WIENERFUL NEWS

The Wienerdog Blog about Flickennel -

Colorado Dachshunds with ALTITUDE!!!

(Usually written & updated by Janet Flick's website administrator, Becky Sewell, who lives in and works on the website from central New York.)

Welcome to the website of Flickennel Miniature Dachshunds, the home of Colorado dachshunds with altitude - about 8,200 feet of it!

    We're glad you came to visit and hope you will stay a while, browsing through the pages and finding some new little pal or pals to follow you home.

   Our site was first activated on Webstarts on October 13, 2008, then completely redone in 2018, but is always changing with new litters to post, pups to take off as they sell, and lots of new "stuff" we hope you will find interesting, helpful and/or humorous.

   Flickennel is NOT a puppy mill, but a "fancy" breeding kennel, and we're proud of our dogs and proud of our facility. We are as much against puppy mills as everyone else is, but especially because they also smear the name and reputation of every honest breeder. A lot of folks don't take the time to look into what constitutes a puppy mill, and what constitutes a reputable dog breeder, and ASSUME that all breeders have puppy mills - it's a term that now seems to roll off everyone's lips with amazing ease. (Please read our "Stop Puppy Mills"

page for more information.)

   The vast majority of GOOD breeders in this country are doing every-thing they can to raise their dogs under the best possible conditions they can, keeping them healthy, clean, loved and happy. Many breeders live and work in the same places their dogs live, not in separate buildings, so of course they're going to keep their facilities clean - it would get awfully nasty in a real hurry if they didn't. Sure, there's a "dog odor" in a kennel - they're dogs, and they do their "business" when and where they want to. You wouldn't go into a horse barn and expect it to not smell of horses! A good breeder cleans, sanitizes and deodorizes as much as possible (as we do), but we are raising dogs, not flowers, and they do smell like dogs! If you don't like doggy odors, you really don't need a dog!

   We at Flickennel are pleased to be able to present to the public one of the largest and most complete selections of quality miniature dachshunds in Colorado, in almost every size, coat, pattern and color there is - and dachshunds have more possible combinations of those than any other breed of dog - well over 200!! To do that, we maintain one of the largest kennels in Colorado, because people don't usually want to wait months or years for us to create their dream-puppy - they want to walk in, pick it up and hold it, buy it and take it home THAT DAY. Besides, we keep our "best of the best" to make more and better puppies, and it's awfully hard to resist "just one more"!

   Creating a specific puppy may take a year or more, if the certain mother has just produced a litter and has to rest for six months to a year before she can be bred again - and a mating doesn't always "take," either. We try not to "over-breed" our girls, but follow AKC and veterinarian recommendations regarding when and how long to breed.

   We have some that aren't bred for years at a time! A few dogs don't obviously bleed or show any other signs, so we miss their "silent" heat-periods. Those are a challenge to breed, but often and unintentionally get skipped. They're still wonderful, loving and top-quality dogs, so we keep them around, hoping to catch them at just the right time, but meanwhile they need to be fed, cleaned, doctored and loved on - and thus are expensive to maintain with little (sometimes nothing) to show for it. (Those wind up on our Adoptable Adults page.)

   Dogs typically come in heat, or estrus, about every six months and it lasts from 3-4 weeks. If they are bred, the pregnancy takes 9 weeks or right about 63 days. Once the pups are born, Colorado law requires that they be at least 8 weeks old before they can leave the breeder and go home. So, it's a lengthy process to produce your dream-puppy, and a lot easier if we try to keep a good assortment on hand.  

   Janet Flick has been raising, selling and showing dachshunds since 1968, so she has the experience and expertise to raise some of the best dachshunds available in Colorado. We have placed a lot of dachshunds in a lot of homes, with many repeat customers through the years and through the generations, both of dogs and people! We invite you to join our growing family of happy doxaholics - Flickennel dachshunds are like potato chips - you can't have just one!

"Cash"

King of the Kennel

our Foundation Sire

"Pay Day"

Cash's First-born Son,

the Next Generation

TO PUT A DEPOSIT ON ANY OF OUR AVAILABLE DOGS:

EEP THESE DIRECTIONS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE: For ANY litter which hasn't been BORN yet, to reserve a pup is easy - just use the green "Deposit On Unborn Puppy" PayPal button on our Available Puppies page! Be sure to send us an email regarding what sort of puppy you are reserving - e.g. "I would love to have a smooth chocolate piebald boy" or whatever. (We've made it easy to place a deposit - $500 will hold any unborn and/or unpriced puppy, with $20 added for the PayPal fee, totaling $520 for the deposit. ) The balance, minus any discount we give you, is due in cash when you come to pick up the puppy - we don't accept personal checks or credit cards - but the pup MUST be paid for in full before it leaves the kennel.   

