Dachshunds in Pop Culture: Ernst Hofmann

Who? Dachshund Lover Ernst Hofmann (1880 - 1945) was a German theatre and film actor and producer who worked in over 80 films. He was considered one of Germany's most attractive actors in the early 1900's. In the 1930's and early 1940's he published light novels and crime stories using the pseudonym 'Ernst Hofmann von Schönholtz.' Source
We don't know the names of his attractive smooth dachshunds.

Dachshunds in Art: Earl Wettstein

Wettstein's Weiner Dog Gothic

Ever wonder what famous works of art would look like if the figures were dachshunds instead of people? Looking for a dachshund art collection? Look no further than the 24 satirical paintings and sculptures offerd by Earl Wettstein. The Arizona Daily Star had a look at the artist: A retired ad man, Wettstein, 76, has been painting for more than a dozen years, the last six or so at the spacious studio behind his Foothills home.
He's painted several series in the last few years, including one featuring his beloved late dachshunds, Turbo and Friska, posed in satirical takeoffs of such famous paintings as "American Gothic" by Grant Wood, and Edvard Munch's "The Scream."
"My style is contemporary art," says Wettstein. "You can understand everything in the picture." Read more about the artist at The Arizona Daily Star.

Enjoy all 24 pieces of art at Wettstein's OilOilOil.

Wettstein's The Howl

Wettstein's The Bitches of Avignon

Earl Wettstein

Dachshunds Blessed in Richmond, Virginia

Meet little 'Milly' and her human Cindy King. They attended a special blessing of the animals held by the Richmond Police Department and the Friends of the Mountain Squad in Richmond, Virginia, yesterday. Here's an excerpt from Richmond.com: More than three dozens dogs, from collies to pit bulls to dachshunds, a handful of cats and a trio of police horses surrounded the Shockoe Slip Fountain, which was dedicated to the "one who loves animals."
"This is in recognition of working animals and the important work they do," said Sue Mullins, a charter member of the Friends group. "This is to create awareness and to show how much people like animals."
Though the event started as a way to recognize police horses and dogs, it's grown to include companion animals as well.
"It's so sweet because I love animals," said Cindy King, who works at the Martin Agency nearby and brought her dachshund Milly.
"It's something special we can do for them. They don't always get included during the holidays." Read the rest at Richmond.com.

Top 10 Reasons Your Dachshund Deserves to be on Your Christmas Gift List

#10. He’s seen you naked, but still respects you. Honestly, how many people can you say that about? Seriously. Your dog sees you at your worst, pre-shower, pre-makeup, pre-everything that makes you look presentable, and still looks at you like a deity. Or at least, keeps the chuckles to a minimum.
Read the rest of the Top 10 Reasons Your Dog Deserves to be on Your Christmas Gift List at The Pet Effect.

Dachshunds Ready for Winter Weather in the News

Meet pretty red smooth 'Lucy.' She's the coverdoxie for a story about pets and winter weather by The Daily Statesman out of Dexter, Missouri. Lucy's ready for the cold and snow with her warm, yet fashionable outerwear. Here's an excerpt from the article: They are our best friends. They are always happy to see us no matter how long we've been gone and no matter what mood we are in.
Being equipped with a fur coat doesn't ensure the safety of your pet during the winter season.
Smaller dogs like Chihuahuas and Dachshunds have a higher metabolism than their larger counterparts. That means that they burn energy quickly and aren't able to maintain their own body temperatures in the cold. And without a lot of hair to help insulate them, they can succumb to the affects of the cold quickly.
"They don't tolerate the cold well at all," said Stoddard County Veterinarian Dr. Kyle Ouzts. "When you have to take a little dog out during the cold, it's better to buy a sweater or jacket for them to wear while they are out … and remember to bring them in sooner.
"Don't leave them out as long."

Read the rest of this article at The Daily Statesman. There are some great winter tips. Woof!

Dachshunds Going to Rehab in the News

What a great pic! This is pretty red smooth 'Biscuit,' a four-year-old miniature dachshund working out on the water treadmill at the office of Veterinarian Ava Frick in Union, Mo. Thanks to Darla W. for sending the link to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, where they had a look at Dr. Frick's practice. Here's an excerpt: "For some animals, coming here is their last hope," Frick explains. "It's a challenge to try to find something to help them. This place came about because of pain. I wanted to find a way for animals to benefit from pain relief like people do. I knew there had to be a way that what helps people could help animals, too," she said.
At the Animal Fitness Center, Frick incorporates holistic care along with rehabilitation, pain management, chiropractic, acupuncture and general health assessment. She has studied physical therapy used on people to help animals. Read all about it at the St. Louis Post Dispatch.

