It happens !!!

...way too often....

"What is it that happens?" You may be asking... Well, I don't know what to say, but some of my body parts just like to play tricks on me !!

See this, you all, I am not sure what it is about my body or this pic, but I sure look fat!!!!!! This is so embarrassing, truly. Look, how many layers of chin do I look like I have in this photo? Sigh****

And when I am not careful or too sleepy to be aware of my posture, my tongue just wants to get some exposure!!!



The body part that loves to play tricks on me very often is my ear(s).....
It happens all the time !!!

Even when I am just trying to relax, my ear(s) just flip(s) back without my intention or knowledge (Maybe, I should not fuss about this 'cause it makes me look kinda cute)....



And sometimes, my ears just disappear all together !!!

Don't panic, you all. I do have ears!!!! They just play hide-and-seek with me.

I just can't keep up with all the tricks my body parts do on me. This thing just never stops happening no matter how careful I am! Mom and dad seem to enjoy it when this happens, though. They laugh at me.... Well, I guess it's a good thing then !

Happy 4th of July, you all.

P.A.W.
xoxoxo

Four month Anniversary...

Today is my four month anniversary... Yes, you all, I have been with mom and dad for 4 full months. It doesn't sound like a long long time, but it seems to me like forever (in a good way, of course) !!!

No, we don't have an anniversary celebration or anything extra special. My everyday with mom and dad is already special because of their love for me. Falling asleep on mom's chest or on dad's belly while they are watching TV in the evening is an everyday special. Lying in the sofa for mom to give me the whole body massage using a furminator is also special (and I really enjoy mom's massage. She is so good. Dad enjoys it, too)....




I know dad loves me a lot even though he sometimes seems annoyed by my barking, whining, and stubbornness. He complains, but he also buys me stuff (e.g., treats, toys, accessories <<--that's a fancy word, you all) every time we go to a pet store. He knows I look forward to him coming home from work every day and also love hanging out with him. :) He can't resist my jumping up and down out of my excitement when he gets home from work.

I am just mom and dad's the most favorite boy !!!!!!




And I know mom loves me to death. Everything about me melts her (no, my mom is not a candle. I just know that this is what she usually feels about me). She hardly gets mad at me no matter how bad I behave (not often, you all. Remember, I am a good boy).

Am I a lucky Dachshund or what????

Anyway, Happy 4 month Anniversary to our family. I love you mom, and I love you, dad.

Happy Weekend to you all, too.

P.A.W.
xoxoxo

My Sanctuary...

Today, I shall let you all see my sanctuary, a.k.a. my crate. It is a place where I can relax and feel safe (that's important, do you all agree?). I sleep in it at night and sometimes nap in it during the day in addition to napping in the computer chair (with mom), on a sofa, under the dining table, and somewhere else in the house....

My sanctuary is spacious, but not too spacious that I feel like "doing my business" in it.
Because I like to cling to soft things like pillows or a throw, mom made me two small pillows that fit perfectly in my crate for me to snug with... :)

I have all my toys in there to play with.

When I am in my sanctuary, mom usually gets me a stuffed bone or kong to play with (that's for my mental stimulation, mom said).

No matter where I am or what I am doing, I just look cute (Well, I can't help that, you all)....

I should ask mom to teach me how to read so that I can read a book or a magazine while relaxing in my sanctuary during the day. Mom has a few magazines including "Food & Wine" (the cover looks really yummy, you all!). Dad also has a lot of sci-fi novels. Sounds very interesting... I shall learn how to read!!!!

Happy reading, you all. I can't wait until I know how to read !!!

P.A.W.
xoxoxo

Out and About...

Here I am out and about --- in my back yard, you all.

Look at me.... I am just a handsome looking Dachshund!!!
:)

I shall begin my duty as a hunting dog. See, I look very determined and focused even though I am not sure what we have in our backyard for me to hunt.
I shall also try to explore and discover !!!!

......by sniffing....

....and sniffing....

And when there is not much (or nothing) to hunt (To be honest, I am kind of disappointed, you all), I shall be content with taking a sunbath.....
(remember, I do not dig with no good reason!!)

