Dachshunds on the shelf

When someone saw me walking my mini-dachshund through town the other day and asked how old she was I mistakenly said, "Oh, I've had her about a year". I realized much later that Sid, Sid Vicious if you're being formal, actually turned two this past February. I guess because she is still rather tiny, and also the fact I can't believe I own such a small dog, I sometimes forget just how long she's been here.

Small dogs have a way of growing on you and even show up in literature from time to time. Margaret Rey may be famous along with H.A. Rey for the Curious George series but also wrote about Pretzel, the longest dachshund in the world. Across the street from Pretzel lives another dachshund named Greta who lands herself in a bit of trouble that requires Pretzel to use his strength, and length, to rescue her.

Dachshunds show up in several books by author Ezra Jack Keats. Look for Willie the dachshund in Whistle for Willie, he appears on the front and back cover. Willie also shows up in another book by that author, Pet Show.

Hank Zipzer is the popular series by Henry Winkler. Hank named his dachsund Cheerio because of how she looked when she ran in circles after her own tail. She shows up in several episodes with one of the funniest being A Tale of Two Tails.

In Mr. Dogwood goes to Washington by Leigh Anne Florence kids get a view of Washington D.C. through the eyes of two dachshunds, Woodie and Chloe. Color illustrations in this small chapter book as well as a a fun story make this a great way to learn about our nation's history and see what a dachshund might look like if he joined Nasa and the space program.

Kids aren't the only ones bringing their dogs along for fun. Look in the mystery section for The Serpents Trail: a Maxie and Stretch Mystery by Sue Henry. Maxie finds it hard to believe she's left everything to travel in her Winnebago, this time to Alaska, but her mini-dachshund Stretch is always there for company, and to sniff out clues.



Our dog Sid was a very good friend for our lab Holly. Although I don't think any household should be subjected to teenagers and dachshunds together, the mix just makes for too much defiance in one small space, the arrival of Sid was perfect timing as Holly's health declined. She was a good friend to Holly and I suppose that's why I keep her around.