Wiener Mania

If you want to experience wiener dog insanity, you need to go to the Barker's house. They have three wiener dogs and they are all different types of mini dachshund.

The eldest of the three, Harley, is your regular smooth haired, Oscar Mayar wiener looking dog. They call this one Weeny. She's the grandma of the three and definitely the favoured one.

Next, you have Trooper. He's got wiry hair and he's the scared one of the three. He loves his fetch and can be rambunctious but he won't hesitate to pee.

Last but not least, Lacey. She is a long-haired sweetie-pie who is a little more round than the average wiener.

This family loves their wiener dogs. Sarah, the older daughter, always comments on how she would love to have a wiener dog farm. She could just have a yard with a million wieners running loose. That what be winning the lottery for her. The dogs will beg for the whole meal and eventually, the Barkers will give in and put the dogs on their laps at the table.

With a cabin that's lake access, it's a particularly cold venture in the winter. These little dachshunds with their tiny legs don't really like waking in snow across a lake in winter. So they get a first class seat to the cabin snuggled up in one of the four family member's jackets.

Maybe it's just because I have a very low maintenance dog but I can't help but laugh at how funny these three wiener dogs are.

Their little stubby legs are what really get me.

From left to right: Lacey, Weeny, Trooper

Poor Pups

Well,  Diesel is recovering from his traumatic window leap. He still has a few raw wounds but he's back to himself chasing rabbits and squirrels.

Anyways, this week we got assigned to do an editorial on something that we had a strong opinion about and I chose to do mine on dog culls in some of the northern Canadian reserves. for anyone who doesn't know, dog culls are when people on the reserves go around and shoot as many dogs as they can.

The dogs are either dead instantly or left to suffer and it breaks my heart, especially because Diesel has shown me how affectionate and gentle some of these reserve dogs can be. A friend of mine got her dog from Norway House, a reserve north of Lake Winnipeg, not too long ago. The dog has scarred over holes in her thigh from being shot with a shotgun. Another loving, beautiful dog that was one of the ones lucky enough to be saved by someone.

If anyone out there is thinking of adding a doggy to their family anytime soon, please consider a rescue dog. There are many shelters in every city that have dogs of all ages and all kinds. This way, you can get a dog and feel awesome about it! If the dogs at the shelters are like Diesel, which I'm sure they are, you wont regret it one bit.

 Unless the dog jumps out your window and almost gives you a heart attack.

This poor dog is Trooper. He was shot in the face and found lying in a yard for days. Unfortunately his injuries were too severe and he died. Trooper inspired a nation-wide petition and will always be a reminder of what these dogs go through whether they're dangerous or not. Photo from the CBC website.

Meet Diesel, He's Something Else..

Before I write anything, let me tell you about my crazy awesome dog.

His name is Diesel. Two or Three years old, Rottweiler, Shepherd, and probably a few other things. He's 68 pounds of love and goofiness. He looks intimidating until he lies on his back, moans and give you a paw to hold.

My brother was working on a reserve in January, and someone was kicking this poor dog.

When we got him, one of his canine teeth was snapped off at the gum line and rotten, he still has a bubbled scar on his lip, and he had a big open wound on his back leg. My poor baby.

 Someone at the gas station there told my brother, "just take the thing" so he did. And I'm so glad he did!

He hunts squirrels, deer, rabbits, boats, fish and pretty much anything that moves. Sometimes when I look out the window I'll notice Diesel in the backyard with the bottom bow of a spruce tree in his mouth, trying to pull on it to get at the squirrel on the top of the tree. Ambitious.

So, now that you have an idea of who my doggy is, I'll let you know about our latest adventure.

Today, I was driving down a road near my house, doing 80kph, and a rabbit ran across the road. Diesel is in the back loving the open window and guess what? He jumped out. And I was going 80!

It was a slow motion situation. I saw the rabbit, I saw Diesel, I saw the open window, and it was all happening already. He jumped out of my tiny Corolla window and rolls on the pavement about six times! I threw my car in reverse and Diesel gets up, looks around and runs to my car.

He wasn't really whining, definitely shook up, but was still concentrated only on feeling the wind on his face. I got home and examined my Superman dog. His nails are ground down completely, he has road rash on his legs and paws, and a little bit on his bum. He's now sitting beside me cleaning himself up, completely fine.

Overall, I'm thinking that his couple of years living outside fending for himself and not having anyone to console him made him the tough guy he is. I figured what better way to show you who my dog is than sharing his story of jumping out a window at 80kph. Hope you enjoyed it!