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I had it all planned out. One would be a boy and the other a girl. I wanted to name them Rommel and Marlena. Rommel would be a mini red and Marlena a black and tan. I talked about it all the time, but that’s about all. Then a couple of years ago my husband told me he was getting me a fur for our anniversary. That “fur” turned out to be a Red Doxie pup. Naturally I named him Rommel on the spot.

Rommel is everything I though he would be and a lot more. Of course he’s bold and reckless and full of energy just like all good doxies are (they are a hunting breed after all). But mostly Rommel is ball obsessed. He can’t go any amount of time without a ball or some kind of throw toy. In fact, he’s playing ball right now as I write. I won’t play with him, so he’s throwing the ball and fetching it himself.

I’ve had Rommel for a little over a year and a half and love him dearly, I still wanted another one to complete my lifelong plan. I had told my husband I was happy with the one I had and I didn’t need another one, but secretly (or not so secretly according to my husband) I was on the lookout for a black and tan baby girl.

The other day I saw an ad in the paper for a black and tan mini doxie. I called after a few days and found the pup was still available. The place wasn’t far from my home so I went over to take a look.. just look. She was nice but didn’t have that classic dachshund look to her. The father was papered I was told, but they didn’t know anything about the mother’s background. They had gotten her from a friend. I liked the puppies because they were puppies. I knew of a breeder in the area and she had girl black and tans. I when over to see what a good looking back and tan should look like. It was nothing like the pups I saw. So, I knew she wasn’t the right pup for me. (Rommel is papered, not that I care, I don’t do dog shows or anything, and has all the classic dachshund points to him. Naturally, he needed a girl as good looking as he is.) The breeder didn’t have any back and tans available. It was a disappointment I soon forgot when I saw my next doxie. She wasn’t black and tan and didn’t look like a Marlena at all. Instead she was a adorable chocolate and tan and she was attacking a Crunch bar wrapper. The wrapper never had a chance and neither did I.

I had told my husband I wasn’t out to get a doxie, but here was this perfect little puppy that I knew I had to have. I wasn’t sure what to do. I had my 11 year old daughter and her friend with me and they both loved the pup too. So we hatched a plan.

I took them home and they went to work. I had that doxie home an hour later with my husband thinking it was his idea. It took a couple of days to come up with her name. She didn’t look or act like any other the names I wanted to use. Several months ago we had had a group of German exchange students a couple of months ago. So, I went though the names of the girls that had come over, but most just didn’t fit. Then I remembered one more girl’s name, Franzi. When I said it out loud my new chocolate and tan doxie came runninng. So now that’s her name.

Now wherever I go around the house I’m followed by the quick plunka plunka plunka of eight little doxie feet trotting along behind (beside, in front of and under) me. It’s a happy little “doxie nation”. We even have our first “naturalized dachshund”, our big, lovable, Mastif mix, Odin. We rescued Odin from the pound years ago and he and Rommel are great pack-mates. The two play play together all the time, which is pretty funny to watch since Rommel is only about the size of Odin’s head; a fact that Rommel seems to not notice as he attempts to wrestle Odin to the ground. (Odin often just lies on his side and “plays dead” while Rommel runs around and over him.) They have a good time though-especially when Odin plays ball too.

Writing this, I still don’t know why I love Dachshunds. But, I assure you, I’m having a fun time figuring it out.

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