#TBT -- Throwback Thursday: Truffle & Tootsie in Conversation

I really miss Truffle. He was my mother ship.
Xo
Tootsie

Gobblization

gob·bl·i·za·tion noun \ˌgä-bə-lə-ˈzā-shən\: the act or process of gobblizing : the state of being gobblized; especially : the development of an increasingly integrated greedy global economy marked especially by greedy free trade of foods that are eaten greedily to assist greedy corporations generate insanely greedy profits.

A Far-reaching Tale

If Tootsie and Bertie had puppies

A while ago, in a comment left on my blog, my dear friend Bouncing Bertie wondered what our puppies would look like if Bertie and I could have them. Due to my spayed status, we will never know for sure.

But Dachshund Daddy thinks he knows. Meet Chuchu the doxie-terrier and Bubu the wirehaired fox dachshund!

Chuchu would really love to bounce like her dad, but her dachshund body upper-bounds the extent of her bounces. Bubu would really love to hunt marmots like her mom, but her wirehaired fox terrier body is not designed to get into their burrows.

Despite the mismatch between their instincts and their bodies, they look magnificent. Do you agree?

Bouncing Bertie writes a fantastic blog from his home base in Aberdeen, Scotland. You may have already fallen in love with him, like us, but if not, start with this post.

Don't Overfeed your Dachshund!

When it comes to food, most dachshunds, including the author of this blog, are generally unable to self-regulate. My friend Barkus (see below) agrees with me, but he's stuffed as a baseline.

This cartoon is featured on my signature dachshund-approved tote bag, one of several dachshund-approved items that you can find at my new shoppe.

Yes, I finally have my own product line, starting with my Doggy Comeback Apron, because every doggy caregiver needs an apron, right? There is also clothing and stationary. I wish I could sell dachshund-approved gelato, too.

Thank you for visiting Tootsie's Shoppe. Please let me know what you think!

It all adds up

Grover and Jamie in conversation at Sunset Cliffs in San Diego, CA.

Donkey Donuts

Level Playing Field

Lance Armstrong shows off his vocabulary
during his interview with Tootsie and Oprah Winfrey.

Lance Armstrong Unplugged

By now you will all have heard that Oprah Winfrey and I interviewed Lance Armstrong. According to Oprah, Lance Armstrong "did not come clean in the manner [she] expected."

During our interview, Lance admitted he only confessed to doping because the United States Postal Service had stopped delivering his mail.

I'm not sure what Oprah expected. I expected some closure after the friction Lance caused in my family. Mom used to think he was the ultimate American uber-athlete, while Dad always saw right through his lies.

"You can't do what he does without doping," my dad would argue. Mom would get upset, and Dad would suggest Mom try to ride up and over those French Alps.

Then Dad would say, "A professional cyclist without dope is like a gigolo without a penis." And the conversation would stop.

I still wonder why someone whose life is all about riding bikes should go by the name of Armstrong. Shouldn't his name be Quadstrong? Even better: Liestrong.

Shrinkwrapped

Tootsie and Trimmis in conversation on the Sassalto Loop Trail near Caslano, Switzerland.

The Secret of Canine Driving

Who says Italian drivers are all freaks?
Biffo has been practicing defensive driving on the streets of Italy for over 10 years.

Pet Blogger Challenge 2013!

1. How long have you been blogging and provide a link to your post from last year’s Pet Blogger Challenge so we can refresh our memories.

September 2011 - that's when I started barking out at the dogosphere.
Here are my answers from last year!

May I send a special bark out to all our fur friends and their humans? Wags to each of you for being my friend.

2. What do you consider the most important goals you set out in last year’s post?

My number one goal was to help Mom write again after the passing of her mom.

Here we are along the Ligurian Sea over the holidays.

3. Have you made progress toward those goals, or have your goals changed over the past year?

A little bit of both.

4. How often do you post?

At least once a week, but typically 2-3 times a week.

5. Has your opinion of blogging on a schedule or as the spirit moves you changed?

A schedule helps any creative endeavor. Then, when the dachshund muse visits, one is well prepared.

If you publish on a schedule, why? How strict are you about your publishing deadlines?

As strict as a Swiss-German pedestrian reporting the license plate of a car that exceeded the speed limit by 1 km/h.

I like publishing on Blog Hop days such as Monday Mischief, Wordless Wednesday, and Black and White Sunday.

What do you do for inspiration when it feels like you’ve covered every topic?

We hike all the time, so we get inspired as we perspire.

Here I am looking out over Lake Lugano in southern Switzerland.

If you don’t publish on a schedule, why? How do you think your decision affects your audience?

Writing a blog is very much like pooping: regularity is a plus, but when you have to go, you have to go.

Do I have to pose with one more wreath? Holidays are over!

How do you know when a topic is “post-worthy?”

Anything in my life can be “post-worthy”. Even checking pee-mail is post-worthy against an alpine backdrop.

6. How much time do you spend writing your blog per week? How much time visiting other blogs? Share your tips for staying on top of it all.

I'm not a 9-to-5 dog, so I never keep track of my hours. Sometimes I blog as I'm napping.

7. How do you measure the success of a post and of your blog in general (comments, shares, traffic)?

I believe in the quantitative assessment of the performance of my blog. The number of (non-spam) comments is certainly important, but my preferred figure of merit is the number of hits from IP addresses located between the tropics, as they generally correspond to the hottest readers.

Do you look strictly at the numbers, or do you have a way of assessing the quality of those interactions?

I have empirical evidence that the success of a post can be predicted by the number of times I wag within the 24 hours prior to its publication.

8. If you could ask the pet blogging community for help with one issue you’re having with your blog, what would it be?

I would like to get better at monetizing my blog. I would like to achieve canine financial independence, i.e., generate enough income to pay for my dog food, vet visits, and my $50 yearly Swiss doggie tax. (As a dog, I qualify for flat rate taxation in Switzerland.)

Dog-blogging income would also help with the cost of flying back and forth between America and Switzerland. Why don't airlines offer frequent flyer doggie miles?

9. What goals do you have for your blog in 2013?

Essentially two goals: (1) to find a sponsor; (2) to keep on wagging.

Thank you, Amy, for hosting the challenge!

Fixing America?

Tootsie and Truffle are concerned about the state of the union.

 

Congratulations, President Obama!

Non-traditional Banking

Tootsie, Truffle, and Yugi in conversation at
Antelope Valley Summer Camp.

No Trailers

Tootsie at Blue Heron Park in Moses Lake, Washington.

The O-limp-ics!

Tootsie and her fur-brother Truffle in conversation
in North Idaho

Moovies

Tootsie and Muccabella in conversation near Stierva, Switzerland.

A City of Burrows

Pfeiffo and Tootsie in conversation roughly 4000 miles east of New York City

Make it Matter

With apologies to Don Draper from AMC Mad Men, HP co-founder David Packard once said that "Marketing is too important to be left to the marketing department."

I wonder what he would think about HP's latest campaign.

"If you're going to do something, make it matter."

Kate Spade

I read on The Long and Short that long-hair dachshund superstar Brady Kelsay recently burrowed on the set of Kate Spade's summer web shoot. Brady, you look terrific!



Fur Disclaimer. Dear Kate Spade: if you want me to remove the picture above because of copyright issues, please let me know and I will remove it. But remember: (1) It's a joke; (2) I'm a dog; (3) I'm also spayed.

In any case, the billboard below offers some really good advice.