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I've done it! I've discovered the trick to dachshund-free vacations!

So the notion of travel depression has been covered here time and time again. No one likes to leave the sad eyes of a dachshund behind when they leave for a trip. It truly is a challenge to enjoy yourself during time away from the lovable little noodles as I'm sure many of you can vouch for.

During my San Diego trip though I managed to conquer my feelings of guilt and my pangs of longing for a little pooch to invade my personal space and demand my attention.

The answer?

PUPPY STUNT DOUBLES!




Available in almost any shape and size depending on how accommodating your host is, puppy stunt doubles are happy to get freakishly excited about your arrival as a new entity who can toss toys, snuggle and, in this case, make their hair look all disheveled much to the frustration of Mom and Dad.

Now I'm not saying I didn't miss MY pooches. I just hope to express how much easier it is to fill the puppy void when you at least have A dog present during your time away from your own. Seriously. It was awesome.

Miss you Tiny!

Trip to the doggy park

A couple of weeks ago Jaco and I went a little crazy and decided to take the puppies for a day trip to a doggy park, our friends along with their two Spaniels also came.

That morning we loaded the car with the necessary things, ourselves and Lila and Rusty. Our friends loaded into their car and off we went. Now, Lila and Rusty don't really like driving in the car on the best of days, and this was quite a long drive as we don't have any parks near where we stay, so needless to say by the time we got to the park I was pretty relieved.

Until we all got out of the car.

The experience was so alien to them, not at all like our neighbourhood walks with snarling dogs barking at them from behind high gates. Let me add that leashes are mandatory at this park, but no one besides us and our friends adhered to this rule. There were dogs everywhere...off leash...and well behaved.

It was beautiful to see.

Lila and Rusty went nuts, barking and yelling and I have to admit I was a little embarrassed. My two crazy puppies surrounded by all the silent, playful dogs running around and fetching balls that were thrown...and of course their disdainful owners. Eventually their surroundings became a little more interesting than the other dogs and they sniffed and ran as we jogged beside them, through a tiny little stream, over a little bridge and through some trees.

Eventually we all found a bench in the shade of a tree, and sat down for a rest. We let the leashes go and the four of them sniffed the area where we were (which was luckily quiet and no other dogs ventured there otherwise we'd have had a spectacle on our hands), finding interesting scents and finally, returning for some water. Slowly we made our way back to the cars.

On our way home, with two tired and sleepy Dachshunds, I thought about what a fantastic day it was. And not because I enjoyed it (I was more than a little stressed at times), but because Lila and Rusty enjoyed it. And happy puppies makes a happy owner.


Homemade pet food made easy

The topic of finicky eaters has come up here before. I wouldn't necessarily say that Tofu fits perfectly into that category. He seems to be the kind of dachshund that likes variety in his diet. We've only fed him high quality kibble from such brands as Wellness and Fromm since he's been living with us.

Late last summer, after experiencing an upset stomach and vomiting for several days, things changed. He would only tolerate a flavour of kibble for a few months before determining that he was going on a hunger strike. We'd leave it for a few days, hoping that he'd change his mind and so that we weren't creating a finicky eater but the most he'd manage was about half his daily intake.

Switching flavours was our solution but eventually he'd grow tired of those too. Overall, he just didn't have the same excitement for his meal times as he used to and that just didn't seem right. Being a foodie myself, I was a little disheartened that my dog was no longer enjoying his food.

There have been times that I've added canned wet food to his diet as a treat in the hopes that it would add variety. The raw food option is a little scary to me as I'm sure it is to many people. Not that I wouldn't give it a try eventually, but I'd want to consult thoroughly with our vet to ensure Tofu is getting the right balance. I have started experimenting with homemade food though as an occasional treat. That being said, a number of months ago I noticed one of the locally owned pet supply stores was carrying a new line of food. It wasn't kibble and it wasn't raw meat patties. It was dehydrated food.

The change in Tofu's appetite was immediate. He's excited at meal times again. There's no worry about him leaving behind uneaten portions (his bowl is licked clean enough that I could probably put it away without giving it a proper rinse!). The type that we're currently feeding him has dehydrated turkey pieces in with other natural ingredients. I just have to add water and let it soak overnight. For variety, I'll add a few teaspoons of other veggies into the mix. With other types of dehydrated food you can also add your own meat instead. In any case, for me this option is great because it takes the worry out of feeding the right nutritional balance while allowing Tofu a fairly fresh meal.

Here are just some of the dehydrated foods available on the market right now:

Addiction
Dr. Harvey's Canine Health
Grandma Lucy's
The Honest Kitchen
Nature's Variety
Sojos Natural

Anyone else have similar results? Have you tried or heard of dehydrated pet foods before?

[We were not paid, sponsored or otherwise rewarded for publishing this post. Please understand that purchasing products for your pet is a personal decision - we simply wish to share our experiences to show you some of the options out there. Please consult your veterinarian before changing your pet's diet.]

Operation: Hide the treat

Snuggling up together

Yesterday I saw Rusty in their toy basket (yes, they have a toy basket), which is in our spare bedroom, scratching, sniffing and just generally going to town in it. I assumed he was looking for a specific toy because both him and Lila have been known to favour certain tatty old toys.

A little while later I saw him parade, very spitefully I might add, in front of Lila with a treat clamped between his teeth.

I knew he had the tendency to try and bury his treats in blankets, pillows or my jeans but usually only until Lila finishes hers and then he'd quickly gobble it down just in case she tries to take it from him.

Imagine my surprise when one of his covert hide the treat operations actually worked.

It was one of the cutest things I had seen in a while.

Lila didn't appreciate it though. She kept an eye trained on him the whole time as he lazily chewed his retrieved treat.

A poll of sorts


Does your dachshund do this? Jackson does and I haven’t seen this position in any of my other dachshunds. I love it! He appears to be very relaxed whenever he does it. Let us know! Very curious.




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