Hounded

Living with three dachshunds can be a challenge, an adventure and sometime a pain in the neck. But Matt Ziselman realized after all the poop is scooped and dog hair is removed from the couch, his dogs have given him and his family much more than they have taken. Let's meet the cast of characters: "You can often find our big boy BAXTER lying in the middle of the driveway working on his "black-and-tan." When he's had his fill of sunbathing he retreats to the coolness of his club chair, where he spends the balance of his day sleeping, yawning, sleeping, stretching and other things that resemble sleeping. We don't know much about MAYA's life before she became a part of ours. We bought her from a breeder in Texas who was selling all of her breeding stock. We didn't know why but we found out soon enough. Whenever any of us pick up Maya she moans and groans. I'm sure part of it comes from age; lord knows I can attest to that. As I write this Maya is three months past her 9th birthday. But I think part of it, a not inconsequential part of it, is her past. They are groans of memory. She is a pained dog. A wronged dog. And yet, under the pain, I also sense wisdom.
A wisdom that comes from seeing and experiencing things that while horrific, imbue a certain kind of life knowledge that others who haven't gone through that experience lack. Like all good soldiers, Maya has earned her stripes, and then some. MOLLY goes about her life as if she's unaware of anything. "Blissful puppy" is the phrase I most often use. She's always happy, sleeps like a baby and eats like a pig. She runs, she cavorts, she barks, she chews on bones and wags her tail. When it comes to being a dog, Molly is all in. " They are three dachshunds with three very different personalities and different life lessons to share. Here's an example of what we can all learn from the dogs: *Listen, especially when there's nothing to hear. *If you're going to be moody, "happy" is a pretty good choice. *Be heard. *When it comes to what matters, size doesn't. *If it belongs to you, prove it. This is a book for dog lovers everywhere. We know that dogs have the right attitude and in this book, they share their secrets.