This has been a tough week. Not a lot happening on the knitting or the painting fronts as Tuesday I had to say goodbye to my sweet little Zoey girl – a mini-dachshund I rescued from life as a breeder bitch in a puppy mill 10 years ago. This post is about her.
She had been having some health issues lately and when she stopped eating over the weekend I knew it was time. The look in her eyes told me she was ready to go. That did not make my decision any easier – I absolutely hate having to have a pet put down. I’ve done it so many times in my life you’d think it would get easier, but it doesn’t – it may even be harder – I know this time has been. She was a great dog – even though she had spent the first 5 years of her life in a cage she housebroke easily, didn’t bark much, was very affectionate, loved to go outside and play with her “Binky”. The sound of her little paws pounding down the hall with Binky in her mouth is one I’ll never forget. She would only played with Binky. I guess never having toys as a pup or having someone play with her left her without the ability to know how to play but Binky came to the rescue.
I knew that I was going to be adopting Zoey and in preparation had gone out to buy all the necessary things needed to care for her plus a few toys. I was surprised that she didn’t show any interest in any of them once I brought her home. After her first follow-up vet visit I decided to stop by Petsmart to see how she would act around other people and other dogs plus pick up some recommended food. Being a small dog she was having trouble not getting run over by the other shopping carts so I picked her up and put her in the basket. She needed a harness so I pushed the cart down the aisle where all the collars, leashes and harnesses were, pushed it to the side so we wouldn’t be in the way and started to look for one that would fit. On the opposite side were dog toys. After a couple of minutes I glanced back to check on her and there she was – stretched out as far as she could go over the side of the cart trying to reach a toy. Like the one pictured above, only red. She managed to grab it, pull it off the display, drag it into the cart, and while holding it did that dog thing where they turn around in a circle several times, lay down with her toy in her grasp and sighed. The biggest doggie sigh I’ve ever heard. I was amazed! She just picked out her own toy! From then on, a red Binky was the only toy she’d have. No blue ones, yellow ones or any other color. Just red. She tore the squeaker out of many a Binky over the years. I often wondered what she saw in that particular toy that made her want it and it alone.
She was also a great kisser – her sloppy kisses earned her a name tag that had her name on one side and “Sloppy Kisser” on the other – I’m going to miss those too. She came with serious dental issues that never got completely better. Several dental cleanings had left her with very few teeth because the dental disease had moved into her jaw and there was not a lot we could do. As teeth would go bad we had to have them removed. It left her without the front teeth necessary to keep her tongue in her mouth on one side which gave her an additional element of cuteness.
We did the best we could, but I think her mouth hurt towards the end – she quit giving out those precious sloppy kisses.
She became very stubborn the last few weeks – more stubborn than her ususal Dachshund nature! She didn’t want to go outside anymore to take walks or do her business and messes in the house were becoming a regular occurrence. We would literally have to carry her outside where she would stand resolutely at the end of her leash as if to say this far and no farther. She planted those little paws in the grass and refused to move! You wouldn’t think a 10 lb. dog could pull back so hard! Eventually she would have to move – I was not taking her in until all business was attended to. If she did out stubborn me I would regret it as a mess in the house was not far behind.
She did not like being left at home and loved to go places with us eventually spending most of our vacations with us. She did not like being boarded and would often become so sick from the stress that taking her with us became our only option. She hated the water. She hated baths, rain, wet paws, wet tummy, wet grass, you name it. She loved being held, treats, napping in your lap, playing with Binky and until her mouth hurt too much chewing up pig snouts.

Zoey with a “Snoozle”
She followed me around like a shadow often causing me to stumble and practically fall because she was right underfoot. As she developed some cataracts late in life she followed me around even closer.
Winter made her shiver with cold being so close to the ground and snow was not her friend either. We would have to shovel off a place in the grass for her to go and knitting her sweaters became a favorite thing for me to do – store bought doggie coats did not fit her well, so I learned how to custom fit a sweater to accommodate her long body, barrel chest and short, stumpy legs.

The favorite sweater I knit for her that she would only tolerate wearing – barely.
In appreciation for all my work she tried to get them off as quickly as I put them on – when I eventually did find a store bought coat she would wear it was the only one she would tolerate and keep on for any length of time.

Kind of giving me that “I’ll show you what I’ll wear and not wear!” look.
In all, we had 10 good years together. I had other Dachshunds growing up but she was the first one that was mine alone. She was my little buddy and a great friend. Protective but not to a fault, not a big fan of kids, but she never bit anyone. If there is a place in heaven for all our pets I hope to someday find her there waiting for me along with all the other cats and dogs I’ve ever known. Run free in the sunshine Zoey – you’re not in pain anymore. I love you and I miss you. Rest in peace.