Those Special Dachshunds: Meet Duke!

Thanks so much to author John Nuetzel for sending in an expressive little paragraph about his handsome boy 'Duke!'  He writes:

Dear Joey and Maggie,

Duke is a rescue dog who flew to us in Memphis from Minnesota. He couldn't get along with the Toddler in Chief up there. So he's here in Arkansas and is terrorizing a 120 pound Collie instead. Duke is a black and tan long haired mini and is a licker and a lover when his lip isn't curled. He's looking forward to a career in competitive racing. He threw up the little bones but now has no problem with bones twice his size except that he sometimes can't fit through sliding doors with them in his mouth.

We love your blog.

John

Why Did You Buy Me That Pleather Dachshund Pocketbook?

“I had a dachshund when I was a little girl, and I still love them. But what am I supposed to do with a pleather dachshund pocketbook, complete with red bedazzled collar and tongue that hangs out? I’m 48 years old!” -Melissa at Why Did You Buy Me That?

Airman Apprentice Able, Red Smooth

'Able'

In honor of Veterans Day, 2010, we pause and bring you this patriotic Dachshund tale:

Airman Apprentice Able, Red Smooth

By BARBARA B. WILSON
Route 488 H
Tucson, Arizona 85704

for the American Dachshund magazine, January, 1966

What was I doing in the U.S. Navy with a Dachshund puppy?  That was a question I asked myself often during hectic, hair-raising months that NAVY WAYS EXCITME, better known as ABLE, was under my command(?) at Corpus Christi, Texas.
The U.S. Navy was happy to see me go, I'm sure.  In part it was due, I think, to a small, fiddle-fronted, snippy-nosed, round-eyed, red smooth male Dachshund - Able.
Able came from a nice home of well-meaning people.  He was supposedly the pick of the litter.  I bought him strictly because I couldn't fly home to Virginia on Labor Day weekend to see the Warrenton Horse Show.  Instead of drowning my sorrows at the Officers Club, I bought 8-weeks-old Able.
On Able's first night in the BOQ, I ended up sleeping in my raincoat on a bare mattress (how I remember those buttons!) with Able snuggled next to me.  He wasn't housebroken.
On one occasion I wasn't sorry about that.  I had left him in the bed, or so I thought, and had gone to the base movie.  During the movie a notice was flashed on the screen:  "Ensign Bachman, you are wanted at the BOQ immediately."  I left hastily.  My puppy was drunk.  He grinned, and he could barely wiggle.  I decided that he should walk it off, so I scooped him up and we walked, and walked, and walked.  Eventually, the night air had some effect.
This misdeed to Able had been done by some student pilots.  These "officers and gentlemen" had had a great time watching Able go from glass to glass, taking a lap of beer, a sip of creme de menthe, and swallows of several other concoctions.  Able paid the leading culprit back.  One night when said officer was sleeping off a heavy bout, Able slipped through the swinging doors and left something beside the officer's bed.  Just retribution.
When I was transferred to a jet squadron, Able went along.  He became the official mascot of  more than 300 men.  We were in "The Den of the Tigers," and Able was the official Tiger.  His life in the hangar was hectic.  Each morning we lined up for roll call.  Able never learned to sit and wait for his name to be called.  He would walk up and down the line greeting friends.  More than one enlisted man complained that Able had ruined his only clean pair of whites.
One day the Executive Officer told me that I had to get rid of Able.  He had been put on report too often.  I decided to get Able back to our farm in Virginia.
The time came when two Ground School Instructors were flying to Washington, D.C., to get in their flying time.  Yes, Able and I could go.  We set off in a Beechcraft.  It would take many hours, but at least Able was going to have a chance to live a normal, civilian life.  So sure was I of getting home that I took only a flight suit, and no money.  Unluckily, Washington was clobbered in by thunderstorms, so we ended up in Marysville, Tennessee.  We stayed there overnight, Able eating steaks at the Officers Club.  The next day we returned to Corpus.
There my military duties as Education Officer (I had been transferred to a more "lady-like" job) went by the wayside as I put my thoughts into getting Able home.
The time came when we could hitch a ride on an R4D.  The Admiral on board was a friend of my father's, so it was I, not Able, who had a huge steak this time.  At Washington, Able greeted my parents with a shrill bark.
Though Able held a lowly Airman Apprentice rating in the Navy and my father was a retired Rear Admiral, I'll give you one guess who was boss on our farm.
When I married, it was understood clearly that Able was included in the deal.  Able was flown to us in California.  He was No. 1 until the day I had to have him put to sleep.  He was the smartest, stubbornest, most lovable Dachshund I have known.

