Adorable Dotty
Inspired by the Gray and Black Dapple
By
New Mexico Dachshund Rescue
Copyright © 2016 New Mexico Dachshund Rescue
Table of Contents
Foreword
Chapter 1 – A Rare Puppy
Chapter 2 – Showing Off the Puppies
Chapter 3 – A Home for Dotty
Chapter 4 – Rejoicing
Chapter 5 – Dotty’s Forever Home
Chapter 6 – Doggy Drama
Chapter 7 – Another Move
Chapter 8 – The Middle Years
Chapter 9 – Monkey Wrenches
Chapter 10 – The Last Move
Foreword
I have said it before and I will say it again: if you love your Dachshund, you will always do what is best for them, even if it breaks your heart.
Things happen in peoples’ lives. Circumstances change, finances change and even the people themselves change. We can spend needless energy fretting, stewing and complaining. Or we can proactively play the cards that are dealt to us and trust God, our Creator and Sustainer, to see us through. Then we can make the best decisions for our families, including our pups.
Abandonment is not an option. Resolve that no matter what your circumstances are, you will personally find a home for your dog or surrender the dog to the rescue organization or no-kill shelter of your choice. And may God bless you as you make the right choice.
I would like to thank my team for their assistance with my books: Al Rosario, Illustrator; Jan Lawrence, editing; Lucinda Campbell, formatting, Heather Piedmont, marketing and Drew Simenson, reviewing.
Proceeds from the sale of this book will benefit New Mexico Dachshund Rescue and Dachshund rescue in New Mexico. Thank you for supporting our mission.
I am lovingly dedicating this book to all Dachshund owners who have had to give up one of their precious pups because it was the best thing to do for them. Bless your hearts.
--Stella Dillenbeck on behalf of New Mexico Dachshund Rescue
(Featuring the Dachshund Rescue Series by Stella Dillenbeck)
Chapter 1 – A Rare Puppy
Broderick and Catalina had a difficult decision to make. They had Dusty, a black and tan miniature male Dachshund and Dora, a red miniature female Dachshund and she would soon be coming into heat. After much discussion they decided to let the female have one litter of puppies before having her spayed and him neutered. The dogs were AKC registered and the puppies could help get them through a difficult financial time. Right or wrong, they justified their decision.
The female went into heat right on schedule and was immediately pregnant. The pregnancy was fairly normal at first as Dachshund pregnancies go. But towards the end she was getting rather large and it was hard for her to get around with her short legs and dragging belly. A quick trip to the vet for an ultra sound revealed the reason. She was carrying eight puppies. That’s right – eight! One of them was larger than the others, further increasing her burden of the heavy load.
The vet said it would be best to keep her there for the last week of her 9-week pregnancy. So much for the extra money the puppies would bring in, they joked between them. He called when she went into labor so they could be there to watch the puppies’ births.
One by one the puppies were born about every twenty minutes. The first seven were born; they were all female. The puppy yet to be born was the largest of the litter and the poor mama was struggling to get this last one into the world. The vet intervened and assisted her because they did not want to lose either the mama or the last puppy. Finally the last one was born; she was female also. Yes, there were eight puppies in this litter and they were all female. Not only was the last one the largest, but she was a very rare black and gray dapple. She was also the first to have a name: Dora’s Lady Dorothy. But Catalina insisted they would call her Dotty.
Chapter 2 – Showing Off the Puppies
A friend of Broderick’s had asked him about the puppies and expressed an interest in one of them. They already had one Dachshund and were seriously considering adding a second one to the family. Sean and Delores were invited over to the house two days after the puppies were born to check them out. The wife was immediately drawn to Dotty and picked her up. Dotty was drawn to her also and nestled right up against her cheek and neck. In spite of the very young age of the puppy, the bond was instantaneous. They held this pose for some time before the wife reluctantly put Dotty back with her mama and the rest of the litter.
Then it was back to reality for Sean and Delores when they were informed the other puppies were $350 each. And the black and gray dapple? She was $1500. $1500?! That was out of the question. $350? Unfortunately, they could not afford that either. But that was okay because Delores really had her heart set on Dotty. They headed back home with a very sad countenance. When they got home they intermittently discussed ways they might be able to get the money for Dotty. But there was no way it was going to happen. It was not meant to be.
Sean and Delores did return once more to see the puppies when they were five weeks old. Delores just had to see Dotty one more time before she was weaned and sold. It was the same song, second verse. Dotty immediately nestled up against her cheek and neck just as she had done when she was two days old. The bond between them was still there and as strong as ever; it was there for all to see. They were given a reduced offer of $800 for Dotty. That was still not affordable for them. It was hard for them to leave Dotty the first time, but it was even harder the second time. My how she had grown! Soon she would be weaned. Without a doubt she would be sold quickly. Somehow they had to take comfort in knowing somewhere out there was a forever home just for her.
