It's a pretty good day. :)
I tell you. I'm really impressed with OC. This little dog is whip smart and VERY much wants to please...with dachshunds, I'm used to the whip smart part. The wants to please part? Not so much.
The one thing I'm seeing that I don't like is the beginning of some possessiveness. It's only with me, but it's aimed at Elvis (which is definitely not good) and Ollie (which is a problem because he had issues at the shelter with cats). He's given a couple of growls when he's seen me with them, and got dressed down pretty good. He took the corrections well, though, so at this point, I'm not anticipating real problems.
This will definitely be our focus over the next few days. Both with other dogs and with Ollie.
OC has figured out the door business. I thought he would. He zips in now just like he's been doing it all his life. He does sometimes want to linger outside, but he generally will be up on the steps a few minutes after the others come in, so I'm not worried about that.
He has also figured out that partnering with people is a good thing. He comes running up to me and wagging his tail so hard it just about knocks him over. He's a very happy boy. He's relishing being loved and petted and praised. I suspect he's not had much of that in the past. He's more reserved with Randall, but Randall is working with him on it, and I can see progress there.
We went outside this afternoon to get more photos, and I really only got one that was worthwhile. It's the headstudy of him at the top of the blog. I added it to Petfinder and Petango because it really does show off his face. I love it, too, that you don't see any cloudiness in his eyes. It's a good picture of him.
The more that I've looked at him and watched him more, the more I think there is some Spitz-type dogs in his background. The curled tail and the double coat make me think Spitz. So does the earset from the back. Oddly enough, it's the back of his head and neck that have me thinking that Spitz and Chihuahua are the most dominant breeds in the OC soup.
We're working on the crate training end of things. I hope to get him to crate on command, but that's a ways away if it ever happens. Right now, I'm settling for him not putting the brakes on when I encourage him to go inside.
He's also not offering to mark much in the house at all. Matter of fact, I don't think I've caught him once today giving it any serious consideration. This is a big plus on the behavior front because the first day he was here, that was his main thing. He seems to be content now to mark outside, and that's fine with me. This is another behavior that should change remarkably once he's neutered.
So this week, we'll concentrate on approaching men (Randall and maybe my dad if I can get him over here) and understanding they pet just as well as the ladies do. The possessive behavior will be addressed. Crate training will continue. And we'll continue to make a big fuss over him when he comes in from outside and when he wants some people time.
All in all, I'm really seeing a lot in this little guy that I like and that impresses me. Once he gets some basic manners and understanding of indoor environments, he's going to make someone a really fine pet. He's got a whole lot of love to give.