.....and feeling the soft touch of the warm breezes against my skin.....

....while secretly hoping I will get some tan as I'm sure, with some tan lines, I will look even more handsome (should I get some suntan lotion and wear something to get some tan lines??? That doesn't sound like a bad idea!!).

We have plenty of sun here in Florida. I hope you have a lot of sun where you live and enjoy it like I do. And remember to wear sunscreen, you all.....

P.A.W.
xoxoxo

One of the intriguing places on earth, to me anyway....

I don’t know about you all.. But, to me, there is one place on earth that is always intriguing and worth exploring….

It is my garage!!

Why is it so intriguing? Well, some of you all may have garages like mine – it is full of boxes and other stuff that look like a lot of fun to explore, not to mention tons of scents to sniff! It is especially true when dad's car is in there, oh..boy.... You know what I am talking about! Our trash bin is also in the garage (it is not stinky or anything like that for mom and dad, but for me, it smells wonderfully challenging. You know my nose is way better than mom's and dad's. I'm a hunting canine after all). So, you can imagine why my garage is so fun and intriguing to me. Each time I manage to go in there, the scents are never the same !!!

Me in my garage (I can't help but notice how handsome I am!!)...

What is the problem, then? Here is the thing -- Mom and dad do not let me go into the garage as often as I prefer (which I don’t know why.. or maybe I do know why?)....When I manage to run into the garage, mom always calls me and tries to get me back into the house. Do you think I would run back to the house as she calls? If I would, that wouldn't be the real me, an adventurous Dachshund named Perry... :) It is not at all often that I manage to sneak through the open door to the garage, so, when I'm in there, why would I come running back to the house that easily? No way!! Even treats fail to lure me into the house (surprise, huh!!).... Therefore, when I manage to be in the garage, mom has to sweat a little, trying to catch me and get me back into the house (the good thing is mom never gets mad at me for making her sweat) -- I am a good runner despite my short chubby legs but I am also a good boy -- I won't let mom run around for long to catch me.... After a few sweats (on mom's side), I return to the house willingly (I told you I am a good boy!).

Looking at those boxes, I was thinking hard which box I would rather sniff first!!!

Occasionally, mom seems to get tired of calling/catching me. When I refuse to get back into the house, she lets me stay in the garage as long as I please and leaves the door open for me to come in when I'm done in the garage. Well, I feel bad about that (I am a good boy, remember?), so decide not to spend much time in the garage (even if I could).... I get back into the house after a few moments. I don't want mom to get disappointed in me. I am a good boy after all....

So far, I have not got to explore and sniff all the boxes in the garage - yet. It will take many trips to the garage to explore all those boxes and other stuff, but I am sure I will sniff them all someday....

I figured climbing up a small table and getting under a chair was fun, too.
(Mom might be calling me right now, but my hearing was selective for the time being.
I didn't hear a thing!!)

"What else is in here?"

Well, it is not only my garage that is intriguing to me, but it is in fact any garages (I think garages are my fetish, you all).... When I am out walking with mom and dad in our neighborhood, if any of our neighbors' garage door is open, I will run straight to it, aiming to see what is in there and then explore and sniff. Nope, I never get successful in doing that. Do you think my mom and dad would let me???? I actually never make it pass the first few feet of the driveway!

I was very focused on my sniffing duty. This kind of opportunity didn't come as often....

So, just a warning to you all -- Do not leave your garage door open. If I happen to walk by your house and your garage door is open, I would surely stop by and explore your garage! Despite mom and dad holding my leash, I hope I will be successful someday -- just one sniff would be considered a success!! Your garage would surely smell different than mine!!!

I might show up in your driveway someday, so keep your garage clean, you all !!

P.A.W.
xoxoxo

Ugly Dachshund...

Nope, you all... I am not referring to myself!! That is definitely not me (would you agree???). I am certainly not an ugly Dachshund even though I am not a 100% Dachshund!!!

"Ugly Dachshund" is the name of a 1966 Disney's movie mom and dad watched this past weekend. It was about a Great Dane puppy named Brutus who grew up with 3 Dachshund puppies and their mom. As a result, he believed he was also a Dachshund !!

