They say that holding or petting a dog is good for your health. Maybe it lowers your stress level and blood pressure, calms your heart a bit. But, all I know is that is sure makes me feel better.
I’ve had an affinity for dachshunds since I was a child and we had a “weenie dog” named Sugar, who grew up with me and my little sister and was a part of the family. As an adult, I have had two female miniature doxies that were a huge part of my life and took pieces of my heart with them when they passed. When we lost the last one at the age of 12 last year, I swore I would never have another – it was simply to devastating to let them go. Let me just say that caring for aging dogs and accepting their loss is not for the faint of heart. And, so, we were content with our Blue Merle Australian Shepherd being an “only child” for a while…
However, after about a year, I found myself looking at photos of dachshund pups online. Soon, I was looking for pups available for adoption. And, before I even knew what had happened, I was picking one up, bringing him home and pondering what to name him!
Let me tell you, though, I had forgotten what it is like to have a new puppy – a six-week old puppy, at that – in the house. That first night was rough! I quickly learned that he could scale the sides of the plastic laundry basket we used for a temporary bed. And he needed a warm body to snuggle with to fall asleep So, you can probably guess where he ended up!
The first few days passed in a haze. A haze of too little sleep and lots of Clorox wipes and paper towels to wipe up the accidents left in his wake! But, we settled into a bit of a routine and carried on with crate training and frequent trips outside while he resisted the collar and leash. Slowly, it got easier to leave him for a couple of hours while he napped in his crate. And the accidents became less frequent. And he started sleeping longer at night with only one trip outside in the wee hours of the morning.
And here we are, 5+ weeks into the great new adventure, and we have made so much progress. He has found his place in the family and loves playing with his big brother, Jack. (And Jack loves having a little brother to boss around and play tug with the toys.)
He has learned that he has to be content with the crate when Mommy leaves out the front door and that we “go potty” outside – for the most part. He’s heard the work “NO” at least 272,645 times and seems to be grasping what it means (usually running the other way). And, maybe most importantly, he is realizing that breakfast will NOT be served before 6:00 AM!
Bringing a new dog into the mix is a huge commitment, as I am sure most pet owners will agree! While it has been, and will continue to be, a lot of work and effort, the rewards are so great. Dogs have a way of bringing out the best in us with their unconditional love and devotion.
Oh, and we finally settled on a name – RUSTY! But, honestly, we call him by his nickname most of the time – HOT ROD!!! It seems to suit him well. Welcome to the family, little one!
Welcome to the porch... 