So this past week, my eleven year old silky wire-haired dachshund, Boo, visited the dentist. Ultimately our sweet little boy had to have three teeth pulled. For reference, he now has 12 teeth left. Mini dachshunds like my dog are apparently predisposed to gum disease and bad teeth also, which is something we have found out the hard way with my two dogs, Marty and Boo. The biggest thing with this appointment though, was closing the fistula that had developed as a result of the decay that had occurred on the bone surrounding the teeth he had pulled at his last appointment.
It’s really important that it did close because that fistula was a pathway between his nose and mouth that wasn’t supposed to exist. Closing it would seal things off again and hopefully provide Boo much more comfort and prevent anything from getting into his nose that shouldn’t. Thank goodness the vet was able to close the fistula and Boo has recovered well since his appointment. He went in on Tuesday and with it now being Sunday, that is about five days since his surgery. He is eating well, sleeping well, and seems to be in pretty good spirits.
I don’t know about you all but it makes me sad seeing my dog in pain. Boo whimpered a decent amount after we brought him home and the following two days after his surgery and all I wanted to do was snuggle him and cuddle with him to give him some comfort. It’s encouraging though to see that he is doing really well and I hope he continues to improve and that we don’t have to visit the doggie dentist anytime soon.
So if you could send some positive thoughts my way for Boo, I would really appreciate it as he continues to improve and recover. Boo has been such a special part of my life and I’m so happy to have such a sweet little man to enjoy the world with. Feel better soon, Boo!!
This will most definitely be one of the hardest posts I will ever have to make. This past week, one of my best friends passed away. My sweet, little boy Marty made his trip to Heaven.
It’s hard to imagine that he’s actually gone and it’s tough to think that there is now a period of my life where he won’t physically be here. I won’t be able to go home to him on weekends and be greeted by his cheerful bark and wagging tail. I won’t be able to take him on walks anymore or play with his little stuffed dragon or other toys anymore. It honestly feels like I’ve lost a brother. It feels like a little bit of me is gone. This is hard…
I remember the day we went and picked up our sweet little angel. It was October 26, 2009, six days after my tenth birthday. I remember telling my teacher at the time that I would be missing school on Friday to go pick up my brand new puppy. She was jealous. We left and stayed in Colorado Springs that night and I remember looking out the window of the hotel thinking, “We’re coming Marty. I can’t wait to meet you.”
When we arrived at Sunset Dachshunds, the place we picked him up from, he was wearing the cutest little black and orange bow to celebrate Halloween coming up and his little tail was wagging about a million miles an hour. He cried a bit on the way with us to our grandpa’s house, but I think he knew that he had just become a member of a family that would love him endlessly.
During his first few months at home with us, I remember crying while I was on my way to school because it was snowing so much and we didn’t get a snow day. I just wanted to spend the day with my new puppy. We got to school and all of the teachers were standing outside the building as the snow blew around and they told us, “Go home. No school today!” My sister and I were thrilled. When we came home to him, he was attempting to crawl over the barricade we had set up for him. He was so dang cute. We spent that wonderful snow day with our sweet little boy and I will always cherish the pictures my family took that day.
He was such a smart pup. He could say “I love you, Inna” to my mom. He could sit, sit pretty, shake, and even though he was a bit crazy on walks, he was always such a well-behaved dog. He was great with people, sometimes not so much with dogs, but he was still a good boy and would listen to us when we told him to stop doing whatever he was doing.
I can’t figure out why the pictures keep flipping on me, but still, enjoy this one with a massive cucumber Mar managed to pull.
And when we got Boo, I remember how excited Mar was to be a big brother. He was always clearly an alpha, but he became such a leader and role model to Boo, once Boo joined the Horvath family. Any time Boo barked too much, Mar was there to snap at him and put Boo back in line. Any time Boo was a bit too far ahead of Marty during walks, Marty would bark at Boo to get to his side or stay behind him. Anytime Boo would even just want to play, Marty would always challenge him. Marty was always so good to Boo and such a wonderful companion to him. I can’t imagine how Boo is handling this. Or does he really even understand? From what I’ve been told, on Marty’s last day on Earth, Boo spent a lot of time licking him and sticking to his side. I feel like dogs have a way of knowing these things. I just want to be there as much as I can for Boo now.