The puppies were six weeks old now and their mama had weaned them. They were advertised in several different media outlets. Broderick and Catalina wanted to get as much out of the puppies as possible. They needed the money. And this would be Dora’s first and last litter for they were soon going to have her spayed. Even with Dusty as a mate and both of them being miniatures, she was just much too little to bear another litter of puppies. They could not take a chance on losing her. It had been much too close this time around. There would be no more puppies for Dora.
Chapter 3 – A Home for Dotty
Dotty was the first to go. A lady saw her advertisement and photo; she wanted to purchase her to be a show dog. She could easily afford the $800. But seeing Dotty took this to a whole new level. Wow! That was one adorable puppy and she was immediately drawn to her. Call it love at first glance. Adorable Dotty she was and now she was hers.
The new mom could not believe her good fortune in obtaining Dotty as her own. She had the AKC registration papers in hand. Even as a puppy she was the best dog she could be. She would have to wait patiently for Dotty to grow up, though, before she was show able. Two years seemed like forever to her, but Dotty would eventually grow up and shake off her puppy ways, so she would be ready for showing. In the meantime, Mom would just enjoy watching her play and watching her grow. Nobody bothered to tell Dotty her biological parents were miniatures and she was supposed to be also. She weighed almost 12 pounds when she was 6 months old and was already classified as a standard Dachshund.
Unfortunately, even best laid plans can go awry, which happened right after Mom adopted Dotty. She became so ill that there were days she was even too sick to go to work. Dotty liked that, of course, because that meant she got to stay home with Mom and not head out to the trainer’s place. She also liked it because she was there to comfort and console Mom while she lay sick in bed.
It took several months of illness and tests before the doctors told her that she was allergic to dogs. Allergic to dogs? No way! But she
was indeed allergic to Dotty. The allergy was so severe Mom knew she must let her go. The doctor affirmed her decision; there was no way she was going to be able to keep her.
Mom went back to the breeders and was told one of their friends was interested in Dotty, but there was no way they could afford the $800 price tag. Mom needed to find a home for Dotty as soon as possible and told him Sean and Delores could have her for $100. She loved Dotty and wanted her to be in a nurturing home where the dog would be cared for and loved. The breeder assured them Sean and Delores would. That was good enough for her. The arrangements were made for the handoff; the breeder would be contacting their friends and giving them contact information so they could follow-up. As unbelievable as it seemed, the beloved pup would be going to the family who originally wanted her after all.
Chapter 4 – Rejoicing
There was much excitement and rejoicing when Sean came home from work with the news they could have Dotty for $100. They hadn’t seen Dotty since she was five weeks old, but there was no question about still wanting her. $100? This must be some kind of joke! Sean called Broderick and Catalina, confirmed the price, got their address and made arrangements to go get her. Still, they were in shock for being able to get Dotty after all and for $100, to boot.
Broderick and Catalina marveled at the bond between Dotty and her “new” Mom. It was a deep bond that was still there even though it had been nine months since the last time they saw each other. Yes, they made the right decision to let Dotty go for $100. She was going home.
Dotty was 11 months old. Every day Delores jokingly said that she needed to pinch herself. It was that hard to believe Dotty was really hers now. But she was. She fit in so well with the family. Even their other Dachshund, Benji, loved her. She was just the sweetest, most adorable puppy. Everyone that saw her agreed. This sweet, adorable puppy would never have pups of her own, though. Sean and Delores had her spayed right away. They did not even think twice about it.
They were relieved Benji and Dotty got along so well. Benji was four years old and had been their only dog during that time. Both Sean and Delores worked and so Benji enjoyed his time with Dotty playing chase with her. The two of them would run and jump together, play with imaginary toys and chase balls and sticks. When they would refuel in preparation for the next time of play, they would have their meals and snacks together. And when their parents were home they both vied for Mom’s and Dad’s attention but nevertheless, there was no mistaking that Benji belonged to Sean and Dotty belonged to Delores.
When Delores came home from work one day, their elderly neighbor saw her and walked across the street to talk to her. The news came as quite a shock. And it was not good news. Apparently Dotty was having major separation anxiety and was howling every day, all day long. She was glad her neighbor cared enough to let them know the situation. They had figured Benji would be companion enough for Dotty, but they had figured wrong. Now they were discussing what they could do to alleviate Dotty’s situation and make her happy.
The vet suggested drugs to decrease Dotty’s anxiety, but Sean and Delores did not want to go that route. They were not ones to crate their dogs either, but let them roam free. They tried confining her to the dining room in the middle of the home by using partitions; they also made sure the windows were all shut and the thermostat set to a comfortable level for the dogs. Dotty was not to be deterred. Her howls were constant and still heard by the neighbor.
Delores took two days off of work and would “pretend” to leave for work, park her car a couple of blocks away and walk back to the house. She could hear Dotty’s howls a block away and it broke her heart. Several times each day she left and returned to the house, trying to gently scold Dotty for howling. Her attempts were in vain, though. Dotty was miserable when her Mom was not there and she was going to let the whole world know. Sean and Delores tried everything they could think of to comfort Dotty when Delores was away, but nothing seemed to help.
Delores had to work and so now they were faced with the very difficult decision of finding Dotty a new home. Because they were loving dog owners, they wanted to do what was best for their pup, even if it was hard for them to do.
