Shade
We adopted Shade (our given name) in Spring 2009 from CTDR. He was approximately one year old then. We had been searching for the right family dog for our then 8-year-old son. We drove 160 miles to meet Shade with his foster parent at a local park and my son immediately fell in love with Shade; my son named him Shade as he had a "shadow" of darker hair on his back. We knew we had a wonderful dog once we saw the foster parent crying when we said that we were interested in adopting Shade. Shade truly was a wonderful companion to our teenage son through his teen years, and aided our teenage son to navigate the teen years with confidence and love, with a constant loving companion that only a pet can provide. Once the son went to college, Shade was more of a companion to me (Mom), and was especially appreciated for his companionship during the 2 tough Covid years. He passed away today, and I am still weeping. As life would have it, our son came home from college this past weekend for a visit from across the country, somewhat unexpected and rare, and spent some time with Shade. Shade passed away 4 days later. Shade’s health had been deteriorating, but hubby and I wondered if Shade was “waiting” for his beloved (our son) to say “goodbye” and then he could pass. We will always miss Shade. With love, Mom.

Dollie
It is with a heavy heart that I share my sweet rescue Dollie Sue crossed over the rainbow bridge on December 28, 2022. She came to me in 2019 battered and mistreated. I had the privilege to foster her with Central Texas Dachshund Rescue. I witnessed her transform from a sad, lifeless dog to a happy, vibrant girl and after several months with me, Dollie made me a “foster fail” in every way. I am so blessed to have had her for 4 years and was able to give her a life of love and happiness she so deserved. Needless to say, my heart is broken and my life has been forever changed. Fly high my sweet Dollie Sue! ❤️. You were one of the best!!

Churro
Churro Ted Rios-Burns passed away peacefully Monday afternoon surrounded by his loving family. He was 15 years old. Churro was adopted by his mom, Jen, in 2008 from the Central Texas Dachshund Rescue (CTDR). He had been turned into CTDR after being found on the side of the road in Waco where he had been hit by a car. A loving foster family took him in and nursed him to health before Jen and Mike adopted him and gave him the loving forever home he deserved. Churro’s small stature didn’t stop him from getting into things, challenging any dog larger than him, and being a fierce protector to his mom, and his brother, Elliot. He was an incredibly strong and determined dog, having endured two serious back surgeries due to Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) — a spinal disorder that follows from the herniating of an intervertebral disc. This disorder, and the surgeries to treat it, left his back legs paralyzed for several months and required lots of physical therapy to help get him back on all four legs. As he approached everything in life, Churro never gave up when it came to his recovery and always had “The Eye of the Tiger.” In his younger years, Churro raced in the annual Buda Weiner Dog Races, and even made it to the semi-finals one year. Jen was always so proud of him making it to “The Show.” Later in life, after his retirement from racing, Churro continued to attend the event as a spectator, sometimes wearing his gold medal to show the next generation of racing wieners what a true champion looks like. Churro loved to cuddle with his mom and watch true crime shows with her. He also enjoyed playing with his beloved blue toy and licking his best buddy Brian’s hands. To Churro, nobody had tastier hands than Brian. Churro’s mom will miss the cuddles, the dinnertime dances they shared, and tucking him in at night. He was a stinker at times, but an absolute joy to his family, and to the many friends and admirers who enjoyed Jen’s #churrothedog posts on social media. Jen’s Churro appreciation posts were quite popular because let’s face it, Churro was a cutie. Churro is survived by his mom, Jen, his brother, Elliot, his best buddy, Brian, and his dad, Mike. He is also fondly remembered by many loving friends and family. We are certain he will be greeted in Heaven with open arms by his grandmother, Melinda, and his middle-namesake, Ted Ponton, a dear family friend of Jen’s who graciously helped to fund his second back surgery. Donations in Churro’s honor can be made to the Central Texas Dachshund Rescue (www.ctdr.org). Or, if you’d prefer, you can Venmo Jen $5 to help her place a bucket of tennis balls in Churro’s honor at the Buda City Park, his old racing stomping grounds.

Murphy Greathouse
A little over 14 years ago (March 2008) I adopted “Romo” whose name was soon changed to Murphy. I wanted to let you know that my sweet Murphy Greathouse is running free today and is no longer in pain. He’s chasing squirrels, eating cheeseburgers and tater tots, and sitting under a shade tree watching the clouds pass by all day long. He was such a good boy, and will be missed greatly. We rescued each other March 21, 2008 and he left July 18, 2022. My sweet boy, my good boy. I’m so blessed that he chose me. I’ve attached just a few of the literally hundreds of photos I’ve taken over the years. He was the very best boy. Thank you for all you do for these sweet babies! Karissa Greathouse

Tommy
CTDR just received the sad news that former CTDR dog, Tommy passed away 12/20/2021 at the age of 16. He gave us 13 years of love! Love mom Robin