Happy 13th birthday to my sweet beloved Spaatz. My black and tan dappled dachshund with one blue eye. He's finally starting to slow down, but he's been the ultimate alpha dog forever. He still is and let's the newish guy, Flynn, know that he's still the man. This dynamic will change one day, I know, just not yet.
The pack is getting along fine. Flynn is a very energetic knucklehead that keeps the old dogs going.
Miss Sandie is also about 13 as far as we'll ever know. She has slowed down much more than Spaatz. Unfortunately she is nearly blind from cataracts. At first when we got Flynn she wouldn't play with him
but now they play often. It's great to see the old dogs get up and play again when you add a youngster to the group. That's how we keep the pack going. As the dogs get older, we add new blood to the group
I hope to never be dachshundless. They make everything better, They always make me feel better , even in the toughest circumstances. Their devotion is endless, I'm so lucky to have them here to get through this thing called life together.
So we've been away for awhile. It felt very odd to only have 2 dogs. After having 4 for 7 years and 3 for, I was going to say 8, but we had Watson years ago so there was more than that. Anyway, we are back to 3 with the arrival of the new guy. Let me introduce you to Flynn. He is our first long haired dachshund. He's sweet and loving, but needs some work to be his best boy he can be.
We were kinda thinking that we would get another wire haired dachshund, but the simple truth is they're hard to find. I thought that we could maybe get a long hair. It would be cool to have one of each coat type. We have known several nice long hairs, My daughter has had three of them.
Here we have Lorelei, who is Spaatz's sister and Hugo and Rupert. My daughter's dogs, two are long hairs.
The funny thing is that the way we got Flynn is almost identical to the way we got Foozeball, who passed away this past December at the age of 14. My husband is the dog control officer for our town, as he has been for 22 years. In both cases he was taking a stray to the shelter, and when he gets there it's "we have a dachshund for you". Both dogs came from non-ideal circumstances, so they come to live with us, a veritable dachshund paradise.
Think about it. Friends to play with, dog beds to sleep on in every room, unless there's a couch available. A fenced in backyard, complete with red and grey squirrels, chipmunks and the occasional mouse or vole. Spaatz even caught and dispatched a weasel in the woodpile. There's a bluegrass fiddle and banjo song there somewhere.
So now we embark on a new chapter in the lives of My Three Doxsons. Flynn is about 1 1/2 and he has spent most of his time cooped up in an apartment barking, so he will have to learn some manners. He is very smart with a great play drive, so I think he has a lot of potential. We have work to do, I'll keep you posted.
The original My Three Doxsons: Spaatz, Miss Peaches and Foozeball.
I am sad to say that yesterday we had to say goodbye to Foozeball. It's always hard to say goodbye to someone who has been such a big part of your life for the past 14 plus years, but that time had come.
I'd like to say that we're very proud that we were able to give him a really full life. Just a pup, the SPCA was going to put him down because he was turned in, and was biting everyone who worked there.
We took him in and it took time, but we were able to help him get over his bad habits. Plus he had friends to hang out with always and a yard with a fence, and plenty of squirrels to bark at.
He got to travel from Maine to Florida, with many stops along the way. We took the dogs on camping trips and road trips to see grandma in Cape Cod. We went for walkies on the Hudson Valley Rail Trail.
He even was able to get together with my daughters dachshunds for the holidays a few times as well.
He's the one with the Star Wars shirt on. I know, it's a bit of a melee. Reduces the clean up time though!
I know it's My Three Doxson's, but for awhile it will be just two. If you want to get technical it was four for a long time. Life is always in changing and we'll miss the "Old Man", because he was if nothing else a bit of a character, which is why he was Foozeball. All he really wanted was a warm place to be, a heater vent, a sunbeam, but mostly my lap. I'll miss you Mr. Foo.