END.

Woof, WOOF! Don't miss some incredibly amazing stories of Dachshunds and the military from the archives:

Dog Is My Co-Pilot

Dachshund Homecoming

Happy Memorial Day

Veterans Day and Dachshunds

Dachshunds in Pop Culture: Fritz and the "Jane" Cartoon Series

Dachshunds in History: The Saga of Sgt. Wally D. Hund

Dachshunds Reunited with their Dads in the News

Dachshunds and Veterans Day

Dachshunds Teleconferencing with their Dads in Iraq in the News

Dachshunds in History: Mimi, A Most Unpopular Dog During WW2

Memorial Day Dachshund: Meet Gus

Dachshund News Roundup! - story on Vietnam War Veteran Jim Quick and his dachshund

Dachshund News Roundup! - story on Iraq War Veteran Scott MacKenzie and his new rescue boy

Dachshunds in History: Hark! Hark! The Dogs Do Bark!

Dachshunds in History: Dogs of War

Dachshunds and Veterans Day

Wirehair Wednesday: Coffee With Burt

Even when we give our elusive wirehair friends a dedicated day here at The Long and Short of it All, it's hard to find good content to post!  Thankfully we just found this fun and relaxing new video for this week.  That's some comfy contraption 'Burt' gets to ride around in!
Video by youtuber b1kes, who notes:  Our regular Sunday morning jaunt down to Brighton beach with Burt, the wire-haired dachshund.

Those Special Dachshunds: Meet Blue Dixie and Her Red Brother Duncan!

She almost glows!

Thanks so much to Callie Dunbar for writing in and sending such nice photos of beautiful blue smooth 'Dixie' and her handsome red smooth brother 'Duncan!'  Your Long and Short of it All host 'Joey' would like to add that your Independence Day celebrations would be complete with the addition of a bright white piebald!  Joey always has to have his say, huh?  Without any further ado:

Hi Joey and Maggie!

I'd like to introduce you Dixie, our 4 year old blue mini doxie. Dixie is a darling girl, she loves her family and is as sweet as can be (once she gets to know you). She has been a part of our family for three years now, she came to us via craigslist. We responded to her ad and were told we had to come pick her up that night (at around 9:00 p.m.) or she was going to the pound the next morning because her owners couldn't have dogs where they lived. We had no idea dachshunds even came in this color until we met Dixie. Apparently she is quite rare and the majority of blue dachshunds, including Dixie, suffer from Alopecia. She has some short hair on her face and legs, but her body is almost completely bald. Since she has no hair she gets sunburned very easily and gets cold quite easily as well, so she has quite the wardrobe and (unlike most dogs), she loves and appreciates her clothes when she needs to wear them. She is also especially fond of burrowing into anything warm and snuggly and taught her older brother (who I don't think had ever even seen a blanket before we got him) to do the same.

Dixie's older brother is Duncan, an 8 year old smooth red tweenie we found at the pound two years ago. I've never met a dog as loyal and sweet as Duncan, although he does have a few "quirks" and abandonment issues we've had to learn to deal with. For example, when he's feeling submissive he rolls over on his back and pees like a fire hose, but we figured out that if we cough, he stops and jumps up! Oh, and he loves to ride in our daughter's car seat when she's not in the car!

I could go on and on about our wonderful Dachshunds, but will stop here. We are all long time fans of your blog, Dixie and Duncan especially enjoy the videos! 

Duncan relaxes in the car seat

Grand Tales in History: DACHSHUNDS FLED AS THE COOK SWUNG

DACHSHUNDS FLED

AS THE COOK SWUNG

___________

Miss Kell Sat on Their Owner

After Knocking Him

Down.

