From one trend to another, us dog lovers cannot get enough...
From the dreaded year of 2020, the sale of puppies and dogs had taken a huge increase from other years previous, as well as the prices! Over the whole of the UK, there has been more and more places available to visit with your pup, for example Dog Cafe's and Doggie day care; as well as many restaurants and existing companies changing their rules to allow humans to bring their extra companion. Dogs have become Britain's new children, and to be honest, I'm not complaining.
So, after 10 years of begging and begging my parents for a pup; with full-blown powerpoint presentation and Q & A evenings, Puppy being written at the top of every Christmas and Birthday list since I could remember, they finally gave in. I have always been an avid music lover and musician, but 'puppy' even over-took the dreamy, white, baby grand. The dog was a must, the piano could wait. In 2021, I gained a second sibling, Bertie, my mini dachshund. Now, there was much deliberation: what breed? What size? Will they like this? Can we get two? I can tell that last question was a definite no at that point, beggers can't be choosers they say! My dad wanted a 'big masculine dog', one he could walk and "not look stupid". I would have taken any dog, but living with three women, he didn't have much of a say or choice obviously. Bert isn't much like a doberman in size but he is in spirit, I think they call it 'small dog syndrome'. Soon after getting Bertie, although we tried to be the 'alpha' and followed all the online research for training, Bertie soon became the 'want-to-be alpha' of the Grieve family. Although he is small, he has a HUGE personality and we had no idea how the small timid pup could turn into the crazy, mad and loud boy he is today.
So a year on, the 17th of May 2022, it was Bertie's 1st birthday. It had been just less than a year and already we were attached to this dog like nothing else. My sister Bonnie and I went to the local 'Dog Spa' and 'Dog Cafe' and basically bought out the whole birthday section. He had a dog cake, birthday hat, a birthday bow, a '1' biscuit etc (the list goes on)... Now you may think this is a bit excessive, but lets just say this was not his first rendezvous. In the almost year we had had our little man, he had been involved in a few sausage charity walks, with over 50 dachshunds, a 'Hallo-weiner' party and a 'Dacshing through the snow' Christmas party. To top it all off, I may disclaim the information that in fact, he is also on Instagram (@bertietheminidachs)! Yes, I'm that kind of #dogmum.
Anyways, although Bertie does not like wearing costumes like some dogs, he's managed to pick up on the fact that parties= food, and he LOVES food. Honestly, if he had to pick over me or food, I know the food would take priority, something to think about future sausage dog owners.
Like anything, there is always criticism, you get people saying 'it's a dog, not a human', 'they don't need a party', 'a party? that's stupid'. Look, although it may seem, what's the word, #extra, in my family there is always an excuse for a party and you can't deny absolute happiness. For some dog owners, their pup is their child, it's enough commitment, minus the nappies, worries of no sleep and loud inconsolable crying.
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