PayPal USED to automatically send an email to notify us when we receive a payment, but changed their software and stopped that, so please ALSO CALL JANET and TELL HER you have made a  deposit, because we don't sit at the computer all day, and would hate to sell the same puppy again because we didn't know someone had already paid for it! IF that should accidentally happen, however, a deposit can be transferred to any other available puppy and put toward its purchase.

If we don't currently have exactly what you're looking for, we'll be happy to create one, as soon as the appropriate parents are ready to "do their thing." We have to let things take their course, you know, in their own sweet time - we haven't figured out how to rush nature on this project. Of course, you might find your dreams fulfilled by something entirely different than what you thought you wanted! That has happened too many times for us to count!!!

We've seen some pretty amazing things happen with our dogs, and would love to hear about your experiences with them, too. (Email us!) It's really incredible when you see how often the dog picks its own person, with whom it  immediately bonds, as if they were made for each other - and the dog knew it long before the human did.

I specifically remember one day at the kennel some years ago: the staff were sitting at the kitchen table, eating lunch before a man and his little 4-year old daughter came to choose a puppy. The man had been pretty specific in describing the sort of pup he intended to buy: it was one of those "smooth red female" types. Suddenly, one of the pups nearest the window overlooking the driveway began barking and whining toward the window, even though nothing was out there - he sounded desperate. This went on for 20 to 30 minutes, and nothing we did, even holding and cuddling him, could calm him or induce him to be quiet, and he kept trying to get down on the floor so he could run to the front door. I was still holding him when the man and his daughter arrived, and I walked out with the excited pup onto the front deck to wave them up the stairs.

As they climbed, I commented, "You've come for your smooth red female, I suppose?" He said, "We sure have!" I said, "That may be what you think you want, but this little guy right here says he's your dog! He hasn't shut up for the last half-hour, knowing you were coming to get him!" and I handed the frantic longhaired, light-colored boy-pup to the girl, who instantly was kissed all over her face by the delighted puppy. None of the other puppies we brought out for their perusal showed the least interest in them, and this little guy wouldn't leave them alone.

The little girl instantly bonded with him, as well, so that's the one they took home - totally opposite from the type the man had requested - but THEIR dog nonetheless, who knew before they arrived that he was theirs - and evidently had told everybody else to keep their paws off HIS humans! The man emailed us later to say how completely the pup had taken over their hearts and home, as if he'd known since birth that he was meant to be there.

We've witnessed the same sort of inter-canine cooperation with our retiring adults, too. They'll virtually ignore the visiting human, but one dog will immediately lay claim to, and bond with, the person, and the "click" is practically audible when they lock hearts together. We take great pride in our dachshunds, who are so affectionately people-oriented. The whole reason we raise them is to bring companionship, joy and pleasure to the people who take them home. As mentioned on our Flickennel International page, we are now spreading the joy and love worldwide - as far away as Canada, Germany, Denmark, Australia and Africa, and we shipped four groups of pups to England, where there is a severe shortage of the kinds of lovely dilute dapples and piebalds we produce - they're crazy about our dogs!!

It is with great pleasure that we watch people drive off down the road with one or more of our pups, knowing they will experience the same unconditional love from their new dachshunds that we get to, every single day. AND, we know the secret - dachshunds are dreadfully, wonderfully addictive! When we say they're like potato chips and you can't have just one, we mean it! We have lots of people who've come back for more - as many as EIGHT! People bought a pup from Janet when she first began raising them, came back for another when the first one died of old age, and are now coming back because that one died of old age - we're talking about over 50 years of Flickennel dachshunds, and generations of buyers keep returning! That's "customer satisfaction" and your proof that we're doing our job! So, go check out our Available Puppies page and pick your puppy with confidence - or make an appointment to come up and test-drive several to see which one picks YOU! Your deposit is transferable to any available pup, if the first one doesn't quite click with you.

Okay, I wrote this on November 12, 2015 - the day AFTER Veterans Day - but Christmas will be here before we know it and I wanted to make sure I got this music video by Rodney Carrington transferred from the old Wienerful News page! I found this on Facebook and was impressed to share it on our website.

