My first post

[GJBain]

I am a member of many other forums (cars, motorcycles, snowmobiles, etc.) but I never even thought about a Dachshund site. I just happened to be searching the web for "Dachshund" and came across this site. I wish I had thought about it earlier. I have owned 2 Dachshunds in my life. Both red smooth hair females. One a "full sized" model and one a miniature. The first one, the standard, I had as a kid. She lived to be 14-1/2 years old. I was 21 when she died in 85 and never wanted another one because I wanted to remember her forever. 11 years later I caved and bought the 2nd one, the miniature, in 1996. Even named her the same thing - Samantha (Sam). She lived 17 years and 3 weeks. Her last day was last Monday 6/3/13. We had to put her down. She was deaf for a few years, 90% blind and just could not walk anymore without falling over. I held her for hours before she was to be taken in and she fell asleep in my arms while holding her. Boy do I miss her. I don't think I can ever get another one of these great dogs. It is just too hard when it is time to let them go.

 

[DeafDogs]

WOW! 17 is a fantastic age! I hope mine live as long. That being said, I'm soooo sorry about your loss. It's not easy losing a dog, and as mine age, I worry. Scout and Zoe, who live with my mom, but were mine first (she stole them LOL) are 10 and 11 now, and I worry so much. Boo (my mini whom I adopted 2.5 years ago) is 9, and I worry a bit about him too. Mouse and Oliver (my other mini and my Terrier) are 4.5 and 5, so I've got a few years before I worry too much about them. But I could never live without a dog, no matter how much it hurts to lose them. My 2 childhood dogs dies when I was 21 (only 9 months apart), and that nearly killed me, but other dogs need a home, and I have one to give

 

[garyd]

I am a member of many other forums (cars, motorcycles, snowmobiles, etc.) but I never even thought about a Dachshund site. I just happened to be searching the web for "Dachshund" and came across this site. I wish I had thought about it earlier. I have owned 2 Dachshunds in my life. Both red smooth hair females. One a "full sized" model and one a miniature. The first one, the standard, I had as a kid. She lived to be 14-1/2 years old. I was 21 when she died in 85 and never wanted another one because I wanted to remember her forever. 11 years later I caved and bought the 2nd one, the miniature, in 1996. Even named her the same thing - Samantha (Sam). She lived 17 years and 3 weeks. Her last day was last Monday 6/3/13. We had to put her down. She was deaf for a few years, 90% blind and just could not walk anymore without falling over. I held her for hours before she was to be taken in and she fell asleep in my arms while holding her. Boy do I miss her. I don't think I can ever get another one of these great dogs. It is just too hard when it is time to let them go.

My first dachshund lived to be 15 and I was so heartbroken when she died that I didn't have another for 20 years and may never had if our daughter hadn't come to visit from Alaska with her 8 month old puppy. I fell in love in 30 seconds and realized the only sad part of my Sammy's memory was the lost love of another for all those years. My new little guy didn't take the place of the first one, but sure filled a big hole in my heart.

Now I have 2! Don't miss out on the happiness a dachshund will bring to your life just because it may some day end.

 

[Penny]

Hi and welcome!
So very sorry for you loss. 17 yrs is a wonderful lifetime and yet, I bet you would start all over again on your first day if you had the magic wand that would grant you that wish. I know I would!
What can we do for you? Maybe visiting here will be too sad for you.

Here is my red fella. I hide the ball for my 3 doxies every day, and he's found it under the little stool. We have blankets on everything. lol
Best wishes to you during this very sad time.

 

[Penny]

I was thinking of your post, and remembering when our old fella Basil was getting up in years and the thought of him gone, and all the doxie stuff put away, was just too sad to even consider. That's when we made the decision to get a second doxie. We contacted a show breeder and let her know we would have room for a girl when she had one ready to retire, and in not too long, Engli came to live with us. My goodness!! Basil just perked right up! He had a reason to get out of bed in the morning! And that sweet darling Engli, figured out he was an old guy and just mothered him, cuddled him, and Basil soaked it all in. The best decision we ever made. We haven't had to put those dog beds away for many years now. Maybe that's something to think about for you. You can honor a dog that's gone by loving a new one that needs a home. I bet you've got some very nice dog beds that are put away somewhere to gather dust. It doesn't have to be like that, so many are in rescue, aching for a home. I would consider getting a bonded pair, because 2 are harder to place since homes often already have a dog or two. Save a life, make room for another in rescue. Anyway, those are my thoughts.

 

[crystalclear1027]

I went through this heartache in November 2012. I missed him so much and just not having a doxi, we now have acquired two of them since November, and it did ease the pain because you are occupied and are bonding with new babies, it does help a lot. Believe me, you never forget them, there is no other dog like the ones that you have lost but you learn to move on with new experiences and personalities. Sorry for your loss! You have a giant heart like all of us on this forum and enough room to love a doxi again. They are worth it. Welcome!!!!

