Visiting the vet (and other doggie dealings)

Going to the vet made me really, really tired. I’m about to fall asleep here on my queen-size bed.

My BFF Shelley spent some of her vacation this week sitting in front of a computer, working on her novel. Sheesh. She should have spent all of her free time with me, because I’m really cute and I’m her BFF.

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

The fact I’m cute didn’t stop my BFF from taking me to the vet on Monday and getting my nails trimmed right after. I was so traumatized, all I could do was take a nap and look sleepy when I wasn’t napping.

Luckily, the vet didn’t call my BFF to report a problem. The vet had told her no calls or no news meant good news.

The good news meant I was healthy.

Though unhappy, at least for a few hours.

Shelley’s mom, who she visited that day, said my eyes were glassy, and I wanted to say, “Wouldn’t your eyes be glassy if you were stuck with a really big needle for your bordetella shot? And if you were poked and prodded to see if you were healthy, too?”

The vet told Shelley I had good muscle tone and was at a good weight at 10.4 pounds. Yeah, I work at it. I take walks, well because Shelley makes me, as I’m attached at the other end of a pink leash. Can’t she just let me go for a stroll all by myself? She won’t even let me get too close to the edge of the sidewalk or walk across busy streets. She carries me. She’s kind of over-protective.

Maybe that’s a good thing, because it shows she loves me. But do you blame her?

I’m cute after all.

A Dog’s Take on NaNoWriMo

Check out what my BFF Shelley blogged this week about National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, where she spends her free time writing instead of paying attention to me.

Here is her post: https://shelleywidhalm.wordpress.com/?p=1078

I have to admit she writes with me next to her. She likes to write at coffee shops, and there’s one she likes to go to that allows her to bring dogs. Plus, she loves their iced caramel lattes, but now that it’s getting cold, she’s switching it up to pumpkin spice lattes. I prefer the lattes with the whipped cream on top that I get to lick up. Homemade whipped cream with drizzles of caramel is heaven, especially for a cute puppy like me.

I’m cute, right? You can confirm for yourself by checking out my photos.

I am not a witch, I’m a cute dog! I just dressed as a witch for Halloween.

I am dressed as a mechanic. I think I’m cuter as a witch, but I’m cute here, too.

Zoey the Cute Dachshund brags on her cuteness factor

I wanted to share some new photos of a very cute dachshund (that’s me) to demonstrate cute dogs rule.

Being cute is hard work, but it’s something I like doing.

I like attention. I like being told I’m cute, pretty, beautiful, poised and darling.

I am Zoey. Call me the Cutest Dachshund ever.

I am cute as I help Shelley, my BFF, take notes for her work.

Here I am as a very cute puppy with my BFF Shelley.

And I’m cute hanging out with my teddy bear, Lenny the Leopard. He’s one of my other friends.

Giving Dogs Healthy Doses of Attention

I’m at the coffee shop waiting for someone to stop by and say hi, so I get attention!

I need, require, deserve and desire attention.

My name is Zoey, and I’m the cutest dachshund in the www, or whole wide world. Here’s why.

Dog training books recommend dogs get daily attention through walks, exercise and play time. They need love and attention, as well as stimulation to keep their minds active and to be socialized.

If they don’t receive this attention, they can be harder to train and become disobedient and destructive. When left alone, they may chew on shoes and furniture, get into trash and mark beds and floors (puppies chew as part of the teething process, but adult dogs should have learned acceptable behaviors and identified the difference between the chewable and not so chewable options).

Seeking immediate attention, they may resort to jumping up, barking, whining, pawing and dropping a toy or ball into the lap. These behaviors are cute in a puppy, but adult dogs need to know about positive ways of seeking attention, such as sitting nicely or playing with their dog toys on their own.

Dogs need to have some independence, so don’t reward them if they’re continuously demanding your notice. Help them develop their own interests by giving them something new to chew.

Don’t reward them for poor behavior, such as barking or pawing at you, because the attention only temporarily stops their undesirable behavior. They’ve learned they can get a response out of you and will do it again.

As soon as they return to good behavior, reward them for that.

Finally, don’t leave a dog for more than eight hours a day. Then they’ll really have a reason to complain and bark and behave poorly.

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 dogs can be Daddy’s Girls!

I’m a daddy’s girl. Can’t you tell?

I’m a daddy’s girl, too. And a girl of everybody who will love on me, because I’m cute.

Hi, my name is Zoey, and I’m a very cute miniature long-haired dachshund.

This is why I’m a daddy’s girl:

Shelley’s dad gives me attention whenever he sees me. He plays with me, including tug-of-war and keep away, moving his hand under the blanket so I can chase it. He pets me and tells me how cute I am. And he makes me feel like his home is my home.

Duh, everywhere I go is my home.

Here are some photos of my last visit with Shelley’s dad, who I saw last weekend.

I am cute taking a nap, don’t you think?

Here’s a close-up of me taking the same nap. I am so, so cute!

See my BFF Shelley and co-writer’s blog at shelleywidhalm.wordpress.com. She wrote about the same visit with her dad!

My doggie journal is important, too

I am posing next to my journal (which has a picture of me on the cover).

As a dog blogger, I keep a journal so that I can come up with good ideas for writing.

I noticed that as I journal about the dog life, being a cute dog and relate what my BFF and co-blogger Shelley writes about writing to my dog world, I come up with other ideas to write about. Basically, I’ve started writing about my life, because it’s so interesting.

Like yesterday, I went on a walk with Shelley and her friend down Fourth Street and back, and I sniffed around a large light pole, walking around and around it. Two dogs had just walked by it, and I’d barked at them and then I wanted to see what they’d been up to.

Shelley’s friend said that I must be checking my email.

Email? No, I don’t get email.

I just sniff and explore the world, and once a week I write about it. Why? Because I’m cute Zoey and I’ve got lots of stories to tell.

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!

Why dogs and cats need their own magazines

I am sitting atop some newspapers. Now, I need a photo of me on top of magazines written just for dogs.

Dogs (and cats, too) should have magazines geared toward dogs (and cats) who are able to read.

I’m a dog. I can read. And I’m cute.

People have magazines for every hobby, interest, craft and political leaning, plus celebrity gossip, news and entertainment.

But dogs, what do we get? Magazines geared toward humans about training your pet, caring for your pet and doing pet-related things. The magazines aren’t meant for us and our interests.

I propose that the following magazines be published:

• Dogs
• Us, Weekly (for Dogs)
• National Dog and Geography
• Time (to Play with Your Human)
• Dog’s Digest
• The Dog
• Dog Style

I could go on and on, but this gives the basic idea that there is something missing. We dogs need our news and entertainment not just in the forms of balls, toys and treats, but in selection of reading material.

Thanks,

Your Dog Friend

National Zoey Day is here!

National Dog Day was on Wednesday, but National Zoey Day is every day.

Why?

Because I need love and attention and my picture to be taken every day. I need to be seen and acknowledged, not just on one day, but all days of the year.

I, therefore, declare Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 National Zoey the Cute Dog Year. In other words, every year is National Zoey Year.

Thanks.

Have a nice day.

And, just so you can pay me some more attention, here are a few cute photos of me, Darling Zoey the Dachshund.

I am really cute, don’t you think!

Here is some more of my cuteness.

I am holding a cute pose as I look out the window.