Big Dogs in Small Bodies
I know….it’s been a few months since my last blog, but now with the hustle and bustle of the Holiday Season, and before Puppy Season starts, I have found some time. I hope that you missed me!! I sometimes miss having the luxury of expendable time, you know, time to read a good book, type a blog, binge watch the latest season of my favorite show…..sigh. Not really!!!! I love all the time I get to spend with my beautiful dogs! I really do have the best job in the world. Now….what was the question? OH YEAH, big dogs in small bodies? What does it mean?
When I first started researching this wonderful breed, I read this phrase in a book about Dachshunds, and then in several articles online. Now I get to witness it first hand! Dachshunds really are “Big Dogs in Small Bodies”. They were bred to go underground after badgers, and that fearless attitude never left them. Here are my top 5 examples from my own experience.
Loyalty: Dachshunds love their humans with their whole heart, and like many of the big guarding breeds, they choose their favorite person early in the relationship. We have 6 females at my house, and 4 chose me, and 2 chose my husband. Oh, they will tolerate the other human, but it is obvious we are not their first choice. They remain loyal!! Mom Nikka literally waits outside the bathroom door whining for my husband until he comes out! If she had thumbs she would open the door and let herself in! Mom Iris hears my husband come through the door after work, and her whole back end wiggles as she dances around his legs, then trots up her ramp onto the chair so she can look adoringly into his eyes while he lavishes her with rubs and pets. I get the same treatment from Mom Grace, Mom Peaches, and Princess Cloud Nine. Mom Spice Girl is more independent, but if she wants some rubs and love, she goes to my husband. This behavior doesn’t vary, they are loyal to their human!
Intelligence: Dachshunds are very intelligent!! They learn from commands, from observing, and from what time of day it is. When I say the word “Weenies” in a certain tone….the ENTIRE crew (including young puppies) sits up and looks my way. They know it means it’s time to eat. It doesn’t matter what time of day it is, if I say that word in that certain tone, they all pay attention or come running in from outside. Hounds are supposed to be hard headed, but I have taught 3 of our Dachshunds to sit, lie down, and spin on command for a piece of chicken! 3 of our Dachshunds also play fetch like they were born retrievers! They run after a toy we throw, and know that we will throw it again if they bring it back to us. Cloud Nine is the very best at this game, and she brings one of us a toy every evening to play fetch. If she can’t find a certain toy, she will bark in our face until we get up and dig it out from under the couch or some other piece of furniture!! LOL They also learn by observing. We love to leave the back door open when we have mild weather, and where we live, that is more days than not. The Dachshunds know exactly how the latch on the screen door works! They will all start to paw at it when they want to go out. Again, if they had thumbs, we would be in trouble!!
Love of Burrowing: Here is where the badger hunter shows up. Not all, but most Dachshunds love to dig and burrow! They love to tunnel under blankets, they love to dig in the yard, and they love to “help” with any hole you happen to be digging! I never get to make the bed alone. I always have at least 3 Dachshunds diving under the covers while I am trying to smooth them out. Mom Maggie disappears completely, not caring that she is a lump in the middle of the comforter! When the weather is nice, we fill a plastic kiddie pool with a few inches of sand in our fenced puppy yard for the Dachshunds to dig and lay in. For a fun treat, I bury a handful of treats and a couple of toys in the sand. The Dachshunds LOVE it!! You can’t leave a basket of clean laundry out around Dachshunds either. They will burrow into it and inevitably drag it all over. I have found they love the little covered cave beds the best. They are infatuated with anything they can tunnel into.
Stress Busters: Like any good big dog, Dachshunds can feel when you are stressed. I also hold down an 8-5 job, and it can be stressful sometimes. My Dachshunds always know! They literally show me more love. They seem more calm, like they know I need some peace. When my husband comes home from a long day and seems stressed, 4 or 5 Dachshunds and their puppies will come pile on the couch with him. Some will tuck their long noses under your arm and let out a soft sigh, inviting you to stroke their sleek fur and let your troubles melt away. They are better than any Psychiatrist for being a stress buster! They just know!
Sociability: Dachshunds are social animals! They love being part of the “pack”. Any living being in our house is part of the pack, whether it’s another Dachshund, one of our rescue dogs, grandkids…any living soul is taken in as part of their family. They want to be part of the action, and they are the great helpers for any project around the house. Whatever you are doing, wherever you are doing it, they want to be there too. They love being together with their “pack”. They really do act like a dog three times their size in this respect! Some get jealous if you show too much attention to another, some engage the others in a game of chase, some are trying to help me vacuum, or helping my husband hang a shelf. When we get company, they do not run and hide, they announce the visitor with that big hound bark and then want to meet and greet!! LOL
So there you have it, why I think they call Dachshunds “Big Dogs in Small Bodies”. I would love to hear about your experiences with these or other ways your Dachshund acts like a dog many times its size. Leave me a message on my Facebook Page “Pint-Sized Paws Dachshund” or at my email pintsizedpawsdachshund@gmail.com. Tell me your stories, make suggestions for other topics to explore, or ask me any questions.
Lots of love to you all!!
Pint Sized Paws