Foozeball, the old man. That name makes you think that this guy is a little bit different. You would be right. Fooze does this thing, and I'm sure there are other dachshunds that do this. Maybe even other breeds of dog that do this. I've personally known 10 dachshunds, and he is the only one who does.
Foozie spins for his supper, or basically anything edible, sometimes just the refill of the water dish. He has done this since he was a puppy. There is usually a certain amount of whining, yelping, shrieking that goes along with this display that digestables are to be celebrated everyday. No matter what it is.This is a little film I did from 2012. So Foozie is only 5 years old and Spaatz seen briefly mixing it up with Fooze is a mere pup of 2. This is when I was coming home to their dinner time, which can be crazy.
One morning when I was feeding them, it was quite early, I hadn't turned the lights on, Fooze was spinning as usual, he tripped over my husbands boots and crashed pretty bad. I laughed so hard, and I wasn't even awake yet. Not to worry, he got right up and continued on with his happy dance and food.
Nowadays with Fooze being 14, and Spaatz being nearly 10 things have slowed down quite a bit, and the boys can usually be found just chillin. That's what they do best. Chillin in the hot sun.
Hot dogs chillin in the sun. If there is a ray of sunshine available, these guys will find it. I do spend and unusual amount of time repositioning different dog pillows and beds about the house as the sun moves throughout the day. This is particularly so during the cooler months of the year.
Now as the days get warmer they will be seeking the sunshine, then looking for a cool place to lay as it will just be too hot, even for the heat seeking dachshund to lay in the sun all day.
The spinning happy dance is about to commence because these guys are starving, and waiting for me to even come close to the food bowls. sometimes the celebration starts early and I tell them it's "too early". They know this translates to "No food now", so they just start waiting again. Such is life, hurry up and wait.
Oh Sandiepoo, so sweet and funny. She is Miss Fluffy Muffins, and we love her. Not the sharpest tool in the shed by any means, but the sweetest by far. I usually keep Miss muffins trimmed up, except for the signature beard and eyebrows that let us know that we have a wire haired dachshund.
Right now though she has gone full "O-Cedar", and I let it happen. Ordinarily in the winter I will keep her groomed so she doesn't get matted and we keep all that fur under control. Then she wears a sweater.
This year I had intended to shave her, but kept putting it off. Then it was so dang cold I decided to let her go with the fur. I know I will regret this at some point. I don't want her to go on full mop like before. Here she is, her first winter with us. Now, I at least keep her "nosehairs" trimmed so we can see her eyes
All that fur does give her protection from the elements. She goes out in the cold and snow and basically has a good time rolling around. The boys are both smoothies and not up for the real cold.
Spaatz gets to shivering out in the cold if he's not busy with something. I would love to put a sweater on him, but he just hates any type of clothing at all. His body language stiffens up and he is miserable until you take it off. Fooze always has some type of shirt or sweater on. He is getting pretty old now at nearly 14 and really would rather not go out in the cold if he can get away with it. Believe me, he tries.
Soon it will be getting warmer and we will have to think about giving Sandie the big shave. It will take me over and hour and there will be fur everywhere, including stuck to my nose.
She behaves pretty well during the process. Getting her legs done nicely is the biggest challenge. That and her undercarriage. Ever try to shave the underside of a dachshund? There's not a whole lot of room
Afterwards she is so sweet and "doughy" and she runs around like a new dog and is so happy. It makes it all worthwhile. Whether her coat is short or long she's always the sweetest little muffin you'll know.
Foozie, Spaatz and Sandie, aka Miss Fluffy Muffins
Spaatz is my right hand man, literally. He is nearly always by my side, next to me, on my lap, sleeps at night with his head on my shoulder. If I let out a big sigh, he does it too. Which makes me laugh.What's really crazy is that he will be 11 years old this year. Where has the time gone? Seems like not too long ago he was a little puppy who was a bit of a jerk and I wasn't too sure about. I confess the reason I got him, sight unseen was a cosmetic one. That blue eye. I wanted a dachshund with different color eyes. Dachshunds are a breed of infinite coat color and fur type and even eye color combinations.
