Kassi: the Doxie with Moxie

Kassi's inner supermodel

2008-11-24T12:01:00.000-08:00

Kassi had her first (and, um, maybe last) pro photo shoot this weekend with the very talented Sarah Beth!
See a bit more at Sarah Beth Photography blog.
See a folio of her work and an interview with Sarah at the Mod-Dog Blog....

kassi's killer instinct

2008-05-15T06:43:00.000-07:00

You say this little creature is cute? I say it smells. I discovered 8 of them in the compost pile yesterday and it took much yelling and wrangling to get one out of my "jaws of death and destruction" (mwaa-ha-ha-ha evil dachshund laugh). These people that I live with, they really don't make any sense. All summer they point at big creatures like this one, and say "Kassi, chase the rabbit! Get him, get him!" And I run really fast and chase them away like a good girl. But root out a whole bunch of them (at a size I could actually manage) and they go all soft and mushy on me. They just don't get it - they'd never survive in the wild.

Kassi's new gig: she's a very Mod-Dog!

2008-05-05T06:55:00.000-07:00

If you're wondering where Kassi's blogging has gone over the past weeks, she can explain... Her peeps have the habit of buying everything 'wiener-dog', and most of it is not good-- after all, bad art offends her sophisticated palate and upsets her tummy. To point her peeps in the right direction, she made a few fine art prints and notecards, featuring -- herself! Next she made a print for the bestest pug ever, a golden retriever that she pretends to not like (but really he's very sweet), and now she's on a roll! Check out her new shop at www.Mod-Dog.com, and the blog at www.Mod-Dog.com/blog, enjoy!

p.s. Friends of Kassi's get a special gift with purchase!

Kassi Stars in First Movie!

2008-03-13T07:28:00.000-07:00

Kassi and the Cube - A Tail of Greed, Love and Desire.
Or, One Dachshund Rolls the Dice for some Cookies.

Kassi's New Year's Pawsolutions

2008-01-04T12:23:00.000-08:00

I will blog. I promise.

I will hold still for photographs, even though it is beneath me.

I will work on my humans' communication skills -- they're good at saying 'food', but not good enough at getting me food.

I will learn to bake organic doggie treats all by myself.

I will pretend I know nothing of the thing I ate from underneath the sofa.

When launching myself from said sofa, I will not use people as landing pad.

I will stop obsessing about the purse that looks like a dog.

I will not try to accidentally trip someone who is carrying food.

I will ask before sniffing someone's nether-regions.

I will remember that the house is not a toy.

I will be kinder to Tennis Ball. Even though he drives me crazy. Ooh, that Tennis Ball. And don't get me started on his big brother, Giant Tennis Ball.

I will chew.

I will take walks, give kisses, and do other things that I can't help doing.

Moxie in the Wilderness: Episode III

2007-09-30T12:47:00.000-07:00

If you encounter strange creatures in the wilderness, you have one good course of action. Bark. I recommend "arrf arf - woooooof, woof, woof, woof!" if the strange creatures do not get the message, try "bow owoowowowo bow wow wow!" I made it pretty clear to these tall strange intruders that I didn't want them close to my people, and they didn't get it. My peeps really didn't get it either, they kept telling me to calm down and back off, didn't they realize that I was all that stood between them and whatever these strange creatures had in mind? They could have stolen all of our frankfurters, or stomped on our pup tents! They had to be be stopped! Now, no matter how much moxie you have, you don't want to lose your head-- make sure you bark at these creatures from a safe distance, and when you feel threatened, flee for your life, hide under the chair of your people and be confident that you have made your point very very clear.

Moxie in the Wilderness: Episode II

2007-09-25T18:41:00.001-07:00

Ok you lazy people, get up off that chair and let's go!

The wilderness is pretty big for such a small dog, but I handled it.

You have to keep your people in line, they can get distracted and wander off. They do not have a dog's keen sense of direction. All it takes is one little movement in the brush, and they're off! Make sure you keep your people on a leash.
I was totally up for some fishing -- those fish move so fast, it's all a doxie can do to keep an eye on 'em. Dog knows I hate getting wet, but it was almost worth it for the taste of fresh trout.

