My Story...How I Came To Share My Home With Sammy and Otto

[Pat]

My name is Pat. My husband passed away 1.5 yrs ago after battling cancer for several yrs. I have 3 children...the older two are out of the house, and the youngest will be a senior in high school this yr. My youngest got a job this summer, so between work and friends he's hardly ever home. I went from being part of a family of 5 to being alone most of the time! The house was getting so quiet!

I started talking several months ago about getting a dog. I've never had a dog before, so I was a little nervous about it. The older kids thought it was a great idea, but the youngest asked me to wait until he goes away to college. Shouldn't that be the other way around...the mom saying no to the kid??? Turns out he doesn't have anything against dogs in general, but he figured he'd get stuck doing all the work involved with having one. I assured him that this was my idea so I'll do the feeding, bathing, etc. I kept thinking a while longer, and then my oldest son called and said he was getting a Puggle puppy. That gave me the incentive to get looking.

My son was getting his puppy from a breeder, but I thought I wanted to check out the animal shelter to see if I could find a dog in need of a home. I looked on their website and saw these two adorable dachshunds. I called and asked if the younger one was still available. The lady said yes, but that they were really hoping to place the two together. I said never mind then because I'd never even had a dog before, let alone two! She convinced me to come in and see the other dogs. I said my criteria was "small with short hair." I saw a min pin that ran 90 mph around the room...too fast for me! And I saw a couple of other little dogs that they said had issues more complex than they would recommend for a first-time dog owner. That left Sammy and Otto. They were adorable, and Sammy was being such a good Daddy, following Otto around licking his face. Evidently the mom was at the shelter too, but she had been adopted a few days earlier. My heart melted, and I now share my home with the two of them! I'm always tempted to say I "own" two dogs, but most days I feel like they own me!

Another reason for getting a dog (or two) was to get my behind off the couch and moving. We walk as soon as I get home from work, and again before bedtime. I've lost over 10 lbs since I've had them.

I suppose this is way more info than you wanted, so I'll quit. I'm excited to read up on lots of the threads here and excited to have a place to come with all my questions!

Thanks everyone!
Pat:flowerysmile:

[Melisande]

Sounds like they are wonderfull little angels for you! I cant wait to see pictures! These little ones do melt your heart at first sight!

:welcome: Welcome to the board! :wavesmile:

[Suzanne R]

Thanks for sharing your story! And good for you not taking the min pin - they have aggression issues if not trained properly (maybe that's why it was at the shelter?). Dachsies can be stubborn on occasion and hard to train, too, but that's just part of their amazing character, IMHO. I'm so glad you took both of them - dogs are pack animals, and do so much better with a buddy! Great story! And again :welcome:! I, too, am "owned" by two rescue dachsies, Jack and Lexie. And they give me, every day, unconditional love. (And occasionally, a little bit of "dachsie-tude!:D) Such a unique breed! My daughter and I raised Samoyeds for a number of years, and I love that breed, also. But Dachsies are something very special! (Also cheaper to feed and smaller poop to scoop.) Did I suggest the book "Dachsunds for Dummies?" It's GREAT!

[Pat]

Melisande, I posted pictures somewhere. I keep losing myself in all these different forums. Let me know if you don't find them.

Suzanne, I know about stubborn. I can call these guys till I'm blue in the face, and you'd swear they have hearing problems. But as soon as they hear the rattle of the packaging that holds their treats, they come flying! Obedience training will do all of us good...can't wait!

Pat

[dutchman]

Great story and welcome to the board.

[maddoxies]

Melisande, I posted pictures somewhere. I keep losing myself in all these different forums. Let me know if you don't find them.

Suzanne, I know about stubborn. I can call these guys till I'm blue in the face, and you'd swear they have hearing problems. But as soon as they hear the rattle of the packaging that holds their treats, they come flying! Obedience training will do all of us good...can't wait!

Pat

Your pictures are in the Brag Book and Test area.

These guys are stubborn aren't they??? But we still love them; such a difference after having golden retrievers for 30 years :faint:

My condolences on the passing of your husband.

