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Short Stack?

Triple Play?

See no evil, hear no evil, smell no evil?

Lack of Dynamism of Dogs in No Motion? (That one is for the art historians reading the blog)

Starbucks Run

The truck has become much more crowded for the weekend Starbucks run now that Hank has joined the family!

Duck!

Rachsie ducks during an active chase with Hank in the backyard. The dachshunds frequently weave through and nip at Hank's legs during playtime. He lopes over them as if he is oblivious but the minute they stop he attempts to re-engage them by nudging their heads with his big muzzle.

Da Boys

Hank and Red Rocket spend some quality time together.

Where There's a Will, There's One Leg

I still don't believe it. August tells me that he caught Red Rocket red-pawed DIGGING IN THE GARDEN WITH HIS ONE FRONT LEG! We have noticed several dig spots in the garden but we assumed Hank was the guilty party. Apparently not so. I want to see it for myself but there is physical evidence as seen in this photo: one very muddy Red Rocket foot.

Happy Dog Happy Tail

Given what we know about Hank's background it's amazing how happy he is. He smiles, he leaps in the air, and he wags his tail so much that he sometimes suffers from "happy tail syndrome" (a bleeding tail tip caused by his heavy tail hitting hard objects.) We rejoice in his unbroken spirit.

The King on his Pillow Throne(s)

Red Rocket loves to sleep on pillows and when the distinctive cadence of his absent-legged hopping is silenced I know that he is usaually to be found ensconced on one of the many furniture or dog pillows throughout the house.

We Love Dog Love

One of the most coveted sleeping spots in our north-facing house is the patch of sun that comes in from the south-facing back door. However, sleeping there is often an iffy proposition as it also marks the intersection of the kitchen, dining room and living room leading to lots of traffic. On a quiet morning when I was working at my desk and August and Edward were out of the house Maggie stretched out to sunbathe and Rachsie soon joined her using Maggie's body as her pillow.

Another Kiss for Another Sis

Hank gives Rachsie a big smooch goodnight!

Perfect Pair

Red Rocket and Rachsie are frequently a "matched pair" in our family. Their similar size, shape, age, and former life circumstance makes them twins in spirit. They adore each other. They wear matching collars. They have matching food bowls. And they can often be found entwined in slumber.

Still Fighting

For those of you who might have worried that during the six month hiatus of the Red Rocket Report things in our household might have drastically changed - never fear - we are still fighting over the heating pad...

Photojournalism

Those of you who read the article in this past Sunday's Wichita Eagle will remember Fred Mann's description of Red Rocket as a, "mama's boy that sleeps on a pillow next to her head at night." I provide photographic evidence of this statement here on the Red Rocket Report. I even purchased a special European style square pillow that fits perfectly between the American standard pillows on our bed for Red Rocket's comfort.

A Kiss for Sis

Red Rocket zooms in to give Maggie a kiss... I am continually amazed by how affectionate the dogs are with each other and how many kisses are exchanged.

Red Rocket's Favorite Game

Dedicated followers of the Red Rocket Report know that Red Rocket loves tug-of-war! The cuffs of August's jeans are littered with Red Rocket teeth marks from our beloved three-legged dachshund's attempts to get Daddy to play with him by tugging on the bottoms of his pants! Hank quickly discovered Rocket's favorite game and invites him to play by rubbing toys on top of his head!

Unexpected Outcome

Perhaps the most surprising element of Hank's arrival in the household has been his relationship with Rachsie. They love to play together and frequently wrestle and chase throughout the day. Hank assumes the role of the "Gentle Giant" with Rachsie. She, however, attacks Hank with every bit of energy her nine pound body can muster. She clamps onto his ears and jowls with her teeth and he barely seems to notice. When she stops playing he bumps her with his head to antagonize her into another round of wrestling.

Nickname

Hank had been in the house only 24 hours when Edward nicknamed him the "hot chocolate leg bumper!" Here they are in the backseat of Mommy's car ready for Hank's first trip to Dr. Olson. Hank was still suffering the effects of parasites for the first few weeks he was with us but we're hopeful that an excellent diet and a life indoors will aleviate those problems. Hank has the traditional stocky labrador head and feet but his neck and torso are long and lean - this proportionality combined with the slightly wirey texture of his coat leads Dr. Olson to speculate that there may be some German Shorthaired Pointer DNA in Hank's mix. He is a bit clumsy and frequently falls off the bed and the couch but he's tough as a tank!

Male Bonding

Hank's First Night

Hank's foster mom told us that he was accustomed to sleeping in his kennel at night and was so smart that when they would turn the television off in the evening he automatically settled into his kennel for bedtime. So, on his first night with us, we decided to keep his routine familiar and when we prepared for bed Hank was put in his kennel. At first he was content as we moved throughout the house locking doors, brushing teeth, and putting on pajamas. It was when the lights went off that our carefully crafted "familiarity of routine" plan fell to pieces. As darkness fell upon the house Hank turned into a werewolf and began baying at the moon, crying and shaking his kennel. The dachshunds, in solidarity with their new sibling, began whining and barking. This awakened Edward who joined in the yelling with, "Mommy, snuggle you!" As I left our bedroom to lay down with Edward and get him back to sleep I told August, "It's just like a new baby - let him cry it out and he'll settle down." Ten minutes of non-stop dog distress ensued and I finally heard August throw back the covers and stomp out of our room. "August, what are you doing?" I yelled. "I'm going to stop this barking," he sharply replied. Then, silence... Silence... "Mommy, I want my Mickey Mouse blankie," Edward whispers. Great. It's in the basement laundry room which means I will have to walk past Hank's recently silenced sleeping spot in the dining room. I get out of bed and leaving all of the lights off cautiously creep through the darkness of the living room, dining room, kitchen, down the basement stairs. Silence.... Silence.... I grab the blanket and head back up the stairs, through the kitchen, sneak a glance and see that Hank's kennel is closed and all is quiet. I continue to creep through the darkness back to Edward's room where the Mickey Mouse blanket is safely delivered and he quickly falls back to sleep. I roll out of his bed to head back to our bedroom. I open our bedroom door. My bedside lamp is on casting a soft glow over the room. I glance at the bed and am shocked to discover August with his arms around a 65 pound dark chocolate labrador retriever...

Welcome Hank!

We welcome Hank to the Red Rocket family! Hank was confiscated from his owners due to confinement, malnourishment and parasites. He was saved by PALS Animal Rescue and spent three months in foster care being dewormed, fed, and socialized. We kept seeing Hank's smiling face on the PALS web site and requested a home visit so he could meet the dachshunds. He won them over with his easygoing manner and his willingness to let them be the alpha dogs!

Red Rocket Back in the News!

After a six month hiatus the Red Rocket Report is back online! Our favorite dachshund is back in the news! Check out the story at: http://www.kansas.com/2010/05/16/1316014/critics-say-humane-society-is.html