Thursday, April 16, 2009

Dominator

I have been reading up on dachshunds since we brought Putputti (pictured above) home in January 2008. Being the most lively and unpredictable member of my family (Believe me, in my family that's quite an achievement), she's the reason for my detailed research into wiener dogs or simply 'hot dogs' as dachshunds are called sometimes. And I just can't stop laughing.

Dogs are known to have adapted their pack loyalties and behaviour to human companions and tend to treat the human family as their 'pack'. They tend to decide upon one member of the family as the 'alpha dog' of the pack (Doesn't seem too glorious a title to be appended to my Dad's name but there it is) and follow all his/her orders. Dachshunds I read are really proud dogs and totally unaware of the world's amusement at their comical dimensions. Consequently they may not be the most tolerant of kids who tug tails and pinch their droopy ears.

And apparently if they are not controlled or disciplined, dachshunds are always trying to take over the role of the alpha dog of the 'pack'. Indeed my little dog is a bit of a pest when hungry and troubles my mom a lot. My mom who was liberal in her corporal punishment for us, the 3 human siblings, now thinks that she (the dog) is such a cute 'n' adorable thing that it is impossible for hit her. Sure! Nice time to discover the inner Gandhi. Too late for us anyway. But to think of the dog taking control over the family, she with her barrel like body and stumpy little legs. Positively hilarious!