Once you've got your people good and tired, you can take them back to camp for a nice long nap. and a cookie. and another nap.

Moxie in the Wilderness : Episode I

2007-09-23T10:35:00.001-07:00

We just returned from many days in the wild wild wilderness of Wisconsin. If you think I work hard from day to day, you have no idea how much it takes to have this much moxie when you're camping. It was my first foray into the world of camping, and the peeps enjoyed it to no end. Here's my first report of 'Moxie in the Wild'.

First order of business: Set up the Tent. No one likes to take naps on the dirty hard ground in the wilderness.

Step Two, Try to remember how the tent goes up. Which pole is this? Do we need it?

What? You mean people get to sleep in this 'pup-tent?' They don't sleep in my pup-crate...

Ok, now we're done with that, set up the camp site. Especially the chairs and where's that cooler? Do I get a special treat from Mom for setting up the tent?

Stay Tuned for more adventures in Episode II...

my First Anniversary!

2007-08-27T18:50:00.000-07:00

It's already been a year since my #1 person, and that lady that lives with him (formerly called mom, until she made me wear that dumb collar) brought me to run their house. They are now very happy. Things are so much better for them now that I am in control. That lady did bring me a nice prezzie however, and I made sure that they never actually saw it again.

my prezzie is a paper bag?

a paper bag that smells like cookies?

what does organic mean? it's still a cookie right?

I'd better not waste time,

gotta get this away from the peeps, before they take it away!

mmmmmmmmmm.....cooooookies....

Kassi's New Collar

2007-08-27T18:42:00.001-07:00

So, the peeps think this collar is pretty. I don't know, it doesn't smell like cookies... I'd rather have cookies....

Helping around the hounds, I mean, house

2007-08-15T12:21:00.000-07:00

Don't let anybody tell you that all I do is sleep and eat. I am a very busy girl. This week, there has been so much to do.
This thing required serious investigation. I don't trust it. It makes noise, and licks all of the dishes clean (hey, that's supposed to be my job!)

I helped to plant a tree in the yard. Well, at least I helped to make the hole for it.

I worked so much in the yard, my peeps decided I was a farm-girl at heart.

dang, was that a lot of work, that's about all I can do for one day. yawn.

Ok dogbloggers, what's a weeeener-dog?

2007-08-13T06:20:00.000-07:00

I've spent hours (ok not really hours) surfing for the definition of this strange word. It's not on wikipedia, I can tell you! But everywhere I go, people lean out of car windows, stop and point, run around me jumping up and down 'Look! its a weeeeener-dog!' You know I love the attention, but maybe I should be worried? Is 'weeeeener-dog' a good word or a bad word? My peeps aren't helping either -- they started talking about bratwurst, frankfurters, and something-schnitzel, and I got so dizzy with hunger I had to lay down.

One nice lady asked me if I was offended when my peeps eat frankfurters. "Offended? No, not offended, just hungry." I said.

Heroes: Minneapolis Police K-9 Unit

2007-08-06T07:38:00.000-07:00

Today we honor the brave dogs that went into the bridge collapse. Their usual jobs range from narcotics detection to bomb-sniffing, and if you've ever seen a K-9 unit demonstration, you know how amazing these guys are. You won't see them in the news, but they were on the scene in the first hours after the collapse. Here are our brave police dogs. News: they were on the scene

What can we do? The Red Cross says: give, donate blood, offer support, be understanding. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims families, and all of the injured -- their recovery could take much longer than rebuilding the bridge.

Life is so precious

2007-08-02T07:20:00.000-07:00

Sorry to wax sombre on you guys today, but mom's a little bit shook -- she was on the 35W bridge on her way home, just like any day, last night just minutes before it collapsed. We are shocked, sad, sobered, and greiving for our fellow minnesotans. We are carrying on, but not quite the same...

Photo ©2007 Minnesota Public Radio

grieving for Oscar

2007-07-31T12:49:00.000-07:00

We lost a dear dogblog friend unexpectedly this weekend. Oscar -- one of the first dogges I met online, wonderful, animated, sweet, dear, funny, lovely, Oscar the Airedale. I can't believe he's gone. (tears).

What? Me? a naughty doxie?

