Elvis the Mauxie

I’d like to introduce you to Elvis, our new “Mauxie”, who is such a strange mix of white (really long hair) Maltese and red (shorthair) Dachshund that we have no way of knowing what he’s going to end up looking like! (We're still "supposedly" working on his name, but this one is my husband's pick)

It took some time to make this decision and my husband has been very gracious about it as he really wasn’t ready for a new dog. Our beloved Laydi (a border collie/black lab mix) passed away in June of 2011 and we’ve grieved and missed her ever since. Therefore, we decided to wait to get a new dog.

A week or so ago, while talking to a dear friend whom we haven’t seen in about nine months, we were catching up on each others lives when she mentioned the three puppies they had and that only one was left to find a home for. I asked no questions beyond what kind of puppies they were, and found out I knew their sire very well as we’d been around when he had come into their home. He is the red dachshund. My friend had no idea that I basically sat on this information for a week mulling it over in my brain and heart. I say it in that order because I knew all the reasons we’d chosen to not get a new dog and none of those reasons had really changed except for Laydi’s death being a bit farther down the road.

So, over last weekend I talked with my husband about my desire to look into getting this puppy. He was so calm and generous about what I told him, that at first I couldn’t believe he was for real (he really does love me!). With heart pounding and insecurity about making the right decision hanging over me, I called our friend back and asked her to send me a few photos of the puppy they needed a home for. She was completely surprised by my interest. She knew the stance we’d taken on getting a new dog. So she sent the photos within the hour. Of course the little guy was adorable and I knew I had to “meet” him before being completely sure. Our friends live four hours from us in Georgia. I called on Sunday and asked if I could come up on Monday. She was thrilled, and so wonderful as to say that if it didn’t work out with the puppy, they wanted “rights of first refusal” to take the puppy back. She couldn’t have made it more attractive for me. So I headed up and spent the night. We caught up on all the family news, I saw one of their sons and their grandson, and, I met the mother of the puppies, who is not only adorable, but very loving as well. I also reacquainted myself with papa dachshund and enjoyed seeing the "parents" interact with the two puppies they had left.

The Three Puppy Brothers Livingston, Elvis and Winston

I took photos, held the little guy I was there to meet a few times, and thought through my decision. My husband had really left it up to me, and so, after a second restless night, I got up, packed up my little overnight bag and prepared to become a “mom” again. I would take “little bit” home. I would see how we “gelled” and make my final decision once I saw how he adapted to “chez nous” and whether or not he and my husband clicked.

Stay tuned for the next post: The First Night

To find out more about "Mauxie's/Moxies" and their great diversity, go to:

http://www.maltesemaniac.com/mauxie.html