Ah, family time.

We recently went back to Kansas to visit relatives.  Of course, we took Dharma.  She is a very good traveler.  She went to visit Emilie's grandmother at her assisted living center.  

 So soft!

We took a family picture--four generations in one photo.  No, we didn't all plan to wear pink.  It just happened.  We must be related or something!

Clockwise from top:  Nancy, Emilie, Dharma, and Nadine.  

Dharma is so cute that my Mom asked her for a kiss.  Grandmother said "Yuck!  You're not kissing the dog on the lips, are you?"  Yes, she was!

Titus didn't go with us.  He went to stay at The Nest.  He got to play outside a lot, and run and play with the big boys.  Titus likes being outside.  We have yet to have a day that he thought was too hot.  I guess Chihuahuas do come from warm places.  He would lounge in the sun all day long if he could.

Titus in profile.  Notice his cute, curly tail.

We also had a bit of excitement back home.  Our next door neighbors have a robin's nest on their front porch.  Derek took some adorable pictures.  

Three tiny, hungry babies.  

Puppy Party!

Not to brag, but my birthday party was AWESOME!  It was the best party I have ever been to, anyway.  I got all dressed up, and I was very excited.

Don't I look pretty?  I feel pretty!

It was hard to wait for the party to start.  

There were lots of treats, for puppies and for humans.  (It is important to be considerate of all your guests, especially when the humans might share their treats.)

There were festive decorations.

There was a cake that looked like me, a truly chocolate dachshund.

There were presents!  I love opening presents!

And, best of all, there were lots of doggies to play with!
Jennifer brought Eugene, the crazy chihuahua.  Titus was so glad to see her, his foster Mommy.  Eugene, not so much.  Too bad he and Titus don't get along.

Kisses!

This is Sabine.  She runs The Nest, which is full of dogs like Manfred.  Here are Waldi and Jack, trying to help me persuade her to pass us more pumpkin muffins.  It worked!  Nom, nom, nom.

Even shy little Titus made some new friends.  This is Carrie, she is very nice.  I think Titus has a crush!

We had such fun, it wore me out.  The mark of a great party.

Titus

This is me, Dharma, again.  I would like to tell you a little bit more about my foster-brother, Titus.

Titus eyes the camera suspiciously.  Not a very experienced model, is he?

My humans say Titus is a chihuahua:

A chihuahua.  (Not Titus.)

They tell me this is a kind of dog found in Mexico.  But I also heard they come from California.

See?  California.

Titus might be a mix...part chihuahua and part something else.  What might he be?

This is a fennec fox.  It looks kind of like Titus, especially the ears and nose.

This is something called a Gremlin.  It looks a bit like Titus, too.  

This is a red panda.  It looks lots like Titus.  The ears, the nose, the tongue!  And the colors.

A meerkat, like Timon.

Now we're getting somewhere!  Titus looks more like a meerkat than anything else.  The coloring.  The black nose.  The brown eyes, with eyeliner around them.  (That smokey eye look is so in this season!)  The tiny snout.  The ears might be a little small, but I think this meerkat is folding his ears back.  More evidence:

Meerkat belly.

Titus belly.

Yes, he is definitely part meerkat.  And, strictly for comparison purposes:

Doxie belly.

Nope, he is definitely not a dachshund.  But we like him anyway.  

So busy!

So much has been going on lately that I, Dharma, have not had time to write any posts.  My mommy is done with her semester.  That is great, now she can spend more time rubbing my belly and taking me for walks!  She is going to be home all summer.  No more grading (I try to help her, but it is very tiring work.)

I give Mommy a helping hound.

We are getting ready for my party next weekend.  I am very excited, but Mommy won't let me have any of the treats or toys or even the streamers to play with.  I have to wait until the party.  At least she promised me no balloons.  I HATE balloons.  Grrrrrr.

Making my escape from the scary balloons.

And, most exciting of all, we got another foster puppy!  This one is not a dachshund.  Which is unfortunate, because everyone knows doxies are the bestest.  But he is about my size and is suitably impressed by my importance.  I may be able to train him.  He lets me steal his food when Mommy isn't looking.  And he lays at my feet when we snuggle Mommy in the big bed.  His name is Titus.  And he is a chihuahua.  Or at least mostly chihuahua.  

Titus in profile.  His legs are so long!

He is still a little timid.  He likes to cuddle Mommy, but he is a little afraid of Derek.  I don't understand it, Derek is such a softie.  Well, just one more thing Titus needs to work on.  But it has been so hot that neither of us feels like working much at all.  Yawn...

Two melted puppies.

Paper puppies

This is my new favorite Etsy shop (which is, really, saying quite a lot!) Paper crafts! Doxies! Corgis! Hedgehogs! Silly puns! They have it all. I love it. I wonder if Dharma would like a dachshund paper doll?

As Dharma hinted, her birthday is coming up soon! She will be turning 5, and we plan to have a big puppy party for her. We will invite her puppy and human friends. (Yes, Socks, you are invited.)

The party for Dharma's second birthday.

Do you have any suggestions for her party? Games, treats, decorations, playlist, prizes? I think another dachshund birthday cake is a must, don't you?

A real chocolate doxie.

Birthday!

I, Dharma, would like to tell you about my Mommy's birthday. It was a pretty big deal. I can't wait until I get to have a birthday, too! (By the way, it is at the end of May. Hint, hint.)

She had lots of gifts to open, so I helped her with a few of them. Just so she wouldn't get too tired.

Tissue paper tastes funny!

She got to open one gift early (so she could take it with her on vacation.) It came with this pretty little bow, which she was going to just throw away.

Pretty Puppy

I even got her a birthday present. She seemed to like it, even though it is so silly I can barely stand to look at it.

Hula Hound

On her actual birthday, she was on a "crooze." I don't know exactly what that is, but it seems to involve suitcases. I don't like suitcases.

Lotsa Luggage

And this "crooze" thing involves lots of eating. I do approve of eating. She had steak for her birthday dinner. I hope I get some of that for my birthday! She also got to eat multiple desserts. I think that is FIVE different desserts. But I'm not sure, I'm not very good at counting that high.

Yum!

Doxie reading

Dharma would like to share her new favorite doxie blogger.

It is Ammo, the super-dog. His blog is terribly cute. He is also a talented painter! And Dharma thinks he is quite handsome, too.

Dharma is too busy barking at the birds to blog today. Those fat little blue birds are especially pernicious!

Dharma, keeping an eye out for computer viruses at Derek's Mommy's house.