   Flickennel has always supported our military. Janet's husband Barney, my husband Jim and I, and a lot of our family members, served at various times in various branches of our military. We place a lot of our puppies with military families, too - we've been told that many other kennels won't, "because you move around too much, and what happens to the dog if you're deployed overseas? We don't want our babies abandoned!" Well, our contract says that if you ever decide you can't keep or don't WANT to keep the dog you get from us, bring it back to us and we'll re-home it for you.

    We won't punish you for being active-duty, or punish your family for wanting something warm and fuzzy and alive to cherish while they wait for you to return, and to give you a huge dachshund welcome when you get to come home. Anyway, here's the video, and a great big Flickennel THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY! (Turn on your speakers!)

JUST IN CASE we're not at our computers when you make your purchase during waking hours, please call Janet and let her know you've picked a puppy so we don't accidentally sell it to someone else in person or over the phone! On one occasion we had buyers on the premises who bought and took a pup that someone had simultaneously paid for online but did not call and tell us! Needless to say, we can't split puppies in half, so PLEASE CALL!!! We HATE making those "OOPS" calls after we find something like this has happened, and we have to go by the time-signature on the PayPal purchase to figure out who actually bought the pup FIRST! That's why we also encourage you to use its PayPal button to put a deposit on the pup you want BEFORE you leave home, to make sure it's STILL YOURS when you arrive! (You're free to change it to a different puppy after you arrive, if you wish.) As long as that PayPal button is active, someone else can use it. Once it's used, even though it's still visible, it cannot be used again. If you try to use one and it won't work, someone else has already clicked it and bought that pup, but we haven't had time - or notification from the buyer - to get it off the page yet.

9-1-14  Today our attention was drawn to a listing of Top Breeders in Colorado - of which we knew nothing - and we're second on the list! Thank-you to CBS 4 Denver for including us in a group of breeders of magnificent dogs!!!

I've just read something I feel every dog owner - especially owners of SMALL BREEDS - should know. Click on this link and this one to read about Leptospirosis, the disease and the vaccine given for it, to know why YOUR dog should NEVER GET IT!!! For years, we have warned our buyers not to allow their vets to administer the Leptospirosis vaccine to their dachshunds, and these articles cover the reasons - the vaccine doesn't work and may GIVE the disease to your dog, the disease is entirely treatable, but is zoonotic, meaning YOU can get it from your pet, and it may be especially lethal to puppies, senior dogs, and dogs under 20 lbs. if not caught in time. Dr. Karen Becker is a licensed veterinarian who writes about many issues with pets and vets, so please devote some time to reading other informative articles on her website. Please be sure to read the comments at the bottom, too, for readers' experiences with topics discussed. The Lepto vaccine is a multi-dose vaccine, so if your vet has already administered one dose, DO NOT RETURN FOR THE SECOND DOSE!!! It could mean the life and health of your best furry friend if you do.

5 Quick Tips for Dealing with a Pet Poisoning Emergency

1. Be Ready

Before you ever need them, make sure your veterinarian’s phone number, the number of the closest emergency veterinary hospital, and the number for a pet poison center are saved in your phone. The

Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) number is 888-426-4435; the Pet Poison Hotline is 800-213-6680. [Add these numbers to your cell-phone emergency numbers for ready access when you're away from home!] And remember that you may be able to provide important, even life-saving initial treatment at home if you have a pet first aid kit ready and easily accessible in an emergency.

2. Keep Your Cool

Maintaining your composure when faced with a pet emergency can be hard to do, but it’s really important if you want to insure your furry family member gets the help he needs. If you stay calm, you’ll be better able to provide first aid, as well as vital information to the people treating your pet.

3. Evaluate Your Pet’s Condition

It’s important to make a clear-eyed observation of your pet’s condition. Is she behaving abnormally? Is she bleeding? Is she having trouble breathing? Is she having convulsions or seizures? Is she unresponsive? If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, your pet needs immediate medical attention. Call your vet or the nearest emergency animal hospital and alert them that you’re on your way.

4. Be Prepared to Answer Questions

What is the toxic substance you know or suspect your pet ingested? Either pack up the substance itself (this is ideal), or write down the exact name of the product or medication. You’ll also want to write down the strength (typically in milligrams) of the drug, the concentration of active ingredients in herbicides or pesticides and the EPA registration number, and any other information you think might help the veterinarian who will be treating your pet. When did the poisoning happen? Did you catch your pet actually ingesting the substance? Has your pet vomited? If so, did she vomit up any of the poison or packaging?

