Friday Night At The Movies With Joey and Rowdy: Pluto's Heart Throb

It's been four long years since we featured beautiful 'Dinah' the Dachshund in Pluto's Heart Throb.  Grab a Dachsie, set 'em on your lap, and catch it before The Man takes it down. 

Related:  Dinah the Dachshund

Mortimer: The Wonely Wiener Dog

Meet 'Morty.'  He's six years old, he's from Toronto, and he (and his father!) are looking for love.  We laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed. By youtuber theto711.

Wirehair Wednesday: Oliver's Travels

What's he rebelling against?  Whaddya got?  'Oliver,' who hails from Sterling, Connecticut, is the Maitre De at Sterling Pet Lodge, and studied Attention Span Growth at Woof.  Feeling the need for wind in his beard, today he took out 'Bertha' for a spin.  Keep up with this handsome guy at Facebook.

2012 South Beach Dachshund Winterfest -- World's Longest Dachshund Video!

Hundreds of long dogs and their humans descended on Lummus Park in Miami Beach, Florida, on Saturday for the 10th annual South Beach Dachshund Winterfest.   Activities included Dachshund Fortune Telling, Doxie Funhouse (tunnels, Odor-ama, scary badgers!), a Talent Show, Singing of the Dach Song and The Grand March! We're so jealous.
Awesome video - The World's Longest Dachshund Video as a matter of fact! - by youtuber Elga Gutierres.

Ouijee Quits

Ouijee Quits
by 'Ouijee'
Edited by Whitaker Williams for the American Dachshund magazine, January, 1973

