Spotlighting cute dog coffee lover

Zoey the cute dachshund is a coffee hound!

My BFF Shelley wrote about writing and coffee and how it’s best to describe things, and she put a photo of me with her article, so I thought I’d share.

Here’s her blog for this week:

I hate when I order a fancy coffee drink and the cup gets bathed in the overflow.

But I love that my drink has a flavor, an appearance and a texture inside the cup and that observing those details gets rid of the annoyance.

Observing, absorbing and noticing details are essential to writing, giving a caffeinated thrill to the development of plot, character and dialog. Describing the details is essential to storytelling instead of hurrying the story along through the action of the plot. Description brings to life what happens along the storyline.

To provide that description, use the senses and choose words carefully, making sure every word has a purpose. That purpose can be establishing setting, developing character or moving the plot forward.

Verbs are a key component of description, much less so than adjectives, which qualify a noun or noun phrase to provide more information about the object being described. The river spit onto the rocks is more descriptive than the bubbling river.

Adjectives, when used, should be kept simple and not layered, such as the “blue-eyed, blonde-haired, tongue-tied girl.”

There are a few other things to avoid in descriptions, such as:

• Using adverbs, which weaken writing when they are not specific. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs. For example, saying that your character slowly walked across the room (here “slowly” modifies walked) does not give the reader as good of a mental picture as: “She shuffled to her bed, falling into it after working 12 hours.”

• Writing in the passive voice, using “he was,” “they were” and the like. The passive voice slows down the action, while distancing the reader from what’s being said.
• Using general words, instead of concrete details and specific nouns and verbs. Tree and bird are general nouns, as opposed to a birch oak or maple and a cardinal or robin.

Description is what fills the pages of a story. Without it, action would fall flat, simplified into an outline of this happened, and then this and this.

That’s why I like my coffee fancy.

Cute Dogs at Christmas

Zoey the Cute Dachshund is surrounded by the gifts she just opened a couple of Christmases ago and is seeking more!

My BFF Shelley wrote about me in her newsletter, Shell’s Ink Newsletter, about how I’m really cute at Christmastime.

Here is what she said:

Every Christmas, I wrap presents for Zoey and hide them in the closet, along with the other gifts for my family and friends—if not, she’ll unwrap them because the sound of ripping paper is so fun!

I wrap a couple of treats, some new rawhides—she loves to chew—and a ball or other small toy, plus some of the doggie bears I recycle from her doggie toy basket. She plays with certain toys and is in love with Big Bear, a stuffed dog with floppy brown ears and holding a pumpkin, so she has plenty of playthings.

On Christmas Day, I give Zoey her gifts one by one, and she opens each items, sees what it is and stares at me, as if saying, “What’s next?” She rips through the paper with her teeth, shaking her head and scattering the pieces. She moves fast and makes a mess, and I take a video of it every year. I also put on her Christmas T-shirt with reindeer, and she puts up with it.

(Note: I prefer not to wear clothes, something I wrote about earlier this year, but I guess I don’t mind if I get attention out of it. So, do you like my Christmas shirt? Do I look cute?)

Zoey the Cute Dashchund just opened all of her Christmas presents and now is at work chewing her Nylabone. She loves to chew!

Zoey the Cute Dachshund wants even more presents at Christmastime!

Cute dog likes ducks

I’ve been observing the ducks at the lagoon where I take walks. I am not in these photos, unfortunately, but I would like to show how I watched the ducklings grow up into big ducks.

I think they are cute, though I am cuter, because, as you know, I’m the cutest dachshund ever.

The mother duck swims with her ducklings at the lagoon.

The mother duck watches over her sleeping babies, well, except for a couple who are still going for a swim.

The ducklings pretty much sleep on top of each other. How cute!

A dog’s exercise needs

Zoey has her jacket and leash, ready for a walk.

Dogs need exercise, and as a cute dachshund, I know I have to face the truth.

My BFF Shelley wants me to lose a pound, which is 10 percent of my body weight. I think she should lose 13.5 pounds and see how it feels.

To make me lose weight, Shelley is making me go on long walks. I guess it’s all right, because I meet people along the way who will pet me. I go up to them, as long as they look friendly enough, and stop. “Pet me, please,” I hint.

Most oblige.

It’s because I’m really cute.

Okay, so about exercise.

Dogs need at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, but larger breeds need up to two hours. How much they need really depends on the age, breed, size and overall health. Young dogs also need more, because they need to burn off their excessive energy.

There are many ways to get exercise with your dog besides the usual walk. Here are a few:

• Throw our toys, and we’ll go get them, most likely by running.
• Play chase with us around the house.
• Make up a game that involves movement, using our toys, balls or things to chew.
• Have us do tricks.
• Take us to dog parks and doggie day care.

And remember to provide us with a warm up and cool down, give us rest breaks, keep us hydrated and don’t let us overdo it. If we lie down in the middle of exercise, stumble, drag our feet or yawn, we may be getting fatigued. I usually just sit on my butt and don’t move. That’s a big hint, too.

One more piece of advice: change up our exercise routines, so we get variety.

A (cute) dog’s reflections on barking

I like to bark excessively.

I bark at dogs larger than me, at wheels and at loud, sudden bursts of sound.

I’m cute when I bark.!

Shelley, my BFF, tells me No Bark, but I don’t listen.

I bark and bark some more.

I probably need a dog whisperer to stop.

