| It was in
the mid 1980s when Snoopy, a small standard Dachshund, first arrived in Balboa. Charlie
Brown, Snoopy's human companion, was working for Marina Sailing in the Fun Zone Marina
when he first heard Snoopy barking from inside one of the unoccupied boats. After five
days the barking stopped, so Charlie decided to investigate. He broke a lock to gain
entrance to the boat and found Snoopy half dead from starvation. His owner had forgotten
about him. Charlie took Snoopy to a veterinarian and nursed him back to health. |
Later
Snoopy's old owner gave him to Charlie Brown. Dachshund is a German word which means
badger dog because they were used to hunt badgers, a rodent. Throughout Europe after the
second-world-war, Dachshunds were stoned in the streets because of their German heritage.
Today Snoopy lives with Charlie and spends his days lounging in Marina Sailing's office
along with Wing the cat who is Snoopy's lounging trainer. Snoopy is a good student in the
school of lounging, but is still trying to learn Wing's ability to sleep without moving on
top of the phone while it's ringing. |
Snoopy is a
noted athlete, having been written about in the newspaper for his performance in the
annual Dachshund race in Old Town Huntington Beach. In a field of 48, Snoopy placed first
in one out of two heats. Snoopy is always given celebrity status wherever he goes. Like
the time Charlie took Snoopy on a commercial airline flight. Charlie had to sit in coach
eating peanuts while Snoopy sat in the Captain's lap eating a cheeseburger. Charlie Brown
sums up Snoopy's lifestyle by saying, "If I ever die, I want to come back as my
dog." |