__________

RIVERSIDE DRIVE ASTIR

__________

Lawyer Mansdach Attacked Mrs.

Drummond's Collies and Apolo-

gized in Police Court.

__________

Magistrate Corrigan in the Harlem Police Court yesterday was called upon to unravel a tangle among two Dachshunds, two Scotch Collies, Miss Catherine Kell, a cook, and Irvin E. Mansdach [huh?], a lawyer.  The result of the untangling was a fine of $2 imposed on Miss Kell for assaulting Mansdach.
At 9:30 A.M. Mr. Mansdach left his home at 460 Riverside Drive with his two Dachshunds on leash to give them their morning walk.  At about the same moment Miss Kell, who is cook for Mrs. Michael J. Drummond, wife of the former Commissioner of Charities, left the Drummond home at 435 Riverside Drive, accompanied by the family collies.  Mr. Mansdach is about five feet tall and wiry, and has a decided antipathy to collies; Miss Kell is six feet tall and formed proportionately.
Being unleashed, the collies ran over to the Dachshunds and made friendly overtures.  Mr. Mansdach resented this and kicked the first collie in the head, knocking it unconscious, and struck the other with his heavy cane.  The second collie yelped with pain and Mr. Mansdach resumed his promenade.  Miss Kell was petrified for a moment at the assault on her charges; then she started after the lawyer.
When she overtook him she demanded to know what he meant by it all, and as he opened his mouth to reply she swung her right fist to his jaw and knocked him down.  Mr. Mansdach attempted to arise, but the cook promptly sat on him.  With great effort he got his police whistle and Policeman Beatty of the West 125th Street station responded.  He found a lively battle, with first the cook on top and then the lawyer.  He escorted them to the police station, where Mr. Mansdach made a charge of assault against Miss Kell.
The combatants were then taken to the court, which was crowded with fashionably gowned women from Riverside Drive, anxious to see the outcome of the case.  Mrs. Drummond and her sister, Miss Bessie Blasett, stated that they had seen the attack on the dogs.  J. Gage, of 456 Riverside Drive, said the same and characterized it as "most brutal."
Magistrate Corrigan decided that Miss Kell was at fault and Mrs. Drummond paid her cook's fine.  The Magistrate advised a representative of the S.P.C.A., who was in court to investigate the case.  When Mrs. Drummond left court Mr. Mansdach offered profuse apologies and tried to reimburse her for the $2 fine, but she did not answer him and drove away.
After it was all over it developed that the collies were safe at home, but Mr. Mansdach's Dachshunds had run off and disappeared, taking their leashes with them, the moment the trouble started.

via The New York Times, April 2, 1914.
Unrelated image: early 1900s postcard. 

Good Samaritan Rescues Man and Dachshund from House Fire

Just when you think that all is wrong with the world, a story like this pops up.  Meet our newest hero, Robert Towles, and the Dachshund he saved from a burning home in a northern Jackson, Mississippi subdivision yesterday.  Excerpt from the Clarion Ledger:

Towles and co-worker Jay Darby, both employees of Kelty Tile and Marble in Ridgeland, were headed to a job site in the neighborhood when they spotted smoke coming from an attic vent atop the home located at 1035 Hallmark Drive. Concerned that someone might need help inside the home, Towles and Darby knocked repeatedly on the home's doors, and when they got no response, Towles kicked the door in and proceeded inside to warn homeowner Myron Smith.
Smith [who was in the shower] said he had no idea his house was on fire until Towles told him to get out. "He said, 'Well, man, you got to get out of here because the roof is on fire. The house is about to go."
Smith managed to grab a suit, as Towles ran to the back door and rescued Smith's son's dachshund from its kennel.

Read more of this story at the Clarion Ledger.

Those Special Dachshunds: Meet Aika, Poncho, Flash and Diva!

