Today, a companion for the last 15 years passed away.

Dear Scooter.

I’m going to miss you you bugger.

Scooter was the only survivor of a fire in one of the outbuildings of our property where he and 4 other Daschies were sleeping.

He bailed at the first smell of smoke and woke us to the disaster.

He also bit me on the lip when I tried to interfere with his conjugal visits one night whilst working late. I learned a valuable lesson that day. Never blink when accosting a Dachshund going about  his “business”.

It kinda solidified the mutual “don’t mess with me” respect we’ve had over the years. He knew, and I knew.

He came to us as a cast-away from a Vet, as his owner had decided that he didn’t have “show-dog” temperament, and wanted him euthanased.

I came home after he’d been “visiting” us for a few hours and decreed that he was going to stay, and thus he did — until today.

Best frigging non-show-dog frumpy attitude I’ve seen in a dog all my life.

Along with Ruben, Vincenzia, Delphi, Turbo, Pascal (x2), Perl, Liquourice, Mouse, Junior, Pedro, and all the other beings that have shared your existence over the years : I salute you.

(Scooter was named after the first commercial search spider bot on the internet, run by Altavista)