The other day while out on a walk through the park I spotted something that made me a little crazy.
I claim it was a squirrel, mom thinks it was a leaf, and we pretty much agree to disagree.
We may never really know what was up that tree for sure, but it sure was fun trying to catch it!
Does your dog like to chase things up trees? Any brave squirrel hunters in this group? 
Last week a box filled with packing materials made its way into the shop.
Since I’m never one to pass up the opportunity to play in a box (don’t knock it until you try it!), I wasted no time in jumping right in.
Then I had a thought! Hey mom, since I’m already all packed up you might as well ship me to the nearest pet store. I’ll make sure to tell them to ship me back before dinner!
Happy Shipping and Receiving Day!
When the new FURminator Comfort Edge DeShedding Tool arrived at my door a few weeks ago, I knew just who would be getting a major grooming, my buddy Trooper!
I have to admit, I’m a wee bit jealous of all of Trooper’s glorious hair (he claims he gets his good hair from his mom, the Australian Shepherd). I on the other hand am plagued with Dachshund pattern baldness (it’s a real thing, look it up!), and have to wear coats and sweaters all winter long to keep warm on the farm.
Thanks to our new FURminator mom collected enough Trooper hair to make me a sweater from it! Now who’s good with a loom?
You can check out more great grooming products for pets from FURminator!
Disclaimer: this post is brought to you by Chewy. All opinions are my own, and I only share products I think you and your dog will love.
Raise of paws, who likes having their nails trimmed? Raise of hands, who likes trimming their pet’s nails? Just as I thought, no one.
It’s a necessary evil though, because having long nails can cause your pet to walk irregularly which can lead to skeletal problems. And we all know that us dachshunds don’t need any more reasons to have back trouble!
Now if your dog has black nails like I do, I’m sure you spend your life in constant fear of cutting them too short and hitting the quick (a soft cuticle rich in blood vessels and nerves that grows in the center of your dog’s nail). If you nick that tiny little quick your dog will scream out in pain, and yes, there may be blood!
My mom used to trim my nails at home, but over the years I got progressively worse at having them trimmed – so she started to take me to the vet to have them done every few months. Then a few months ago she decided it was high time I got better at having my nails done, so she set out to condition me to actually enjoy having them done!
Interestingly, this new nail trimming method was not with the traditional nail clippers, but instead with a dremel!
Over the past 2 months my mom has been working with me to make me more comfortable with the use of the dremel on my nails. While I wouldn’t say I LOVE it, I tolerate it. It saves me from having to make more trips than necessary to the vet or groomer, saves my mom money, and keeps my nails at a healthy length. It’s a win – win!
So since I’m sure you’re all curious just how my mom trained me to be better about having my nails trimmed, here’s how she did it….
The Best Method for Trimming Your Dog’s Nails
Here’s what you’ll need:
This method requires a basic knowledge of clicker training. If you’d like a little introduction you can check out this website or buy an introduction kit to clicker training.*
*contains affiliate links
Starting with the nail file, mom used it EVERY SINGLE DAY for 3 weeks to get me used to having my feet and nails handled. She started by picking up a foot and gently sanding my nails for just a few seconds at a time.
Each time I didn’t resist she would use the clicker and then reward me with a small (but yummy treat).
After each session, which started out short (maybe 30 seconds tops) she’d give me a big reward. For me that reward has been Natural Balance’s Dental Chews, with Pumpkin & Chicken Meal and Papaya.
The great thing about these chews is that not only do I love the taste, but they’re also helping to clean my teeth while rewarding me for having my nails done at the same time!
Key Benefits of Natural Balance Dental Chews
You can fetch your pet a bag from our friends at Chewy.com for about $14.
After several weeks of practice with the nail file, mom moved onto the dremel. This time she “sanded” my nails without even turning it on. Again, each time I didn’t resist on a nail she would click and reward me. At the end of the session I’d get my jackpot treat, a Natural Balance Dental Chew.
After another week or so it was time to turn on the dremel. Using a low speed to start she’d do just a few of my nails, making sure to reward me quickly for not resisting at all.
Now once you start using the dremel with it on it’s important to note that you can’t just quickly sand your dog’s nails down in one sitting to the desired length, even if they are ok with it. The quick inside grows with your dog’s nail. So my mom likes to only work on sanding my nails once a week to allow time for the quick of my nail to shorten after the last trimming. (see diagram above for more details)
How short should you keep your pet’s nails? According to the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation they should be short enough that they don’t touch the ground when your dog is standing on a flat surface, but long enough to aid the dog when climbing up a hill or digging.
Hear that mom? I need them for digging!
While I still have a ways to go to get mine back to the ideal length, I’m happy to say that after weeks of practice I’m now much more tolerant of having my nails done by dremel. While I very much wish I had gotten a video of the “before”, here’s how good I am at it now…
How is your dog about having their nails trimmed? Have you ever trimmed your pet’s nails with a dremel? Do tell!
For more information on avoiding the quick check out this article.
Handy Tip: If your dog is resistant to even having their feet touched start without the nail fail and just reward them for letting you touch their feet without pulling away. Also, using a treat that your dog goes crazy over helps too, the better the treat, the more willing they will be to try.