It looked like mom and dad enjoyed this movie very much. I, trying to nap in mom's lap while mom and dad were watching this movie, was interrupted by their loud laughs many times during the 1.5 hours. I also heard mom say "they are so cute" numerous times during the course of viewing that movie. I wasn't sure to whom mom was actually referring. Obviously it was not me!!!!!!

I am not sure who the ugly Dachshund is.... But one thing I am sure of -- I am NOT ugly (mom and dad will utterly and completely agree with me)!!!! It's true that I am a mutt, but I am also very cute, you all (mom and dad will certainly agree with this, as well)..... I believe I possess a lot of Dachshund traits. Dad can confirm this as he often refers to me as a Dachshund mix with mostly Dachshund (THAT usually makes me wonder what else is in me????).

Well, my head is well-shaped even though it doesn't look exactly like real Dachshunds'.
My ears, despite being a little too small, are also proportionate with the size of my head....

And look at my chest...That's a Dachshund's!!! We need big chest so that we will have loud barks in case we get stuck in a hole while hunting badgers, we will be heard and rescued by our masters....

I am also muscular as a Dachshund should be because I am a hunting dog!!

Look how looooong my body is!!

And hey, my legs are also short (only 5.5" high) and my paws are also cute
even though they are not wrinkly like the real Dachshunds'.

Plus, there is not a day that goes by without me making mom and dad laugh -- usually many times a day. That is one of the Dachshunds' jobs as we are known as being comical.... :) Admittedly, I am also stubborn just like Dachshunds are. My hearing is also selective, which means I only hear what I want to hear. For example, when I am out lying in the sun and mom tells me to come back into the house, I just choose not to hear her (and even though mom starts to gently drag me, I still do not get up. Instead of being mad, mom finds that funny and then laugh at me!). :) Or when I am under the bed and refuse to come out of there when mom calls me.

Having said all that, though, some of my personalities are not exactly like Dachshunds' (of course, I am a mutt after all...). For example, I never dig (or seem to have any interest in digging) holes in our yards. When I am out there, I feel content just to enjoy the sun and breezes that touch my coat and face.... I am also very trainable (they say Dachshunds are known to be very hard to train, including housebreaking). Mom and dad can back me up on this one (I'm so proud of myself right now!).

This is what I usually look like in the yard enjoying the sunshine and breezes.
No digging, you all!!

Anyway, I am happy to be me even though I am a mutt and don't know what else is in me..... That doesn't matter any more since mom and dad think I am a very good boy and perfect for them. That says it all about me.

And I am not an ugly Dachshund for sure, you all.

P.A.W.
xoxoxo

A month ago at WDW --- (4)

At last, my one week WDW vacation and a chance to be independent was over. Mom and dad came pick me up on Saturday morning. We were going home!!!!!

As much as I enjoyed my independence and a good time on this vacation, I missed our home. I missed hanging out with mom and dad. I missed my warm, quiet, and comfy sanctuary. I missed falling asleep on dad's belly while mom and dad watch TV. I just missed my daily routine at home. Come to think of it now, I may have been a little homesick after all!!!!!!

Mom and dad got a report card upon my checkout at the hotel. Guess what? I got an A+!!!!! Mom kept saying "Perry, you got an A+!" so many times. Dad smiled from ear to ear. I made mom and dad proud over again (Well, what can I say??).... On the report, it also said "Perry is super sweet and so lovable." As super sweet as I am, I know that fact is undeniable to everyone who gets into contact with me.... I may very well be as sweet as honey! So, if I ever met Winnie the Pooh, he and I would become very good friends in a split second !!!!



Before we left WDW, dad drove around a little bit so that mom and I could have our pictures taken on Disney property. Too bad, they didn't let me in any of their parks. :( (Is it discrimination against a handsome Dachshund like me??? Or I was just not tall enough to enter the parks???).

Me and mom with Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa in the background

Here we were in front of Disney's Contemporary Resort.

