rufusontheweb

Lily | July 2013. Photo by: Johnny Ortez-Tibbels ©

I know the longer Lily is with us, the harder it will be to say goodbye but I know we can do it. Milo was part of our daily lives for a year and half. We loved him and the thought of him not being there anymore was difficult but… we went on and it was nice to return to two. Part of Lily’s massive appeal personally for me is her tiny size; she’s like a pocket-size dachshund. But puppies don’t stay puppies forever. Both Rufus and Emily were Lily’s size at one time and today they’re full-grown at a healthy and happy 11 pounds. Lily may or may not ever make it to 11 pounds, and that’s how it goes when you adopt a puppy; the mystery of what it will become overtime.

I do think having three dachshunds is a great number to aspire to, when one is ready. Here is my tried and true philosophy (based on all that I have experienced first hand and via close friends): One doxie is good for the active human that take his dachshund with him everywhere. Traveling with one is easy and they make great travel companions – whether it’s to the local mall or another state. Two (or more) is good for the human that works traditional hours or must be away from home a lot, because they keep each other company. One can still travel with two dachshunds (though it can be more challenging). Three is the ideal number because when you have a pair, the loss of one can be traumatic for the surviving dachshund. Three nearly guarantees that your pups won’t ever be alone – even in the event one dies. Additionally with three, you can travel with one (which is easier than two or three) and leave two at home guilt free because you know they have each other. With two dachshunds, either both go or both stay but I feel like it’s rude and unfair to leave one home alone without a four-legged friend or human. I know we have asked the question before, but what’s your doxie number?! Has it recently evolved from the last time we asked?! The number can easily go up or down.  Despite the temptress Lily, I believe my number today remains strong at 2.