Come visit us at our location in Sanford directly behind the Paw Park Dog Park

Ava Maria is one pregnant momma!  She is a standard Dachshund.  She is also very nervous and scared, but a total cuddle bunny.  She wants nothing more sit in you lap and give you lots of kisses!

 

Foster Update: Ava Maria is a beautiful medium sized female. She has short legs, so is quite closer to the ground than people think from looking at pictures. She is an easy going dog, hasn't chewed anything in the house, and seems to be house/crate trained. Right now she is always looking for her puppies, so hasn't shown much in the way of habits, except for her strong desire to be near or in a person's lap. She has beautiful eyes, an expressive face, and silky soft coat. She was nervous for nail clipping, but allowed me to do it with no objections.

 

04/06/2010: Ava Maria is a short but stout girl, and will follow you around like a shadow. She has a feminine look and a soft, shiny black coat, white chest, and a white spot dorsally on her neck. She almost has the look of a Corgi, with her small ears, short legs, and strong chest. Ava is a fast dog, but comes when called. She was scared of car rides, but with encouragement from Morrie (our permenant resident) and frequent fun trips to the dog park, she is learning that they are something to look forward to. She is also learning to fetch, and is extremely athletic.
Ava will gather clothes that are left on the ground, but doesn't chew them. She likes to chew on trash she finds, but hasn't shown interest in "regular" chew toys. She is initially timid upon meeting strangers, but quickly accepts them as friends with a kind word and soft pat. Ava loves a lap, and really wants a best friend to commit herself to in a forever home. She is housebroken, will sleep in a crate, on the floor, or in your bed, and LOVES chasing squirrels.

Foster Update 04/27/2010: I took Ava last weekend to my grandma's nursing home, and she was AMAZING! This dog would be a fabulous dog for a person who wants to snuggle on the couch, go for leisurely walks, and have a loving companion. She had a great time at the nursing home, loving the attention, and showed that she would make the perfect therapy dog.

 

According to www.dogbreedinfo.com, the Dachshund (pronounced dak sund) originated in Germany many hundreds of years ago. "Dachs" is the word for badger. The Dachshund was bred to hunt and follow these animals to earth, gradually becoming highly evolved, with shortened legs to dig the prey out and go down inside the burrows. Smaller Dachshunds where bred to hunt hare and stoat. Dachshunds have many "terrier" characteristics. They are versatile and courageous dogs and have been known to take on foxes and otters, besides badgers. Lively and affectionate; proud and bold, almost rash. Tenacious. Can be willful and clownish. Curious and mischievous, they are very clever and may attempt to train the owner rather than allow the opposite. Devoted to his family, some fanciers feel the long-haired variety is calmer than the other two types. The wire-haired variety is more outgoing and clown-like. All are slightly difficult to train. Dachshunds are good dogs to travel with. They are best with older, considerate children and are moderately protective. These little dogs like to bark (their barks are surprisingly loud for their size) and are compulsive diggers. They are generally okay with other pets, however, they can be jealous, irritable, obstinate and very quick to bite. Sometimes they will refuse to be handled. They should not be over fed, for this breed tends to gain weight quickly. They have a life expectancy of 12-15 years.