[Kyley is owned by her adorable little sidekick, Ammo the Dachshund, whom she is fortunate enough to share many adventures with on his website www.ammothedachshund.com. Ammo and Kyley enjoy life on the farm and spend most of their time with her famous trick ponies and working in her small shop in town.]
Before I took the big leap into Dachshund ownership I made sure to read up on all I could about the breed. I'll admit, I was a little scared when I read things like hard to house break, stubborn, vocal, not best with small children, and aggressive with strangers.
Growing up I had had many dogs come through my life - most of which were of the Labrador mentality. And while I had had some experience in dog training as a youth when I belonged to a local Dog 4-H Club, I knew fully well that a Dachshund was not going to be as easy to train as a Labrador.
But, despite all the negative things I read out there about Dachshunds, one look into my boy's eyes and there was no turning back. From the very beginning I took Ammo everywhere with me. He rode in the car everyday, came to work with me, helped me care for our horses out on the farm, I even took him inside hardware stores and places I thought I could get away with taking a tiny Dachshund stuffed into my jacket pocket. When he got older we took some basic obedience classes, started visiting the dog park, and took to more adventurous things like camping, boating, and sledding to name a few.
Looking from afar some people may have thought I was treating him more like a child than a dog - but the fact remained that I was doing these things with him to make him a well-rounded dog that would hopefully be able to do pretty much anything with me.
Ammo isn't perfect, he for sure has that Dachshund stubbornness in him, but as we approach his 3rd Birthday this fall, I am so proud of the dog he has become. I continue to take him everywhere possible with me, and I'm overjoyed that my efforts in socializing him and allowing him to experience many new things have disproven some of the facts that I had initially read about the breed.
He will probably never give up his excessive need to go down groundhog holes, or his alerting barks during every creak in the night, but at least I know that he'll always be able to be my traveling sidekick for all of our adventures in the years to come!
[Have a dachshund story you'd like to see here? Click over to our submissions page to send in your guest post! Need to warm up before a full post? Get started by uploading your dachshund photos to our Flickr group!]
Before I took the big leap into Dachshund ownership I made sure to read up on all I could about the breed. I'll admit, I was a little scared when I read things like hard to house break, stubborn, vocal, not best with small children, and aggressive with strangers.
Growing up I had had many dogs come through my life - most of which were of the Labrador mentality. And while I had had some experience in dog training as a youth when I belonged to a local Dog 4-H Club, I knew fully well that a Dachshund was not going to be as easy to train as a Labrador.
Looking from afar some people may have thought I was treating him more like a child than a dog - but the fact remained that I was doing these things with him to make him a well-rounded dog that would hopefully be able to do pretty much anything with me.
Ammo isn't perfect, he for sure has that Dachshund stubbornness in him, but as we approach his 3rd Birthday this fall, I am so proud of the dog he has become. I continue to take him everywhere possible with me, and I'm overjoyed that my efforts in socializing him and allowing him to experience many new things have disproven some of the facts that I had initially read about the breed.
He will probably never give up his excessive need to go down groundhog holes, or his alerting barks during every creak in the night, but at least I know that he'll always be able to be my traveling sidekick for all of our adventures in the years to come!
[Have a dachshund story you'd like to see here? Click over to our submissions page to send in your guest post! Need to warm up before a full post? Get started by uploading your dachshund photos to our Flickr group!]
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Friends
Posts
10 comments:
There really is not love like Dachsie love! :)
oops. Meant to say "No Love Like Dachsie Love!"
LOOOOOVE this post. We tried to do as much with Calvin as we possibly could when he was a puppy but as first time dog owners, we were still a little too protective I think.
With Theo, we tried to take more of your approach and you really can tell the difference. Definitely a great reminder to make sure to focus on socialization as early and often as you can!
Love this sweet post - we have Kate, our long haired baby almost 1 and do exactly the same with her - she goes everywhere with us!! Have fun with Ammo for years to come!
I also had many dogs. My doxie was found as a baby in the street but didn't know at the time what she was. She belonged to my nephew and his mom hated her because she was VERY destructive. When I found out about her being a weenie dog, I did my research on the personality. She was indeed stubborn and was very shy. At this time I kept her in my room because b/c she wouldn't come out from under the bed. She stayed with my chihuahua, who always sleeps. In a matter of weeks, she did what no one could ever do. She stole my heart. ^o^ As I was snuggling with my chihuahua in the bed, I felt her hop in the bed and poke her nose on mine. I opened her eyes and she wagged her tail. =3 <3
Someone once told me that once Dachshunds stole your heart, no other breed would do. I love most dogs, but Dachsies are my passion! But there are many different personalities. I had twin littermates that were as different as night and day. But their common denominator was that Dachsie love and devotion, and, of course, love of burrowing in the softest throw around. I plan to always have at least 1 Dachshund in my life. They are wonderful.
LOVE the photo of Ammo in the pool. HE sounds like a pretty cool and well-behaved dog. And you know, it is perfectly ok to be stubborn now and then. :)
I go just about everywhere with my mom too. We have so much fun together. Sometimes my dad though wants a little time with just my mom so then they go on date night without me.
Woodchuck holes. Ok.
Skunk holes. Not so ok. Oy.
Skunks and woodchucks both very stupid. Otherwise why would they dig holes in a yard with three Dachsies and a Lab???
I LOVE, LOVE your post! I too, have had all different breeds, and once I looked into my sweet Jack Dawgson's face, there was no turning back. I love dogs....all dogs....but I will only have, only want dachshunds. Three, are never enough! :0)
I love Amo and follow him on FaceBook.
I got my girl Sienna, a 7 year old doxie as a rescue. I had dogs when I was little and didn't know much about doxies but my boyfriend at the time had one. I knew they were amazing and cute but I had no idea just how wonderful they are. She is the love of my life and I love the stubborness and the playfulness and even the inappropriate barking.
She recently had a terrible time with a back issue so forgive me for preaching but you really need to be careful with their backs. I didn't think it would happen to Sienna but it did. Don't let them climb too many stairs or jump off the bed/couch. They may seem okay and then one day......
But the good news is they can recover with conservative care (meds, crating and acupuncture)
Post a Comment