Like a lot of us, Rickie Cox’s miniature dachshund Taz isn’t always eager to get out of bed in the morning. But when Rickie yells, “Let’s go check the horses,” Taz is off and running.

Rickie manages GCH Land & Cattle Company in Weatherford, TX, home of the stallions Dualin Jewels and Bowmans Smart Jewel, as well as their famous dam, Bowmans Fancy. Taz is Rickie’s assistant or at least he thinks that he is.

“He’s very loyal and he knows the ranch rules,” noted Rickie. “He takes every step I take, whether it’s freezing cold or burning hot.”

Joshua, another black and tan mini dachshund, shared Rickie’s home for 20 years. When he died, Rickie was heartbroken and vowed that she would never have another dog. Heidi Branch, who raised dachshunds, had offered to give her a puppy, but Rickie refused to even go look at the litter.

One Saturday, four years ago this fall, Rickie opened her door to find Heidi with three puppies in her arms. When Rickie sat down to play with the pups, they all ran past her, except for Taz, who put on his brakes and jumped in her lap.

Ranch life agrees with Taz. His favorite pastime is chasing rabbits, but when it comes to work, he is highly skilled at entertaining weanlings and yearlings. His job is not without risks, however, as he learned at a tender age.

“I was giving vaccinations and worming yearling stud colts,” Rickie remembered. “One of the colts came running up between me and the fence and Taz, who wasn’t even a year old yet, couldn’t get out of the way.

“It ran right over him and stepped on his head. I grabbed him up and ran out of the pen. I thought he was dead. He was limp and his gums were white. But he finally started to come out of it and by the time I got him to the vet, he was fine.

“He’s a little more cautious now,” she added. “If the horses run up too close to him, he wants me to pick him up. He wants out of the tangle.”