| Oliver |
 My registered name is Sir Oliver Dunse but my new mom calls me plain old Oliver most of the time unless I'm barking A LOT, then she calls me SIR Oliver STOPIT.
It was a long car ride to get to this house, in this place, they call Ca--nada. A lot of nice people took me for a lot of car rides (and I LOVE car rides) and one super nice lady even let me have a sleep-over at her house! But you know, I've been a real travelling-man lately and I sure was getting weary by the time I got to this place. I am a good boy, my new mommy says I am the best and the prettiest boy she's ever seen. She is teaching me to give lots of kisses and hugs and I sure could get used to those. My new daddy lets me sing with him. He starts off the song and then I just jump on his lap and sing right along for as long as he wants me too. Afterwards I always give him BIG kisses for letting me sing along. My most favorite thing to do is walk. They say walk and I am ALL OVER THAT and my very favorite places in the whole world are this big piece of furniture that they call a 'sec - tion- al' and of course, the BIG bed AND where I spend ALL the time I can...on my new mommy's lap. All in all, life is pretty darn good here in this place they call Ca--nada, they say funny things like, "you are soooo sweet Oliver" and "I love you little man", shucks, even the big guy that lives here says it, it's almost darn right embarassing! But I guess as long as they keep needing help with their gardening and their singing and other stuff, I can stay, forever if need be.... Sir Oliver Oh yes, PS, to all of my special friends (and you know who you are) who took part in my life's journey, thank you for helping me find my forever home. |
| Thank you! |
| Oliver (Formerly Cookie Snookie) |
| OLIVER (previously known as Cookie Snookie)
I have always been a "big dog" person and have had standard poodles for the last 17 years. We have gotten to know several doxies in our neighborhood, and two years ago our daughter adopted a doxie through DRNA (see Frank's story). Living only a couple of hours away, Frank was able to spend lots of time at our home and we absolutely fell in love. In August our daughter moved to California and of course took Frank. As we lost one of our poodles last August, and now down to only one who is now 9-1/2, we decided we had to have our own crazy little wiener dog! My husband began the search while I was traveling across country with my daughter and Frank, and was immediately drawn to Cookie Snookie. I was unable to focus on the search until after returning home. Upon doing my own search I was also drawn to the same dog and we began the adoption process. As I was out of town on Labor Day weekend (2009), my husband and our good friend traveled from Ohio to the foster home in Indiana to pick up "Cookie Snookie" who we named Oliver (because he was an orphan his name had to be Oliver, like the orphan Oliver Twist). As you can see, he is absolutely beautiful with those big loving eyes. My husband said that he wouldn't bring him home if he didn't feel it was a good fit and I trusted his judgment totally. There was never a second thought as it was love at first sight for them both. However while at the foster home there was an unexpected turn of events. A darling little girl crawled into my husband's lap and also won his heart. Upon hearing the heartbreaking story of her being left at the roadside for dead on New Year's Eve, how she fought to survive despite the odds, and how she bonded with Oliver when he arrived at the foster home, my husband decided that there was only one thing he could do and that was to adopt them both! What a great guy! That was a very exciting day full of phone calls, text messages and pictures. I could hardly wait to get home to meet our new babies! Oliver is a very sweet and loving boy. He is definitely a mama's boy which is understandable given his history. He came from a home with 7 doxies and was given up because they couldn't care for all of them. We understand he was not mistreated, but the male of the home did not like the dogs and just didn't pay any attention to them, therefore Oliver never bonded with the male of the home. Knowing this, I thought it was great that he was able to bond with my husband and our good friend first. He will bark at strangers but will make up quickly once he knows they are okay. The sweetest thing about Oliver is how he loves Annie. Knowing her heartbreaking history (see Annie's story) of course all we want to do is love her, but seeing Oliver love her is heartwarming. He is a perfect gentleman - except when he barks at our big poodle, but we're working on that. Annie and Oliver have now settled into our home and we couldn't be more in love! Oliver loves playing with Annie, running through the nearby park on our daily walks and going for rides in the car. As I work at home, they have beds in my office where they curl up for nap time while I work. Of course at night they both sleep in the big bed under the covers snuggled up right next to one of us and we wouldn't have it any other way. We are very proud new parents! |
Merry and Gene McMahon |
| contributed October 2009 |
| Opie |
  I always said no more dogs, I have two doxies now, unless I can get a piebald baby. Well one day I was looking at pics a friend had sent me of her doxies, she is DRNA in Oklahoma. Just for the heck of it I went to DRNA web site. As I started to go through the states, the first picture that came up for MD was of Opie a little liver and white piebald. I read his bio and that was it, I called the representative and talked to her.