On our way back, our ride went smoothly. I couldn't help but got vocal a little bit as we were leaving WDW (You all know why, right???).... Then, I behaved again (I, after all, am a good boy). Because dad proved to me that he was a good driver on our way to WDW, this time on our way home, I didn't feel a need to keep an eye on him and his driving all the time. So, I spent most of my time in the crate napping in the back seat. I would wake up, when dad made some turns, and see where we were (and asked myself 'are we home yet?'). Then I went back to my dreamy naps again. I totally trusted him and he finally took us home safely and soundly.... Thanks, dad. :D

I also remember what happened when we got home.... The first thing mom did after she finished helping dad unload the car was running the water in the tub and...... She put me in the tub and bathed me real clean!!!!!! (I thought she was going to light some candles too but she didn't). She said I was stinky. Admittedly, I kinda was (just a little - not a whole lot, though)....

It's been about a month but I still remember a lot about this WDW adventure.... I enjoyed my vacation and stay at my Epcot hotel. The people there were nice, caring, friendly and helpful. I heard that mom and dad may go to WDW again in 6 months and I hope they will take me with them (keep your fingers crossed for me, you all). But for now, as I remember my vacation, I was glad we went as a family. We had a real good time.....

Well, I shall finish my tales about my WDW vacation right here. It was a lot of fun, you all.

P.A.W.
xoxoxo

A month ago at WDW --- (3)

I did make it fine the first night and I was glad I did. But, boy....staying at a hotel without mom and dad and the feel of home was rough for me....

Mom and dad came to walk and play with me at least twice a day (some days, they surprised me by their third visit of the day at night, too!!)…. Nonetheless, things were not like my homey home. I just have to admit -- it was pretty rough not being home with mom and dad. I never tell this to mom and dad because I am afraid they may not take me with them next time they go to WDW. It would be terrible if I was left in a Kennel at home without seeing them for days.….


Here how things went for me during my stay at an Epcot hotel WDW:

First, I didn’t feel much hungry for the first few days (strange, huh!....you know me well enough to know that I’d eat anything any time without hesitance)….But here, I was even surprised at myself. I didn’t eat much of my breakfast and dinner (but after the first few days, you all, I licked my bowl clean once again just like I always do at home).

As you may have heard, there is such thing called "stress" that was to blame for my not eating as normal (I didn’t know what it actually was, but I heard the ladies at the hotel tell mom and dad several times that it was the cause of my not eating). All right, then... it’s stress... And who wouldn't be stressed out with all the yapping my cousins did! I'm a well-behaved, quiet guy; but some of my hotel mates weren't quite as quiet and it didn't take much to set them off (I tried to be a good example for them, but they'd rather yell for their mommies and daddies).....




Second, my bowels did not function properly (well, it must have been stress again that caused it, for lack of other things to blame). I did not “go” as regularly as I usually do at home and each time it looked 'funny' (I guess you all get the picture...I don’t want to get into too much detail here because it’s not pretty, really)….. To my surprise again, I even “do my business” in my suite during the night every night!!!! Don’t ask me why, I guess my suite was just too spacious, So, there was more room for me to “go” when my bowels didn’t cooperate with me. I couldn't believe what “stress” could make you do…. It made me, a well-mannered Dachshund, a pooping machine!!!!!!!

Mom and dad were of course very concerned about me and my well-being. They tried to come see me as often as they could to take me out potty, some days even late at night (as I told you earlier). That helped a lot (but apparently not with my bowel function) because, at least, I could be 100% certain I was not forgotten. Well, let me tell ya….it would not be easy, especially for mom, to forget me…. I knew she missed me so much that she secretly wished she could stay with me in my suite!!!!!




Despite all the so-called stress, there were some good things staying here at the hotel without mom and dad. First, I felt like I was a real big boy without mom’s supervision 24/7. And second, there was stuff for me to chase when I was out walking with mom and dad that we didn’t have at home (I didn't even know what they were). Mom told me they were rabbits, birds, and squirrels…. It was a lot of fun chasing them when I saw them on the ground. But, boy, I wasn't able to catch any of them. I was fast, you all, but they were just faster.... Some of them could even fly and climb up trees!!!!

