A kitty was under the bird feeder this morning.
A big white cat, bigger than Schatzi, was waiting to supplement her breakfast.
I have no experience with cats, but I understand they hunt just for the fun of it and not for lack of food . So kitty, no killing allowed here.
Schatzi discovered the cat on her morning patrol. She dashed up on the deck and barked from as far away as possible. Dad to the rescue, like always. The cat was not interested in vacating the spot, but eventually had to remove herself into Betty's yard. Then it was safe for Schatzi to run all the way to the edge of the rocks and bark : " And don't come back ". She has spurts of bravery.
Schatzi said : I did a little house cleaning in your bed, and look what I found under your pillow ! A very long thin chewie, I tasted it, it was not good at all and I took care of it -- so you don't have to bother ! Well guess what, this was my pillow speaker for my little radio at night. Now it will be very boring until I get another one.
I barely remember anything, that the dachsies chewed up and destroyed, except for the carpet excavating work.
I was not at home, when Waldi got trapped in the small bedroom after a strong draft shut the door . Remembering his ancestral skills digging for badgers, he started tunneling under the door to get out. Faustimaus in the mean time helped from the hall way, however in front of another bed room door. They both worked hard, shredding two big patches of wall to wall carpet but had no success getting Waldi out.
Ohren, our food expert, demolished Gundi's ginger bread men and sampled 8 ginger bread houses.
It really was proof of how skillful and determined a little short legged dachsie can be.
Eight large ginger bread houses, all decorated and ready to go to a craft show, were sitting on the dining room table. Ohren with lot's of effort managed to get up on a dining room chair and from there up on to the table. He took a bite out of every house, just a corner of the roof.
He must have just eaten the royal icing, because I think, I could repair the damage.
The ginger men cookies, however, were just crumbs, when Ohren was done.
The cookies had red ribbons to hang on greenery in a floor vase. They were nicely decorated had cinnamon buttons and their names written in icing.
After the holidays the cookies were packed away in a large metal coffee can, inside a box and stored in the basement.
The following year at Christmas the box came upstairs again.
When the dachsies were alone at home, Ohren worked through the card board box, pulled out the coffee can and opened the lid . Superior nose work.
That was the end of the ginger men.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
From Andy
Schatzi’s Progress Report
It is amazing how much progress Schatzi has made since she first got here.
When she first showed up, she used to sit curled up in a ball in her basket and wouldn’t leave until she was sure we weren’t anywhere nearby and couldn’t see her. When we took her out, she flat out refused to come anywhere near arms length, and forget picking her up. She also ran for the door at the slightest noise from over the fence or on the next street. Even the wind sent her packing.
But things have changed.
Slowly but surely, she’s gotten much more comfortable. These days, she stretches out to full length in her basket and she’ll even plant herself on the kitchen floor sometimes. She’s also found a new “basket” under dad’s desk.
She freely explores the whole house now, except for the basement which remains a mysterious forbidden zone.
She has learned to bark at intruders, like the evil cat that keeps sneaking into the back yard. She isn’t chasing the cat yet, but she does bark and she happily gives it a “good riddance” bark once the humans have chased it off.
When we take her out, she not only romps around and plays, but she also tries to jump up on dad’s lap. She even lets us pet her and pick her up. And, interestingly, she will actively run her head under dad’s hand when she wants to be petted.
Also, noises don’t bother her as much as they used to. Thunder still does, and she doesn’t like motorcycles or workmen, but she doesn’t freak out and run for the door anymore at every little noise.
In the evenings, she explores the house and plays with her toys. She runs around and jumps on dad. She’s learned to take herself out too, though sadly, she hasn’t learned to tell us yet that she wants out. This could become a problem in winter, but hasn’t been a big problem yet.
All in all, she’s become a very friendly, happy little doggie. She’s still neurotic and skittish, but she’s getting much better
It is amazing how much progress Schatzi has made since she first got here.
When she first showed up, she used to sit curled up in a ball in her basket and wouldn’t leave until she was sure we weren’t anywhere nearby and couldn’t see her. When we took her out, she flat out refused to come anywhere near arms length, and forget picking her up. She also ran for the door at the slightest noise from over the fence or on the next street. Even the wind sent her packing.
But things have changed.
Slowly but surely, she’s gotten much more comfortable. These days, she stretches out to full length in her basket and she’ll even plant herself on the kitchen floor sometimes. She’s also found a new “basket” under dad’s desk.
She freely explores the whole house now, except for the basement which remains a mysterious forbidden zone.