Well I guess that God wanted Opie to be part of my little family. Sent in application on Monday, home visit 2 days later, went out to see him on Fri. and he came home with me. Opie had some problems...he was 3 years old and evidently had no human contact, and was scared to death of all humans. He came home Nov. 5th. Now he is sitting in my lap and doesn't want me to stop petting him. He gets along well with his two Doxie sisters. |
| Thank you! |
| contributed December 2005 |
| Oscar the Great |
| I live in Canada and adopted Oscar, a 2 year old red smooth-haired tweenie from Illinois, one week after my dog Fred died. Getting Oscar at that time was the best thing I could do to help ease the pain over the loss of my other dog. Oscar is so much fun and makes me laugh all the time!
He came to me totally housebroken and always wants to play and kiss you. I was so lucky to get him. He is so social, loves both people and animals. He is like a big strong teddy bear, so cuddly and loveable. I can't wait to put the key in the door each night to pick him up in my arms. I couldn't imagine life without him. He's the greatest! |
| Thank you! |
| contributed May 2005 |
| Oscar |
 Hi!! Remember me, it's Oscar!! I want to tell you how much I am liking my new family. At first, I wasn't sure if I was going to be living here forever or not, since I've moved around a bit; but it's really beginning to look like I may have found a forever home at last. We have it pretty good here I think, even though we must be in the Far North. I have had to wear a COAT to keep warm at times! But now the grass is getting greener like at your house, so that's a relief!
Here's what my days are like: When I wake up in the morning, Dad carries me downstairs (it's a good thing, too, because Bobby and that crazy red ball ZOOM past us on the stairs!), and then we doggies wait for Mom to shower and come downstairs and call us for our "good morning biscuit." Yep---believe it or not, we get a treat just for starting the new day! After that, Stanley and I usually nap on the blankie on the sofa, while Bobby runs his ball all over the place with his nose (practically mowing people down in his path!!), until Mom serves up our breakfasts. We each have our own bowl, and even though the young 'uns get some different food than I do, we each get a spoonful of each others' food to taste. Before she puts our bowls down, Mom makes us all sit down politely (it's not easy sitting down when your tail wags all the time, 'ya know? But I try real hard.). After breakfast, we have another nap---there's a soft thick cushion on the floor by the sliding glass door, and in the morning the sun hits it just perfectly. I snooze there quite a lot on sunny days, unless Stanley wants a turn on it. Also, we stay on "yellow alert" all day watching for back yard intruders through the sliding glass door. Stanley stays on guard, and when a squirrel gets on Mom's birdfeeder, Stanley shoots out the doggy door after it. Then Bobby and I run after Stanley, as fast as we can. It's a hoot! I feel like a real hunting dog!! But we've never caught a squirrel yet. Maybe sometime Stanley will catch one, and I can bring it in the house to show Mom and Dad, like when we caught that rabbit. I met the gas meter reader a couple of weeks ago in our back yard. Bobby and Stanley barked at him like crazy when he jumped the fence into our yard, and so I barked too, but he was friendly and wasn't scared of the barking at all, so I wagged over to meet him, and he really liked me! He threw Bobby's ball for him, which made Bobby stop barking and play. When Dad comes home for lunch, we all greet him, and Stanley howls! I usually just bark until he gives me a pat on the head. Bobby usually greets him with his ball in his mouth. (Bobby is an okay guy, a little high-energy maybe; but I don't know what he sees in that ball all the time! It sure doesn't hold any attraction for me! Sometimes I watch Mom throw the ball for Bobby and I just bark because it's so silly!) After lunch, we nap and resume yellow alert, only this time we're watching for our friends Jerry and Doris, who bring us our Jerry-treats at 3:30. Jerry brags on me, and on how we never fight over the treats he hands us. He makes us line up in order at the fence to get our treats. Bobby and I take turns sleeping in the fuzzy bed in Mom's office during the afternoon, when she works on the computer. Sometimes, if it's a cool day, we both sleep in the bed together. 
