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The Daily Dachshund

It is wet, cold, rainy, and windy......and my wieners refuse to pee!

 by Stephanie Gregerson on 10/05/11

It is wet, cold, rainy, and windy......is anyone else having trouble getting their wieners to pee????

LOL, it happens every single time!!! A little inclement weather rolls in and my dachshunds just shut down. Each time it happens, I vow to invent a dachshund potty place that they can hide in and go, but I never actually get around to doing it. We either have to trick them into going potty for us, stand outside with them, or finally go for the gold....walk them around the block until they can't hold it any longer!! Our poor vertically-challenged pups are just not "All Weather" creatures. They want what they want when they want it!!!!

This is quite a conundrum for us desert rats. We are parched from the heat, dying for some moisture, and then when it finally comes we cringe a little because we know that our long low-riders won't be very cooperative.

Maybe next time I will invent that dachshund outhouse after all.....

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Here we go...New website and a fresh start!

 by Stephanie Gregerson on 09/09/11

Welcome to our first blog entry for On My Way Home Dachshund Rescue! 

After many attempts and a couple of hiccups, we are pleased that our new website is being launched.  Please bear with us as we make changes and tweak the website, but at least we are up and running!!

Tomorrow is Mutts on Main Street at The District at Green Valley Ranch.  We are very excited about this event, as there will be many people attending and it means more exposure for the little ones in rescue.  Currently, we have 37 dogs in rescue and are desperate for foster homes, volunteers, donations, and adopters to provide forever homes and love to these angels.  Mutts on Main Street is held monthly from September through May, so we have been waiting all summer to get our little ones back to this venue. 

Last week, I presented Greta, a 13-year-old (she may be older - we are unsure of her exact age) foster doxie to the vet's office.  She remained there all day today in order to run several blood tests throughout the course of the day in order to test her for Cushing's disease.   2 previous blood tests confirmed elevated liver enzymes but this one confirmed that she does, in fact, have Cushing's disease.  Her foster mommy has a dog with Cushing's and was alert to the signs and symptoms, so we are doing what we can to help this sweet and beautiful senior girl to feel better.  Tomorrow she starts her new medication and we will be on our way to managing her illness.   Cushing's disease is common in dachshunds, yet Greta is our first rescue to have the condition. 

Princess, a paralyzed 7 to 9 year old angel who entered the rescue 2 weeks ago is getting a new wheelchair to make her life easier.  We are going to help this sweet girl to do all of the things that she still wants to do, including taking walks around the neighborhood.  She is an inspiration - - she never slows down and embraces life to the fullest.   We don't know much about Princess' history, but it appears as though she has had prior spine surgery.  As we all know, dachshunds are prone to disc problems in the spine and Princess is our first paralyzed dachshund to enter the rescue.  She is a shining example of pushing on and embracing life despite our disadvantages and disabilities. 

Yesterday afternoon, we welcomed Sparrow into the rescue...along with her 6 puppies that are only 3 days old.  The little ones were born in an animal shelter.  This precious little dachshund / Chihuahua mommy is grateful to be settled into a foster home, but we are in serious need of a foster home that can take them on for a longer period of time.  Sparrow is quite small and quiet, only about 9 to 10 pounds, and her babies are so very tiny and adorable.  We need a foster home that can keep them until they are 8 weeks of age and can be adopted into loving homes.  If you are able to help us foster this mommy and her babies, please contact Stephanie at 702-528-6212 for a foster application. 

Recent adoptions included William, Delilah, and Brownie.  We are proud that we have found forever homes for 70 dogs so far this year!

That is all for now.  Thank you to all of our supporters, fosters, and volunteers.  You are the rescue and we would be nothing without you.

-Steph

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   Dachshunds originate from Germany and they were created to hunt badgers, which were a problem for farmers (“Dachs” meaning badger and “Hund” meaning dog).  If you have never seen a badger, take a look at the photo provided…they are a rather fierce creature that can weigh about 30 pounds.  In order to create a dog to hunt a badger, they needed a dog that was stubborn, tenacious, courageous, fearless, short (to fit into holes), and with loose skin (so that the badgers would only bite skin and not reach vital organs).  Through time, smaller sizes of dachshunds were created in order to hunt smaller prey, including rabbits, prairie dogs, and other small prey.   While the current dachshunds that we love and include as part of our families might not recognize a badger if they see one, it is important to realize that they are hounds first and have a very big personality despite their small size.

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Have you ever owned a dachshund?  For those of you who answered yes, you know the joy that these little ones can bring into our lives and are aware of their good points as well as their challenging ones.  If your answer is no, then please be prepared for great times (don’t even think of telling them that they are not human) with a hound that has an, “all or nothing,” mentality.
Dachshunds vary in size (all sizes relate to the dog’s “healthy but not fat” weight after 1 year of age) and include miniature (up to 11 pounds), tweenie (12 to 19 pounds), and standard (20 pounds and above).  Their coat types are smooth (short-hair), long-hair, and wire-hair. 

    When a dachshund decides to do something, they do it 100%.  Because they were originally bred to hunt (not just look cute and cuddle), they do best when they are exercised regularly, not just in the backyard, but for walks or runs.  A hound should also be fed a specific amount of food twice daily (no free-feeding dachshunds, because they are hounds and will eat anything in sight).  You do NOT want to allow your dachshund to become overweight because they have a tendency towards disc injuries in the spine and this will cause additional strain on their backs.  Dachshunds also do not understand their size and they will try anything.  Never allow your dachshund to jump from high places such as couches, chairs, beds, etc.  Do not allow your dachshund to hang out of your car window while driving unless they are securely attached to a seatbelt…they WILL jump out of the window (we even know a senior dachshund who had no history of window jumping, but decided to jump out after one of our meetup events because he wanted to stay with his dachshund friends).  Be prepared to anticipate their actions before it can occur.  They should not be walked off of leash, as they are a typical hound and can take off running and chasing anything and be so focused on the chase that they never hear you calling out. 

    Typical difficulties that dachshund owners experience include a stubborn streak, barking, difficulty with housetraining (dachshunds would rather not go potty outside when it is cold, wet, rainy, snowy, etc.), spine injuries, and biting when not properly socialized.  Obedience training of dachshunds is encouraged in order to reduce some of these issues that might occur.  Dachshunds are very intelligent (contrary to popular belief)…it is just a matter of having them think that everything was their idea and not yours.  With this in mind, when training your dachshund the most effective and simple method is with the use of treats as a reward.  Since dachshunds are hounds with an endless appetite, they learn very quickly how to earn a treat (just use smaller training treats so that they don’t get too many calories).  Rewarding your dachshund with a praise and a treat every time they potty outside is a very easy way to successfully potty-train a dachshund. 

    Dachshund enthusiasts (better known as people owned by dachshunds) know that dachshunds are both endearing and unique.  They require much effort from their humans but if you are up to the task then you will find an amazing life as you bond and connect with these amazing little hounds. 

    It is very important to be aware of the breed fully before deciding whether or not you are prepared to have a dachshund as a part of your life.