Pet of the Week: Duchess

This week’s Pet of the Week is Duchess:

Emily writes:

Duchess, 6.5 years old, joined our family in April 2007. The Central California rescue group said her former owner believes she is part Dachshund and part Husky. Unless it involved a step-ladder, I’m pretty sure her mother was the Dachshund, but the logistics on that are troublesome as well. In any case, I can’t imagine it was an intentional pairing of the breeds: She’s short and sheds terribly, but has the dignity of a much larger dog.

She’s hilariously quirky: If she thinks she’s going somewhere or getting a treat, she’ll walk ahead of us but keep turning to look at us until she’s walking in a U-shape. If we dare go on a ride without her, she chews us out when we get home, first going out the garage to “prove” we were in the car, then chasing us around the house, barking reprovingly. She hates it when I do the laundry and will hide at my husband’s feet until I’m done folding everything. My husband insists that he can’t put away the clothes while I’m at work, or Duchess will never forgive him. (A likely story, I say.)

Peas make her sick, we’ve learned, but my daughter keeps dropping peas on the floor and the dog keeps eating them up. We’ve discovered odd things that she doesn’t like, such as dancing, which we assume irritates her puritan sensibilities, and, the latest, pat-a-cake. Yes, my dog is afraid of a nursery rhyme, and will bark furiously if anyone in the house does pat-a-cake. Which, of course, makes it all the more fun to do.

She’s beautiful, Emily!