In time, one can adjust to almost anything - even Obedience School.  By the end of the first lesson I had learned to "sit."  A couple of lessons later I learned to "stay."  But it was harder to teach me to "down" than most dogs.  When your chest is only an inch off the ground when you are standing, just to eliminate that inch seems irrelevant.  And from the point of view of a standing adult human being it is hard to ascertain whether I am standing, siting, or lying prone so, after four lessons when all the other canines collapsed gratefully at the command "down," I was still sitting. I caught up with the class two lessons later however. And when, at the end of the seventh lesson, the other pupils were heeling close to their master's leg with the leash tossed casually over a right shoulder, I was still struggling.
My father looked exasperated.  "Ouijee, what gives?  Are you stupid or just stubborn?" In answer I gave him the most withering look I could conjure up on short notice to warn him that he had better be nice or I would turn into Gomer Pyle again. 
As I said, you can adjust to anything so I went to the eighth lesson with an esprit de vie, un coer heureus, and a hey nonny-nonny and a ha cha-cha knowing that after this there were only four more lessons to go and I was still surviving.
The lesson started without event.  I noticed a new pupil, a Wire-haired Terrier named Cubby.  It was obvious that he hadn't slept well the night before or had gotten up on the wrong side of the bed as he was glaring and growling at everyone.  We all have our off days so I thought little of it.  I decided that he had just been watching too many gangster movies on the late, late show.  I hated myself for it but couldn't help thinking, "That mutt does not belong in Obedience School.  He's the Reform School type."
Just before we took our recess Gene had us line up single file to exit out the back door.  Just ahead of the door he was stationed with the Wire-haired and we all had to pass by, sort of like a reception line, but instead of shaking hands with each of us Cubby simply showed his teeth and snarled.  It is a very unique twist for a formal party don't you think, but I'm afraid it will never catch on.
Gene had armed himself with a training wand or whatever they call it.  It seems it is an electrically charged thing-u-ma-jig, and is supposed to induce obedience.  I gather that when applied to a dog's epidermis it produces the same pleasurable sensation that a dentist's drill does when it hits a nerve.
During recess we learned that our dear little buddy, Cubby, had been expelled from another school, not for using a switchblade but for making do with his own teeth.  The authorities issued an ultimatum that either Cubby be taught to conform to society or else!  Gene, whose card reads "Whatever your problems - we can correct them," agreed to correct Cubby's problem.  Now I wouldn't have my worst enemy "or elsed" so it was all right with me. 
In the second session our new "tricky" trick was to learn the figure eight.  It is done in couples.  One master places his dog on the floor with commands to "sit" and "stay" and then moves back about twelve feet.  A second master and his dog weave in and out, around the dog and then around his master, in a figure eight.  This, I thought, could be fun done to music like a square dance.
Before we tried the exercise we were paired off, the Sheep Dog with the Abominable Snowman, a pair of Shepherds, the two Afghans and so on down according to size.  And who do I end up with?  The juvenile delinquent.  But I was so happy that Cubby was being rehabilitated that I really didn't mind.  To play it safe, however, Gene took the place of Cubby, who should have been stationed on the floor.  Cubby's master stood at the other end of the figure eight with Cubby, on a short leash, between his legs.  With my father I started weaving in and out.  I wasn't afraid.  Saint Francis would look after me.  We made several successful passes and - then it happened.  Cubby lunged, set his teeth in my side.  I screamed in pain, my father almost had a stroke, and Gene pried Cubby's teeth off my rib cage.  It all happened in just a moment, they could find no blood but we were all unstrung - mostly me.
I'm afraid that Saint Francis had just stepped out for a short beer.  On second thought, no.  It could have been much worse.  No serious harm was done.  Really good Saint Francis was in there pitching.  But you can understand that I was all in favor of calling the whole thing off and being a dropout from O.S. as of that very moment. 
Gene and my father decided against it.  We stayed the next ten minutes until the end of the class.  They didn't ask me what I wanted to do so I just waited in shock until the bell rang.  Home had never looked so good and I settled down to lick my wounds.  Father thought that I was just bruised but he soon discovered that I had been chewed by a couple of canine cuspids.  I'd had enough for one day, and I was worn to a raveling thread.  I went to sleep.
The next day we saw the veterinarian.  I had already been given rabies shots; so there was no problem on that score, but there is always the worry about infection from a dog bite so I had to take six antibiotic pills over a period of three days.  I take vitamins every day and I gobble them right down.  They're not bad.  But the antibiotic jobs!  Ugh!  I refused them until my father decided to bury one in a half teaspoon of ice cream. Man!  Did I slurp it right down in a hurry.  It was the first human food I had ever eaten.  You know what?  I could eat ice cream forever. 
The next week we went back to school again.  I had hoped the place would burn down but it hadn't.  I felt like a guy getting back on a horse after he had been thrown in a steeplechase and had broken both of his legs and an arm or two.  I began to tremble the minute we started off in the car and by the time we arrived I was vibrating like a harp string.  I was shaking so badly that I think my teeth were chattering.  If it hadn't been a hot night, I'd have sworn that I was having a chill. 
The minute we stepped through the door I spied Cubby.  In all honesty I had no impulse to rush up and kiss him to let him know that all was forgiven.  Instead I backed right into my father.  We then discovered that the monster was wearing a tight muzzle - one week too late.  Impulsively I wished that it were made of wet rawhide and would shrink as it dried.  Then I promptly unwished the wish.  A fate like that I couldn't choose even for Cubby but I did hope that his muzzle was tight enough to hurt just a little - all right, quite a little!
The lesson began as usual.  We all lined up and started walking around the room, heeling.  Gene gave the command to toss leashes over right shoulders and make us heel without restraint.  For the first time I cooperated.  I couldn't get close enough to my father's left leg for whatever protection it might afford.  A burned child dreads fire and, Man!  I had been burned.
I behaved pretty well.  I responded to all the commands, but like someone in a daze, and between each one I tugged at the leash with the rear exit door the main objective.  Every other dog seemed a potential enemy and for the first time I was aware of how many were in the class.  I felt all the calm composure of a not-too-apt swimmer, being tossed into a school of man-eating sharks, wondering, "Who gets the first bite?"
When recess eventually came I tugged toward the exit door.  We didn't head for the wide open fields as usual but, without any collusion between the two of us, we both made straight for the car.
Father drove slowly.  "Relax, Baby," he said.  "You've had it and, believe me, so have I.  We're not going back.  You won't get your diploma but that doesn't matter.  You have a Heidelberg scar instead.  Wear it proudly!  And you've learned all the important things; to sit, to stay, to come, and to mind me.  And you know what 'NO!' means.  You may not take top honors in a figure eight contest but who in the world can you figure eight with in suburbia?"
I stopped shivering.  Life, once more, was a beautiful, delectable, wonderful bowl of cherries.  I pressed my head against my father's chest to let him know I understood and then curled up in his lap.  I sighed a happy sigh and went to sleep.

END

Ouijee had several columns running in the early 1970's issues of the American Dachshund magazine.  This is one of his better ones.  And yes, our paws sure are tired from typing it out! Unrelated mid-century photo source unknown. 

Police Dispatcher Helps Dachshund Owner Save Dog's Life With Heimlich Maneuver

dispatcher 12.25.11 by Bruce MacLeod

(Click to play 911 call).  Imagine that it's a festive Christmas morning and you're giving your Dachshund her Christmas present when all of a sudden she starts choking on a piece of the gift or wrapping paper.  She's going to die.  You frantically call 911 who won't send an ambulance for an animal.  Oh My Dog. 
Thankfully, this Royal Oak, Michigan 911 operator was able to help with Heimlich Maneuver instructions.  Harrowing. Via the Daily Tribune.
Make sure and learn how to do the Heimlich Maneuver on your dog so this never happens to you!