Despite all of the emergency visits to the vet, Marty was still a pleasure to have around. There was one time where he must have eaten a chicken strip or something, and he managed to get a HUGE abscess in his mouth. At the ER, they told us Mar had cancer, but we knew that wasn’t the case. The abscess popped and he ended up being just fine. Another time, he had an allergic reaction to a rabies shot and we made another trip to the ER for him. And then when we found out he had that stupid bladder cancer, every trip to the vet was a journey, but the time spent with him was not wasted and not under appreciated.
I wish that I had been there for him with his last breaths but maybe it’s for the better that I was at school when Marty moved on. I told him that I would see him in two weeks after first leaving for school and it really sucks that I wasn’t there for him, but I’m happy to know that he’s in a better place and that the pain and suffering is over.
I’m thankful to my parents for not listening to the vets, saying that Marty only had six months to live. He lived an entire freaking year after the vets discovered the cancerous cells in his bladder, and he lived a good year. He got to be with family until the end.
So Marty, thank you for all the tail wags and kisses and play time and snuggles. Thank you for all the walks and car rides. Thank you for being a little ray of sunshine even when days were rough. You may have hated bath time but you were always the cutest little thing when you acted all grumpy under your blankets, even though I wasn’t touching you. Thank you for blessing my life with your wonderful existence and all of the memories. You will forever be a part of our little core four and be my best friend, my bubba, my little prince, and now my angel. I love you endlessly, Marty. ?
Boo’s got a big day coming up at the dentist this week. When I say big, I mean INSANELY big. Our poor little guy has pretty bad dental disease (dachshunds are more prone to it than most dogs) and it’s finally time to take care of it. His breath has been really stinky and he has been sneezing quite a bit lately, which is an indicator that his upper canines aren’t doing so hot. Anyway…
Boo goes in tomorrow for his procedure and the dentist is expecting to pull 20 teeth! For those of you that don’t know, adult dogs have 42 teeth, so he’s going to be losing about half. We’ve tried a variety of things to keep both Boo’s and Marty’s teeth healthy throughout their lives, but there’s just something about their genetics that has made periodontitis inevitable. From Greenies chews to teeth cleanings at a local dog food shop, to my mom even scaling and cleaning their teeth, we’ve tried a lot.
We took Marty in to see the dentist around this same time last year, so my family knows what to expect. Lots of soft food and rest for the little guy. There’s also going to be a lot of medication. All the antibiotics and painkillers… When we went in to have him first checked last week, the vet even gave us antibiotics to start him on then in addition to probiotics to help his gut stay healthy. I’ve never seen probiotics given to a dog before, but so far, they’ve been wonderful for him to have! Marty even likes the probiotics with his food, haha. I really hope he doesn’t end up losing his upper canines, but I have a feeling he’s going to lose those.
In the end, this procedure will help his mouth feel a lot better and hopefully help him feel a lot better! That’s how it was with Marty, so I expect the same results for Boo. I’ll be busy spending a lot of time with Boo this week, that’s for sure! Have a good week everyone 🙂
Boo was probably just about to start barking in this picture.
Time sure flies when you’re having fun with some adorable, wonderful dogs. This past week, our sweet little boy, Boo, turned nine. His birthday was this past Wednesday, and honestly, that’s been the hardest thing about college, missing out on family birthdays. It all worked out though because my family did a great job spoiling him and I had a chance to get some hugs and kisses from Boo this weekend at home.
I remember when we first went to see Boo. He was just a couple of weeks old and he was so little in comparison to the rest of his siblings. He was the little runt of his litter, which is funny in my opinion because Marty was the alpha of his litter! When Boo was old enough for us to take him home, which was around two months of age, he was the most precious adorable, sweet little baby ever.