She has learned to bark at intruders, like the evil cat that keeps sneaking into the back yard. She isn’t chasing the cat yet, but she does bark and she happily gives it a “good riddance” bark once the humans have chased it off.
When we take her out, she not only romps around and plays, but she also tries to jump up on dad’s lap. She even lets us pet her and pick her up. And, interestingly, she will actively run her head under dad’s hand when she wants to be petted.
Also, noises don’t bother her as much as they used to. Thunder still does, and she doesn’t like motorcycles or workmen, but she doesn’t freak out and run for the door anymore at every little noise.
In the evenings, she explores the house and plays with her toys. She runs around and jumps on dad. She’s learned to take herself out too, though sadly, she hasn’t learned to tell us yet that she wants out. This could become a problem in winter, but hasn’t been a big problem yet.
All in all, she’s become a very friendly, happy little doggie. She’s still neurotic and skittish, but she’s getting much better
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Bed Stairs
Any day that I can wear a sweat shirt is a great day !
I cannot believe my luck that we had 2 really wet and cold days. What a treat after 97 degree heat already. It reminds me of where I lived for 9 years, always cold and wet. Frequently the heater was on in July still.
Although there is barely any sun, the plants are lush and the grass is emerald, the flowers are insanely beautiful and the conifers never turn gray.
The sky is uniformly milky with rarely a defined cloud, this makes it boring real fast.
My friend Clar came to meet Schatzi and the doggie was curious and never growled. Schatzi was comfortable, because they were both practically sitting on the same level, since Clair can sit on the floor and still can get up. And I can barely get out of a chair.
That is also why I very much appreciate her help and thank her for planting 5 pots of petunias on my " mini slope ", right in front of the door.
Schatzi wears cute little pantaloons and occasionally, something sticks to her fluffy hair. This needs to be cleaned off. It is amazing that she stays so clean and silky at all, although she is the roller queen of the back yard.
Dad held her and I had the wet paper towel ready, to wipe off what ever it was.
Dad touched her tail and instantly she screamed and turned on him and snapped.
You should think, she knows we would never hurt her, but there is still a lot of fear from her puppy mill days. We think, they use artificial insemination and are not very gentle either.
So what ever it was, stayed in her hair, until I brushed it out in the car.
She loves people watching in busy parking lots, just like a lady in a hotel lobby. I have a lot of time in the car to brush her double coat. Amazing how much super fine wool gets combed out, even without having knots or mats in her hair. I should save it and give it to the birds next spring for building material.
We have always been very accommodating to all our doggies. This makes life better for all of them because they are members of the family too.
We actually bought a car once with a special wide rear window ledge, so Raskal could lay there and watch the world. That was 1970 when we also had a hammock in the back seat for baby Andy. There was no talk of seat belts yet.With all these precautions, I wonder how we lived that long.
Waldi and Schnapps had heated beds which helped with the arthritis stiffness.
Fausti ate dinner elevated on a phone book. Bending down too far caused breathing problems. And of course Barbara was our doggie sitter.
And now we have a tiny rubber mat under Schatzi's food bowl otherwise she would have to chase it all over the floor. The same for her bed. A big piece of non skid mat under her wicker basket and it will not slide.
Now, her Dad bought stairs for her to climb into our bed. These stairs are about 40 pounds, made of wood, are carpeted, and reach almost to the top of the mattress.
Dad put a few little pieces of chewie on the stairs, which she carefully picked up.
Next morning Dad went back to bed while she played her heart out with the green Willy. Wait a minute, Dad is not throwing the squeaky toy anymore ? Schatzi just hopped onto the stairs and there she was -- wow, a new whole play ground !
She is a smart little girl and catches on very fast.
I cannot believe my luck that we had 2 really wet and cold days. What a treat after 97 degree heat already. It reminds me of where I lived for 9 years, always cold and wet. Frequently the heater was on in July still.
Although there is barely any sun, the plants are lush and the grass is emerald, the flowers are insanely beautiful and the conifers never turn gray.
The sky is uniformly milky with rarely a defined cloud, this makes it boring real fast.
My friend Clar came to meet Schatzi and the doggie was curious and never growled. Schatzi was comfortable, because they were both practically sitting on the same level, since Clair can sit on the floor and still can get up. And I can barely get out of a chair.
That is also why I very much appreciate her help and thank her for planting 5 pots of petunias on my " mini slope ", right in front of the door.
Schatzi wears cute little pantaloons and occasionally, something sticks to her fluffy hair. This needs to be cleaned off. It is amazing that she stays so clean and silky at all, although she is the roller queen of the back yard.