It was rough (but also fun and exciting) staying at my hotel at WDW. And even though I was under stress since day one of my stay (as everyone here seemed to think so), I still maintained 100% of my cuteness and playfulness…. I still looked as handsome as a Dachshund could be. My spirits were up, especially when mom and dad came visit. The people working at my hotel told my mom and dad I was a sweetheart. People who saw me while I was out walking couldn't help but noticed that I was a happy dog…. :) Well, I was just happy to be here at WDW with mom and dad !!!!



And I was even happier when mom and dad came pick me up.... Yes, you all. We were going home!!

P.A.W.
xoxoxo

A month ago at WDW --- (2)

Today was the day we were heading to WDW..... Six and a half hours on the road sounded like a lot of fun to me. There would be a lot to see !!!

Before the trip, mom and dad bought a smaller crate for me so that it would fit in the back seat of dad's sports car (he doesn't like it when I put my paws on it, but how can I open the door on all fours?). They had also been a little concerned about my behavior in the car (as if they didn't know me well!), so they bought me a new toy and a big bone, hoping they would keep me occupied during the ride (good for me, don't you think??? I already had a stuffed kong but they knew it would not keep me occupied for long). Mom also stocked up on a lot of treats for me during the week I would be at my hotel.

We left our home around 8:30. Well, who would think I would behave myself really well. I whined a little bit at first (don't tell mom and dad this -- It's my trick to get mom to give me the treats to keep me quiet!!) but after a while I decided to get settled. My crate was in the back seat behind mom's seat. So I could get a good view of dad driving and the front views of the interstate. To be honest with you, it was awesome being in the car with mom and dad on this trip. I was still excited but calm and collected all at the same time.... What a good boy I was. :)




Because it was my first long trip with mom and dad, I had no idea how good dad was as a driver (I had only been in the car with him locally). So, I felt like I had to supervise dad's driving to make sure he did a good job to keep mom and me safe. Therefore, for the first 4-5 hours of the trip, I tried to situate myself in the corner of the crate where I could get to see (in other words, supervise) dad well and also to get the cold air directly from the vent (I was not only cute but also responsible and smart all at the same time!!!)....

It was difficult for me not to snooze off during those hours (I failed to stay awake a few times but managed to wake up immediately when I realized I dozed off!!) Oh, boy...I knew I was not a watch dog or anything close to it, but I just had to make sure dad did a good job on the road!!!! I was so focused on my duty that I ignored my bone and my little duckie.... Well, a boy's got to do what he's got to do. (Duckie was my new toy that I managed to chew off her plastic feet only a few hours after mom and dad gave her to me the night before the trip.)



It wasn't until about an hour to our destination that I felt at ease and decided that dad was a good driver. So, I took a little nap. My nap wasn't long enough, though, because I couldn't stay asleep for long. I was too excited to get to my hotel. Who wouldn't be??



Finally, we arrived at Epcot around 4 p.m. ET -- mom and dad checked me in to my hotel first. You'd not believe how clean and spacious my suite was.... It was in the front row where I could have a peek of mom and dad when they came see me. Here in my suite, I was allowed to have all my toys and bone and my bedding from home. Mom and dad also brought my food for me because they didn't want me to switch food. I even had my own locker for my other stuff. Cool, wasn't it?

It was weird, admittedly, to be alone in my suite alone without mom and dad in spite of many hotelmates all around. Before long, mom and dad came again to take me out to play and walk. I was so excited to see them. I knew mom missed me very much. She hugged me so tightly!! We had a great time playing in a big green yard in front of Epcot (that was the big yard where I chased some weird creatures while staying at this Epcot hotel). Dad even took some pics of me with that Epcot's huge ball!!!!

Me with mom on the day we arrived at my hotel @ Epcot
Can you see the big ball behind us? That's Epcot, you all....

I knew it would not be easy spending the first night alone in my hotel suite. But I also knew I would make it past tonight just fine..... I did, but........

Still more to tell, you all.