 

[HilyBee]

I'm so terribly sorry for your loss. Losing a fur-baby is (in my opinion) one of the hardest things to do. We lost Cazic, our first doxie who was a shaded red LH standard, to a terrible disease. He had to be put down because his entire body was in complete failure. We tried everything to save him for weeks before putting him down. He was only 3 years old. I miss him terribly and even as I write this I can barely keep myself together. I just lost him on February 14, 2013. Three weeks before his 4th birthday.

One of my fav pics of Caz from 2009.

On March 24th (coincidentally Cazic's birthday), we received an email reply from a local breeder about some puppies she had. We had been considering another doxie but didn't know if we were ready or not. When we went to see them, we had no choice but to bring one home. We loved them all!

Dachshunds fill your heart with so much love if you let them. They are the sweetest, most loyal, caring and charismatic dogs I've ever owned. It might feel like you're unsure or not ready quite yet for a new baby, but do consider it. You will find a new baby to love and make even more memories without replacing the previous ones. Give yourself time to grieve too though. We are here to help support if we can. Best of luck with your journey.

Yosuke, our second dachshund (mini, english cream dapple)

 

[GJBain]

My first dachshund lived to be 15 and I was so heartbroken when she died that I didn't have another for 20 years and may never had if our daughter hadn't come to visit from Alaska with her 8 month old puppy. I fell in love in 30 seconds and realized the only sad part of my Sammy's memory was the lost love of another for all those years. My new little guy didn't take the place of the first one, but sure filled a big hole in my heart.

Now I have 2! Don't miss out on the happiness a dachshund will bring to your life just because it may some day end.

Funny your first name is Gary and your first Dachshund was Sam. Same as me.

 

[GJBain]

I was thinking of your post, and remembering when our old fella Basil was getting up in years and the thought of him gone, and all the doxie stuff put away, was just too sad to even consider. That's when we made the decision to get a second doxie. We contacted a show breeder and let her know we would have room for a girl when she had one ready to retire, and in not too long, Engli came to live with us. My goodness!! Basil just perked right up! He had a reason to get out of bed in the morning! And that sweet darling Engli, figured out he was an old guy and just mothered him, cuddled him, and Basil soaked it all in. The best decision we ever made. We haven't had to put those dog beds away for many years now. Maybe that's something to think about for you. You can honor a dog that's gone by loving a new one that needs a home. I bet you've got some very nice dog beds that are put away somewhere to gather dust. It doesn't have to be like that, so many are in rescue, aching for a home. I would consider getting a bonded pair, because 2 are harder to place since homes often already have a dog or two. Save a life, make room for another in rescue. Anyway, those are my thoughts.

Even though a rescue would be a good thing I could never do that. My first Dachshund that I mentioned above when I was a kid we got her when she was 4 years old. People who owned her, a friend of my mothers, had to find someone to watch her for two years while they moved to England for work. When they came back 2 years later they saw how attached my brother and I were to her, well planned out scheme by two young kids I might add, that they could not take her away from us. Like I said she lived to 14-1/2 years old so we had her for only 10-1/2 years which was way way to short. Hell the 17 years we just had this one was waaaaay to short. If I ever got another it would be from a puppy again no doubt about it!

 

[Penny]

There is something very satisfying about getting an adult that was without a home.
I agree, however long we have them, it is never long enough!

 

[GJBain]

Sam our miniature was very well taken care off. She had a seizure at age 3 so she was on phenobarbital all her life with regular vet visits every 3 months to check her "levels". Literally 1000's of $ spent on vet bills and medicines/shots. It did not matter, whatever she needed she got. Her weight was always kept in check at 13 lbs. as I have first hand experience as to what can happen to a Dachshund that is over weight. Sam that we had when I was a kid was somewhat over weight and hurt her back once but recovered well from it. To this day I wish I did more to keep her weight in check but I was just a dumb kid WTF did I know. I was constantly on my wife to not let this Sam jump or do the stairs. We never had that problem with this one, thankfully. She was our girl. Slept in the big bed every night with us. She is and will be missed.

 

[garyd]

Funny your first name is Gary and your first Dachshund was Sam. Same as me.

That Disney song is going through my head about now...

 

[schierling]

So sorry for your loss. I really feel for your sadness. We have owned dogs and dachshunds for almost 40 years so I have had to let several dogs go in that time. Our very first was the hardest because our children were so attached to him. He was 14. Then we had a little poodle who had cancer at 7 and most recently we lost our 15 year old terrier. When we had to let him go, my vet said to think of it as the last kind thing we do for them by not letting them suffer. They are so hard to let go, but I would not have missed one minute with each of them even though I knew it would all end sooner that I would have liked. Dogs and especially dachshunds, teach us patience, kindness, faith, and love. They make us think of someone besides ourselves and teach our children how to live less selfishly and love unconditionally. They give far more than they ever ask for and when they leave us the love lingers a long time.

I was reminded once that 'dog' is "God" spelled backwards, and I choose to think that these little treasures give us a glimpse of just how much we are really loved. Since I constantly need to be reminded of God's love, I will always own a dachshund.

 

[GJBain]

One month has gone by since losing my girl. I miss her.

 

[crystalclear1027]

I feel the same about my TANGO, he was a red smooth tween. I cried every day, still do and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of him. The two new babies have helped me big time. Hang in there!