Learn about dachshunds and Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) at Dodger's List. What a great resource. There's always a link to Dodger's List 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.

Wiener Wrap

(click image to enlarge)

If you're looking to detail your Christmas and Holiday packages with dachshunds, you can't go wrong with dachshund wrapping paper available in on-line dachshund shops. Hurry and get your orders in! This design, called "Chilly Dogs," features dachshunds with antlers and fire hydrants with snow by Fish Lips Paper Design. It's a "green" alternative, and printed on 100% Post-Consumer recycled paper with soy-based inks. "These designs will make even the lamest gift look super exciting!" Available at Fish Lips Paper Design.

Chocolate Dachshunds

Ah, the smooth silky mouth-watering chocolate dachshund. Above: Dachshund Lollipop - available in milk, white, or dark chocolate at CandyBakers.com

Available at Martine's Chocoloates

And make sure to check out all the chocolate dachshunds over at flickr. Here are a few to wet your appetite:

Pretty 'Miss Cleo' by hoedown03

Everyone loves 'Aunt Mya' by theMasonStation

The Piebald Dachshund Controversy

Joey at ten weeks. "I wear my heart on my sleeve."

Joey can't sleep nights. He's having an identity crisis. Piebald dachshunds are seen all throughout the history of dachshunds, but they're not in the AKC breed standard. Joey says that the piebald pattern is a legacy of the breeds that went into creating the dachshund that we know and love today.
Thanks to Krystal G. for sending the link to a new website: Save the Piebalds. Here, you can sign a petition to request that piebalds be added to the breed standard. In just over 2 months, there are over 700 signatures.

Joey at 6.5 years. "For if I am not dachshund, then what am I?"

Drawing from 1910 detailing a black and tan long-hair, smooth, and smooth piebald dachshund

Related: Iris Love talks about Piebalds in Wiener Takes All

Related: Joey talks about His Piebald People

Dachshunds in Pop Culture: Waldi, the First Official Olympic Mascot

' Waldi,' the very first official Olympic mascot, has been in the news lately, as the mascots for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Canada were recently unveiled: Miga the snowboarding sea bear, Quatchi the shy sasquatch, Sumi the animal spirit, and their sidekick Mukmuk, a rare marmot. (Huh?)

Back in 1972, when mascots were a bit more 'tangible,' Waldi was created for the Summer Olympics in Germany. A dachshund was chosen because it represented the attributes required for athletes: resistance, tenacity, and agility. (Woof!)

Waldi was designed by Otl Aicher and modeled off a real dog, a long-haired dachshund named 'Cherie von Birkenhof.' Waldi's head and tail were blue, and his body was stripes of the other Olympic colors.

Thanks to Melissa H. for the tip!

Fräuleins loved Waldi

Haute Dogs

There's only been snow on the ground for a few days in Chicago, and we're so tired of it already. Boots don't fit our fat stubby paws, and the Musher's Secret doesn't always help prevent the sting of that salt on the sidewalk. Joey has no hair on his belly and chest....it's so cold! It's dachshund torture!
Take us to Florida, we need a spa. Take us to Lap of Luxury with Karen!
Lap of Luxury with Karen in Delray Beach, Florida, offers full-service spa grooming to top-of-the-line, exceptional items your dachshunds expect. Owner Karen Grossman owned Karen's for People + Pets in New York City for about 30 years. The best part is that her 5 long-haired dachshunds are usually wandering around greeting the customers and clients.
South Florida Sun-Sentinel had a look: If ever there was a pampered pet store fit for the likes of Paris Hilton, this is it. You can find everything from mosaic inlaid pet beds to Australian crystal collars and designer duds for doggie. What also makes this store stand out is the glass-enclosed grooming salon, which allows clients to see how the poochies are being handled.
The pet furniture is elegant — with options such as the mosaic bed ($2,500) and chaises ($595-$795). But what really will blow you away is the selection of pet clothing with brand names such as For Pets Only from Italy and Ruff Ruff Couture. Expect to pay $225 for a cashmere sweater, $75 for a hoodie with a toy in the pocket and leather outfits with Chanel and Sgt. Pepper themes ($495-$550). And don't miss the crystal collars ($175-$450), bassinets in pink or blue ($150) and a huge selection of dog carriers, including a gold leather Chrombones with fringe ($1,100).

You must be joking. It looks like a Dachshund Oasis.