Dad held her and I had the wet paper towel ready, to wipe off what ever it was.
Dad touched her tail and instantly she screamed and turned on him and snapped.
You should think, she knows we would never hurt her, but there is still a lot of fear from her puppy mill days. We think, they use artificial insemination and are not very gentle either.
So what ever it was, stayed in her hair, until I brushed it out in the car.
She loves people watching in busy parking lots, just like a lady in a hotel lobby. I have a lot of time in the car to brush her double coat. Amazing how much super fine wool gets combed out, even without having knots or mats in her hair. I should save it and give it to the birds next spring for building material.
We have always been very accommodating to all our doggies. This makes life better for all of them because they are members of the family too.
We actually bought a car once with a special wide rear window ledge, so Raskal could lay there and watch the world. That was 1970 when we also had a hammock in the back seat for baby Andy. There was no talk of seat belts yet.With all these precautions, I wonder how we lived that long.
Waldi and Schnapps had heated beds which helped with the arthritis stiffness.
Fausti ate dinner elevated on a phone book. Bending down too far caused breathing problems. And of course Barbara was our doggie sitter.
And now we have a tiny rubber mat under Schatzi's food bowl otherwise she would have to chase it all over the floor. The same for her bed. A big piece of non skid mat under her wicker basket and it will not slide.
Now, her Dad bought stairs for her to climb into our bed. These stairs are about 40 pounds, made of wood, are carpeted, and reach almost to the top of the mattress.
Dad put a few little pieces of chewie on the stairs, which she carefully picked up.
Next morning Dad went back to bed while she played her heart out with the green Willy. Wait a minute, Dad is not throwing the squeaky toy anymore ? Schatzi just hopped onto the stairs and there she was -- wow, a new whole play ground !
She is a smart little girl and catches on very fast.
Two months
We have Schatzi a little over 2 months now.
She made tremendous progress in many areas to become a free and happy doggie.
She is starting to assert herself a little but still has a very long way to overcome her past. Her known universe is the back yard and just a small part of the house. The car is by now a safe extension of her home and that is about the size of her world.
She has no need for the dining area, never checked out a bathroom and is not curious to go down stairs or take the laundry basket apart.
Having to go out front causes terrible anxiety, being on the leash makes her dig in and she refuses to move even a quarter inch.
She still won't take a treat from our hand and mostly only eats when no on is in the kitchen. She slinks by me on the way to see Dad, with a small detour, head down and tail very low as if she were invisible.
Schatzi plays very happily only early in the morning. After breakfast she naps and stays quietly in her basket or takes long excursions into Dad's office.
At night she climbs the mountain of Dad , walking in his face and pushing her little head under his hand. Are you dead ? Why are you not petting me ? She wants to balance on 2 inches of mattress to look for the moon and won't settle down for the night. A nocturnal doggie, she is not cooperating with Andy's " Sleep - at - night " plan .
I wonder if we should push her to experience new things or let her discover the world on her own comfortable pace and without fear. I vote for her own pace.
A dog trainer always asks, who is the boss on the end of the leash ?
Schatzi definitely, but she is also not the typical little girl.
From Diane
I enjoyed reading some of the blog on schatzi. she has a cute picture. i think she has found a lovely home and family now. i praise you emmett, and andy for spending so much time and effort with her. i'm sure you all have secured a special place in the hereafter. hopefully it'll be the same place that cat owners go to so we can all enjoy the animals.
From Clar
Hi Gaylee … I read the tail of Schatzi and found it very interesting. No wonder Andy wrote a book .. he got the talent from his mother… it's something you would probably like to do also. I will look forward to further entries of Schatzi's tail!
From John
Glad to hear about the progress. It’s a challenge and I admire both of you rescuing her. Not many people would do it.
Keep the reports coming.
She made tremendous progress in many areas to become a free and happy doggie.
She is starting to assert herself a little but still has a very long way to overcome her past. Her known universe is the back yard and just a small part of the house. The car is by now a safe extension of her home and that is about the size of her world.
She has no need for the dining area, never checked out a bathroom and is not curious to go down stairs or take the laundry basket apart.
Having to go out front causes terrible anxiety, being on the leash makes her dig in and she refuses to move even a quarter inch.
She still won't take a treat from our hand and mostly only eats when no on is in the kitchen. She slinks by me on the way to see Dad, with a small detour, head down and tail very low as if she were invisible.
Schatzi plays very happily only early in the morning. After breakfast she naps and stays quietly in her basket or takes long excursions into Dad's office.
