My First Week With My New People...

My first week was challenging - I had to learn a lot.

Learning about stairs - okay, so my previous life did not include these things called stairs. My people would go up and down them but I couldn't follow... and I need to follow my Mom people because she is my favorite. Although I didn't mind being carried up and down - but sometimes I got left at the top or bottom and that just did not work or me... I learned to be very brave when my people sat on the stairs and heldout a treat - I threw caution to the wind because I really wanted that treat! They kept doing this until I had gone from the top of the stairs to the bottom and then I realized it wasn't so scary after all! Now one of my favorite places is on the landing - I can view my domain - the family room, the front door and out the windows.. and when I bark from there - it sounds very big!

Learning about walks and the outdoors - I lived in a basement in my previous life as a single, swinging bachelor. I don't regret giving all that up at all. Life is good here - meals, treats, lap time and windows to look out of - lot's of good barky days. The leash thing is a little strange but it helps me feel a little less scared. I discovered grass is good and then there are the rabbits - I want one! Now that I know about them I can smell them when I go on walks and I see them all the time. My people won't let me chase them but I know I could catch one. One of these days...My most important discovery - if I take care of my ehm... needs outside, I get a treat.  Using that behaviour modification tactic on my people has been very rewarding for me - I must find more ways to modify their behaviour.

On trouble and people expectations - I simply don't understand why I can't chew on the stair railing post and the corner of the door! Boy, do I get yelled at for that. One other thing I don't understand - why my people get upset when I rearrange their clothes throughout the house. I don't chew on their clothes, I just like to do a little decorating of my own to add my personal stamp on the place.

I am tall!  Most people don't think Dashunds are tall because we have short legs. They forget we are long and when we stand up on our back legs we are tall! I can reach a lot of things which gets me into a lot of trouble - working on understanding the rules...