Last Saturday afternoon, Mom took us boys out to the cabin. Bobby and Stanley ran all around the field while Mom was walking me on my leash, but they kept circling back to check on me and Mom, because we were moving slower. Oh, I would have run fast if Mom had let me! After we walked up a little grassy hill, though, I slowed down and stopped pulling so much. There were so many smells out there!! Bobby and Stanley showed me a stump where the deer like to come and lick on a salt block. I could sure smell them, but we didn't see any deer. But I peed on the stump, like Bobby and Stanley, so the deer will know there's a "new dog in town." We also got to walk over to the pond, where the tree frogs were singing. That was kind of spooky! But fun!
After Dad comes home from work and we all eat our supper, Mom gives each of us one little bite of chicken or beef or fish. Or sometimes we get a little bite of string cheese, instead. Then I sit in laps during the evening. Dad's lap is good, but he's always bringing work home and has papers in his lap, so I spend most evenings sitting in Mom's lap--which is okay, too. Maybe he will stop bringing work home by summertime, and I can sit in his lap more. IF I decide I want to! He always stops working around 9:00 p.m., though, and then we boys all get to go on a special walk. Dad says I walk best of all, because I don't stop the whole pack to smell or pee on things, like the young guys do. But I DO stop to bark at cats!! I am trying to teach those boys that cats are evil! They never even paid any attention to them before I came to live here--my work is cut out for me, training them right. Soon after our walk, they carry me back upstairs to my cozy bed, and boy am I ready to sleep after such exciting days!! |
| Thank you! |
| contributed March 2007 |
| Oscar G. |
| On April 10, 2005 two of my girl friends and I went on a road trip to Gettysburg, PA ( a two and a half hour drive) to pick up the newest member of our family, Oscar. The ride was too long for my husband, so two of my best friends volunteered to copilot. We had a great day, the weather was beautiful. The visit with Oscars foster mother was so nice, we learned a lot about Oscar and lots of the other rescued doxies. We stopped for lunch on the way home at a place that had picnic tables so Oscar could be with us. My husband and I adopted Oscar only a few weeks ago and it is like he has been with us forever. He goes every where with us, doctor appointments, dentist appointments, family visits. Last Sunday we went to the hospital to visit my husbands sister and Oscar was welcome. The hospital believes that pet visits help in the healing process. The lady sharing the room with our June also has a dachshund, even had her picture on the table next to her bed. Oscar is a big hit every where we go. Whenever the garage door opens, Oscar is first out to get in the car. He knows he has to buckle up before we go. We go for long walks twice a day, always meeting a new neighbor on the way.
When I called the vet on Monday April 11, 2005 she was so excited to meet him we made an appointment for that very afternoon. We got a perfect bill of health and picked up all the prevention medications we would need for a while. Oscar takes naps with dad, but when it comes to serious night time sleep he cuddles with his new mom. Oscar has brought so much joy to us. Our first dachshund that we had for 12 years, our beloved Beethoven died in December 2004, we miss him so very much and Oscar has helped to fill the void. Ivor and Helene Goodge Denise, Brian, Annie, Owen |
| Thank you! |
| contributed May 2005 |
| Oscar "Slim" |
| I have great news about my Oscar. When I adopted him he weighed a whopping 42 POUNDS. After a year of dieting he didn't lose any weight. The vet finally figured out the problem was tapeworms! He is now a healthy Oscar at 17 pounds! THIS IS ONE HAPPY TAILS ENDING.
|
| Thank you! |
| contributed October 2009 |
| Oscar G. |
 Hi! I'm Oscar (actually my brother and sister named me "Oscar Myer Weiner Grace Moore Nickle") and I'm the luckiest doxie alive! My family adopted me in November 2006. My Dad was serving in Afghanistan and was NOT at all happy that I had come to live in his house while he was out of the country! Just last night my brother caught Dad kissing me on the forehead and calling me "buddy". How could I feel more like a part of this family - Dad kissed me AND has a nickname for me too! I'm lucky because Dad didn't want me at first. Now I have him right where I want him!