[zoeysmom]

Yes - they're masters at selective hearing:D

[Pat]

maddoxies, thanks for the condolences. It's been over 1.5 yrs, and some days are still really hard. I guess going to work every day is a blessing, because Fri coming home from work is always hard for me. At least now I have a reason to come home...my pooches are waiting to go for a walk! Everyone praises me for adopting these guys, which I know is an important thing to do. But people don't realize how much the dogs have done for me too. The kids and I laugh, because my husband would have never had one dog in the house, let alone two. He firmly believed that dogs belong out in the country where they can be outside. I'm not so sure these guys would fair very well outside in the country! :doggie:

Pat

[Suzanne R]

My best friend at work lost her husband of 40 years to lung cancer on Easter Sunday, and I know what she's going through still. My condolences to you, also. And yes, these furkids do as much (or MORE) for us than we do for them. Dachsies are very unique - they have "dachsie-tude" and that's why we love them all the more, I guess! I raised Samoyeds for years, and they were GREAT dogs - but their personalities were so much different than dachsies. I, too, look forward to going home after work and being greeted by my crew of two. It's a great reason for going home! And they're always there, with their unconditional love and compassion for us. I firmly believe they're TONS smarter than we give them credit for! And no, dachsies are definitely NOT outside dogs. Unfortunately, many of them live that way for years and if they're lucky, they are given up or seized and get into rescue. It's amazing how disposable people think pets are. I volunteer with a dachsie rescue group, and I never feel like I'm doing enough.

[oscarforevermom]

What a great story Pat!! Once you are owned by dachsies - your life is never the same!!

I have 2 minis that live with me - both smooths. Oscar is B/T and Buck is a little Redhead. There are no words to explain how much I love them. My daughter owns Buck's litter brother, Topo Gigio and a senior rescue B/T named Sammy.

I just got back from vacation at her home in the Atlanta area and the pups all had a blast being together. We clebrated Buck & Topo's 2nd birthday and they all had cake and ice cream. Oscar will be 3 in Feb and Sammy is going to be 9 yrs old on his next birthday.

I use a tether leash to walk my little men. It's one leash with two ends at the end of a Y so you can attach it to their harness D ring to walk them without them getting tangled up. I bought mine at PetSmart. I like to walk them with a harness because I think a collar pulls on their neck and back too much.

Thanks for sharing your story with us. Hope we can help in anyway to help you with your babies.

[Pat]

Do they mind being on one leash? I looked at those when I was at PetSmart. I also looked at the harnesses, but someone told me those encourage the dogs to pull. I tell you, I keep getting conflicting information! help2:

Pat

[MomToMazzy&More]

:welcome: to the board. Glad to have you join in. Sounds like your life has certainly had alot of changes. Good for you for going to the shelter & adopting Sammy & Otto. I adopted Mazzy 3 yrs. ago from Humane Society. She was not my first dog but she was my first doxie. I have learned so much from being a part of this board. Ask any question & you will get more answers & support than you ever would imagine. :D

[Cocoa and Me]

Do they mind being on one leash? I looked at those when I was at PetSmart. I also looked at the harnesses, but someone told me those encourage the dogs to pull. I tell you, I keep getting conflicting information! help2:

Pat

Wonderful story :) I have two mini dachshunds. One smooth coat and one long hair.

As for harnesses.... they should definitely wear a harness, not just a leash attached to the collar. Dachshunds are more prone to back problems, and using a harness helps alleviate the stress along the back and neck.

Most of us use a harness that is called Hug-A-Dox. And some of our pro sewers make their own too :)

:welcome: again to the board :wavesmile:

[oscarforevermom]

Do they mind being on one leash? I looked at those when I was at PetSmart. I also looked at the harnesses, but someone told me those encourage the dogs to pull. I tell you, I keep getting conflicting information!


No - they don't mind. I'm the one holding one leash and it has 2 extentions so each one is on his own little leash. Even without the tether leash and using 2 leashes they pretty much stay fairly close - even exploring. The only thing I'm sure they are happy about is not getting tangled with each other.

You'll find that many members here use a harness instead of a collar to walk their dogs. They do not encourage the dogs to pull. A puller will pull with a collar on or a harness on...but the harness does not choke them like a collar would.

I still keep a collar on them with ID when we walk - but it's off when we come home. I let them run 'naked' in the house. :D

[Julian&MistyMom]

Pat, thank you for sharing your story with us. My deepest sympathy for the loss of your husband. :hug2:Sounds as if Sammy and Otto were meant to be with you. Fate stepped in, for sure. And yes, I completely agree that harnesses are best for our dachshies. Wouldn't use anything but, actually. We are so glad you and Sammy and Otto are here!!

[Rusty's mom]

Hi Pat and welcome to the DBB:welcome: Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful story of your two little ones. I'm so glad that they found such a wonderful forever home with you. I have 3 little ones, 1 male b/t smooth, 1 male b/t long hair, 1 female red smooth. We got our Holly from rescue and she fit into our family so well. I sure do look forward to hearing more about your little ones.

kathy - mom to Holly, Hobbs, Dickens