Aika, Poncho, Flash, and Diva

It's hard to be a half-world away from the ones you love.  Thanks so much to Nicole Kohlbacher for writing in:

Dear Joey and Maggie,

I just stumbled across your website, and I have to say I love it, even though I browsed through it crying the whole time. I have 4 Dachshunds at home. The dad (Flash, 10 years old), the mommy (Aika, 5 years old) and their kids (Poncho and Diva, 3 years old). But home is really in Brazil, and I just moved to Germany to go to college and they are still there with my mom. I have to say, I miss them more than I miss my friends.

I wanted to share a story about Flash, the dad with you guys.

Last Christmas, early in the morning I noticed that he was kind of "moaning", so I went to look what that was about. He screamed, really screamed, like a person in really great pain would, and he was in so much pain, that he grabbed my hand in his mouth and wouldn't, couldn't, let it go. My mom literally had to open his mouth for me to remove my hand. (I just had some bruises and a bitten up pinky). After that he didn't get up, didn't move his head, tail, mouth, and he couldn't feel anything. Thank God Sao Paulo is a big city and we could find a vet on the 25th.

The first thing the vet said was that it wasn't good. It could be a herniated disc, and if it was one, he would probably never walk again, or it could be something else which would kill him quick.

I couldn't accept that, and we did a bunch of exams, I spent all my Christmas money on them, and it really turned out to be a herniated disc. Another vet, the surgeon, told me I could let them operate him, he would probably never walk, or put him to sleep? But how could I do that to a dog, who has always been there for me? through my childhood, my teenage years, everything. And has always been, as cliche as it may sound, there for me no matter what. So I put all my savings together and my mom helped me and we paid for the surgery.

The surgery in itself went good, but he had a lung embolism. They prepared me for the worse, but every time I went there to visit him it looked better...He started opening his eyes, and he felt if you pinched him on his tail or paws. Two days later the embolism was gone and the day after that he started eating, but only if I gave it to him :) . Day 7 we got to take him home with us. He wasn't walking or moving. We had to give him tons of medicine in the mouth, food, which he mostly vomited in the beginning, water...We had to make him poo or pee. Everything. We literally took care of him 24/7, because he would wake up at night crying because he was in pain.

But 2 weeks later he started moving around in his bed with the help of his head, then moving or better yet, kicking one paw, just a little. And he stopped waking up at night, nor did he need to take any medicine. We would put him on the floor and he would follow the other dogs, dragging himself by moving his head. He responded if we pinched him, kicked his paws. He had nerves. After one consult the vet was astonished. He said it was a miracle, that he hadn't had thought that the surgery would turn out this well. He made us hire a acupuncture specialist and physical therapist who would come to our house 2 times a week. One month after the surgery he was walking like a newborn, next to the wall, falling, getting up again. In 2 more weeks he was walking, limping a bit, but walking.

I think what motivated him the most, was watching the other dogs hover over him and going walking, specially because he was always the most enthusiastic one to go out for a walk. When he saw the leashes, even while he couldn't walk, he would go crazy.

Now he is walking normally, no limp, the only extra care we have is not to let him jump, or walk on stairs. But he is healthy, walking, happy and being the best dog anyone deserves to have.

Another thing I wanted to share is that these dogs are friends. They really are. You see that in the way they interact.

Well, dogs rock, especially Dachshunds, and I am sorry for the rambling, the bad English, and I don't even know if anyone is EVER going to read this, but after reading your blog I just had to share the story and write/talk about them, because I miss them so much!!!!!

Poncho

Diva

Poncho and Flash

Aika

Two Dozen Dachshunds Rescued From Oregon Home

The Idaho Humane Society rescued 24 small breed dogs, most miniature Dachshunds, from a home in La Grande, Oregon on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2010. A concerned citizen from Boise alerted the IHS to the overwhelmed breeder with several dozen dogs in poor physical health living in less than ideal conditions when she visited the breeder to purchase a puppy. Those interested in adopting one of these Dachshunds can visit the Idaho Humane Society in Boise. Because the breeder gave the dogs up willingly, no charges will be filed.
See 13 nice photos at The Idaho Statesman. 

Smile! It's Monday!

This Wiener Dog knows the score - just stop what you're doing and give a great big smile.  By youtuber gb30videos. 

Vintage Dachshund Glamour

Very 1920's photo source/subjects unknown. If you have any idea of who this might be, please leave a comment!

