My sister sent Ollie the most adorable dachshund toy for Easter. So cute that I kept it on display on top of the refridgerator for weeks before giving it to Ollie to play with destroy.
I’m always optimistic that Ollie will learn to “play nice” with stuffed toys one day, but I’m starting to lose hope.
Inspecting.
Kidnapping.
Destroying.
I feel really awful that Ollie is home alone most week days, so I try to squeeze some exercise in for him whenever I can. We get up early every morning to go for a walk before breakfast and we have marathon tug-of-war sessions after dinner. When we’re too lazy for physical exercise, we do tricks (sit, side, roll, spin, and the ever elusive, paw) until he’s used up all his brain power and is ready for another nap.
How do you keep your pets active while you’re working all day?
Never a dull moment in the Ollie household.
Two days ago, I noticed that Ollie was walking with his tail tucked between his legs. Yesterday, he was reluctant to jump or play and whimpered when he had to go to the bathroom. By bedtime, Ollie wouldn’t sit or lay.
I poked and prodded at him for a bit and decided (from his yelps) that it was either his tail or his anal glands (eek – Ollie has been part of our family for five years and this is the first time those two words have ever crossed my lips) that were causing the pain.
I planned on taking him to our regular vet first thing in the morning, but around 11 o’clock, Ollie’s pitiful little cries were breaking my heart so off to the emergency vet we went.
Waiting for the doctor.
After a thorough examination, the vet diagnosed Ollie with a sprained tail. He said it was an unusual condition in a dachshund and to keep an eye out for signs of back pain, but that some pain medication and muscle relaxant should help Ollie rest and heal more quickly.
I can’t say enough good things about Central Texas Veterinary Specialty Hospital and the vet on duty, David Kleinman. They were helpful and attentive and really great with Ollie, even in the middle of a busy night.
I should mention that all of this happened right after I had to rush home at lunch because our apartment flooded and I spent the next 6 hours cleaning floor.
Maybe I need a muscle relaxant, too.
Ollie took a little dip in the pool at our apartment complex a few weeks ago and the very next morning an email was sent to all residents reminding us of the pool rules…including no pets.
Oops.
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Nutrish. All opinions are 100% mine.
It is quite possible that I have raised the pickiest dachshund ever.
(I wonder where he gets that from, eh?)
Ollie has eaten the same food since he was a puppy. He only eats natural treats, like duck and sweet potatoes. He visibly snubs his nose at prepackaged treats. Oh, and he might have his own designated block of cheese (he prefers extra sharp) in the refrigerator.
So when Ollie was offered a free sample of Rachael Ray Nutrish just 6 dry dog food I tentatively accepted, hoping Ollie wouldn’t act like a four-year-old trying broccoli for the first time. I accepted because Nutrish isn’t made with corn or wheat (or soy), which the other dachshunds in our family are allergic to. In fact, it’s only made with 6 ingredients – lamb meal, brown rice, ground rice, dried beat pulp, poultry fat, and natural chicken flavors – plus all the vitamins and minerals essential for healthy pets.
As soon as I filled a bowl of Nutrish for Ollie to sample, I knew he wouldn’t snub his nose. It smelled fresh (re: didn’t make me gag like most dog food), was crunchy, and brought Ollie scurrying to the kitchen. As soon as I set the bowl down, this little weiner chow’d down!
He even pulled his signature take-everything-out-of-the-bowl -and-eat-it-piece-by-piece move.
Ollie is free-fed, meaning there’s always food in his bowl for him to eat, so it’s a real testament to Nutrish that he scarfed down the whole bowl after a day of snacking on his regular food whenever he felt like it (and enjoying plenty of treats throughout the day).
My only is complaint is that while the first 6 ingredients are pretty straight forward, there’s still some ingredients that I’m unable to pronounce – which is kind of the golden rule for eating healthy. All-in-all I believe it’s a better option than other dog food brands, but there’s always room for improvement.
But the proof is in the happy wiener dog that’s now napping on the couch with a full belly. We’ll be talking with our vet about making a permanent switch to Nutrish!
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