2007-07-24T06:19:00.000-07:00

First off, I need to say I'm sorry. And I am. I am very very sorry . . . to all my dogs out there because I haven't been blogging! I'm way behind on reading all of your dogblogs, mostly because I've been grounded all weekend, with no computer privileges. My peoples can be so mean. Like its my fault that they put a towel over my kennel (probably trying to fool me into thinking its nighttime! ha!) and so I tried to eat it. And I had to work so hard to pull it through the little bars of my cage. Like its my fault that I got a tummy ache and then kept them awake all night. And its definitely not my fault that I ate birdseed in the yard and that upset my tummy too. Those peoples, they just don't learn.

Kassi the muse.

2007-07-16T07:23:00.001-07:00

Clearly I've taken over my people's lives, they're starting to make art of me. (They required only a few months to succumb to my plan for world domination. Two people down, a couple of billion to go.) Here's one of papa's new drawings, but don't tell him I posted it...

Got Tagged: More About Kassi

2007-07-11T06:56:00.000-07:00

Thanks for tagging me Rickypepper! He wants me to talk more about my favorite subject! Me! Oh, no wait, he wants to know more about my family. They're much less exciting, but okay. My owners were married in 1999 (wow, that's a long time ago!) and they've had me for almost a whole year. Dad was born in Iowa, mom was born in Minnesota, and they've always lived in the midwest. See? Bo-ring! Mom is a graphic designer and book artist and dad is a graphic designer - painter. Actually, his official title is 'Kassi-butler'. They really like art, and wish that dogs were allowed in art museums. They also love to hike, and I'm a great hiker, unless its really hot. We haven't gone camping yet as a group, but I'm excited to try it, especially the sleeping-in-the-tent part. It seems like every weekend that we could be camping involves finishing their kitchen remodel (no, mom, I will not post pictures of your kitchen on my dogblog) and they are very glad its almost over. I liked the old kitchen better -- it was much easier to get at the trash bin, and I could grab bananas right off the old counter and then hide them behind the stove.

I overheard them talking the other day, and was shocked to hear that dad didn't want a dog at all--he wanted a cat! Imagine! How awful for him to be so deluded! Its a good thing mom is allergic to cats. Fortunately he's been reformed.

Before I came to live with mom and dad, I lived with my first family of people/dachsunds, and we had so much fun going to dog shows where we trotted around, and stood quietly, and looked gorgeous, and got lots of treats. And then the ones where we'd go out in the field and look for prey. Paws out to Jack, Carol, Rascal, and the whole gang. I miss you guys, and I miss Rudy too. In the few months I've lived with these new people, I've tasted some wonderful things (hats, shoes, bananas, calvin klein towels, underwear, worms, dead fish...) had one litter of imaginary puppies, and a big surgery to make sure I don't have any more puppies. I've trained my people to take me on at least one walk a day, otherwise, they regret it. And I keep busy -- I'm always suggesting new ways they can decorate the house. So that's about it until my next adventure, let's see... what can I chew today?

I loves the sun!

2007-07-07T14:57:00.000-07:00

Here I am in my favorite lawn chair (why do the people think this is so funny?) I keep this chair clear of squirrels, its a full-time job.

It's too hot today, 95 degrees or something. Not that I know what a degree is. I keep asking to go outside, and the sun feels so good on my tummy, and then my tongue starts to hang out, and they call me in again. ooh doggie is it hot.

Kassi Takes on Wisconsin

2007-07-06T07:25:00.000-07:00

The humans thought I should visit Wisconsin, and meet the natives.

Pleasantries were exchanged (mooo. bowowowowowowowowoowowowowow!)

Once I subdued the locals, we moved on for bigger game.

Super Sweet Handmade Dachshund Stuff

2007-07-04T09:42:00.000-07:00

Someday I want to have my own Etsy store, after I learn how to sew, or how to use the printing press that my humans have mouldering away in the laundry room. But, until then, I'll just drool over the great stuff other people make and sell. All very doxie-moxie, of course.

Doxie with Moxie's Hot Etsy Finds:

Bone of Art
Smooth-haired Dachshund pin (yes, she does the long-hairs too, and so nice to see this profile of us for once!)

