“Nervous peeing…” and other things small dog owners will understand

When I first looked into her beautiful blue eyes I knew my life would be changed forever, I was hooked. I could no longer put my own needs first. I was a mother now, a dog mother.

A year and a half later my fur family has grown. I am a full-fledged crazy dog lady, my life revolving around my two Miniature Dachshunds, Penny and Nickel. I didn’t grow up with small dogs, but an old roommate of mine introduced me to the breed, so I knew a little weirdo Dachshund would be right for me and my lifestyle. I love my weenies to death but I can tell you, owning a little dog is a lot different than owning a large one. Here are a few things that I’ve learned since bringing home my high maintenance pooches.

Baby Penny and Baby Nickel

They can break the bank $$$

Owning a small dog must be more cost efficient right? I mean they eat way less than a large dog, they need smaller beds and kennels, you can buy them collars and toys from the cat section, right? WRONG!

While you do spend less money on food, they’re going to cost you a lot more in other areas. Small dog, small bladder… Most small dogs can’t hold “it” for more than a few hours. How is a person supposed to go to work for eight hours or more? Pee pads anyone? Those things are surprisingly expensive but almost everyone I know who has a small dog uses them. Not to mention you’re probably going to have some issues with your flooring with all the little “accidents” that seem to happen with small dogs. Your vet bills are probably going to be insane. Dental issues, skin conditions from being so close to the ground, back and hip problems from going up stairs and jumping off anything taller than them (which is…everything), etc.

Hanging out on daddy…

They know no boundaries

We let little dogs get away with disrespecting personal boundaries. My friends and family seem to accept that Penny is going to jump up at them and stick her tongue in their mouth. Many little dogs sit on the side of the bathtub while their owners take a bath; it’s better than them trying to get in the tub with you. I often have paw prints on my dining room table because Nickel likes to get up there and eat out of the butter dish. She recently helped herself to 6 pieces of pizza. She gets in trouble but it’s quite comical and it’s hard to get really mad at her. She’s gained quite a bit of weight lately…

Nervous peeing…

I didn’t really realize this was a thing until I brought Penny home. Any time anyone came over I had to tell them not to touch Penny until she calmed down a bit; she was just so excited that someone came to visit she’d pee all over the place. I asked our vet and she explained that this is totally normal for a small dog…back to the small bladder thing. They usually grow out of it. Usually. Nickel has a problem with peeing when she’s nervous, or scared, or happy, or confused or really just hanging out. Every once in a while she’ll hop up on someone’s lap and get so overwhelmed that she’ll pee all over them (or me). My boyfriend is shocked by how much paper towel we go though. Nervous peeing…watch out.

About to hit the runway

All about the dog clothes

Need I say more? We own a dog snuggie and life jacket in a nautical pattern…

Protecting them from big dogs

I’m sorry, but some large breed dogs can be terrifying! My parents owned a Rottweiler, so yes I know it’s all in how you train them and blah blah blah. But when a giant Pitbull/Boxer/Rotti/whatever comes charging at your two ten pound Mini Dachshunds at the off leash park you can’t help but yell “NOOOOOOO!”. Or maybe that’s just me…

Her favorite place to chill, the couch

Your couch will turn into something nightmares are made of

Most little dogs hang out on furniture (how can you keep them off?!), so of course they’re stuffing things down couch cushions and then digging them out, peeing AND POOPING on it, but the real nightmare is under it.

I have to prepare myself when I want to vacuum under my couch because I know I’m going to find lots of little presents. That’s where they take things that they know they shouldn’t have… like Kleenex, underwear, leaves, etc. My youngest fur child Nickel likes to hide under the couch when she’s in trouble so there’s usually a bit of pee. Luckily I’ve only found a few little poo piles. That’s also where they go to vomit because they know I dislike when they do that anywhere.

#WinterProblems

Winter living issues

Living in Alberta with short-legged dogs is a challenge in the wintertime; the snow is usually taller than their bodies which makes going to the bathroom outside a challenge, and forget about taking them for walks for about six months of the year. That’s okay though because you can just throw a ball around your living room to let them burn off some steam! I don’t think that would cut it for a high-energy large breed dog…

There are so many things that I’ve discovered about owning a small dog in the last year and a half, and I’m sure there are more things to come. Sometimes I wish I had a dog that I could take hiking or who only pooped once a day instead of five times a day… but I sure love having my little ones curled up by my feet under my blankets in bed, or being able to fit them in my bike basket. They may be small but their personalities are definitely larger than life! I mean, even Jes enjoys hanging out with them sometimes… so they must be great.