Chapter 5 – Dotty’s Forever Home
Although Sean and Delores originally thought Dotty was to be theirs forever, they came to the realization that it was not meant to be. They rejoiced in the two short months they had with her. They were grateful for the time she was theirs. Delores especially had some very tender moments with the pup during the time they had her. Right when they made the decision to go about finding the perfect home for her, they got a phone call from another neighbor.
Their neighbor, Lara, said she heard they had a Dachshund needing a home. She said her elderly mother was coming to live with them and was wanting a dog. Hers had been a wonderful companion but had recently died. She was hoping for a Dachshund but had no resources to pay for one. Sean said it was up to Delores since Dotty was “her” dog. They both agreed she should go to the elderly neighbor. Since she was retired she would be there for Dotty most of the time. The silver lining in the otherwise dark cloud was they would periodically get to see Dotty as she would be living nearby.
Dotty thrived in her new environment. Isabel had moved in with her daughter, Lara, and son-in-law, Reuben, for financial reasons. Reuben worked, but both she and Lara were there almost all the time. Plus, they had grandchildren of various ages coming and going at different times. That gave Dotty many laps to sit on and twice as many hands to pet, hug and do belly rubs. It was obvious to Sean and Delores that they had done the right thing by giving up their pup to Isabel.
Dotty was taken for walks often; sometimes Isabel walked her, sometimes Lara walked her and sometimes they both did. The walks were most often in the evening when it was cooler. Dotty’s former owners, Sean and Delores, loved that because they got to see her often. She was always so happy to see them and vice versa, of course. The sadness of giving her up subsided in due time. It did them good to see she was very happy and contented.
Once in awhile they would go over to Dotty’s house to see her. The cute little cottage home with the white, picket fence around the yard was ideal for her. Whenever she heard the gate open, she would bound out the doggy door to see who was coming. The grandkids and the neighbors were greeted with excited barks. Strangers, on the other hand, were greeted with growls and deep-throated warning barks. She had turned out to be quite the watch dog.
Chapter 6 – Doggy Drama
Partially because of her Dachshund breeding and partially because there were so many people around to spoil her, Dotty had become quite the drama queen. Lara, Reuben and Isabel would all watch her go through a whole array of doggy emotions and facial expressions each day. She had become quite the manipulator.
If Dotty did not get her way, she could switch from adorable to stubborn on a dime and she could morph from happy-go-lucky to sulky on a nickel. Isabel and the other people in her life unwittingly reinforced her drama queen behavior by giving in to her. Let’s face it – she was adorable; she was irresistible. And they did not want her to be unhappy. She would secretly grin each time she got her own way. She was a Dachshund all right!
Dotty was also a rare black and gray dapple. Somehow it was deeply engrained into her she was extra special. There were no dog shows. Motherhood would never happen for her. There would be no puppies to nurture, nurse and wean. But she was special and she knew it. And she was always quite adorable.
Since Dotty was the only pet in the household, pampering and spoiling came easily. Her moments of sulky, stubborn pride did not last long. Yes, she was spoiled and catered to so she would be happy, but mostly she was a happy, well-adjusted dog because she had been given heaps of love and adoration her whole life. She was one-of-a-kind.
Lara taught Dotty many tricks during their time together. There were the usual “sit,” “stay” and “heel” commands, but the daughter took it to the next level. She taught Dotty to “sit up,” “beg,” ?
??roll over,” “play dead,” throw food up off the end of her nose and catch it and stay in place half of forever with a food morsel inches from her nose until she was told it was okay to get it. She was quite intelligent and teaching her the new tricks was not difficult. Being the drama queen that she was, Dotty thrived on all the laughter she received from her many antics.
Early one morning when Dotty went out into the yard through her doggy door, the family heard a big commotion. All at once they were all out the door to see what was happening. Much to their amusement a baby skunk had gotten into the yard. Dotty carried the drama to the max this time. She was on that skunk’s back before it could blink. The poor critter was frustrated beyond measure because it had no clue what was on its back and because whatever it was could not be sprayed from his position underneath. Reuben talked Dotty away, albeit reluctantly, and the baby skunk scurried under the fence and out of sight. It was hilarious!
Chapter 7 – Another Move
Life throws us all kinds of unexpected twists and turns. Dotty certainly had several in her four short years. As these things go, she now had one more to deal with because Reuben lost his job. The family struggled for several months on a reduced income with unemployment. He was sadly not able to find a job by the time his unemployment ran out. The little cottage would be theirs no more as a foreclosure forced them out.
Isabel moved into a small apartment complex for seniors and took Dotty with her. There was just enough room for the two of them. And there was no fenced yard. Actually, there was no yard to speak of. There was only a cement slab with a few inches of dirt around the edges. Instead of going out as Dotty needed to and wanted to, Mom had to leash her up and walk her to the designated pet area. This was an adjustment for both of them. Mom had to take Dotty out whether she felt like it or not. She had to take Dotty out whether the weather was nice or not. Dotty took it all in stride for she still had her Mom.