I didn’t plan on a sausage dog but McKenzie nudged me back to hope

McKenzie the dachshund. ‘Despite being one-foot tall, she hunts cats, cars, skateboarders and drones indiscriminately.’ Photograph: Debbie Elkind

I wasn’t looking for a long dog. I knew little about dachshunds, that odd-shaped breed with short legs and suspicious eyes. But during pandemic lockdowns I began scrolling PetRescue the way friends were swiping Tinder, and with just as little luck.

So when I spotted her, I prepared for disappointment. I had recently been ghosted by an elderly chap with a heart condition. I had visions of giving him his golden senior years; he had better prospects.