Cute dog shows off

As the cutest dachshund ever, this week I thought I’d let photos tell a thousand words about my cuteness factor.

Ways to stop (bad) barking

I’m telling you, “Come here and pet me! Now!”

I’ve got a bad habit.

I really, really like to bark.

That’s because I want attention. Or I might have a request. I might want to let the big dogs know I’m big, too. I bark at wheels. I bark to say “hello.”

I’m not supposed to bark just to bark. I’m supposed to bark only when it’s necessary, such as an emergency or to say I need to go outside. (That’s what I read, but I just patiently wait at the door.)

My BFF Shelley has decided she wants me to stop. She looked up some things about barking and told me about them. She said she’s going to employ a few behavior modifications (Woof! Woof! as if I’ll listen!).

She learned that to stop my attention-seeking noises, she needs to stop giving me what I want, which is lots of attention. That means ignore me (As if!), but don’t punish me either, because that won’t work (and it’s not nice).

When you tell me to not bark or to stop, you’re giving me attention. If you yell at me, especially if you’re losing your patience, I’ll think you’re talking back and responding. I’ve been conditioned to expect this response, even a negative one.

It’s best to not even look at me and to do your own thing. I’ll eventually get the hint (maybe).

When I stop barking, reward me for my good behavior. You can praise me and give me treats, and eventually I’ll learn that being silent and a good girl brings better results than my naughty barking.

Give me the reward quickly, so I associate my good behavior with the treat. (I do agree with this, so maybe I’ll start listening).

Give me a verbal praise, such as saying, “Good dog” (or in my case, “Good girl, good cute girl”) and then hand over that treat.

As I catch on, extend the period of time between quiet and treat, so that I also have to learn patience (is that a word?).

And then vary the amount of time between quiet and treat, so that I have to be the one to pay attention to you. I won’t expect things to be exact but will have to be on my toes—or paws. I’ll not bark to get attention, what I wanted in the first place. We’ll be paying attention to each other (and nicely

A dog’s exercise needs

Taking your dog for runs and walks is important to get them the exercise they need.

I, however, prefer to be carried.

Sure, I’m a fully functioning (and very cute) long-haired miniature dachshund with a big name, Zoey. But I like to walk home and not away from home, hence the carry.

I did a little research and found out I need to get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day—some dogs that are bigger than me need two hours. The exercise needs of dogs are based on their age, breed, size and overall health.

Puppies especially need lots of exercise, because they need to burn off their excessive energy. If they don’t get what they need, they might be destructive. I remember when I was a puppy, I would go on my walks and run around the backyard, probably for two or three hours, but I also would chew. I chewed the bottom ends of furniture, the bottoms of shoes and my toys.

As I matured (and knew better), I focused my chewing on my rawhide and Nylabones, plus a few yogurt containers. I love licking out the insides and hearing the crackle of the container.

If it’s too hot or too cold, I’d rather not go out, because it’s not safe for my health, and it’s uncomfortable. It’s better to have me do tricks to engage my mind (my BFF Shelley and I do them every night before bedtime—I’m so good at the doggie handshake, I make it into a wave when I’m extra excited). Other options for getting us to move are throwing our toys, playing chase with us around the house or having us run up and down the stairs (the doggie version of a Stairmaster).

Other places to get us our exercise are dog parks and doggie day care. I prefer my walks, though, because I like the routine. And then I like the treats I get at night for showing off my tricks.

Basically, I’m a good girl.

And always, I’m cute.