Crusoe, the Worldly Wiener Dog

by Ryan Beauchesne

  “This better be some kind of joke. . . .”

  So now, Crusoe always jokes that I need at least two coats of makeup to be presentable. Three is best.

  Crusoe is like our 3-year-old son who never grows up—with all the whimsy, comedy, and mischief to match! My girlfriend and I both work from home, and we’re with him almost 24/7. We bring him with us everywhere we go, whether down the street or overseas. We would do anything for him, which is why his surgery was such a rough time for us, and why seeing him get older is a sobering reality. Yet, as Crusoe and all dogs teach us, life is full of adventure, love, and playfulness. He doesn’t care that he had surgery, or that he has more gray hairs coming in, or that his perspective is only fourteen inches off the ground. He’s just happy to be here today, with us, and having fun.

  On top of being a beloved member of our family, Crusoe is also very special in that he’s blessed me with my career for the past couple years. People always say your job should be to do what you love, and well, mine has been to spend time with my dog. I know it won’t last forever, but I know I’ll always appreciate these special years I’ve shared with him.

  And yet over the course of this time, I’ve begun to feel like he isn’t just OUR dog anymore. The love and generosity we’ve received from fans across the world, especially in Crusoe’s harder times, has shown us there are people out there who care about him almost as much as we do. It’s remarkable that we can share the joy Crusoe gives us with so many other people to enjoy as well. It’s our fans that we must thank the most. They have made all of this possible.

  Enjoy every adventure, travel as much as you can, play with your dog every day, don’t feel the need to Instagram every picture, but do appreciate every kiss from the ones you love.

  —Keep livin’,

  Dad (& Mum)

  Acknowledgments

  Thanks to my fans. First and foremost, they are amazing, supportive, passionate, and dedicated. They deserve so much of my appreciation.

  Thanks to my extended family members—Uncle Jack, Carole, Eileen, Dennis, Charles, Cameron, Calvin, my cousins, and others—for looking after me when needed, for all their background roles in my videos and photo shoots, and for bragging to their friends that they have me in their family.

  Thanks to my editor Daniela and all my other business partners who have always seen and encouraged my potential.

  Thanks to my Mum for all the reasons I’ve already given, and for just being the best mom a pup could ask for.

  And finally, thanks to my Dad for his patience, perseverance, and resolve in helping me get through my surgery and rehabilitation, as well as everything else he already knows I’m thankful for.

  Also by Ryan Beauchesne

  Crusoe, the Celebrity Dachshund: Adventures of the Wiener Dog Extraordinaire

  About the Author

  Ryan Beauchesne

  Crusoe is a New York Times bestselling and Shorty Award–winning, well-educated, and stunning miniature dachshund (that’s a “wiener dog”) who became a self-made internet celebrity due to his uncanny charisma, gorgeous good looks, and wildly successful blog. This is his second book. He lives in Canada with his smitten human parents. Visit him at www.celebritydachshund.com or find him on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can sign up for author updates here.

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  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Notice

  Dedication

  Introduction

  New York City, New York, USA

  Life at Home

  Grindelwald, Switzerland

  California, USA

  Tulum, Mexico

  On the Farm(Oxford County, Ontario, Canada)

  Vancouver, Canada

  Atlanta, Georgia, USA

  Dinner and a Movie

  Paris, France

  Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada

  Cinque Terre, Italy

  St. Lucia, West Indies

  Dr. Crusoe: Oakley Gets a Check-up

  Taormina, Sicily, Italy

  Chicago, Illinois, USA

  Tequila Farm, Yucatán, Mexico

  Smoky Mountains, Tennessee, USA

  Dr. Crusoe: Oakley Goes to the Dentist

  My Midlife Crisis

  Florida, USA

  Going Back to My Roots (in the Woods!)

  Surgery & Recovery

  Letter to Laffie

  Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

  New Orleans,Louisiana, USA

  Germany

  Rededication

  Afterword, by Dad

  Acknowledgments

  Also by Ryan Beauchesne

  About the Author

  Copyright

  CRUSOE, THE WORLDLY WIENER DOG. Copyright © 2018 by Ryan Beauchesne. All rights reserved. Printed in China. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.

  www.stmartins.com

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Beauchesne, Ryan, author.

  Title: Crusoe, the worldly wiener dog : further adventures with the celebrity dachshund / Ryan Beauchesne.

  Description: First edition. | New York : St. Martin’s Griffin, 2018.

  Identifiers: LCCN 2018017181 | ISBN 9781250134721 (paper over board) | ISBN 9781250134738 (ebook)

  Subjects: LCSH: Miniature dachshunds—Canada—Biography. | Miniature dachshunds—Anecdotes. | Human-animal relationships.

  Classification: LCC SF429.M52 B45 2018 | DDC 636.76—dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018017181

  eISBN: 978-1-250-13473-8

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  First Edition: November 2018