I worked for USPS. I went to deliver to a house. I opened the gate, and running down the sidewalk was this dachshund puppy. She proceeded to nibble on my fingers. Such sharp teeth!! But, right then & there, she was attached to my heart!! The owners weren't sure if they wanted to sell her, as she was the last of the litter. They had called her Peanut. A week later, the lady told me they decided to sell her!! I told my husband, " Let's just go look!" We came home with her!! What an adjustment; a puppy! But, our adventures were just beginning!! We decided to call her Winnie. She struggled with a defective tear duct in her left eye for a few years, before her vet recommended her eye be removed. She was in pain all the time. She was so happy to have the pain gone!! She didn't slow down one bit!! She loved to chase squirrels!! And, sadly, caught a few in her life. She loved to dig up moles, which had many friends wanting to hire her for their yards!! She was a great hiker and loved to go with us when the event included dogs!! Wow!! She was the best hiker with the shortest legs!! We belong to an outdoor club, and most everyone loved Winnie. She was one of the gang. She had so many RV adventures!! Wherever we were, she made friends!! She loved to meet everyone!! A social butterfly!! We moved to the city, in a townhouse condo, next to a large city park. It was our daily routine to walk the trails, meet & greet our neighbors daily. She was our watch dog, letting us know when someone walked down the street, on her perch: the back of the couch. Our "Gladys Cravits"! Always ready for a car ride, we would strap her into her special car seat, which allowed her to see out the window. She loved fleece. So, we had a Winnie the Pooh fleece blanket that was kept in the car. When she stayed home, she was in front of the gas fireplace, luxuriating in the warmth. But, upon hearing the garage door open, she would be so excited to know we were home!! As she was getting older, she would start to wait for us to carry her up to bed. Stairs became harder. But, her place was with us in bed. Eventually, towards the end, we were making her bed in the kitchen, as she sometimes couldn't wait to go potty outside. She wasn't happy, and neither were we; missing her snoring next to us. Dementia began to take our playful girl, she would get "stuck" in corners, didn't remember to bark when the doorbell rang, her toys sat in her basket, waiting for playtime. Carrying her outside for her duties didn't always result in anything. It began to be more messes inside, than out. Our lives have always been about her, but now we were cleaning more than ever. Her life with us was ending. We brought family & friends together for a good-bye evening. The next day, our daughter came to drive us to the vet's office. I have never in my life cried so much. I have never in my life hurt so much. Our hearts have a wiener dog size hole. Heartbroken. We miss her smell, we miss her warmth. We miss her barks. We were blessed beyond words to have had this little 12 pound dachshund in our lives. She taught us about unconditional love & was the best companion any human could ask for. She lived for 15 1/2 beautiful long years. She was the best dog ever. We miss you Winnie. So much.