Brewster came to us with "issues" and the warning that he needed an experienced dachshund home. The woman who was surrendering him said she had made appointments more than once to put him down, but she could never go through with it. Within 16 hours, he was here and he was mine.

Brewster is a dog that no one in his right mind would adopt. His pattern is completely backwards: He is wonderful with my other dachshunds, he is wonderful with children and strangers. He has a problem with his owners. We think that his previous owners either abused him or played so rough with him when he was a pup that he just doesn't know any better. "Training" was apparently not in their vocabulary.

Brewster bites us. That's the long and short of it. We've had him for seven months and it's a learning experience every day, trial and error, to see what works with him. It's been two or three months since he has bitten either of us, so things seem to be looking up, and we are hopeful.

But whatever happens, we don't regret for a second taking him in. We celebrate his improvements, but we love him shamelessly just as he is.

Brewster lives with Jean Brewer in Tennessee.

Kibby and her brother were picked up as strays by Waco (TX) Animal Control. Although they had tags, their owners were not interested in picking up Kibby and Pablo, so they were at the shelter for over a month before an AH rescuer stopped in to see whether the local shelter had any dachshunds. They were both coughing, so she took them to the vet, where it was discovered that they were extremely high positives for heartworms with enlarged liver, heart, and other organs. The treatment was complicated and Pablo died.

Kibby survived the treatment, but she would not have anything to do with any other people after her brother died (as a brother-sister duo they had been very outgoing), so she stayed with her rescuer. She still has to sleep touching her mom at night. She is probably about 11 years old, but she is all puppy at heart and much loved in her sanctuary home.

Kibby lives with Rena Bonem in Texas.

Miles was purchased as a puppy for a “reduced fee” because he had a deformed tail. What the backyard breeder failed to mention was that he also had a total lack of bowel and bladder function. Everyone was ready to euthanize this little guy, but fortunately for Miles, and for everyone who knows him, he was surrendered to Almost Home.

A visit to the neurologist revealed that his tail was not attached to his spine and that fibrous tissue had grown and was strangling nerves, preventing neuromuscular development in the rectum, colon and bladder. His tail was removed, fibrous tissue was cleaned out and nerve pathways opened. Initially, he had a constant leakage of feces, as well as constant dribbling of urine, and he needs an enema once or twice a week to help him void. Belly bands helped with the dribbling and his mom found some special-order “scanties” for him to wear for bedtime and when visiting. She kept lots of old comforters spread around and got very accustomed to doing a lot of wash.

Over time he gradually improved and regular acupuncture treatments make it possible to avoid the enemas, but it became apparent that Miles would never be “normal” and would always have special needs relating to his condition. He will always need his belly band and bed-time pants, and his mom will always find unexpected spots on her clothes after she heads off to work, but rather than “special needs,” Miles is simply special. His mom thinks of Miles less as a “sanctuary dog” than as one of the greatest joys in her life.

Miles lives with Sandy Clabaugh in Texas.

Six years ago, Chocolate came into rescue with a broken rear leg that had never been treated; leaving it completely backwards in the hip socket. To make matters worse, the other rear leg was damaged genetically.

Chocolate underwent two surgeries and extensive, daily physical therapy, which was performed by her foster mom. Although the surgeries restored Chocolate’s mobility, they could not make her completely "normal." She has no bladder or bowel control and is missing a vertebra in her spine.

Luckily, Chocolate doesn't seem to realize her shortcomings and, at seven pounds, rules the roost whenever the alpha dog in her foster home -- now her permanent home -- isn't looking! Despite all of the hard times she’s been through, she is a happy, playful puppy whose mom can’t imagine life without such a lively spirit being a part of it.

Chocolate lives with Janis Fitzhugh in California
 

This little cutie is Scooter. Originally her name was Gueneviere but it just didn't fit her personality at all. Scooter came to us at the ripe old age of seven months, yet we were her third home and she was on her way to the pound! Thank goodness someone knew we did dachshund rescue and gave her our number. Scooter came from a PetLand pet store and is not a very well bred dog. She has some temperament issues. She will run up to some people and jump up and bite them. For no reason! And we never know who will be next!

We could not place her in a home knowing that she could bite someone, and then we fell head over heels in love with her, so she is going to live out her life right here with us.

Scooter has mellowed a bit and we can actually leave her out when the grandkids come now. We are just very careful and watchful.

Scooter lives in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, with Fred Ballard and Vicki Carlo and her sister Lacey.
 

Pandy was an extremely thin and seemingly vicious four-year-old dachshund. She was relinquished to a shelter in Orange County (California) and then turned over to Southern California Dachshund Rescue. Deemed people-and-animal- aggressive, Pandy appeared to have been starved and weighed just 13 pounds. I brought her home in May 2007.

During the first couple of weeks at my home, Pandy managed to pull a chicken down from the kitchen counter and proceeded to eat the entire bird (including bones, plastic tray, and grocery bag) in less than the 10 minutes that I was out of the room. Pandy was rushed to the vet, and emergency surgery was performed; as the bones had ruptured her stomach lining in three places. Luckily, she survived.

Pandy’s voracious appetite, large voluminous stools, and aggressive disposition were all caused by a medical condition called Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI). With proper care including enzyme supplements and a change of diet, Pandy stabilized. However, she will always need these enzyme supplements in order to maintain her weight and good health. Because of her condition, nobody wanted to adopt Pandy.

Since her arrival, Pandy has transformed into a beautiful, funny, 26-pound dachshund who gets along great with all human and animal members in the household. We are so fortunate to have her in our lives.

Pandy lives with Janis Fitzhugh in California.