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Have a great Friday!
(vintage 1960's photo source unknown)
Overview: Dog Care Manager Michelle Besmehn travels to Parkersburg, West Virginia to bring back several dogs rescued from a mass breeding operation. Parker, a male dachshund rescued from the facility, has painfully rotten and infected teeth that, if left untreated, will eventually kill him. Barney, a Shih-Tzu, has sores on his paws from living in a wire cage , that prevent him from walking without pain. At DogTown, both dogs require extensive medical care and socialization before they can go to permanent homes. And Buzz, a long-term resident of DogTown, needs Jeff Popowichs help to learn how to be safe around people, so he can live a happier, more fulfilled life.
Who? We'd like to take time out and wish a Happy 50th Birthday to one of the greatest artists who has ever walked this earth, Steven Patrick Morrissey, better known as just Morrissey. You may remember the British singer-songwriter was lead singer of the band The Smiths in the early to mid-80's, and went solo in 1988 after the band broke up. The above song, Suedehead, was his first solo hit in 1988, and the video shows him traveling from London to play around with some James Dean artifacts in Fairmount, Indiana.
I've met Morrissey several times, and have seen him play live about 100 times all over the world. To keep this Dachshund related, in 1997, I went to see him in Cleveland. I had a smooth black and tan Dachshund named Louie at the time (RIP little man), who road-tripped with me. It was a cold February winter's night, and I was a little skeptical about leaving him in the car while I attended the concert; maybe it wasn't the best decision to bring him along after all. I had a heated pet bed and a comforter for him in the car though, and the car was warm from the 6 hour trip....he should be OK for an hour and fifteen minutes while I attended the concert.
Knowing when Morrissey gets on stage, I'm waiting in the car with Louie for the opening band to finish, and decide to make sure Louie doesn't have to potty before the concert. As I'm walking him, who should come driving up but Morrissey and his personal assistant/bodyguard.
Had a nice chat with my hero for a few minutes, and he was especially excited to meet Louie, who promptly rolled over on his back to get a rub on the belly from Morrissey. Louie, the Dachshund who would forever be known as the lucky dog who got scratched and petted by Morrissey. It was showtime.
About 3 songs into the concert, I'm sitting about 10 rows back, Morrissey looks at me and says "Where's Louie?" Me: "huh?" Morrissey: "Where's Louie?" Me, mouthing: "he's in the car." Morrissey: "What?" Morrissey to audience: "He's left his dog in the car." Entire Audience: BOOOOO!!!" Morrissey, in his thick northern British accent: "Carson!!" I was embarrassed and felt like a dog-murderer, having been chastised by the famous PETA-loving, fur-hating animal rights vegetarian and an audience of several thousand.
Fast forward to 2004, and I'm listening to Morrissey sing at Notre Dame, in South Bend, Indiana. Now, this is about 6 years since the Cleveland show, and I'd seen him about 30 or 40 times since, and the few times we talked in those years, Louie wasn't mentioned. He comes over, shakes my hand, and says in the mic: "How's your dog?" Me: "huh?" Morrissey: "How's your Dachshund?" Me: "Oh, he died of old age." Morrissey: "When?" Me: "About 4 years ago." Morrissey: "I'm terribly sorry to hear that, please accept my sincerest condolences. This next song is in memory of his Dachshund."
And that's the story of Louie and Morrissey.
Related: Gone But Never Forgotten
Related: Life With Dachshunds
Related: Wild Boars, Wild Boar Wirehairs, and Crashing Bores
Morrissey's new 9th studio solo album, Years of Refusal, is out now. Catch him on tour in Europe.
Happy Birthday Morrissey! It's a cause for world-wide celebration. Keep up with Morrissey news at Morrissey-solo.
See more photos at the Los Angeles Times.
Related: Dachshund Interspecies Musings
From youtuber emmab1983: Poppy (black/tan) Kisses Harry (longhaired red) she loves to groom and love him!!!
There's nothing sweeter than watching dachshunds love each other.
Banana Dachshund by Dachshund Lover John Spooner.
