dachshunds

Dog Barks from the Other Side

Posted by Barbara Techel
Dog Barks from the Other Side
Photo: @Brookburlingphotography

Today marks the 4 year anniversary of my dear dachshund Frankie’s passing. While I never thought my heart would heal from the loss of her, time has, for me, replaced sadness with so many beautiful memories that often bring a smile to my face and a flood of joy to my heart.

And I just have to tell you how amazed I am at how Frankie’s spirit continues to dance around me. It especially seems so this time of year.

It’s as if she is barking from the other side reminding me that we are still connected. And she’s been sending messengers in the form of people reaching out to me talking about her, recalling stories of her, or a time when they met her.
frankie 2

One such case that really moved me deeply was an email I received from Danielle last week. She emailed me once before sharing with me how much my children’s book Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Dog helped her children to deal with, and understand, their own dachshund Dixie’s paralysis.

Dixie has seen passed away and this time Danielle wrote:

I wanted to contact you, this time to share with you how much my kids (my 5-year-old twins) have been enjoying your “Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Dog Coloring and Activity” book.  They love the paper-dog Frankie!  For them, it was especially important that Frankie was in her cart, so we had to get the cart cut out right away.  🙂   Since they each had a book, they each pretended to be a “Frankie” and talk to the other “Frankie”.  🙂  

My daughter loved putting as much on Frankie as she could possibly fit!  My son loved having Frankie more plain so he could still recognize her. They could not get enough of cutting, trying on, and role playing!  

The whole activity also helped them reconnect with Dixie’s spirit and life and remember her in a fun way since her passing.

twins
Danielle’s five year old twins dressing Frankie paper dog cut out

I can’t even begin to find the right words to tell you how much this means to me! But there I was, sitting at my computer, tears of joy rolling down my face. And a few tears wishing I could hold Frankie… just. one. more. time.

But it was just another reminder that as my mom said to me last weekend that “love never dies.” And she is right. It just takes a different form, but it is always there. Always.

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It’s Here! It’s Here! A Summer Read I’ve Been Waiting For! “Lily and the Octopus.”

Posted by Barbara Techel
It's Here! It's Here! A Summer Read I've Been Eager to Read: "Lily and the Octopus."
Miss Gidget settling in for a great read

I’ve been eagerly awaiting this new book, Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley, to come out and arrive at my local bookstore. Today was the day! In the car Miss Gidget and I hopped, and tried not to speed the ten minutes to Book Heads Book Store.

Normally I don’t recommend a book until after I’ve read it, but I’ve heard sooooo many good things about this book. And come on! It’s got a dachshund on the front cover – it’s just got to be good!

I can just feel it’s one of those books that will make me shed a few tears (okay, probably A LOT of tears!). One that I will resonate with. One that I won’t want to end. But one that will stay in my heart forever.

A snippet from the inside flap: This is a story about that special someone: the one you trust, the one you can’t live without. Lily and the Octopus reminds us how it feels to love fiercely, how difficult it can be to let go, and how the fight for those we love is the greatest fight of all.

Yup… I already need tissues.  Okay, here we go…… open the cover and begin!

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Gidget and the Not So ‘Magic Carpet Ride.’

Posted by Barbara Techel

Gidget and the not so magic carpet ride

You may recall my post last week Wednesday and when I got home from errands that day I found part of an area rug chewed up. I wasn’t sure if Gidget or Kylie had done it, or if they were in it together.

While I had a hunch it might have been Miss Gidget, I also wondered if perhaps Kylie’s toe nail or collar got caught on a loose fiber. My mind conjured up an image of the rug “chasing” Kylie which would have surely scared her.

But it also brought back a memory of when my dachshund, Frankie had eaten part of a rug when Kylie chewed it up as a young pup. The clue something was amiss was that Frankie had thrown up several times after that. After getting her to the vet, putting the pieces of the puzzle together, and an x-ray, it revealed a carpet fiber in her stomach. She had to have emergency surgery.

I tried not to panic Wednesday seeing what looked like a repeat from over 10 years ago. If there is one thing these dogs of mine have taught me, is to not jump into worry mode! But I also just wasn’t sure who had done what and what, if anything, was eaten. So I waited.

As the hours, then days went by, Gidget and Kylie seemed fine. Though I did note that Gidget seemed a bit lethargic. I chalked it up to the “escapade” as the wrestling with an area rug likely tired her out. I also thought perhaps the sudden warm weather was making her a bit more sluggish as I can feel that way, too.

She ate. She napped. She was, for the most part, herself. But then on Saturday when I came home after being gone most of the day, she was in the front yard with John. When I got out of the car, she ran toward me, but her back legs buckled under. Though when she ate dinner a little while later she pulled up herself up on her back legs and was standing.

I wasn’t quite sure what to think. Sunday it was on and off with her walking and then and not walking.

Monday the same thing. I thought it best to have it checked out. Because she also takes med’s for seizures, which can cause ataxia (paralysis of hind legs), I thought perhaps this might be it what was causing the problem.

Off to the animal clinic I went for a technician to take her blood as it takes a day to get results. But I also set up an appointment to see a vet for a physical exam to rule out another episode of IVDD, but couldn’t get in until Tuesday mid- morning.

But a piece of the puzzle was about to be revealed an hour after I got home on Monday after Gidget’s blood draw. I set her by the front door so she could watch me while I planted the last pot of annual flowers. You know those dachshunds – always have to be part of the action!

When I looked up a few moments later I noticed something really strange beside her. We have a full length glass storm door but I couldn’t tell exactly what it was.

When I went inside I saw she had pooped and along with it came about 24-inches of carpet fiber!!  A portion of it was knotted up.

Could this have caused her to have trouble walking? I wondered.  She ate dinner fine and afterwards I did some range of motion for her back legs and also gave her a massage.

Our visit to the vet revealed that nothing seems out of sorts regarding her spine. So right now her the fact that she isn’t her back legs hardly at all remains a mystery. I could have opted for a CT scan, but it won’t change the outcome of what I do. So therapy, massages, and working out in the wheelchair is the plan.

She isn’t in any pain and shows no sign of discomfort otherwise. And she is her happy little self, so onward and forward.

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