The Etsy Dachshund

Thanks to Jim T. for the tip about all the handmade dachshund items over at Etsy. If you're not familiar with Etsy, it's "an online marketplace for buying & selling all things handmade." They are currently offering almost 400 dachshund related items, including cards, t-shirts, prints, wallets and cases, patches, plush figurines, collars, leashes, jewelry.....you name it. Above is a holiday card by stacybee which can be printed with whatever you want on the inside.

Begging for More, a limited edition print by Kerry Beary.

Dachshunds Waiting for Lunchtime, a print by Ellen Haasen.

Baby The Doxie, print by artpaw.

Dachshund Lovers Profess Their Devotion in the News

Here's a simple story about dachshund love: meet pretty red smooth dappled 'Copper,' 10, and his human Jimmy Davis from Montpelier, Indiana. Copper sure is a handsome boy, and even though he's 10 years old and graying around the edges, he loves to go for a ride in the van. Excerpt from The Star Press: Jim Davis hardly goes anywhere without his little pal, Copper.
"He's my buddy," Davis said. "Since I've retired, he goes everywhere with me as long as the weather is OK. He acts like the van is his."
Copper, a dachshund, has slept on their bed every night since Jim and wife Donna brought him home 10 years ago, at the age of 12 weeks. But Davis said it was kind of tough going in Copper's puppy days. "The first couple of years were difficult," Davis said. "He was into everything."
Davis chuckles as he recalls the time Copper dug his way under a storage shed and couldn't get out.
"We dug and dug and dug, but couldn't get to him," Davis said. "Finally, we took up the flooring -- in the wrong spot. Had to take it up in two places."
And then there was his mother's loveseat. Copper apparently heard a mouse in there and went in after it. The repair jobs cost about $260.
"They are better on mice than cats," Davis said.
In spite of it all, Davis said he wouldn't take anything for Copper now. "As a companion, Dachshunds are hard to beat." (Woof!)
Read all about Copper at The Star Press.

Celebrity Dachshund Watch: Elke and Ben Gazzara

As previously reported to happen, Elke, Ben, and red smooth 'Maxi' Gazzara gave a reading in the Hamptons, New York, on Saturday from Elke's new dachshund-related book Madison Avenue Maxi. Here's an excerpt from Hamptons.com: Accompanied by both her actor husband, Ben, and their adorable sable-covered miniature dachshund, Maxi, Gazzara relayed that she just wants “everyone to know the love of an animal, whether it’s a dog, cat, bird, or whatever animal you want.” During her husband’s illness and hospitalization in California, and through her own medical scare, Gazzara grew strength and comfort from the unconditional love and affection of Maxi, and wanted to honor their treasured canine with a book revealing the travels, trials and ultimate joy Maxi has brought both she and her husband.
Read all about the event at The Hamptons Online.

In a related Page Six tidbit from The New York Post: Veteran actor Ben Gazzara and his wife successfully snuck their beloved dachshund, Maxi, into restaurants around town for years - until they finally got busted at a French bistro. In her new memoir, "Madison Avenue Maxi," Elke Gazzara writes how she deftly warded off a maitre d' who tried to seize her bag containing the pooch, explaining, "Oh, no, no, no . . . I have all my money in here." But during dinner, "our waiter stepped a little too close to the bag resting at Ben's feet." The maitre d' quickly approached, and snipped, "Monsieur Gazzara, your money is barking!"

Related: Dachshunds in Literature: Madison Avenue Maxi

Dachshund Public Service Announcement

We interrupt our regular scheduled programming for this dachshund public service announcement from Coast to Coast Dachshund Rescue.

The Christmas Dachshund

Spotted: dachshunds in festive garb. The first sign that Christmas is coming? Bonnie Camm's dachshund waits for the "reindog" parade to begin in downtown Port Huron, Michigan, Saturday afternoon during their "Merry MainStreet" events. The parade of dogs and their owners kicked off the Christmas season in downtown. Excerpt from The Times Herald:
Canines got festive on Saturday, parading down Huron Avenue in reindeer antlers, Santa hats and other holiday costumes.
The annual "reindog" parade is a treat for local dog owners, many who said they love to show off their pets wearing cute holiday garb.
"It gives them a chance to let the dog celebrate the holiday with the family," said Holly Cook, owner of Special Pet Care Services in Marysville, which sponsors the parade. "People feel their pets are a part of their family."
Read all about the event at The Times Herald.

This story was submitted by today's special guest host, smooth red piebald 'Rudy,' from Carlinville, Illinois. Rudy loves Christmas, and can't wait to sniff out the presents under the tree. Rudy is the cousin of your hosts, Joey and Maggie. Rudy has partially blue eyes which don't translate so well when his photo is taken, but he's a pretty rescue boy who went through several homes before finding his forever home. He loves all people and kids, and is the greeter at his mom's beauty shop. He also loves deer: deceased deer he finds in the woods near his home. His humans followed him in the woods one day to see what he was up to, and he promptly led them to a deceased deer and jumped on top of it and started rolling on it. No wonder he had been so stinky every time he went outside!