A bunch of bananas. (photo source unknown)
Which brings us to one of the few fun videos we haven't featured before by youtuber kalyxcorn.
Sing it out loud!
Without further ado, here is the original article, which we typed out from an old print of the story:
DOG MAKES A NAME AS A TRAVELER.
Chicago Daily Tribune; Feb 28, 1897
Donnie, a Black-and-Tan Dachshund, Has Covered 40,000 Miles in a Life of Four Years.
One of the most traveled dogs on record is Donnie, a black-and-tan dachshund, which is to be exhibited next month at Cruft's Dog Show in London. Donnie is the property of an officer in the English army, Capt. MacMahon, and in a life of a little more than four years has traveled some 40,000 miles, 8,000 of them on horseback. He has traversed land and sea, crossed deserts and mountain ranges, and been, with his master, a participant in many deeds of endurance and adventure.
Donnie was born Sept. 18,1892, in England, and when seven months old was sent to Capt. MacMahon in India by friends. The journey, first by sea, then by land, through Sind to Beluchistan, during a time of great heat, was the first test of the puppy's endurance. He stood it well and soon began his journeys on horseback, a mode of traveling to which he seemed to take naturally. He accompanied his master on long riding tours through Zhob and other parts of Beluchistan to Simla, and from Peshawur to Cabul.
In the spring of 1894 Capt. MacMahon was appointed British Commissioner of the Beluch-Afghan Boundary Commission and took Donnie with him through the Gomal Valley to the Afghan frontier. Here dog and master remained for more than a year, enduring together extremes of heat and cold, hardship, and privation. Then came another horseback journey through India and a voyage from Bombay to England. Later a return to India again and a journey through the southern part of the country, something of a pleasure trip this time, Capt. MacMahon being on the staff of the Viceroy. This was followed by more travels and hardships in the wilds of Afghanistan and a trip to the Persian boundary. Dog and master are now both in England.
Donnie is a most expert equestrian. With his hindquarters against his master's thigh, and occasionally leaning against his body for support, he rides without even a steadying hand. The horse may walk, trot, canter, or gallop, but the dog is not disturbed. He even maintains perfect equanimity during a reasonably difficult jump.
Thanks to reader Chris H. who writes:
Dear Joey and Maggie,
I enjoy your site, so I wanted to send you a link to a Dachshund video starring my sister's dog, Sassy. She's sweet and hilarious. Just the coolest dog ever.
We love it. It's alarming how charming she is.
The lengths that dachshund lovers will go to only to dine with their pals.
A new short comedy film by Tom Gregory who notes:
Dogs are great. If everyone loved their pets as much as my household loves our dachshunds Susie and Jack, the world would be much more kind.
Through the years as our dogs have unabashedly lapped at my face, I've thought all that dirty but loving tongue could be harnessed for another use; hence this video.
Shirley Mitchell makes a cameo appearance at the video's end. Shirley made her mark on Jack Benny's radio show in the forties then came TV. I Love Lucy, Green Acres, The Beverly Hillbillies and countless of immortal shows are Shirley's legacy to American television. The line we shout to her at this video's end is in homage to her work as Marion Strong on I Love Lucy. In one of my favorite episodes, Lucy cannot lie or she will lose a bet to Ricky, Fred and Ethel. At an afternoon bridge game when Marion breaks out in a piercing laugh, Lucy candidly tells Shirley's Marion just what she thinks of her loud, rhythmic giggle. I'm proud to call Shirley a friend and even more pleased that she is still working hard and sharing her comedic genius at almost ninety years of age. I'd love to see her up on the big screen or back on television.
This video is my celebration of pets, love, friends and life.
The "Quirkiest" honey badger ever known. This is the full sequence of the Badger vs. Snake videos you may have already seen. The other versions fail to portray the reckless character of the badger in its full glory. Watch the video and judge for yourself. Enjoy...
It's an excerpt from the documentary titled:"Snake killers: Honey badgers of the Kalahari"
Find out much more about the award-winning documentary at sadunkal on youtube.
Related: The Honey Badger: The Most Fearless Animal On Earth