BellaBludesigns
Hip Appliqued Baby Onesie. Look out -- all future babies in the family will be doxie-d.

Annie's Handmade Harnesses
I for one, am known for pulling too hard on the chain and wearing my fur away. I haven't tried these harnesses yet, but they look so smart -- I wouldn't be completely humiliated to wear this one.
Plus, aren't her models great!

My First Dogblogging Quest

2007-07-03T07:52:00.000-07:00

This quest is from Bernard, my new favorite frenchman. I'm sorta new to blogging, so here goes:

1. Your age? 4 years old, or so they tell me.

2. Your age when came to live with your people? 3 years +

3. What color is the collar you’re wearing right now? What collar? Orange is my favorite flavor in collars. Tasty.

4. Who is your favorite person other than the people you live with? Grandma -- otherwise known as 'that lady with frosting on her hands'

5. How much do you weigh? Ahem. Ladies never reveal, but if you must know, about 19 lbs.

6. Most expensive thing you’ve ever chewed up? Hmm, I haven't yet considered the price of the things I destroy -- that opens up new possibilities! Has anyone tried chewing up the credit cards?

7. Do you like other Dogs? Yes, but give me a bit of space (meaning, don't lick my face on the first date).

8. Who is your best non-human friend? Tennis Ball. Because he's so easy to get along with.

9. Squeaky Toys or Tennis Balls? Oh wait, I just talked about Tennis Ball -- but he really is the best. I only met a squeaky toy once, and unfortunately... he didn't make it.

10. Do you like to be brushed? Any attention is good attention. Last week I let a little girl brush me with a horse curry-comb, and I never looked shinier.

11. Peanut Butter or Cheese? Oh yes. please. both. with bananas on top. (drooling)

12. Do your people cut your toenails? Yes, I love a good pedi.

13. Any formal education? I have a certificate from my previous loving owner, she took me through Obedience, and then the teachers bragged about having graduated a dachshund. I only stuck with it for the graduation presents at the end. no biggie.

14. Couch potato or Energizer Bunny? I own the couches in my house, but love a good relay race in the back yard.

15. Five nicknames your people call you. Punkin. Liddles. Diddles. Little Jo. Kassi-drop-that.

16. What is your best trick? Redecorating. These people have no idea how to arrange pillows, and that rug in my kennel has got-to-go.

17. Do you like kitties? No, too much like squirrel.s

18. What did you have for breakfast? Breakfast? Did I get breakfast? Must not have -- must go tell humans to feed me again. Oh wait, they say that yes, I had kibble and water, and cheerios off the floor. Funny, I don't remember that.

19. Can you hunt (aka have you ever killed anything living)? Well, I have tried -- I'm much better at finding things that are already dead.

20. When & why was the last time you went to the V.E.T.? Last Tuesday for heartworm, Bortedella, Distemper, the whole shebang. I love that vet place, they're so giving with the cookies.

21. Where do you sleep at night? In a roomy-enough-and-now-chew-proof crate in the laundry room -- under protest.

22. Do you like to swim? I've splashed around some at Como Park, but I'd need a serious incentive to get my head wet.

23. Can you make puppies? Only imaginary ones.

24. Your favorite place to visit? Grandma's house, definitely. I own their couches too.

25. Do you give kisses? Yes, but let's keep that on the down low ok?

26. Can you potty on command? I can do many things, on request, but we don't want those humans getting too comfortable in their routines do we? I try to keep 'em guessing.

27. To Cuz or not to Cuz? I'm going to have to google this new word -- somebody fill me in?

Kassi: the Doxie with Moxie Speaks

2007-07-02T10:45:00.000-07:00

hello dogbloggers,

My name is Kassi and I am a standard smooth dachshund. My owners have determined that I need more to do -- I'm a busy girl, and so I've started this dog blog to appease them. My interests? Well, primarily food -- and anything that resembles food -- my culinary tastes are famous or infamous depending on who you ask. But I'm also keenly interested in dog shows, design for dogs, dog books, dogs in art, and in all things dachshund-ia. I am loving this new trend in super modern dog stuff-- we're savvier than you might think, and I, for one definitely deserve more attention.