Dachshund Puppy Rescued by Photojournalist!

This is a screen capture of the video out of Ionia, Michigan, where News 8 photojournalist Bilal Kurdi climbed into a hole to rescue a tiny dachshund puppy. We love happy endings! Excerpt from WOODTV: Down a muddy and steep ravine on the side of the hill near Ionia Middle School, a fortress of twisted branches, a virtual slip and slide of sludge, children peered through a fence where the dachshund was stuck.
"Well, we've been trying to get the dog out of the hole and it seems to be barking a lot. It would stop and growl, we've been digging down there but we're not sure where it's at," said Tara Bush, a curious little girl.
Reports of a small dog around this area poured into Ionia County Animal Control. They were unable to catch the animal, but widened the hole to make it easier for it to escape.
"We hope to have it come out and into our live trap, which is baited with some wet dog food, and hopefully in an hour or two the dog will be safe and sound," said animal control Officer Erik Kelley.
24 Hour News 8's Kurdi put a camera down the hole and saw a little face peering out from the darkness.
That's when Kurdi realized the puppy inside the hole was within reach.
"He's going to get his shirt all dirty and that's not going to be good," said a child's voice as our photojournalist dove head first into the hole.
Kurdi braved the mud and rain by crawling into the hole, legs flailing to pull the dog out.
"Got her!" Kurdi exclaimed as he pulled the little Dachshund shivering and hungry from the ground. The dog gratefully kissed him.
Animal control officers suspect the young pup has been living off of scraps in the cold for days. For this dog, it's going to be a happy holiday.
"Dream outcome is to get the dog into our shelter, give it some food, and water, evaluate its health and get it adopted," said Kelley.
The Ionia County Animal Shelter said they will hold onto the puppy for about five days to give the owners a chance to claim it.
After that, it will be up for adoption.

Watch the remarkable video at WOODTV right here.

Dachshunds in Pop Culture: Olga Bauer-Pilecka

Dachshund Lover Olga Bauer-Pilecka (1887 - 1941) was an Austrian opera singer. Short of speaking fluent German, that's all we know.

Celebrity Dachshund Watch: Josh Duhamel and Fergie

Celebrity Dog Watcher dug up this photo of Josh Duhamel and Vanessa Marcil, as Vanessa arrived for Josh's birthday party. Both Josh and Vanessa star on NBC's Las Vegas.

Josh, whose most recent movie was Transformers, is currently living with pop singer Fergie. This is their black and tan (dapple?) dachshund 'Zoe.'

According to Blender, Josh and Fergie have 2 dachshunds: "purebred Zoe and mutt Dylan."

By all means, if anyone has any better photos of Zoe and Dylan, send them in!

Shopping at the pet store with Josh and Fergie. They bought an Earl "farting" rubber chicken!

Hanukkah Dachshunds

Meet pretty red long-hair 'Bradley' and one of his humans Adrienne Feldman. Hopefully Bradley will be enjoying Hanukkah dinner with all his humans, and whoever else would like to "watch them eat latkes, argue about money and what the kids are doing, light the menorah, and engage in all the other arcane rituals of a family holiday meal." Called The Feldman Dynamic: Hanukkah in Little Havanaka, it's a performance, it's real life, it's a public-private Jewish ritual taking place Dec. 4 through Dec. 11, the eight nights of Hanukkah, at Camposition Studio on the edge of Little Havana, Miami, Florida.

The Long and Short of it All spoke with the good folks at Camposition Studio, and Bradley's appearance isn't set in stone, but we certainly hope he can join the family on stage for dinner every night. What would family dinner be like without an impatient dachshund at your feet?

If you're interested in this event, read more at The Miami Herald.

Dachshund Hanukkah tip: Watch out for those Hanukkah coins! This is pretty red smooth 'Oscar,' from Newton, Massachusetts, who gave an Oscar-worthy performance last year by eating 40 of the foil-covered chocolate coins, and found himself in the emergency clinic.
"He pulled it down from the coffee table, got through the netting and opened the foil," his human Debbie Novick said.
And he'd done so with what Novick called "surgical" precision.
"When they finally had him throw up at the vet, they said there was no foil in there whatsoever," she said.
Novick said she didn't think much of the potential consequences at first.
"I was like, You pig,' and Thank God he didn't get chocolate on my couch.' "
Read all about Oscar's performance at The Daily News Tribune.