Chloë Greets the World

First off, don’t sweat it if you don’t know how to make an umlaut on your computer.  I’m a dog of the common person.

Chloë, 7 weeks old

When you write my name, the umlaut is optional. If you even know what an umlaut is.

About the name. No, I’m not named after some Germanic femme fatale, but after Chloe O’Brian, Mike’s and Heather’s favorite character on 24 (just before it was cancelled, too!).  Hopefully, I won’t get her infamous pussface, just her name.  Come on–is this a pussface?  Besides, you should have heard some of the other suggestions. Umlaut? That’s not a good dog name. Huggs? Pittsnogle? Where’s all this West Virginia stuff coming from? (By the way, my NCAA baksetball bracket tied Mike’s and beat Heather’s, and I didn’t even get to see any games before I picked; just wait ’til next year!)

So call me Chloë. I was born on Feb.5, 2010, in Monroe, Wash. My mom, Banshee, lives there.  There were four brothers and three sisters still there when I left, but they won’t be there for long.  All the boys are already spoken for, and the breeder (who is a vet in Kirkland, Wash.) is active in Earthdog, where dachshunds and other small breeds go through modern field trials.  She’s bringing the rest of my sisters to the next meet, and she’s trying to talk Mike and Heather into bringing me along to see what it’s like.  That’s OK, as long as I get to go home with them. I’ve only been here since Sunday, but I can already tell I’m going to like it fine, once we work out some of the kinks.

Chloë (center) and two sisters, 4 weeks old.

In fact , I’ve heard Mike and Heather say several times that things are going OK (I even heard Heather tell Mike that I’m smart!).  True, there have  been a few “accidents” (it’s always their fault, though), and a little whining here and there.  Even at 2, 2:30 in the morning.  But really, nobody can expect a saint from Day One. Right?

Home Sweet Home, 8 weeks old.

That’s about it for now.  I’m already getting tired, and this crate thing, which seemed so awful at first, is starting to feel kind of comfy to me.  Who says writing’s not hard work? But there are perks, of course. Mike told me if this gig works out, I could be bigger than that E-Trade baby.

Here are a few more shots of my first week in the big city. Stay tuned right here for more.

Mikey and Chloë at 7 Weeks

Chloë bonds with Heather.