For mini shouter lovers!

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Every morning we perform the same ritual – rising at seven, breakfast of sausages and a cup of lemon tea for me, before performing ablutions as sausages return to bed. Once I was ready to get down, I opened the covers to reveal two hot, hairy little nuts, wrapped around each other and…I sang to them.

What am I singing? The ‘time to wake up’ song, I know, I know, that old chestnut song, but they thought it was original and enjoyed it. Why do I sing to them? Because it’s a signal to us that it’s time to get up and down. At the point in the song where I name them and kiss their velvet noses, Willow immediately prepares herself to leave the warmth of the blanket, while little Bear hides inside. Of course, resistance was futile, and at the end of the song, Bear was quickly scooped into my arms (before he could roll over) and unceremoniously flopped onto the hall carpet, facing the right direction. Even this detail is important because if he faces back into the bedroom, he will return to the room and the comfort of my bed like a grumpy teenager.

It took me a while to negotiate, on my stomach, coaxing him out from under the bed while he did everything he could to avoid me. Interestingly, once it was completely down, he was very happy and ready to start his day, while Willow was tapping her foot, eagerly waiting for instructions and a harness to go on, signaling on the walkie-talkie!

Yes, I said so, but strangely, when they both want to go out, putting on a leash is another ordeal. I tried to sneak them into the living room, and when I realized what I was doing, they had already run into their sacks curled up.

When I got close, Willow exploded and started jumping around the furniture to escape my grip, but because she was easier to catch, I often left her to trap Bear in a sack. If I’m quick and can catch him before he runs away, everything is fine, but if he gets wind, he can suddenly use his superpowers. For such a slow little Bear, he was as sudden as lightning. He could pass me at such speed that I didn’t even see him bury himself in the dog bed behind the side table, and getting him out of there was a pain. Will he leave of his own accord? No, and coaxing or offering treats won’t make a difference.

I can’t get in there. I had to sit on the pouffe, lean back, rest my chin on the shelf, then roll over and slide it, like a dead weight, towards the opening with one hand. If I wasn’t behind him quickly enough, he would deliberately roll backwards, making any progress completely null and void. After several attempts and finally achieving success, I lifted him onto my lap, where – rubbing his little belly and kissing his nose – I protested gently while fastening his harness. Ridiculously, as soon as both dogs were dressed, they jumped enthusiastically behind the front door as if I was the one who kept them waiting!

Once out, I try to vary the places we visit to keep things interesting and the smells still interesting. Most people don’t know that dogs get as much exercise by following their noses as they do by walking for miles, and little Bear (because of his physical challenges) doesn’t really like walking. Willow loved being free, meeting her dog friends, and playing tag, but since Bear had a habit of using his superpowers again, suddenly returning to the car at lightning speed if the weather was bad or he was bored, I had to be wary. This means that calling for change is very important.

Meeting best friends Hattie and Rosie, we went to the cricket pitch, where we also avoided being trampled by Penny (a young, fun and overly enthusiastic lab). Thankfully, all her owners are now friends, so as well as Willow having fun jumping around and chasing, we also have great company. This alone is invaluable to all of us, them and myself, as owners of Willow and Bear, meaning we are never alone or lonely.

On Wednesdays, we tend to go to Centenary Fields, which is not about the dogs or the dog owners, but about the sweet smells, long grass, woodland trails, beautiful views, mindfulness and a variety of good walks that really keep the Bears moving and interested. That said, we also had occasional walks in the Great Field (where we met the lovely Teckel) and, locally, Sandringham play park, where we also met a variety of lovely dogs and owners, all of whom were very tolerant of Willows’ incessant barking, nervous barking and chasing.

Interestingly, this week at Sandringham I met a lovely lady who said, “Is that ‘the’ Willow and the Bear?” something that happens more and more often these days but still surprises me. Of course it shouldn’t be like that. Dorchester is a small place, and writing on the internet obviously means my little messages about dog stories are read by an audience, but it never ceases to surprise and delight.

The thought that these two little sausages with their sad and violent pasts should be able to overcome the odds to be loved, to be understood as minor celebrities in cyberspace, is just a never-ending delight to me. They have made great progress in the 14 months they have been in my care. Although we still have a long way to go, I truly believe the kindness shown to them has formed part of their development into strong, more confident and happy little dogs.

I hope, if nothing else, my spotlight on Willow and Bear’s life means more people will think more about getting a Dachshund. They are, of course, lovable and very affectionate little dogs, but they are not easy to imagine!

They often won’t walk or go out in the rain, can use up an entire chair in one sitting, have problems exercising at home (related to the weather), are stubborn, very needy, can be brash and reactive, have very expensive health problems due to their small legs and long backs, and – most importantly – are often very, very loud. They will bark at slugs on the walls, spiders across your carpet, changes in wind direction, almost anything but never in vain (well, not in their eyes).

That said, I wouldn’t change a thing about my ‘dachshund life’, but as an old-fashioned retiree, I have the time and space to devote to them. Am I proud of them? Very much so, and do I love the kindness, understanding, and thoughtfulness that my writing gives them? Of course.

For that, I am grateful to everyone who has followed their adventures since they came into my life. Together, we have changed their little lives, so please don’t stop reading or introduce yourself to us when you see us. We really appreciate your attention. Everyone who shows kindness increases their socialization.

So what can I say?…Thank you so much!

Are you feeling creative? We’re proud to have an incredibly talented community at Rest Less, which is why we’re so excited to open a section of the site dedicated to showcasing the beautiful and diverse writing of our members. If you have creative writing you would like to share with the Rest Less community – you can do so here.