At night she climbs the mountain of Dad , walking in his face and pushing her little head under his hand. Are you dead ? Why are you not petting me ? She wants to balance on 2 inches of mattress to look for the moon and won't settle down for the night. A nocturnal doggie, she is not cooperating with Andy's " Sleep - at - night " plan .
I wonder if we should push her to experience new things or let her discover the world on her own comfortable pace and without fear. I vote for her own pace.
A dog trainer always asks, who is the boss on the end of the leash ?
Schatzi definitely, but she is also not the typical little girl.
From Diane
I enjoyed reading some of the blog on schatzi. she has a cute picture. i think she has found a lovely home and family now. i praise you emmett, and andy for spending so much time and effort with her. i'm sure you all have secured a special place in the hereafter. hopefully it'll be the same place that cat owners go to so we can all enjoy the animals.
From Clar
Hi Gaylee … I read the tail of Schatzi and found it very interesting. No wonder Andy wrote a book .. he got the talent from his mother… it's something you would probably like to do also. I will look forward to further entries of Schatzi's tail!
From John
Glad to hear about the progress. It’s a challenge and I admire both of you rescuing her. Not many people would do it.
Keep the reports coming.
Monday, June 7, 2010
A roof for Dad's Birthday
Happy Birthday Dad !
What a day that was !
On morning patrol at 5:20 in the yard, the fox jumped over the fence on his way home from the night shift.
Totally surprised, Dad told him to go back into the next yard. All he probably wanted was retrieving a dead tiny bunny that he stored in the rocks. With a shovel, Dad threw the bunny into Betty's yard since nobody lived there anymore . So the fox can take it home to his family.
Assuming the fox is still hiding close by, Schatzi's doggie door was closed for her routine running in and out and looking for peanut butter sandwich bites. She usually brings some bread in, does not eat it anymore but keeps the pieces in her baskets.
The roofers came early.
They backed up to the garage with their truck, a trailer, an air compressor and 6 guys with several ladders climbing up on the house.
The big packages of " Amber " Corning shingles were hoisted up there several days earlier with a conveyor belt.
Interesting to us, the crew took a picture with the cell phone of the house with the packages on the roof. Proof of delivery.
Today it was really noisy and Schatzi is still very afraid of unusual sounds.
The heavy steps on the roof, the tearing of the old shingles , and large sheets sailing pass the windows scared Schatzi terribly.
Ripping, hammering, people walking over head, dropping heavy boxes, the staple guns popping and the compressor hissing in front of the door and the house was shaking many times.
Even the plates on the wall jingled and moved a bit on their metallic springs.
Schatzi stayed with Dad all day sitting among all his treasures in his office. She sat there , quiet like a stuffed teddy bear next to the guitar cases, the printers, book bags, just stuff, more stuff and several computers and pretended to be invisible.
During a break of relative silence, we knew it was lunch time, Schatzi headed for the living room to do her business.
For days by now, after a string of 5 poos in the house she is always going out, even on her own - when the doggie door is open. She does not know how to scratch on the door, but we all know her little signs when she wants to go out.
Carried outside by Andy for assurance, she realizes that the yard is littered with shingles. There is no way she can step over this and therefore she can't get back into the house. Andy had to move some of the pieces out of her way and when she thought it was safe she made a dash for the door, right when the AC is kicking in ! This is new for her too ! Another scare !
Schatzi is afraid and confused.
To end the day with more fear, the ball game finished with a big bang fireworks.
What a day that was !
On morning patrol at 5:20 in the yard, the fox jumped over the fence on his way home from the night shift.
Totally surprised, Dad told him to go back into the next yard. All he probably wanted was retrieving a dead tiny bunny that he stored in the rocks. With a shovel, Dad threw the bunny into Betty's yard since nobody lived there anymore . So the fox can take it home to his family.
Assuming the fox is still hiding close by, Schatzi's doggie door was closed for her routine running in and out and looking for peanut butter sandwich bites. She usually brings some bread in, does not eat it anymore but keeps the pieces in her baskets.
The roofers came early.
They backed up to the garage with their truck, a trailer, an air compressor and 6 guys with several ladders climbing up on the house.
The big packages of " Amber " Corning shingles were hoisted up there several days earlier with a conveyor belt.
Interesting to us, the crew took a picture with the cell phone of the house with the packages on the roof. Proof of delivery.
Today it was really noisy and Schatzi is still very afraid of unusual sounds.
The heavy steps on the roof, the tearing of the old shingles , and large sheets sailing pass the windows scared Schatzi terribly.
