked through the list of 10 things he must do and am going to make a list here (a place readily at hand via ipod/computer) of what we need to work on/what he would be ready to do right now.Test 1: Accepting a friendly strangerThis test demonstrates that the dog will allow a friendly stranger to approach it and speak to the handler in a natural, everyday situation. The evaluator walks up to the dog and handler and greets the handler in a friendly manner, ignoring the dog. The evaluator and handler shake hands and...

Alone Training In Ferguson's Mind

Over the past few days, Ferguson's remedial alone training has been going well.  He has also trained me, in the sense that I know now how his brain works, at least a bit better than before. As it turns out, Ferg is fine being alone, as long as it is according to plan.  So, in the morning, after he has gone out or walked, it is perfectly acceptable to him to be left at this point.  It has been our routine in the past that I would practice alone training with him at this time of day, so it continues to not be at all problematic.  He has been left for an hour and a half so far at this time with no complaints.However, if...

Godiva: 5 years old!

Love you, Sweetheart.While I love all my dogs in their own way, Godiva was certainly special, and the Lab I probably bonded with the most. I'm so grateful to be in touch with her blind person to know how well she's doing.  I only hope that one day, when she's retired or Bill doesn't need her anymore, we'll be able to have her back with us again.  &l...

Japanese Rescue Dachshund Finds New Home in Canada

Meet PETA animal rescuer Ashley Fruno and pretty red longhair 'Belle,' a Dachshund who was apparently left abandoned in Niigata, south of Sendai — the area affected worst by the March earthquake and tsunami.   Belle will have a wonderful new home with Ms. Fruno's parents, who reside in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.  Excerpt from Canada.com:A B.C. couple is adopting Belle, a red-haired dachshund that was abandoned after the massive earthquake and tsunami that rocked Japan last month.The dog — who is believed to be four or five years old and in good health — was left with an animal shelter in Niigata, when her guardian fled...

Dachshund of War

Spend five minutes in the complex mind of handsome red smooth piebald 'Sammy.'   By youtuber TheSlammerma...

Wiener Dog Cake

Looks yummy!  Via Cake Central:  Half of the cake is chocolate w/ vanilla BC and white w/strawberry ...

Welcome Home Drew: Soldier's Missing Dachshund Found!

Here's a feel-good story to jump-start your Monday:  We're sure you remember reading about SSgt. John Mathatas, who was coming home to Brunswick, Ohio from the Middle East, but his Dachshund 'Drew' had just gone missing, and his family was trying to locate him before the veteran arrived.  Well, better late than never, because Drew was returned to the family on Friday!  Excerpt from newsnet5:Right before an area soldier was set to return, his best friend went missing. Now, weeks, later, Staff. Sgt. John Mathatas’s dog has been returned.Mathatas’s parents were watching Drew, an 8-year-old miniature dachshund,...

Dachshund Accessory of the Week: Cork Pet

Maybe if you order today, you might have it in time for a special hostess gift this Easter.  It's the Dachshund Cork Pet or Desk Pet.  Via Buffalo News:  Sit! Shake! Hold a cork! Well, one out of three isn’t bad. Corky Dog is a handcrafted pewter dachshund trained, so to speak, to hold a cork. It’s one of several Desk Pets available to display a bottle stopper— perhaps from an anniversary dinner or other special occasion. Corky also would be happy to accessorize the vino at any gathering you’re hosting. Or to serve as a gift for a dog-and wine-loving friend. We found him displayed alongside cat and poodle Desk Pets at the Perfect...

It's D-A-C-H-S-H-U-N-D

DACHSHUND:  Perplexing Spelling Bee Students All Around The WorldShe misspelt our favorite word, but congrats goes out to first-time contender Hanuushah Vizabaskaran for taking the crown at the Selangor RHB-New Straits Times National Spell-It-Right (SIR) Challenge in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, on Saturday.  Excerpt from the New Straits Times:  Hanuushah sailed through words like "brittle" and "atrocious" but tripped up on "dachshund".However, the top title was hers after she got "inimical" right and her opponent, Khadeejah Abdul Halim, misspelt "drollery" in a tiebreaker. "I am surprised that I got so far. I didn't expect to...

Rainy days mean dips in my wallet.

How wonderful that my day off is a rainy and wet Saturday.  Luckily, Ferguson was able to do some running and get a long walk in before it got too bad, so hopefully he's out for the day.I'm not totally off, I suppose, as I'm petsitting for Eric's mom while they're out of town, so a few times a day, I take the 20 minute drive over to their house in the country to care for Ella, their dog, and Gracie and Hershey Kiss, their two very friendly adolescent cats. What's funny is that the cats seem to be more interested in me than Ella, who is content after she's let out and eats her meal.  So, today, I'll venture on over again around dinner...