So lonely...

This is my first Christmas without my dog Lucky.....I am feeling very teary eyed and sad lately, and I think this is the reason why...I've always loved the holidays..I love decorating, putting up a tree, wrapping gifts etc...But this year? I want to crawl in a hole and die. I miss my dog so much..True that I have two other doggies to love...But Lucky was with me when we were poor and had cheap dollar store doggie stockings..Lucky was with me when the cats decided it was fun to climb in the tree...Lucky was there when it snowed 6 feet in one week (he loved that!!)..Lucky loved to get all the left over treats that I made..

It's so hard to lose someone you love and so much harder to deal with that loss during the holidays...

It's late....

So, it's late...I'm up because I have to work tomorrow night and I need to get back on my schedule for my "week." My little sweet babehs are sleeping in their dog beds, and the hubby is asleep too...All alone..So, I'm planning to write about something that I'm fairly passionate about...

I live in Nevada. Nevada is some urban, mostly rural. I live in a big ass valley between the Sierra Nevada's and the Virginia Range. Nevada is the most mountainous state in the union and we have plenty right where I live here in Reno....My development is fairly new and I have quite a bit of desert surrounding me to the East where the Virginia Range stands...

When I first moved to the south part of Reno, Double Diamond, from Stead (the North Valleys, aka G-H-E-T-T-O) my dog Lucky and I would go on these walks out in the desert and explore. I love to explore..One day as I was walking along, I turned a corner and these were staring back at me...



These are the wild Mustangs of the Wild West..Right here literally in my backyard. I am very lucky to be able to see these magnificent creatures..



One of the things that I VEHEMENTLY oppose is the capture of these beautiful animals. The BLM rounds these horses up, takes them to facilities where they are penned, separated and then put up for adoption. The ones that are not adopted out are sold at auction to brokers who then sell these animals to slaughter houses. They separate mothers from foals, who may only be months old. This is torture for these animals. They round them up with helicopters and force these animals to run long distances before being caught in temporary pens.

In The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, it states that the job of the BLM is "To require the protection, management, and control of wild free- roaming horses and burros on public lands." There are no proven numbers of these horses. The BLM will not release it's count of the horses, but estimates put the numbers at 25,000. The BLM states that they round these animals up to keep the rangeland healthy..The head of cattle outnumber horses 200 to 1.

Please visit Wild Mustang Coalition, FAQ to read more about this issue and write your congressman because as a constituent you cannot let this continue!

We are the caretakers of this Earth..It's the only one we have and we cannot let these beautiful creatures become extinct because man has an agenda.

Wild Mustang Coalition

Crazy wiener in a swimming pool!

Look at this little guy! He's so cute!

"Archie, a double dapple dashchund, spends most days in his pool, trotting the summer away"

Off the subject....

I'm a little off topic today. It's been almost 9 months since I lost my best friend, and I'm still missing him. His name was Lucky...

Lucky was a big, huge 98lb dog who loved everyone. He loved to be the center of attention. Even when I was busy with school and work, he was always there waiting for me. He never questioned me. He always understood when I was sad. We went on many a walk, some hikes, lots of snow covered treks and chased a frisbee or two, but only in his yard..

On Feb. 7th, I came home from work. It had been raining, and Lucky stayed outside when we weren't home. We had just bought our house a few months before and only had a dirt backyard. He was covered in mud. And I thought he was fine as usual.

On Sunday the 8th. He didn't eat his dinner. He was acting more tired than usual. I thought he was just tired. Other than that he showed no signs and symptoms of anything unusual..

On Monday, I called my vet and made an appt for Tuesday because he was still acting sluggish. After I called the vet, I noticed his belly was slightly distended. I listened for bowel sounds, and heard tinkling. Which means possible ileus. I'm instantly running the things through my mind of what he could have eaten that would block him up...

And then I lifted up his jowls, and his gums were white...

I was in shock. He was internally bleeding. But from what?!

I called the vet back. Asked for an appt for that day. They were booked solid. My poor friend had to suffer all night, and he made not a peep.

Tuesday, I took him and my new puppy (Jack) to the vet. He was quiet the whole time, and didn't whine or cry at all. Not that he ever did anyways at the vet..

We ran x-rays, blood work, abdominal ultrasounds..

$980 later, we found out that he had a splenic tumor that had ruptured, nodules in his liver and prostate. My husband and I had to make the hardest decision of our lives. This dog had been with me through everything in the last 8 years. We put him down that day, February 10th. He was 10.

8 years earlier..

When I met my husband, he told me that when I came to his house, to use the back gate to come in. As I walk up to the gate (he lived on the corner), there was this huge brown and white dog in the yard. He took one look at me and barked. I took one look at him and knew he was a big baby. I walked right in that yard. And from that point on, he was attached at my hip. My husband had rescued him from the Humane Society. He was born in a shelter, adopted, lived with his first family for a few months. He was subsequently brought back because he was too hyper. He was adopted for a second time. Then brought back again. And that's when my husband met him. My husband, Will, says he adopted him because he looked sad, and rode well in cars. HA! Lucky loved car rides so much!! He loved to hang his head out the window and bark at the oncoming traffic..

Lucky followed me everywhere. Sometimes, he irritated me, like all kids do..I said a few mean things, but he always knew I never meant it, and that I was irritated or tired..

A few years ago, I took him to a dog walk to raise money for the HSUS and bought him a bandanna. He loved that bandanna and wore it everywhere! I made him a few, but his favorite was the black one that had "13" on it. He loved that one and when I would wash it, he would wait so patiently for me to put it back on and stand there while I tied it...

When he died, we had him cremated, and had his bandanna cremated along with him..

It never gets any easier to lose someone you love, you just learn to cope..

On February 11th, my husband and I had tattoos made to commemorate Lucky..

One dog wrecking crew....

I came home this morning to find my dog, Ned, had destroyed my husband's bowling bag. Literally ate everything out of it. I love Ned...I really do, but this destruction is horrible!! He's a one dog wrecking crew! I will post pics later of the damage.

If any one reading out there has any ideas to help a 7 month old dachshund, who is a STRONG chewer to divert or anything...please let me know!! I'm open to all ideas....

Ahh, first blog post...

So, I've made this little blog..to write about me and my dogs..

I have dachshunds..Yes, I have two..They are very comical little dogs, and once you love a doxie, you will always love a doxie!!

Let's meet my "kids!"

Jack is 1 year old (9/30/08)..Black and tan smooth coat mini. This dog is OCD for a frisbee or a ball...He will bark at you to throw this damn thing so he can chase it..He doesn't even care what kind of toy it is!! He still chases it! THE BALL IS HIS LIFE. Period.




And...then, there's Ned, he's 7 months old (3/7/2009). A red brindle..Most people remark, "I've never seen a dachshund like that! Are you sure he's not a Basset Hound?" Well, since you ask, yes, I'm quite postive, as if I don't know my own dog? I have pedigree papers to prove he's full doxie!

He sleeps..Alot..And he attacks Jack..Oh..and he loves to eat blankets, wood, sticks, carpet, cookies, cardboard, fence posts, motorcycle parts, baseboard, cabinets..Anything except dog food and the appropriate "chewy.." We've discussed this..He doesn't care..He does what he damn well pleases, and when will that get through my head! Every single blanket I own, has chew holes in it...This dog is 7 months old and has destroyed my home..And, somehow, I haven't killed him and I ADORE him!


My husband I discussed, god forbid, a third dog...I don't know if I can handle more! He said "You said you wanted a third.." I was joking! I promise!