The Family Dogs

We came late to the game when it comes to getting a family dog. Our youngest child was 15 and our older two kids were in college. We struck gold when we got our sweet girl. Edy is a long haired mini dachshund, and was born on Fathers Day in 2007. Her mother was a fawn and white double dapple,  and her father was all cream in color. Edy weighs in at a whopping 10.5 lbs. When we went to pick out our puppy from the litter we noticed Edy was the quiet one, and she looked just like her Mom. It was love at first sight.

I love this picture of Edy hiding under the bench in the Vets exam room.

As a puppy she was very small and very quiet. We could sneak her into hotel rooms during hockey season and she would never barked. Those days are long gone. Edy was never a chewer of shoes or furniture, but she loved dryer sheets and socks, and still does today. Edy's worst bad behavior is  always getting into the bathroom trashcans. No matter where she is, she will find the bathroom trash and spread it everywhere. We never leave the doors open in our house, and trust me she checks. I have to admit that Edy is the most undisciplined dog. She does not heel when you walk her, she doesn't stay out of a room when when you tell her to, she doesn't know one trick, and will only sit for a few seconds when you ask her. All of this would be a problem if she was a big rowdy active dog, but she is not, so it is not a big deal for us.

She may not know any tricks or follow commands, but she is a couch potato and can work a remote.

Edy is a lover and a licker. She is never happier than when she is sitting next to you on the furniture, unless you allow the added pleasure of letting her lick your hand, arms, legs.......... you get the idea. I tell people she is like a Koala because she sleeps pretty much all the time. The time has increased substantially over the years. At 11 1/2 years old our sweet Edy is valued and loved, and could never be replaced in our hearts.

Edy loves her bed!

Two years after we got Edy, our daughter wanted a dog in Texas. We bought a puppy from a litter of Edy's mother and a piebald father.  She was born on my husbands Birthday in November. We kept the puppy at our house for a few weeks before our daughter came to Indiana to pick her up. This was the loudest puppy I have ever heard. She actually screamed instead of barked. She still screams 9 years later. This sweet girl's name is Dakota.

As you can see by the look on her face, Dakota does not like to be groomed.

Dakota is a very smart and active dog. She was taught by my daughter and her husband to follow commands and they taught her several tricks. They have not been able to teach her to not scream. Dakota has a little longer legs than Edy, and she jumps on the furniture with ease, Edy cannot.

Sister slumber party!

Dakota loves to play fetch with a ball. Years ago she would play forever if you would let her. It could be over 100 degrees outside and she would play until she passed out if you didn't make her stop. Now, at 9 and 10lbs, she has developed a weird form of OCD. When you try to play fetch with Dakota by throwing the ball, she runs to the ball, sniffs it, then she sniffs all around the yard trying to trace the track that the ball took when you threw it. It can be maddening. You throw the ball and it takes forever for her to get back to the ball and bring it back to you.

A possible once in a life time snow day for this Texas dog. She loved it. Must be that Indiana blood in her.

My daughter has two small kids 6 and 4. The older child, our grandson, loves Dakota so very much. It is so cute to see Victor sitting on the couch and Dakota brings a ball to the couch, lays it on the couch by Victor, Victor throws the ball and Dakota chases it and brings it back. If Victor is watching TV he will just mechanically pick up the ball and throw it without even looking. If he isn't paying attention at all, Dakota will jump up with her front paws on the couch and push the ball with her nose into Victors hand. No doubt these two are best friends.

Spending the night at Meemaw and Papa's house.

Our older son and his wife have a cattle dog mix. Dahlia is around 8 years old and 40lbs, and was my daughter in law's dog before she met my son. Dahlia is a very well behaved and trained dog. I love that Dahlia's bed location is her "Home", so when they want her to go to her room or bed they just say, "Dahlia go home!" She has such a sweet disposition and unfortunately has had health issues most of her life.

Dahlia and her parents came to Texas for a visit.

My son was telling us a story that sounded like it came from the movie "Pets". Dahlia is not allowed on the furniture. One afternoon my daughter in-law and son were home, and when my Daughter in-law left the house to run an errand, my son went to the office in the front of house. Dahlia must have thought both left the house. When my Son walked back into the family room and walked past the couch to the entertainment center, he turned to see Dahlia laying on the couch, staring at him paralyzed, like if she didn't move he wouldn't be able to see her. This leads us to believe that she is completely in tune with the sound of the garage door and would have jumped off as soon as she heard the car returning. I wonder if the next time they left the house she looked in all the rooms first before jumping on the couch.

Do you think she is eyeing the couch and wishing she was on it?

Dahlia is also anxious and afraid of the funniest things. One command they use for her is, "Back it up." and she walks backwards. My Daughter in-law sent me a video of Dahlia walking backwards, down their carpeted hall and through a small barrier opening because she was afraid of the laminate floor in the office. That is just one thing on a long list of fears with Dahlia.

We love you too Dahlia.

Dahlia was born in Arizona and was use to artificial turf or rocks for a yard. Now they live in Indiana and she loves the yard and grass. I was just sent a new video of Dahlia playing in the over 6 inches of snow in their yard. That Arizona girl is loving the Indiana snow!

Home made earmuffs for her first Indiana Winter. 

The youngest of the family also has the baby dog of the family. Our youngest son and his girlfriend have a sweet mix breed named Nelly. This is one hilarious and adorable dog. Nelly is 2 years old and about 50 lbs. She was a rescue puppy my son got when she was about 8-12 weeks old. She had a pretty serious illness not long after she was born and thankfully she recovered completely. They had a rough start when my son went to pick her up in St Louis, and took her home to Indy when she turned out to be infested with fleas. He learned just one of the joys of pet ownership.

Puppy Nelly is already able to use her paws like hands.

Nelly still has that puppy mentality and energy.  She loves to play and be outside at a park, or our back yard. Her coloring is really similar to Edys, just on a much larger scale with short hair. Nelly has a lot of loose hanging skin especially around her neck. She is a really smart dog and seems to catch on to commands pretty easily. She is the one dog in the family that is allowed on the furniture at home. We are going to have to start a process to teach her that there are different rules at our house and we are all afraid to start that process. The fear of her getting on our new leather couch is keeping her outside when she comes to visit.

Her favorite place to be with one of her favorite toys. She greeted me at the door with this toy.

Just like Dahlia, Nelly is afraid of everything. Boxes, paper, the vacuum...........her own shadow. I am not sure how all our dogs have so many physiological issues. My son sent a picture out about a year ago of his apartment living room while he was vacuuming and captioned it, Where's Nelly. You have to zoom in and find her hiding between the furniture because she was so afraid of the vacuum cleaner.

Where's Nelly?

Nelly also thinks she is still a tiny puppy and wants to sit on your lap, and sleep either on you, or touching you. My son sends us pictures all the time of Nelly, and his girlfriend, asleep on the couch together, they are so cute. When you go to visit my Son at home you can expect to be welcomed at the door by Nelly with a toy in her mouth. Nelly also has one of the most unique sleeping positions I have ever seen in a dog.  She looks like she is folded in half like a taco, or in the pike position for diving. It does not look comfortable to me, but it definitely works for her.

The perfect pike position for sleeping. 

Each one of these adorable family dogs have their very own unique personality, and they are all so very loved. Although our family came late to being pet owners, we have more than made up for it with our perfect choices of adorable quirky fur babies.