Whatever Marty did, he did. And he learned very quickly that the way to get what you want, is by barking. He’s not annoying or misbehaved when he barks, but he definitely does allow his voice to be heard if he’s wanting a carrot or some cheese, or even to just go outside. He might not be the biggest fan of my grandpa’s blue heeler, but that’s a story for a different time… 🙂
One of my favorite things about Boo is his ability to sing. Yes, you read that right. He sings. When I play piano, he howls along, but he’s different in that he changes his howling and tone based on the song I’m playing. If I’m playing at more of a fast and intense tempo, Boo sings louder and his howls are more choppy. When I play a slower song, his howls become deeper and longer and it’s precious!!
He’s always been the baby of the family and always will be. His kind demeanor and sweet, sweet, sweet personality make him such a lovable and wonderful dog to have and I’m so lucky that I’ve been a part of his amazing little life. Him and Marty get along so well and my family and I are so lucky to have worked with an amazing breeder to have two amazing little dachshunds.
May there be many more belly rubs, jam sessions on the piano, carrots, cheese, and squirrel chases in his future. Have a good week everyone!
My two happy-go-lucky dachshunds are pretty healthy and that can be a lot of work but it’s so worth it. A dog’s health is very important, especially when they’re a part of your family. You wouldn’t want one of your own family members to be in pain or sick or feeling yucky all the time, would you? Here’s a few tips on how to keep your dog healthy.
-Feed them properly. Depending on your dog, they will need different amounts of food at different times of the day. For Marty and Boo, they eat three meals of Eukanuba for dachshunds or Science Diet for small dogs. The portions are generally pretty small and they love carrots so if they ever do feel hungry, they snack on them.
-Keep your dogs hydrated. Just like us humans, dogs need water. Make sure to give them fresh water twice a day if not daily. If they are ever running low on water, make sure you give them more. A hydrated dog is a healthy and happy dog.
-Exercise your dog. Whether this is through a game of fetch or a nice long walk, a dog needs to be exercised. This helps them maintain a healthy weight, have some fun, and explore somewhere other than the house.
-Spend time with your dog. My dogs are my best friends. Dogs deserve your attention, after all you bought them or adopted them for a reason. You wanted a companion. Dogs will love you endlessly as long as you love them back. Spending time talking to your dog or giving your dog a belly rub maintains your emotional bond and prevents them from feeling alone all the time. A dog that is often left alone can develop separation anxiety and may develop bad habits.
-Take your dog to the vet for check-ups on time. This can be difficult for busy families but it is very important to always check on your dog’s health. Check-ups can catch problems early on and save your companion from medical issues and expenses. To add to this, taking your dog to get their teeth cleaned regularly can help prevent gum disease and mouth issues down the road. Having your dog put under for teeth cleaning can be a huge expense. There are some dog food stores and grooming places that offer teeth cleaning without anaesthesia. Sometimes it can be as simple as a toothbrush or wipes or gentle cavitron cleaning.
I hope these few tips help you keep your tail-wagging buddies happy and healthy! Don’t forget to keep them well-fed and hydrated and also don’t forget to love them endlessly and enjoy your four-legged companions. 🙂
In case you didn’t know already, I have two wire-haired bundles of energy named Marty and Boo who are seven and six. I feel like I haven’t written about them as much as I could be and now felt like a good time to write about them.
We got Marty six days after my tenth birthday and I had never been more excited to get anything in my entire life. He had a little black and orange bow attached to his tiny blue collar and his tail was wagging a hundred miles a minute when he saw us for the first time. We got Marty from a dachshund breeder in Cortez, Colorado and she did an amazing job prepping him to live with us. Marty already knew how to sit, sit pretty, and roll over for belly rubs. He was also potty-trained too which was so helpful for us. Since that first day with our little Mar, he’s been a wonderful, silly, and SUPER smart companion.
