Elderly Dachshund Becomes The Joy Of Arlington

ARLINGTON, VA — She's toothless, almost blind and, at the age of 19, has captured the hearts and minds of Arlington residents.

Jazz, a miniature dachshund, shot to stardom March 24 after being featured as Arlington Now's Pet of the Week. A Facebook post of the feature has reached more than 250,000 people, received more than 1,300 comments and been liked 16,500 times, according to the news site.

Jazz was brought to the Arlington area in 2002 as a puppy from Louisiana after her caregivers, Matt and Vicky Eichler, saw her picture online, the site reports. She was originally named Jasmine, but the Eichlers quickly changed it to Jazzmatazz as a nod to the dog's roots.

Despite her new surroundings Jazz quickly took to life in Virginia, Matt Eichler told Arlington Now.

“We brought her home, went to the backyard, and she instantly knew how to play ball,” he said. “It was pretty amazing. She was more than eager to play and push [the ball] back with her nose and chase it down.”

While she's getting on in her years — Animal Planet says the average lifespan of miniature dachshunds is 12 to 14 years — old age hasn't stopped Jazz.

She won't run after squirrels or chipmunks anymore, opting to bark at them instead, but she's still willing to chase down a treat, according to Matt Eichler.

The Eichlers also told Arlington Now that the dog turned into a watchful older sister when their son was born, barking at anyone who would get close to him.

“Every day is a gift with her,” Vicky Eichler told the site.