by Tansy Quesada

Created on: July 11, 2008   Last Updated: December 30, 2009

Doxies are like potato chips, you can't have just one!

I got my first dachshund around Christmas 13 years ago. This was Cosmo. I actually accompanied my sister to pick up one for her husband. He's a big, burly meat and potatoes guy, owns beef cows and all. O had no idea why he was interested in a dachshund. The word was he had met a friend's dog and loved it. Boy, was he in for a surprise.

So, somehow I also left with a dog. It wasn't planned of course, but he was a left over from a previous litter, all his siblings were gone, he was a standard size and I got a good deal. Of course I said, "I'll take him". (I once tried rescuing an abandoned nest of baby birds but that's another story, this turned out better.) My husband knows I have a bad habit of taking in "things" be it a find at a flea market, a stray or a friend in need. I was a bit apprehensive to call him at work with the "great news"! We had just built our house and had new carpet; it was Christmas and a bad time to train a dog to go outside. I never thought about that. Well, my husband wasn't too thrilled, but he didn't know what the breed was and had to ask a co-worker to clarify. It turns out his sister had a brown one that got hit by a car and he actually was fond of it. That was reassuring news to me. Long story short about Cosmo, he howled for three nights straight, chewed on electrical cords, 19 pairs of my shoes and every toy he could find.

We also found the source of his endless need to relieve himself; he was drinking from the Christmas tree. It had about three needles left by the end of the season. I wasn't too thrilled about Cosmo, he was a handful, but he slowly endeared himself to us and now I can't imagine life without our 13 year old Dachshund. He can still get onto the kitchen table and a highchair. It is amazing. He's a bit gray now, slowing down but man, he is FAITHFUL! He has lived through three boys being born and brought home, meaning lots of wrestling, tug-of-war, whacking, and etc. He sweetly tended to foster children we took care of, dutifully licked them and kissing their pain away and this includes lots of tears. He is the epitome of man's best friend. Oh, and I was worried about what my husband would say about bringing home the first one? Or was that the second, third or fourth?

Cosmo is my husband's favorite. He actually gave up Packer tickets, Reggie White's last game, so he could sit on the couch with Cosmo and watch the game together. I have to admit he grew on me too,

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