We got Boo a short year and a half later from the same breeder. We knew that Marty was lonely when we left the house, and so getting him a little brother was good decision. Boo was so much smaller than Marty when we first got him and he was the shyest and sweetest little dachshund I ever met. Boo has a really cute little bunch of silver hair on his head that sticks up on its own when it gets long enough and his left ear sits funny. We call it his “awkward ear” and Boo also earned the nickname, Punk Skunk after the silver streak top of his head. Anyways, Boo and Marty have gotten along great and have been the best playmates and brothers ever, even if Marty considers himself alpha around Boo.
Both Marty and Boo are super smart, cute, and talented. They also have a strong passion for eating. (Who doesn’t?!) Marty and Boo both know how to do the basics like sit, sit pretty, fetch, speak, and so on. Marty also knows how to say my mom’s name and beg for carrots. Boo prefers to bark at my family until he gets what he wants. On top of that, Boo enjoys singing along when I play the piano. He pulls the notes and gets louder and quieter as I do. It’s adorable! They both know the words “squirrel”, “car trip”, “walk”, “up”, and “upstairs” very well. Marty and Boo eat a wide variety of things, including Eukanaba specific breed food (Dachshund), carrots, cheese, celery, cucumbers, spaghetti, chicken, rice, apples, and so much more. I’m pretty sure I could write a solid blog post about all of the things my doggies eat… I’ll save that for later if I ever need to.
On the way to New Mexico, I decided Marty needed to try on my sunglasses. Definitely a good idea.
Boo was probably just about to start barking in this picture.
So that’s Marty and Boo! I’ll probably write more about them in the future so I hope you look forward to that! If you’re interested in getting a furry, four-legged companion, and specifically a dachshund, click here for the link to the breeder that my family and I got Marty and Boo from. I know that their wait list is pretty long for puppies right now, but it’ll definitely be worth the wait if you’re interested. In addition to that, Marty and Boo are on Instagram at martyandboo if you’d like to follow them there.
Dachshunds are great dogs. They’re super smart, adorable, and active pets. Marty and Boo are two of the most amazing creatures I’ve ever met and I’m so glad to have my fuzzy little boys in my life.
Dogs are a man’s best friend, or in my case, a girl’s best friend. Haha. In case you didn’t know, I have two silky wire-haired dachshunds named Marty and Boo. They are super energetic and the most adorable little dachshunds I’ve ever met. Dogs need to be loved, played with, and cared for. Happy dogs are the best kind of dogs. Here are a bundle of tips on how to have a happy dog:
My sister and I with our dogs Marty (right) and Boo (left).
Keep your dog active. Take your dog for regular walks and let them enjoy get fresh air. Dogs love to be able to get up and out. This can also help keep your dog at a healthy weight and a dog at a healthy weight is much happier than a dog under or overweight.
Play with your dog and give him/her attention. Our tail-wagging companions need attention. This can be several things like playing games with your dog, taking it to the vet for check-ups, brushing it, washing it, giving it belly rubs, rubbing behind their ears or neck, buying a new collar, and the list goes on. Your dog is a part of your family, so why not give it the same amount of love and attention that you give your mom or your sister?
Give your dog treats. Dogs love treats, especially after good behavior, so why not reward them? Find what kind of treats your dog likes and give the treats to your dog when you can.
If your dog is lonely, get them a friend. Having one dog works out well for some families and sometimes it doesn’t. Some dogs need another buddy to help them get through the day, mostly when they’re home alone for quite some time. From personal experience, this was true for my family. When Marty, our older dachshund, was about a year old, he got kind of lonely at home when no one else was there so we got his half-brother, Boo, the next summer, and they haven’t been lonely since then. Two dogs keep each other company and look out for each other and make the house a lot more fun.
ALWAYS be friendly to your dog. Dogs can get upset when you’re upset or unfriendly to them. If you don’t like to be yelled at and treated poorly, then you should know that dogs are the same way. They love to be treated with kindness and by a friendly, happy person.
So I hope these tips can be used to help make your dogs happier. They deserve it! There are so many wonderful ways that can also help make your dog happy and they can be found in books, from other owners, and even online. Dogs are a part of your family and they should really mean a lot to you so why not make them as happy as can be?
