If you look up the background of the dachshund you'll find the standard size is bred to flush out badgers.
Now badgers are ill-tempered beasts. I remember the time my dad caught one in a trap meant to capture something else (I forget if it was set to get a skunk or fox.) I was about 10 or so at the time and the thing just scared me to death because it was BIG. It lunged at me and made terrible hissing sounds, plus it had an odor, very beastly indeed.
(As an addendum, check out what the University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers are doing to track the recluse badger, here.) At this point you might be saying, enough about badgers, this is supposed to be about knitting. Bear with me, the set up is going to take a bit more time.
After I left the farm I moved to Madison and the University of Wisconsin, now my alma mater. Their mascot is a badger who goes by the name of Bucky. Bucky is a very svelte, muscular guy who to my knowledge never, ever lunged or hissed at any one like that real trapped badger did.
Now Paul is an alum of The Ohio State University. In our house we have a Big Ten rivalry, which is actually now the Big 12, but this doesn't impact my discussion here. (Add our kids into the mix and it can get really messy because so many Big Ten schools have been attended.) Badgers and Buckeyes don't always see eye to eye (pun intended).
Another fact before we get to the point. About 12 years ago when Paul and I were about to be empty nesters he did a very astute thing. He helped fill our nest with Mike, the cat. Mike is very lovable and was the type of pet Paul thought he could live with (Paul says he's not an animal person, but at times I think he's as attached to Mike as I am). He picked out Mike before I could lobby for a pet of my own choice (please don't tell Mike this) more than likely a golden retriever, a dog. Bear with me all these "facts" will be tied together soon. Mike has been a wonderful addition to our home. He talks profusely in the morning, is very smart and does follow me around like a golden would. Kudos Paul, great idea.
Since Paul has retired there has been much talk about his needing another pet, a friend for Mike perhaps. It would have to be small like Mike so Mike wouldn't be intimidated. Paul suggests he needs to get a dachshund, you know the beast that can help manage or flushs out a Badger (me). (There was a drum roll playing before that sentence. Did you hear it?) Since there may be a possibility that Paul would actually purchase a live one, I decided to take preventative action this time in the pet selection process; I would knit him one. (There is so much less walking and scooping and feeding with a knit dachshund than a real one.)
To accomplish this feat I needed a pattern, not necessarily as easy to find as I thought when first I had this idea. I searched for a year or so, gave up for a time and then found one. Finally after a long wait for me at least, Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne helpfully published Knit Your Own Dog in 2011. This book contains patterns for 25 different breeds of dogs and if you mix and match the patterns you can make your own mongrel as well. Problem was the patterns make miniature-sized dogs and I wanted as close to a full-sized dachshund as I could get. If you follow me on this blog you aren't astonished that I didn't follow the pattern as written and decided to use bulky wool and increase the size of the needles rather dramatically to get what I want. I think this will work out well. (To be continued in the not to distant future . . . .)
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| Remember this image - it should reappear as a knit item |
Now badgers are ill-tempered beasts. I remember the time my dad caught one in a trap meant to capture something else (I forget if it was set to get a skunk or fox.) I was about 10 or so at the time and the thing just scared me to death because it was BIG. It lunged at me and made terrible hissing sounds, plus it had an odor, very beastly indeed.
(As an addendum, check out what the University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers are doing to track the recluse badger, here.) At this point you might be saying, enough about badgers, this is supposed to be about knitting. Bear with me, the set up is going to take a bit more time.
 |
| A badger in the wild, look at the claws |
After I left the farm I moved to Madison and the University of Wisconsin, now my alma mater. Their mascot is a badger who goes by the name of Bucky. Bucky is a very svelte, muscular guy who to my knowledge never, ever lunged or hissed at any one like that real trapped badger did.
 |
| The buff Bucky |
Now Paul is an alum of The Ohio State University. In our house we have a Big Ten rivalry, which is actually now the Big 12, but this doesn't impact my discussion here. (Add our kids into the mix and it can get really messy because so many Big Ten schools have been attended.) Badgers and Buckeyes don't always see eye to eye (pun intended).
Another fact before we get to the point. About 12 years ago when Paul and I were about to be empty nesters he did a very astute thing. He helped fill our nest with Mike, the cat. Mike is very lovable and was the type of pet Paul thought he could live with (Paul says he's not an animal person, but at times I think he's as attached to Mike as I am). He picked out Mike before I could lobby for a pet of my own choice (please don't tell Mike this) more than likely a golden retriever, a dog. Bear with me all these "facts" will be tied together soon. Mike has been a wonderful addition to our home. He talks profusely in the morning, is very smart and does follow me around like a golden would. Kudos Paul, great idea.
Since Paul has retired there has been much talk about his needing another pet, a friend for Mike perhaps. It would have to be small like Mike so Mike wouldn't be intimidated. Paul suggests he needs to get a dachshund, you know the beast that can help manage or flushs out a Badger (me). (There was a drum roll playing before that sentence. Did you hear it?) Since there may be a possibility that Paul would actually purchase a live one, I decided to take preventative action this time in the pet selection process; I would knit him one. (There is so much less walking and scooping and feeding with a knit dachshund than a real one.)
To accomplish this feat I needed a pattern, not necessarily as easy to find as I thought when first I had this idea. I searched for a year or so, gave up for a time and then found one. Finally after a long wait for me at least, Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne helpfully published Knit Your Own Dog in 2011. This book contains patterns for 25 different breeds of dogs and if you mix and match the patterns you can make your own mongrel as well. Problem was the patterns make miniature-sized dogs and I wanted as close to a full-sized dachshund as I could get. If you follow me on this blog you aren't astonished that I didn't follow the pattern as written and decided to use bulky wool and increase the size of the needles rather dramatically to get what I want. I think this will work out well. (To be continued in the not to distant future . . . .)
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