I got Tillie as a pup. She had been returned by her owner and her breeder basically dropped her off with me. She has always been the sweetest thing. Loves everyone and tries to play with anything that stands still. When she was about 2-3, she got in a mix up with a chow down the road. The chow was trained badly (long story about short genetics on the human owner side) and Tillie was injured. Every since that day, I have not been able to go anywhere in the house or yard that she does not follow me. If I go to the bathroom, she will destroy the door to get in. Once in, she lays down on the carpet and waits on me. 9 years, 4 states, countless houses, and through it all, I cannot walk away from this dog. If she decides to pop off to do something its ok. But she knows where I am usually.
She was fairly easy to housebreak. We had 2-3 other dogs at all times. And they were constantly in and out. She WILL mess in the house if we leave her too long. Even now, she will wait till someone gets up to let her out. Course she is sleeping with me, and usually hogging the covers =p.
Tillie did have a herniated disc in her neck. She is a tweenie/ standard thing that the vet is happy with her around 19 lbs. 24 is too heavy and 16 is way too skinny. I have been blessed with all but 1 vet that looked at the dog not the weight to determine the safe weight. She does have an occasionaly draggy front leg and occasional soreness. But to watch her with her ears and tail up, chasing the squirrels and birds in the back yard, DEFINALY worth the time and expense of surgery.
One thing I have learned... and I am not sure if its true for minis, or all doxies. Tillie has STRONG hunting instincts. She dug up moles at one house we lived in. Actually chased them off the property. She hunts birds, mice, rabbits, etc. I CANNOT let her off lead. We live on a major hiway, but even when were in the country, she gets on a scent and boom, she is gone. The trainers even said, NEVER let her off lead unless in a good fence. She does dig, but not to get out of the fence.
Quite more rambling than I thought, but just some thoughts.
Amy N (formerly in TX, now in AL)