Public Safety Aide Stacey Sheldon, our Hero.

Drabbling In The Rain - Revised

Did reader pleas make it through to our favorite comic Drabble after last weeks episode where Wally so excited to go for a walk in the freezing rain?    

Thanks as always to our pal 'Princess Lea,' who hails all the way from Slovenia, for sending this in.

 

Read more Drabble at GOCOMICS.

Joey's Corner: Pouncing Piebalds

'Blair'

When you've only got the ground clearance of a Twinkie, 8" of snow can be a challenge to get around in. Fortunately, these Portland, Oregon girls are snow bunnies and enjoy short romps in the white stuff!  Via KGW News.

'Whinnie'

My First Hardcore Song

This will kick-start your Friday.  Thanks so much to Allen Robson for writing in:

Dear Joey and Rowdy,

I visit your site everyday and absolutely love it.  I've never passed anything on before but, here is a cute short video of an 8 year old girl's take on a hardcore song which includes a cameo of her Dachshund Robert. Very cute.

Very Viral!  4.5 Million views in one day!

New Drug May Help Save Dogs With Spinal Cord Injuries

The University of California, San Francisco, has announced their work with an experimental drug which may benefit dogs with spinal cord injuries.  The drug has already proven effective in mice, and the next tier of the study will look at its effectiveness in previously injured dogs:

Dogs with spinal cord injuries may soon benefit from an experimental drug being tested by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences — work that they hope will one day help people with similar injuries.
Funded through a three-year, $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Defense, the drug to mitigate damage has already proven effective in mice at UCSF. Now the Texas team will test how it works in previously injured short-legged, long torso breeds of dog like dachshunds, beagles and corgis, who often suffer injuries when a disk in their back spontaneously ruptures, damaging the underlying spinal cord.
About 120 dogs a year that develop sudden onset hind limb paralysis after such injuries are brought to the Small Animal Hospital of Texas A&M University, where they receive surgical and medical treatment similar to that for human spinal cord injury. Now, researchers will test whether the new treatment works on some of these dogs, with their owners’ consent.

Read all about the study at UCSF.  It's great to see some therapies emerging for Dachshunds afflicted with IVDD. 

Remember, if your Dachshund shows signs and symptoms of back issues, or goes completely down where they can't walk, there are options out there! Take your dog to your vet immediately, and listen to the good advice offered at Dodgerslist, your Dachshund disc disease/IVDD resource. There's always a link to them in the links column on your right. They have a very active discussion list, and are real pros when it comes to offering advice for IVDD Dachshunds and general Dachshund health.

 

 

Naturally Occurring Spinal Cord Injuries in Dogs

• 2.3% of dogs admitted to veterinary teaching hospitals have naturally injured spinal cords
• 48% to 72% of all affected dogs are Dachshunds
• 1 in 5 Dachshunds are affected over their lifetime
• Other common breeds: Beagles, Corgis, Pekingese, and Shih Tzus

Drabbling In The Rain

Did our favorite comic Drabble miss the mark this time?   Rain?  Does your Dachsie like the rain? 

Thanks as always to our pal 'Princess Lea,' who hails all the way from Slovenia, for sending this in.

Read more Drabble at GOCOMICS.

Doggy Dashes

Skating Through The Eighties

'Snicker,' a year-old package of Dachshund power, takes his master Michael Maley, 7, on a swift tour Saturday in the area of 55th Street and Fifth Avenue N without even breathing hard.  The two would be moving still if mom Karen Maley had not called a halt to the cavorting.

Retro-ish press photo originally published in The St. Petersburg Times, November 28, 1983. 

Piebald Thoughts

"If I had a dollar for every time someone asked if I was a Dalmation, I'd have about eighty-five dollars."  ~ Joey, your loving co-host at The Long and Short of it All.

Vintage Little Dot comic cover, circa 1969.

The Dachshund Weather Report With Keith Carson

What's the weather like in Bangor, Maine? Let's check in with our favorite meteorologist Keith Carson at WLBZ2 and find out....or more aptly, let's check in with his Dachshund 'Reeses':

My dog, Reeses, is a great indicator of air temperature. When I take him out I get different levels of urgency based on the conditions.

