I didn’t plan on a sausage dog but McKenzie nudged me back to hope | Debbie Elkind

First-time dog owner Debbie Elkind was worried how she’d fare with her new dachshund. Then she fell in love with her ‘ridiculous, beautiful’ animal

I

wasn’t looking for a long dog. I knew little about dachshunds, that odd-shaped breed with short legs and suspicious eyes. But during pandemic lockdowns I began scrolling PetRescue the way friends were swiping Tinder, and with just as little luck.

So when I spotted her, I prepared for disappointment. I had recently been ghosted by an elderly chap with a heart condition. I had visions of giving him his golden senior years; he had better prospects.

Yet, somehow, McKenzie was suddenly mine. My first dog. I’d never lived with one before and worried I had romanticised dog ownership. I read all the books and watched all the YouTube videos, but how would I really fare with the training, the barking, the poo?