5. Be Proactive

If you know or suspect your pet has ingested a poison, don’t wait for symptoms before seeking help. Time is of the essence in preventing the poison from being absorbed by your pet’s body. The faster you are able to treat your furry companion at home (with guidance from your vet or a pet poison hotline), or get her to a veterinarian, the better her chances for survival and a full recovery.

I've already posted (above) the importance of keeping both hydrogen peroxide and activated charcoal ON HAND in your home, and even in a first-aid kit in your car - many accidental poisonings can happen when you and/or your dog are away from home, and both items will work equally well on you and your dog.

DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND OUR CONTROL we will no longer be shipping companion-only puppies or adults to out-of-area buyers. We have been informed that, according to USDA regulations, we can ONLY ship puppies and adult dogs that will be used in a breeding program! We regret the inconveniences this will cause our loyal and potential clients in other areas, but it's the law and we have to abide by it. Besides, Colorado is such a lovely place to visit when you come to pick up your new Flickennel puppy - and why waste the trip? Buy two or three at the same time, one for you and a couple for friends or family! Please call and talk to Janet about possible arrangements if you live outside of our area.

Blue Belle

Pay Day's sister

Candy

Ki-Mera

Blue Prince

Silver Bullet

Remington

Shotgun

Sparky

Ruger

As I stated above, we have a great love for our armed forces, so when I find something particularly poignant online I want to share it. This has been around for over 1o years now, but I'd never heard it before. It gives a lot to think about, not just at the holidays, but ALL year long. Our military members - our sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, parents, grandparents - whoever they are, need our prayers as well as practical and physical signs of our love and respect. That's why Janet makes Patriot quilts for Eagles Summit Ranch, our neighbor up the road, and Fidget Quilts and other things for the Veterans Home in Florence. Here's ESR's Facebook page.

Did you know that DACHSHUNDS MAKE GREAT SERVICE DOGS? We've always known they were special and wonderful, and many of our customers have discovered how deeply their little doxies can bond with them in a very short time. We have a new page on our website that explains that this breed makes tremendous service dogs for people with seizures, PTSD, hearing loss and other problems. Some dachshunds are also trained for use in cold-trailing wounded game for hunters who have lost animals they shot, as well as tracking people (similar to a bloodhound), and both drug-enforcement and search & rescue, where a small and highly-intelligent hunting-dog that was originally bred to go down rabbit-holes and badger-burrows can get into (and out of) tight places that a larger dog can't do more than stick its nose into. So, please check out our SERVICE DOGS page, and if you need a service dog, or have one of our doxies that's being used for one, please let us know! We'd love to add your story and pictures to our page!

We've been made aware of another awesome website that teaches pet owners (or occasional pet-sitters) how to keep their pets safe in and around their home. This Home Safety Guide for Pet Owners from Expertise.com is pretty comprehensive and we recommend that you read and bookmark it, then feel free to share it with your family and friends. Please share it on Facebook and other social media websites - I did!

WARNING!!! Toxic xylitol is now found in certain brands of peanut butter AND in veterinary dental washes for dogs, including the so called ‘safe’ sugar-free dog dental rinses of Aquadent® by Virbac, and Breathalyser Plus® from Ceva!!!  Xylitol is so toxic to dogs that as little as a piece and a half of "sugar-free" gum containing it can KILL a 10-lb. dog! Not all dogs react the same to xylitol (or chocolate, grapes or other substances that can kill them), so yours may not show the same symptoms as another dog, but nonetheless, xylitol damages the liver, reduces the blood's ability to clot, causes hemorrhaging, and can kill in a very short time. Read all about it here, and spread the word!

Two new links to tell you about today that you WILL want to check out! The first is on petplace.com, one of our favorite go-to sites for lots of good pet information, with "over 10,000 vet-approved articles" on all kinds of pets. They have a very comprehensive Guide to Common Dog Poisonings, including the item that causes the poisoning, the possible effects of it, and what you should do about it if you believe your dog has been poisoned.The second link is one I hadn't heard of before, but it looks very helpful: www.dog-first-aid-101.com. I came across it while looking up something I found in the Guide to Common Dog Poisonings!

Almond Joy, now in Australia