That makes an already fun breed to have so many possibilities. The different coat types even have different personalities. I do love the wire hairs so much, they are more laid back than smoothies, a utility dog, into hunting. That said, Spaatz lives to hunt. It may be that he grew up with Miss Peaches, my golden girl wire. She taught him well, and carries on without her, keeping us safe from vermin.
Dachshunds are known for their devotion, and Spaatz decided I am his person and I find it rather touching. We currently have 3 dachshunds, Spaatz being my hero, Sandie who loves my husband and he is her person, though she gives her love to me as well. Foozeball is a bit of a weirdo, who seems to love the heating vent more than anything else, but after supper he NEEDS me to sit down somewhere so he can sit on my lap. Otherwise he will sit on my foot, or attach himself to my ankle.
Spaatz has been so great during the pandemic to have by my side. My pack is an endless source of love and entertainment. Probably a couple of the most needed things in the time of this, hopefully, once in a century plague. I am so grateful to have them, and look forward to many more good times with them.
My sweet Peachy is really starting to show all those years, all 14 of them. She sleeps most of the time, only getting up when she has to go out, or to get a drink or eat, of course, her favorite thing.
She's got that skinny old dog look, which if they hang around long enough I don't know that you can avoid it. She is definitely eating enough. I'm doing the best I can to keep her comfortable.
Miss Peaches is the oldest dog we've ever had, she has been the matriarch of the dog family here even though she's never had a pup herself. She still asserts herself occasionally, but Spaatz is officially top dog here now. He has a very dynamic personality, a born leader. He and Sandie are each ten years old
so we don't have any pups in the stable. They are both very energetic dogs. To me they seem like they're maybe 7 or 8 years old. Spaatz hunts woodland creatures most of the day, while Sandie is his backup.
Sandie tries to help out when it comes to hunting rodents, but she really is just too silly and not the sharpest tool in the shed. Which actually, is her main appeal. The complete goofball is her tactic.
Then there is Foozeball, who is 13 and pretty deaf, so if you try to tell him anything it's probably waste of time. Sometimes he heads out the front door and just keeps going to the backyard despite yelling at the top of your lungs to come back. He does eventually do so, so not to worry.
So that rounds out the crew status report. Miss Peachy continues to hang tough.. She can stay as long as she is able and not hurting. I'm helping her out a lot, carrying her to and fro. She knows to bark for me when she needs help. Dachshunds are known to be brave to the point of "foolhardiness" but this old gal is just taking it smooth and easy from here on out.
Miss Peaches has turned 14! This is truly a major milestone in our family. We have had many dogs over the years, some mutts, a doberman, a lab and several dachshunds. She's the first to make it past 13. Happy birthday Peachy, Peachypoo, Poohey, Pooh-bear, Booboo, Booface.
Our current crew can all be considered seniors. Spaatz and Sandie will be 10 this year, although they still seem like dogs in their prime. Spaatz the mighty hunter, Sandie tries but her goofiness makes her not quite the hunter he is. They are all great dogs with different doxie personalities.
Miss Peaches has gotten pretty persnickety in her old age. She wants, what she wants, when she wants it. She will definitely let me know when she wants something. Usually it's about food, but it might be to be put up on the couch, despite there being doggie stairs available. She also lets me know when she wants to go in or out. That may be a subtle grumble so you have to pay attention.
The communication is usually in the form of loud barking. If she wants dinner, she will come and find me and bark in a pretty forcefully. Her stomach clock tends to run a little fast. If I tell her "it's too early" while she doesn't understand what I'm saying, she gets that she's not getting food right now.
The old gal has plenty of spirit when she's awake. I love when she gets up off the couch in the morning and goes in the crate in the kitchen and snuggles down in the comfy dog bed like it's her day job. Happy birthday sweet Peachy, may you have many more!!
