We were recently planting some tree saplings in the front yard when little Dexter arrived on the scene to show Alayne how to dig a hole properly. Not satisfied with either her technique or her speed, he decided to make her first hole deeper and wider, and then moved on to improve her second hole, too.
Daisy is too refined to get her paws dirty -- "burrowing in the earth is something my forebears did," she insisted -- but was on hand to lend moral support to both the digging Dachshund and digging human.
Confident he had the first hole just the way it should be, he jumped over to the second one, causing Alayne to stop digging and instead, observe a professional at work:
Here's a close-up ... please note the dirt flying from his left paw:
Finished, Dexter paused -- with dirt all over his snout -- to admire his excavations:
After the trees had been planted, we needed to spread the rest of the gravel pile inside the area marked off by the boards. No matter how many times Alayne plopped Dexter on top of the gravel and encouraged him to get busy spreading it, he refused and scampered down. "Dachshunds dig," he said. "We don't spread."
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We're the Weekly Winner for Week No. 2 -- and won $1,000 for the animals, because of you! Thank YOU!
And still No. 1!
Please keep voting for us every day in The Animal Rescue Site/PetFinder's Shelter Challenge. Thanks to your votes, we came in third nationwide and won $3,000 for the animals in the previous contest. Now we have a shot at No. 1 and the $20,000 grand prize! Enter "Rolling Dog Ranch" and our state postal code, MT for Montana, and it will bring up our listing so you can cast your vote. Please ask your family and friends to vote, too. Thank you!
Dexter needs to open his own excavation company. He could call it "Dexter's Diggers". This made me laugh out loud - doxies and their digging. He was probably wondering why Alayne was using that funny flat thing on the stick instead of digging with her paws like she's supposed to. :-D
Posted by: Jill | October 15, 2009 at 02:24 PM
LOL, that is hilarious. May I borrow him next spring? Just send him my way but you might as well book a one-way ticket cuz I don't know if I could let him go once he made it here. What a cutie!!!
And, Daisy, what a little glam girl!
Posted by: Colleen & Sweet Kitty Erin | October 12, 2009 at 08:14 PM
I love you guys. I don't ever really post a comment but I check your site a lot and am about to link you to my blog (for a second time). Not much traffic, don't get too excited. I also vote for you daily and am thrilled you're in first place! Way to go!
Posted by: Adele in the Bronx | October 09, 2009 at 11:17 PM
That is so cute to see him digging. I have a Munsterlander cross (looks like a black lab) who sometimes seems to be on the not so bright side, but he likes to dig these huge, long, tunneling holes in his fenced in yard. I'm not sure if he's trying to get out or just likes to dig, because the holes aren't near the fence line, but all over the middle of his pen!
These blogs are usually the highlight of my day, making me laugh at all the antics of the animals! I sure appreciate all the work you guys do!
Posted by: p.lund | October 06, 2009 at 11:37 AM
I have laughed and laughed this is great.. truly getting to enjoy being a dog. Now who bathed him later??
Posted by: Angie, Noah & Joshua,the yorkies | October 05, 2009 at 05:51 PM
Way to go Dex! You can help me rototill and plant anytime. What delightful company.
Posted by: Margaret | October 05, 2009 at 04:00 PM
Oh yes, congratulations on being weekly winner!!
Posted by: Tonya | October 05, 2009 at 01:44 PM
What a great story and photos. I love to see other people's dachshunds digging, although we discourage it on our own property! Also, I find that some dachshunds do spread - in their midsections. Ask Callie about that... :)
Posted by: Tonya | October 05, 2009 at 01:43 PM
What a helpful wee lad Dexter is!
Well done on being the weekly winner in the Shelter Challenge!! You guys DESERVE to win!
Posted by: Maree in NZ | October 05, 2009 at 12:51 PM
I'd hire Dexter anytime. Too cute !!
Posted by: Lynda | October 05, 2009 at 12:25 PM
I hope Alayne took proper notes on how to dig a rabbit out of its hole. :) Okay, so there was no rabbit, but that's not the point. :)
Posted by: Amy A | October 05, 2009 at 11:07 AM
Great action shot. Obviously you know where to go to get a professional digger. You didn't have to go far. What fun.
Posted by: Ev | October 05, 2009 at 10:20 AM
I swear you are part dachshund, Steve!! You always seem to know just what these litte ones are thinking. You make me laugh every time!!
~Barbara
Proud Mom of Frankie, the Walk 'N Roll Dog
Posted by: Barbara Techel | October 05, 2009 at 10:08 AM
Love the cute furry workers!!!!
Glad to see you're still in first place...will keep voting!
Posted by: Nina | October 05, 2009 at 09:17 AM
I think this is the first gardening post I've seen; adore it!
I would have been laughing the whole time I was digging.
Thanks for the doxie sunshine today; I think it's what we needed. : )
Posted by: boundforglory | October 05, 2009 at 09:07 AM
That is so funny! I wonder if he was disappointed at not finding a badger. My aunt has a female mini doxie who, like Daisy, also refuses to get dirty. It's a girl thing.
Hope little Bailey is feeling better.
Posted by: Lynne Parker | October 05, 2009 at 08:22 AM
I had no idea that doxies were diggers....too cute.
Posted by: Debbie | October 05, 2009 at 08:03 AM
Wasn't Dex the little guy that supposedly was "too old" to be adopted? Hummmmm...if they could see him now!! Congrats on the Weekly win - now on to the top prize.
Posted by: Peggy Smyly | October 05, 2009 at 07:51 AM
That's adorable! You need to start a gardening service - I'd pay extra to have my yard work done by adorable animals!
Posted by: JC | October 05, 2009 at 12:03 AM
My goodness, how nice to have little helpers! Looks like the Beagles in the background were, um, "supervising", at least through their eyelids.
Posted by: Heidi, Emmett, and Moxie | October 04, 2009 at 11:33 PM
Hot diggity dog! I think that's appropriate for both Dexter and the weekly win. Congrats to the both of you and the 4-legged gardner.
Posted by: Miranda Brooks | October 04, 2009 at 10:47 PM
I LOVE the little garden helpers. I wish my dachshunds would help in the yard like yours!!!
Posted by: Penny Heinrich | October 04, 2009 at 09:44 PM
LOL! LOL! Love it!
Congratulations on being the weekly winner.....I am confident you will receive the #1 prize also!
Posted by: Leila from Washington | October 04, 2009 at 08:19 PM