Over 50 F-SLOW. Saunter around a bit, sniff every bush in a 10 block radius, make sure another dog hasn't even considered marking his favorite iron fence down the street. Oh, and if we have time, let's grab some gelato.
30-50 F: Some urgency but no big deal. Probably skip the 10 block tour and replace it with a quick neighborhood patrol.
10-29 F: Not digging the overall situation. He understands why he has to go outside, but would rather I build him a heated greenroom for this purpose. Either way, he won't waste time outside pouting.
Under 10 F: "Why, evil parent, would you even bring me outside in such life threatening conditions?" He shivers. He stares. He tries to run back to the door. Either way, he won't be peeing. He is a disgrace to the fact that he was bred to survive the cold winters of Germany (Dachshund).
Anyhow, it's been COLD lately, but conditions will improve rapidly tonight and tomorrow.

We love it!  Get all of your weather with Reeses and Keith Carson at WLBZ2.

Related:  Talking About The Weather

Caesarean Dachshund

Red smooth 'Delilah' gave birth to one pup, but had troubles with the second, so a C-Section was performed.  All are doing well.  Fascinating.  By youtuber Bicester Vets. 

Cruise Liner Survivor At Home With Dachshund

We can only imagine the comfort and relief that your Dachshund, your family, your friends, and your home could bring you after you survived a harrowing experience like living through being on a cruise liner which has capsized.  But that's just how Karen M. Kennedy feels now that she's safely at home in Hampton Roads, Virginia, after surviving the capsize of the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia.  We know she's happy to see her black and tan longhair 'Frodo.'   

Above, she spends time with Frodo in her office on Monday after she arrived back in the United States. In the foreground are Italian newspapers with the story about the capsizing.  Read all about her experience at HamptonRoads.

Worn Peace

Excellent. By Vimeoer Andrew Black.

Have a great Friday!

Meet Harry Potter: The Boy That Lived

Thanks so much to Amy Ryan for writing in with the wonderful tale of a little wire-haired Dachshund puppy who met life with many struggles, but is doing great now thanks to the love that he found.  Meet Harry Potter:

Dear Joey and Rowdy,

I stumbled across your blog while trying to decide if our rescue puppy is a wire-hair and thought you should hear his story..

A good friend was adopting a Pomeranian from our local animal shelter in October, when they let a pregnant rat terrier into the shelter play yard.  I was enchanted by this sweet dog, she seemed like a happy dog.  We usually have 2 or 3 dogs, but are down to one terrier, Maggie, due to our other dogs passing from old age.

I asked the deputy at the shelter about adopting her, and was told that she was going to be euthanized that week, after her stray hold was lifted.  It is a state-run shelter and they cannot adopt out any dogs that are not spayed.  Due to her pregnancy, she could not be spayed, and she wasn't due for three more weeks.  They did not have the room to keep her that long.

I was horrified, and asked the deputy if any rescues could help.  During the week, the deputy, Heather, found a rescue that would allow us to foster her and the pups, we could keep the mom, and relinquish the pups to the rescue when they were 8 weeks old, so we took her home and named her Sadie.

5 days later, she gave birth to 2 puppies in my 13-year old son's bed while he slept.  he awoke to his alarm for school, to find two cleaned newborn puppies under his blankets by his feet.  Guess she was due a little sooner that the shelter thought.  I called the rescue to inform them that the pups had been born. 

The rescue called me back a few hours later, to let me know they had a litter of 3 dachshund pups that were orphaned by their mother 5 days prior.  They wanted to know if they could bring them over to see if Sadie would take them as her own.  Of course, we said yes, and they brought the 3 very weak orphans to our home.

One died at my home that evening, and one died the next day.  The bottle feeding had not left them strong enough to make it, but one little guy was strong enough to nurse on his own, and Sadie took him with no problem.

Cut to 5 weeks later.  We could definitely tell Sadie's bio-pups were pomeranians, and the orphan was growing longer, not taller.  We decided to name him Harry Potter, because he was an orphan, and he is the "boy that lived", as in the books.

We have now fallen madly and deeply in love with this puppy.  I have adopted so many pets, and was prepared to find a home for this pup, because we now have two dogs and two cats.  My husband, who has NEVER complained about the animals I adopt, begged me to keep this little guy, so I relented, and now we are the proud owners of what we think is a wire-hair Dachshund. 

Here is his picture, as we aren't sure he is a doxie.  His body is for sure, but his face is a mystery.

I thought you might be enchanted by the story of the boy that lived!

Dachshund Motivation​al

Thanks to Donna Hurst at All Texas Dachshund Rescue for sending in this Motivational Poster.  Are you motivated?  Keep up with ATDR on their facebook page. 

Retro Dachshund Fun: Hazards of the Profession!

Between ring appearances, Professional Handler Woodie Dorward removed his coat for comfort, but he made the mistake of hanging it too near one of the Dachshunds in his van.  Photographer Bill Francis was summoned to capture on film - "Hazards of the Profession!"

via the May, 1973 issue of the American Dachshund magazine.