Several weeks later, there was a thunderstorm in Savannah and it was loud. Reebok's cute floppy ears suddenly popped straight up at the crack of thunder, and they stayed that way! A couple of my co-workers at Oldies 98.3, who'd had dachshunds, assured me that that was a normal thing to have happen to dachshund ears and he'd be fine. That is, until I brought him into the station to let them meet him. We were met with laughter and "Uhhh, no, sorry, those ears aren't going anywhere. I've never seen anything like that!" At the vet's office not long after, we ran into the breeder, who was stunned to see him and asked us to give him back. "No way!" I said. Instead, she gave us back our still uncashed check and he became our free dog. Near as we can tell, as his hair grew long and more Yorkie like, his mother had been a bit of a floozie and may have had a little side game going with a Yorkie in addition to the dachshund she'd been matched up with.
Reebok was a great friend and companion and like most young couples with a dog, became our "first child." He was happy with life, at least until "the intruders" came along. The first one in 1995, the second in 1998 and later, in 2007, a canine one. Still, he was a great member of our household for the past 17 years and making the decision to put him down was difficult, but watching him walking, blind, into walls all day long, knowing his quality of life was very low makes it clear that it was the right choice to make and it was time. No world record breaking 21 years for this guy, but he gave it a good run!
He had a super breakfast this morning of many of his favorite foods: scrambled eggs, cheese, bacon and a tiny little cup of milk.At the vet's office, the kennel ladies all came to say goodbye to him and then it was time. It was quick and he went peacefully. Still, we'll all miss him terribly. And it's going to be really weird getting used to saying, "I have one dog" again. I imagine he's off romping with all his friends from over the years by now and in a happy place.