Or a stronger enforcement of my silence.

But I’m not going to be silent.

I want the world to know that I’m here, and that I’m cute.

I want the world to know that I have a voice.

So, therefore, I won’t be quiet, not when I can growl, grumble, whimper, bark, howl and make shrill sounds that sound like a multiple, layered snapping of my jaws. I won’t because I’m just trying to be in my being-ness through my noise.

I bark, therefore I am.

I am cute among statues.

Cute dachshund shares all

I would like to share some photos of my cute self. I am a very cute dachshund that gets lots of attention for my cuteness. I consider myself the CEO and COO of the word “cute.”

Here I am being loved by my BFF Shelley:

Here is a closeup photo of me to better demonstrate my cuteness (I’m tucked in bed):

Here I am on top of a snow pile (and on top of the world!).

Dog blogger’s year in review

I like the end of the year, because my birthday is on Dec. 20—I turned seven—and I get lots of presents then and on Christmas.

Using my paws and teeth, I rip off the wrapping paper to find treats, toys and doggie teddy bears. My BFF Shelley always takes a video of me having fun, which lasts about two minutes as I get to the prize.

I also like the end of the year because I can be reflective and think ahead at the same time. I blogged nearly every week in 2015—and in fact have been blogging since 2011—about my life as a cute dachshund, sharing stories and photos to demonstrate the fact.

I blogged about being both a dog blogger and a canine poet able to write poems from a dog’s perspective.

I wrote about dog behavior and what dogs need and want from their owners. I wrote about how pet owners—I call mine my BFF—need to let us know how much we mean to them, pay attention to us (like all of the time) and give us lots of treats (even healthy ones).

I explained the elements of responsible pet ownership, while telling really interesting stories from my own life.

And I wrote about cats, even though most of them don’t like me too much. I like cats, birds, geese and anything else in the animal kingdom, but not dogs, at least those larger than me. I bark at them, and they look at me as if I’m silly, so I bark again, while also wiggling my tail. I can’t tell if I want to be friends or not. That’s why cats are safer; they’re not keen on dogs, and I can just pretend they are.

In 2016, I’ll continue blogging about the dog life, my life and how best to love on and care for your pet dog (or cat, or other animal). I may be taking off the month of January from blogging, because my BFF will be recovering from surgery, and I need to give her some love and attention after all that she’s done for me.

Dogs and the holidays

I’m winter ready in my bow and jacket.

I love the holidays because my BFF Shelley takes me out to the dog-friendly shopping malls. I get to be carried inside the store, where I can see all of the sale items.

Being carried is advantageous when you’re a long-haired miniature dachshund with short legs.

What I see and smell is all low to the ground. I want the apex of vantage points to search out potential dog lovers, so that when they see me, they remark on my cuteness and want to pet me.

I want to be able to see everything from the human eye level to the ground, instead of relying on my sense of smell and knowledge of feet and shoes. That’s because my two aims in life are finding, eating and getting food (a top priority) and, second, getting attention. Attention results in petting sessions, playtime and cuddles.

Attention also reminds me that I’m cute and as the cutest dachshund this side of the Mississippi, I need the occasional reminder. That way I never doubt my state of cuteness and remain confident at all times. I think we all need to hear positive feedback, whether we’re human or a dog or a cat. (Yep, I like cats because they’re my size and potential friends – sometimes; I just don’t get why some cats don’t like dogs and get all hissy about it.)

Work-life balance (or seeking pets)

I am seeking attention, and I get it, because I’m really cute!

I love to get attention, and I love to get pets, so what I do is hang out with my BFF Shelley as she writes and stare down the passersby.

As they approach, I sit taller and wiggle my tail, focusing my attention on them, as if I’m saying, “Here I am, here I am.”

Seventy-five percent of the time—this is when Shelley and I are at the coffee shop and she’s writing and I’m on the lookout—people stop and say, “Isn’t she cute?” They pause, and Shelley—thankfully—asks them if they want to pet me. And they usually say yes, and I always say yes.

They stop, and I get the attention I need and deserve.

I hear things like I’m a magnet, I’m pretty, I’m beautiful, I have a cute face, I’m darling, and I’m lovable. I’m such a lover. I’m a good girl.

In fact, I’m the cutest dachshund ever. Wouldn’t you agree from seeing my pictures?

I am cute hanging out on my bed with my teddy bear.

Here I’m getting ready to take a nap on two pillows!

(See my writing partner Shelley’s blog about the work-life balance at shelleywidhalm.wordpress.com)

Cute dog blogger at work

I am the product. I am the process.

I am cute.

Product and process.

My BFF and co-blogger Shelley blogged this week about writer’s block and how just doing writing helps you write and get the words to flow. It’s like the process of writing helps you write. As you write, you get a product.

Yep, I’m philosophical. I’m smart. And I’m cute.

My name is Zoey, and I’m the cutest dachshund ever.

While Shelley works on her writing at the coffee shop, I sit with her staring out at the sidewalk, wiggling my tail at all the passersby. Most of them stop and ask to pet me. And I eat it up, wiggling my tail so fast you just see a blur.

I get told that I’m cute, I have a cute face, I’m pretty, I’m friendly, and I’m oh so nice.

In fact, I consider myself the ambassador of cuteness.

Check it out, me being cute and all.

I’m cute when I’m sleeping.

I’m cute when I’m awake.

And I’m cute when I want something, like treats!