Doxie News Dachshund Blog

Last night was the first night that Kody didn't throw up and he seemed very comfortable. He was excited to get up this morning and we went on a full walk around the block. We still aren't using treats while we get Kody gently back on a regular diet. He has hamburger and rice for his meals and just a couple of small Natural Balance cookie treats broken up into pieces if I really need to reinforce something. I can't tell you how good it feels to have Kody back again. Since I work from home he's a pretty major part of every day life.

Kody is doing so well during our readjustment time without treats. If he barks at something we just turn around and then walk back and then he seems either not interested or very interesting in the thing he barked at. I don't know what he was thinking before, but maybe that points to something different about dachshunds. Maybe they are just programmed to bark like that, which would make sense. But they're not necessarily scared or aggressive they're just doing what they think is right. If you can figure out a way to communicate gently that you'd like something else, they're more than happy to oblige.

All I can say is, if you have a dachshund and there are issues you're not sure about, find a really good positive reinforcement trainer. If you live in Seattle I would recommend mine. If not maybe she can recommend someone for you in your area. It's just a shame to go through life not giving your dog the chance to be the best dog he or she can be.

Life with Kody is so much better. Walks are fun, and I get to walk at a comfortable speed for me, I get to talk to people, and I get to look around. I like the walks as much as Kody does now.