My brother and sister adore me and say that I'm the cutest dog ever! I love to play ball and would play all day if my family would throw it for me. I do know how to quiet down and I am the best cuddle-bug my Mom has ever had. I love to get under the covers with my family and snuggle at bed time. My cat sister isnít quite so fun to cuddle with, but she and I tolerate each other from a distance. I try to get close, but she just runs away. Fine by me! I have come to love having my belly rubbed and my pet-sitter is crazy about me! Everyone just loves me! Mom says I have brought so much joy into our home and she loves my sweet personality and endless kisses! I am so glad I was adopted! I found my lifelong home with a family that is absolutely crazy about me! |
| From one loved doxie, Oscar |
| contributed August 2007 |
| Otto |
 I couldn't wait to send you these neat pictures of me. I'm all settled in & it feels like I've always lived here. I already have a favorite chair, a favorite toy, I know my way around real well & I'm especially familiar with the kitchen. That's where Iggy & I are in that one picture. I bet you can guess what we're waiting for.
Last night Iggy was lying on the couch & my new dad JP gave me a little stuffed moose that Iggy usually plays with. I grabbed it like I was going to tear it apart & play with it, but instead I ran into the living room, jumped up on the couch & dropped it by Iggy & then jumped down & came back. JP thinks I'm a pretty cool doggy. I think I look pretty cool in that sweater Iggy lent me, don't you? |
| Love and lots of wet kisses, Otto |
| Otto - formerly Albus |
 We just wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know how happy we are that we adopted Otto (formerly known as Albus) in September,2005. Otto came to us from his foster mom Lori in Ohio, who is a great lady and we are so lucky that she took such great care of Otto before we adopted him. She was most helpful in helping to get him from Ohio to Pennsylvania thruogh the Dachshund Underground Railroad and we met him in Pa. and brought him home to NJ.
He loves kissing us, laying out in the sun in the warm weather, and occasionally chasing our 2 senior house cats just so they know that he's the boss. He does not like the cold NJ winters or rain in the spring as he likes to be indoors in the winter at all times where he is warm and snuggly, but he is so cute in his little winter coats, that he now owns more coats than we do!!! We would not hesitate in adopting another doxie from DRNA as you are a great organization that helps so many dachshunds that if not for you, would not find such loving homes. Thank you for helping to bring such joy into our lives. I am sending you 2 pictures of Otto, doing wha he does best-snuggling and sleeping. |
| Sincerely, Beth,Ian,Shtinky,Whiskers & Otto Schonfeld Manalapan NJ |
| contributed March 2007 |
| Otto W. |
  I am so thankful to DRNA for bringing Otto into my life. I spent weeks searching online and at adoption events for the perfect dog for me. I looked at hundreds of pictures and read many descriptions, but something kept bringing me back to this first dog I seriously considered adopting. Initially, I was drawn to Otto because he looked like my dachshund, Tootsie, I had growing up, but he was just a bigger version of her. Otto's description seemed to be everything I was looking for in a pet, except he was a little older than I had originally wanted. After meeting Otto at the home visit, though, I knew I couldn't turn my back on this dog. He needed a good home. Besides, with an older dog, I wouldn't have to worry about housebreaking him. I don't know a lot about Otto's past, but there is some evidence that he had a rough life, possibly being neglected. I am amazed, though, at all the love he has to give. I am lucky enough to come home everyday to a dog jumping up and wagging his tail, which always makes me smile, no matter how bad my day has been. When my grandfather was recently sick and spent almost 2 months in the hospital, the nurse suggested that we have a pet visit him. Otto went to the hospital, and for the first time in several weeks, I actually saw my grandfather smile and relax. Now that my grandfather is home, he regularly goes over his house to visit him, still making him smile. Otto is my family's therapy dog. When I adopted Otto, he wasn't very familiar with how to walk on a leash. He now takes several walks a day, sometimes for up to an hour at a time. He loves to chase squirrels and rabbits. One of his other favorite activities is riding in the car. Sometimes he walks by the car and stands there, crying to get inside. I am so thankful to Kristel from DRNA and Otto's foster mom, Kelly. Without their dedication and kindness, Otto and many other animals would not be rescued from their unfortunate situations, and people like me would not find their perfect pet. |
| Thank you for being such a wonderful organization!!! Kristen Wojciechowski |
| contributed September 2009 |
