The Importance of Pet Insurance

If you're a dachshund lover, you may have followed Dachshund Obie's incredible weigh loss progress. Obie started at over seventy pounds (approx. 32 kilos) and now weighs twenty-three pounds (approx. 10.4 kilos).

I didn't start at Obie's weight, but I am now half the size I used to be. Before Mom and Dachshund Daddy adopted me, I had health problems. I was twice my size: two tubes of fur, instead of one! I weighed almost twenty pounds (approx. 9.1 kilos). I was chunky. I couldn't jump up on the couch, though I tried. I got tired walking and would plop in place. My spirit was indomitable, because I always kept on wagging, but I feel healthier now.

Plus, I had several health issues. I had bladder stones--lots--and I needed surgery to remove them. Then I had to have three teeth removed. That meant I had to go under anesthesia two times in under two months for two operations. (My breath was yucky and rotten, but Dachshund Daddy still let me kiss him. Mom didn't.)

All this happened three years ago! (It took longer than a summer to lose my weight.) Now I'm a fit tube of fur. I can hike all day, often two days in a row. I can hike twelve miles (approx. 19 kilometers); no problem! I walk daily and watch my kibble. I eat cawwots and green beans for treats.

Oh, and I'm a champion burrower, too!

It's for all these health reasons that I recommend Pet-Insurance.co.uk. Please visit Pet-Insurance.co.uk to find out about reasonable health insurance coverage for your dogs or cats. It's a wonderful organization.

If we'd had pet insurance three years ago, it would have helped a lot!

Keep on wagging,
Love,
Tootsie

St. Gotthard Pass, Switzerland

Italian Sunset & Dachshund

Cavi, Italy
(with the Tigullio headland in the background)

Variations on Edvard Munch

"The Scream," tree version:

"The Scream," dachshund version:

  

"Actually, Mom, I was yawning," says Tootsie.

More from Maloja Pass, Switzerland

A Mask in a Wall

We found this in the Tuscan hill town where my Italian grandma and grandpa have a summer house. I love going there because we always find something unique that we've never seen before... like this mask in the wall.

Maloja Pass, Switzerland: Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day, Dachshund Daddy! Love, Tootsie

Happy Father's Day, Grandpa! Love, Tootsie

Happy Father's Day, Human Uncle Tony! Love, Tootsie

Happy Father's Day to all the fur-fathers out there -- we love you!

Circus Announcement with American Bison

Poster seen near Ponte Tresa, Italy.

We feel sorry for the bison because the caption -- con veri Bisonti Americani -- means there are real American bison in this show. Circuses with animals make us sad.

Italian Course

Mom finished her Italian course today! I've been studying along with her, but she didn't take me to the final class. It's 32 C here today (90 F) and too hot for me to sit inside my house during the class. (The school doesn't have any AC.) I don't think Il Maestro ever realized I was coming to class, but all the students did.

I learned a lot over this past while. Mom didn't learn as much as I did. In fact, she says she's backtracking. Learning a language is like that for her -- a tiny bit forward and a lot backward. Or it's like the movie Groundhog Day because Mom takes the same course over and over and over. Maybe she'd learn more if Bill Murray were in her course.

Mom's classmate from Croatia asked after me. Today, Mom said Ms. Croatia sat next to Ms. Brazil, which is fitting since the World Cup starts today with a match between those two teams.

Mom got to talk about her dreams for an ideal job. She said that in reality her life is pretty sweet right now. She loves having me, writing books, teaching, being married to Dachshund Daddy, and she feels freaky lucky to travel between southern Switzerland and northern Idaho. Still, Mom said a dream job would be running a school for doggies (un scuola una scuola per i cani) and also running puppet shows. Apparently, Mom said she would like me to star alongside marionettes. Excuse me... I'm a dachshund, not a puppet!

I hope whatever language you're learning and whatever skills your building are all coming along. Remember: dream big, live real.

Love,
Tootsie

Tootsie Hikes Monte Fiorina

London MetroPAWlitan PAWlice

Last winter, Dachshund Daddy spent a couple of days in London to attend a meeting of freaks and geeks. Following Gail's advice, he walked across Hyde Park and headed into Green Park in the direction of St James's Park. His brisk stroll came to a sudden halt when he saw a K9 unit inching its way through the park.

Sensing the opportunity to witness a doggy moment, DD caught up with the K9 van as the London Metropolitan Police agents were unloading their furry colleagues...

who had been looking forward to their romp-and-pee break all morning long.

With the permission of the human officers, DD got to take a whole bunch of photos of the gorgeous canine officers, who bear a striking resemblance to my fur-sister Angel Daisy.

The human officers said it's OK to share these photos on our blog but asked us not to mention the real names of the canine officers. We also hid the license plate number of their van just to be on the safe side.

Not too far away, at Buckingham Palace, countless tourists were waiting for the "Changing the Guard" ceremony, thus missing out on this opportunity to meet these unique specimens of extreme doggy gorgeousity.

Incidentally, I got a little freaked out when I read that "Changing the Guard" is also known as "Guard Mounting".