Joeri's first trip to the pond this summer

Most of our regular readers remember Joeri's problems with his back. Now six and a half months after his second incident his movement is still deficient. He is very mobile, that's for sure, and pain-free. But his topline looks sometimes like his back is broken, and his right hind leg does not have a normal range of movement. We carry him up and down the stairs. I don't think he will be tracking again because with as many dogs as we have it is not necessary for him to do it. We would not want to risk another relapse. However, he is a very happy dog, with a great attitude, and today he really enjoyed his first trip to the pond. He loves to retrieve from the water, and I think we are going to have a lot of fun together this summer.

It feels like summer is here.

Max in the Cowlitz River: German wirehaired dachshund and his love of swimming and retrieving

So far this summer has been like no other. It is very dry here. So even though it is only mid-July, yellow leaves has been falling and grass is turning crispy brown. Days are hot and sunny, with temperatures in the high 80s and low 90s. Luckily nights are refreshingly cool. The water in our pond is very low, at the lowest level I have ever seen. The weather forecast does not predict any short term changes. Other parts of the United States suffer from even drier and warmer conditions.

Considering all this pictures of German wirehaired dachshund Max (Max von Bispingdorpe), who loves to swim and retrieve from the water, might serve us well. Max's owner, Uta Fehlhaber-Smith sent these pics with a note:

Just before Max got in a strong whirl in the pursuit of a large stick that had floated into that whirl. He made it out off it, an enormous physical challenge! The Cowlitz River is deep and fast and it curved a the place we were. The photos were shot by Laura Stutts.

Also I love the below video of Max, which Uta sent last fall. She said in her caption: The barking noise is from Luna, the hovawart, who is an excellent water retriever herself and wants to go too. ( The tiny dummy is not her thing...) She goes for the big branches and wood pieces - but I can't do both at the same time and video tape too...

BTW, congratulations are in order as Max was Best of Winners at an AKC show in Chehalis, WA on July 8. Several FCI teckels were entered at the show with the intention to educate the American judges.

Uta says: The other judge the day before preferred typical American Dachshund, but we had great time afterwards at the Pacific ocean were this little daredevil decided to swim voicing all the way through the heavy turf in pursuit of teasing seagulls. He scared me to death, since I did not know the undertow. And then when he finally returned he decided to chase the large kites people let fly at the beach, again furiously opening and running circles and figure eights with his head in the air. A kite crushed down, drilling in the sand just a few inches beside him.

Max has sired his first litter this year. For more information about his stud service contact Uta directly.



Summer training in retrieving for the two mini trackers from North Carolina

It was very good to hear from Samantha Allen who wrote recently:

I would like to give you a short update on the mini trackers (Ollie and Cabela). The weather here in North Carolina is starting to warm up pretty quickly. We are running practice tracks every few weeks to keep Ollie and Cabela in shape and in good practice for the up and coming hunting season. They both are doing very well with their training lines and they both have decided since the warm weather has hit that creek crossings are the best things ever now.

 

Cabela has been a little cautious of water since I got her in November but now that it is consistently around 85 degrees she quickly changed her opinion on getting wet. She does swim more like an otter than a dog and sometimes she worries me a little because she will actually twist and go under water. I am not sure if she is just a poor swimmer or this is her swimming method. I am pretty sure Ollie has fins on her somewhere! If there is a puddle Ollie is going to get in it. I find this very interesting seeing how they are both from the same litter but have such different personalities. I enjoy watching them and at some times find it funny how they react differently to the same situation.

 

In between tracking I decided to teach the girls a little about retrieving. I have purchased a few books and educated myself on retriever training. It is going pretty well and they really enjoy it. Just maybe I will have me some mini retrievers for dove season in September! We still have a lot of training if we are going to get to that point. Well I better get back to work!