Vintage Dachshund Relaxation

Very early 1900's photo; source unknown.

Dallas-Fort Worth Dachshund Rescue Family Reunion

Thanks so much to Jean Siska for writing in about the recent Dallas-Fort Worth Dachshund Rescue Family Reunion and Picnic!  Looks like everyone had a great time.  All the Rescues were asked to wear their green bandana.  She writes:

Hi Joey and Maggie!

Hope you’re all well. DFW Dachshund Rescue had our adopters’ picnic on Halloween and had almost 100 of our adopted dogs and their families show up. The incomparable Teresa Berg put together this great video. Every green bandana is a life saved!

Vintage Dachshund Fun

Be vewy vewy quiet, we're hunting wabbits.

Vintage photo circa 1920s, source unknown.

Support Dachshund Rescue And Win This Dachshund Wreath!

Deck the Halls Dachshund style this year by winning this Dachshund Silver Christmas Wreath, which is being raffled off right now by MidWest Dachshund Rescue.  Raffle Ticket prices start at just $1 for one ticket.  Hurry though, the drawing will be held on November 17th so that you have your wreath in time for the holiday season.

This 22-inch wreath features tiny white battery lights and 10 Doxie ornaments including black and tan, red, piebald, dapple, chocolate and wire-haired!

Bad Dog

Just when you thought Halloweenie was over....Be prepared to be scared.

Bad Dog by youtuber dorkduchessdebbie who notes:  Happy Halloweenie!  This Stinky Badger Production is brought to you by myself and the talented Catty Anne Welborn, and introducing Sushi in her first ever motion picture debut. We hope you enjoy!

Executive Dachshund

Having evolved from hunting badgers to best friend and companion, 2010 finds the lovable Dachshund entering the workforce so their lazy humans can stay home and play on facebook all day.  Above, 5-year-old 'Trot' sets up shop behind a desk at McNamara Financial Services in Marshfield, Massachusetts.
Welcome to the jungle Trot.  Source.

Waldo Comes In Dead Last In Wiener Dog Race

In a follow-up story to last Thursday's Dachshunds To Watch Out For, 8-year-old 'Waldo' ended up placing dead last in his heat at the Burien Wiener Dog Races in Burien, Washington on Saturday.  But he was first in the hearts of the race fans, who cheered for him and his mom, who had to physically “run” him to the finish line, sprinting in her fairy princess dress.  Now where was a photo of that? 
Read more and see more pics at B-Town Blog.

Happy Belated Halloween from The Sheridan Avenue Boys

It's those Sheridan Avenue Boys: 'Jack,' 'Jetson,' 'Jordan,' 'Lincoln,' and 'Lego' - or as your 'Long and Short of it All' hostess 'Maggie' calls them:  Handsome, Handsome, Handsome, Handsome, and Handsome!    Their mom, Kay Taylor, writes that this group shot didn't turn out so well, but we think otherwise! 

(click image to enlarge)

Enjoy a new photo of these hot guys every day at 365 Project.

Why Dachshunds Hate Halloween

Here's hoping that everyone had a fun and safe Halloweenie!  We're hoping that you got lots of extra treats for all the torture your humans put you through - we know we did!  Above, thanks so much to Erin Wooldridge for sending in the fun photo.  She writes:

Hello Joey and Maggie!

I just came across your blog and wanted to share a cute picture of my wiener dog Peanut!! It's silly how much we love these little dogs! He tried very hard to eat his Halloween wig. Happy halloween!

 

And Melissa Hawkins sends this festive photo of her trio:  Pepper, Scooby and Milla waiting to attack trick-o-treaters!

In our own neck of the woods, we attended the 6th Annual Halloweenie Gala which was put on by Chicago Dachshund Lovers, a local meetup group.  King Tut, seen here, won the grand People's Choice Award! 

Our pal 'Autumn' took home first place in the "scariest category" as The Bride of Frankenstein!  Her hair was just too much!

And while we didn't win anything this year, we think that we should have scooped the "cutest category."  But we're a bit biased.  We had a great time though!

Have a great Monday.