Darlene's Digest

Regular readers of this blog may recall that Diva #Dachshund Dodi was entered in the Halloweener Derby last year, an annual fundraiser sponsored by Climb for Cancer Foundation. Her performance was memorable. We practiced for weeks, racing up and down the hall at the squeak of her favorite ball. She was in top form, fighting trim. Comes the day of the race Dodi is weight matched against another doxie, I'm at the finish line with treats and toys to lure her, the announcer says "Go!" and they're off like a shot. One dachshund, anyway. Dodi sits on her furry little butt and looks around. People are yelling and laughing and I'm at the finish line calling, "C'mon, Dodi! Treats!" and she just sits there enjoying the view. I must admit, it was mortifying. But I was willing to try again. We signed up for the race, began our training regimen (cue "Rocky" theme...) and I knew this year she'd bring home the gold. A year older, a year ...

I'll be honest. I didn't want a rescue dog. Our beloved Yofi, who passed away in 2014, came to us from a family breeder. We could meet the mama and papa doxies, see the littermates, observe her at play. We knew she came from good stock. With a rescue, I'd be taking a chance. However, I felt an obligation to at least check it out. So a year after Yofi's passing I submitted an application to Florida Dachshund Rescue . I was immediately impressed by their rigorous vetting process for new doxie owners. We had to have references, a home visit, and answer questions about dachshund care and ownership. This was a far more comprehensive process than I'd have received from some breeders. I could be specific in what I was looking for: smoothcoat, under 15 lbs. grown, female, all doxie. After our application was processed I was put on a waiting list, and I knew it could be a while before I found my match. Sadly, older, sick dogs all too often end up at rescue organizations....