P.A.W.
xoxoxo

A month ago at WDW --- (1)

I thought last night about what the date was and then realized I have not updated my blog for a full week. I also thought back to what I did and where I was a month ago... Well, I remember where I was and what I did then (how could I forget?). Therefore, I shall talk about it on my today's blog. It was my very first vacation with mom and dad as a family to Walt Disney World (WDW) in Orlando. Did I have to tell you how excited I was, knowing I was going with mom and dad????? Very excited, indeed..... I could barely contain myself !!!

I heard mom and dad were talking and planning their one week trip to WDW for the upcoming weekend. I wasn't sure what they would do about me.... Mom looked at me, and I knew she couldn't bear a thought of leaving me at a kennel here and not seeing my cute little face for a whole week. Of course, dad wouldn't want to see mom so sad about leaving me here, either.

I carefully listened to what they were going to say (while pretending to be asleep on dad's belly) but nothing seemed to be conclusive ( THAT kept me awake a lot that night). Well, it turned out I was worried for nothing because mom and dad decided that they'd take me with them to WDW!!!! Dad wanted me to have a Disney's experience with them. Dad also knew mom would not be able to go on with her days without hugging me and looking at my adorable face and cute little paws....




To make sure I would have a hotel suite to stay at Disney, dad called one of the Disney's kennels (Best Friends Pet Care at Epcot® ) to reserve a hotel suite for me. How exciting!! There, I would be treated like a prince -- I would be walked and fed twice a day; Mom and dad could come see me and walk me any time they would like to within the working hours. I couldn't believe what I heard. I was going to WDW in a few days with mom and dad.... How exciting!!

Keep reading on, you all. There is much to tell !

P.A.W.
xoxoxo

It's a guy thing.

I'm sorry if I sound a bit sexist.... But this is really a guy thing. If you are a true guy like me, I'm sure you can relate to this. :)

Generally, guys like to hang out with guys, right? Of course!!! That's why I like hanging out with my dad when he is home. No matter where he is in the house -- in the office or in his big chair -- I'll be there trying to hang out with him (I sometimes try to hang out with him in the bathroom, too, but he wouldn't let me). Well, I think you get a picture. I follow him around trying to hang out with him as much as possible (He is the only guy in our home, you know? Mom is not a guy. I kind of wish she was).....



When I say 'hanging out,' I mean leaning against, clinging on, sitting, or even napping with him... Sometimes, though, when he is at his computer, hanging out simply means staying quietly (and playing with my toy) in a sofa behind him or lying quietly underneath the desk (and occasionally exploring the trash can -- also quietly).... Whatever it is, it's so cool hanging out with my dad.. He is a cool guy.. and it's just a guy thing, you know!



Don't get me wrong. I love mom and she is such a sweet little lady (when I say "little, " I mean it literally). We hang out all day every day and I enjoy hanging out with her. I especially like hanging out with her when she puts me in training (you all know what I mean, right? training, treats....yep!). But, when dad is home, I hang out more with dad. Mom is so understanding. She lets me hang out with dad as much as I want. After all, I'm sure she knows it's a guy thing....

One thing, though, I don't quite understand... Even though dad likes hanging out with me (he is the real guy, you know?), he never lets me drink with him... Whenever he has a glass of wine, no matter how much I show my interest in tasting it (or even sniffing it), dad won't let me. I don't understand this -- mom said red wine is good for your health if you drink in moderation. So, why does dad not let me drink it? I guess, maybe, he tries to be protective of me since I am still a minor (When will I turn 21, can anyone tell me? Or should I ask mom?). Well, I can't wait until I turn 21 and I'm sure my dad will let me have a glass of wine (or even a martini) with him... I'm sure it is a guy thing also for true guys like dad and me to drink together and have a good time!!!!

Speaking of hanging out with guys, it's been so much fun at home this week since I have my two human step-brothers visiting. They are so cool and handsome (just like me!!!). I like them a lot and they like me, too. They even hang out with me! I am sure I'll miss hanging out with them when they leave. But hey, they will be back and until then, I still have my cool dad to hang out with -- every day....

I'll keep hanging out with my dad. He is my role model and a really cool guy. Most importantly, hanging out with guys is a guy thing.... I'm a real guy, so I do what real guys do!

Keep hanging out with your family, you all. It's awesome. :)

P.A.W.
xoxoxo