Disclaimer: This post is meant to be informative, but please keep in mind, what works for me may not work for your own pet. Please consult an expert if you are unsure about how to train your pet. Use caution when using a dremel around your pet, and we are not responsible for any injuries that may occur.
So you might have already caught a sneak peek at my new pal, Mr. Bones, a few weeks ago when he helped out with my Martha Stewart Pets photoshoot.
Well, he actually came home to live with me in the very beginning of October. Mom says he’s from an “adoption place” called Target.
While I’m not quite sure how I feel about sharing my home and toys with another dog, the good news is he doesn’t eat very much!
And just for kicks, here’s what happened when I first met Mr. Bones….
Did you catch that little “jab” I gave him. I had to give him a big ole’ bite in the spine…you know, just so he remembers who’s in charge.
Want to see more Mr. Bones fun? You can follow the #skeletondachshund hashtag on Instagram to see all the fun the other Dachshunds out there are having with their Mr. Bones clones.
A few weekends ago my mom and dad decided to take me on a fun adventure to the Delaware Beaches. And you know what that means? There are going to be a bazillion photos of me running like a crazy dog on the beach in this post!
Now if you have followed my blog for a while, then you may already know that I LOVE the beach! While I’m not so much a fan of the ocean per-say, I am a fan of the sand. Digging, rolling, and running in it are my idea of a good time.
Despite the fact that it was a little bit chilly, you can tell by the smile on my face just how happy being at the beach made me!
I spent some time relaxing on the beach, and then set out on a late afternoon walk.
It wasn’t long before my parents finally unhooked the leash so I could run as much as my heart desired!
And run I did!
If you’ve ever wondered how I keep such a fit figure….this is how! I was built to run!
After some running I decided it might be nice to cool off in the water. Good thing I found it to be a bit too chilly for me, because you’ll never guess what I found in one of the tide pools!
Oh yes! That’s a small shark right there (with sadly a hook & bobber stuck on him) in one of the beach tide pools.
Dad and I desperately wanted to capture the shark and help remove that hook and send him back out to sea….but of course mom was worried one of us would get an arm or leg bit off! So needless to say we were left hoping that the tide would come in that night and take him back out to see for more shark adventures!
And then it was back to more running on the beach…baywatch style! Of course the daredevil in me ran a little bit close to the water, just enough to make mom worry that the shark was gonna get me!
(P.S. Don’t worry, that shark was safely in another tide pool and I was in no real danger, but it’s fun to pretend!)
After all that running I was pretty pooped! But when mom and dad said it was time to pack up and head back home, I was a little sad.
Don’t worry though, I made sure to bring a little of that beach smell home with me! Nothing quite like a nose full of sand.
Does your dog love the beach as much as I do? Do you ever let your dog run off leash? (P.S. I’m only allowed off leash when mom and dad are sure I’m in the listening mood, as you know sometimes us dachshunds decide we don’t feel like obeying!)
Ok, so I know you probably think of me as this big brave Super Hero, and I am! But sometimes I come up against some unexpected evil that throws me for a loop. And that evil is called House Fly.
As much as I hate to admit it, I spend many hours hiding in the shop from these horrible creatures that find their way inside.
Mom tries her best to catch those darn flies that make my life a nightmare, but sometimes there is just one that seems to outsmart every capture device there is. So I finally decided to dog-up and fight back…
Well unfortunately that House Fly lived to fight another day! Until we meet again nemesis, this time I’m ready for you!
Does your dog have any irrational fears like me?
One of my favorite things about Birthday Week is having the chance to look back over my past year of life. As sad as my mom and dad are that I’m another year older, it’s always fun to reminice about all the amazing adventures I had over the past year. And boy did I have a lot of adventures!
So just like last year, my mom helped me compile a video to highlight some of my favorite adventures from my 6th year! So if you’ve got 10 minutes, you’ll definitely want to watch this video filled of happy memories.
This concludes my week of Birthday Fun! I’ll just have to wait until next year to celebrate again. Incase you missed some of the excitement, here’s a recap:
Until next year friends! Happy Birthday to me!
It wouldn’t be Birthday Week without taking a look back at what life was like for me when I was just a young pup.
7 years ago I was meeting my family for the first time, and the best part is that it was all caught on camera! The quality may not be great, but I’m so glad my mom and dad were able to capture these special memories.
So here’s a fun little video with a look back on some of the very first days with my family (including some never-before-seen footage!).
My mom and dad had a blast last night looking through old footage of me as a puppy. Their only regret is there isn’t more!
Do you have adorable puppy videos of your dog? Post them on my Facebook Page because my mom says she’d love to spend her ENTIRE day looking at cute puppies!
Since my official Birthday was on Monday (I’m 7 woohoo!) I bet you’re all wondering what exactly I did to celebrate the special day. So I made this fun video to show you just how things went down on the anniversary of my birth…
As you can see other than opening my presents I did a whole lot of napping in the sun around the farm with my buddy Trooper. It wasn’t exciting, it wasn’t adventurous, but it’s exactly what I wanted to do on my Birthday!
And did you notice? My best buddy even gave me the big dog bed because it was my Birthday!
How do you celebrate your dog’s Birthday?