Ripping, hammering, people walking over head, dropping heavy boxes, the staple guns popping and the compressor hissing in front of the door and the house was shaking many times.
Even the plates on the wall jingled and moved a bit on their metallic springs.
Schatzi stayed with Dad all day sitting among all his treasures in his office. She sat there , quiet like a stuffed teddy bear next to the guitar cases, the printers, book bags, just stuff, more stuff and several computers and pretended to be invisible.
During a break of relative silence, we knew it was lunch time, Schatzi headed for the living room to do her business.
For days by now, after a string of 5 poos in the house she is always going out, even on her own - when the doggie door is open. She does not know how to scratch on the door, but we all know her little signs when she wants to go out.
Carried outside by Andy for assurance, she realizes that the yard is littered with shingles. There is no way she can step over this and therefore she can't get back into the house. Andy had to move some of the pieces out of her way and when she thought it was safe she made a dash for the door, right when the AC is kicking in ! This is new for her too ! Another scare !
Schatzi is afraid and confused.
To end the day with more fear, the ball game finished with a big bang fireworks.
Dogs know the clock
Every morning Schatzi wakes up Dad between 5:15 and 5:30.
The same exuberant jumping on him, running back and forth, waving the flag .
If you go to bed early, 5 a.m. is doable. and I am usually awake already when she hops around squeaking the green Willy. Occasionally, a crow yells into the window and Schatzi is up immediately. They must be in cahoots. I am not moving , hoping she would stay longer in bed, but no such luck. She knows what time it is.
The dachsies slept as long as possible and had to be evicted from the bed and carried down stairs.
I really don't remember if they ate breakfast in their older years.
I just knew, that Schnapps, our # 6 was awfully skinny and ate plenty more than the other two. He started a day with a large piece of german rye bread with liverwurst, sort of an appetizer , before the real breakfast of meat and rice.Liverwurst was a favorite, because they took medication and the pills went down easy.
During the day they always had Science diet dry dog food available.
Dinner time is 5: 30 and Schatzi knows that time too. About 10 minutes before, she comes from her hiding place in Dad's office and sails into her basket, to see how dinner is coming along.
For dinner I cooked for our dachsies for many years, mostly turkey. Before the government slapped another regulation on the butcher shops, we could buy frozen turkeys and have them saw them into large chunks. You could fill half the freezer around Thanksgiving and the meat lasted for many months.
Faustimaus of course knew the clock perfectly. It was her job to make sure dinner is not forgotten.
Dinner was at 5 and she started her dinner dance an hour before.
Just a polite woof at first, to let me know, that I don't seem to be working on dinner yet. Can't smell anything , and where are the doggie dishes ? Fausti got more insistend and started dancing in front of the fridge, stepping forward and backward , back and forth and barking. The other two were expectantly watching the performance. Finally, dinner is on the floor and everyone is happy.
The same exuberant jumping on him, running back and forth, waving the flag .
If you go to bed early, 5 a.m. is doable. and I am usually awake already when she hops around squeaking the green Willy. Occasionally, a crow yells into the window and Schatzi is up immediately. They must be in cahoots. I am not moving , hoping she would stay longer in bed, but no such luck. She knows what time it is.
The dachsies slept as long as possible and had to be evicted from the bed and carried down stairs.
I really don't remember if they ate breakfast in their older years.
I just knew, that Schnapps, our # 6 was awfully skinny and ate plenty more than the other two. He started a day with a large piece of german rye bread with liverwurst, sort of an appetizer , before the real breakfast of meat and rice.Liverwurst was a favorite, because they took medication and the pills went down easy.
During the day they always had Science diet dry dog food available.
Dinner time is 5: 30 and Schatzi knows that time too. About 10 minutes before, she comes from her hiding place in Dad's office and sails into her basket, to see how dinner is coming along.
For dinner I cooked for our dachsies for many years, mostly turkey. Before the government slapped another regulation on the butcher shops, we could buy frozen turkeys and have them saw them into large chunks. You could fill half the freezer around Thanksgiving and the meat lasted for many months.
Faustimaus of course knew the clock perfectly. It was her job to make sure dinner is not forgotten.
Dinner was at 5 and she started her dinner dance an hour before.
Just a polite woof at first, to let me know, that I don't seem to be working on dinner yet. Can't smell anything , and where are the doggie dishes ? Fausti got more insistend and started dancing in front of the fridge, stepping forward and backward , back and forth and barking. The other two were expectantly watching the performance. Finally, dinner is on the floor and everyone is happy.
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