Arf

I always thought that if I got a dog, I would get a big dog. Black Labs were at the top of my list. But after seeing what a wonderful companion Angus was to my son, I decided that a Dachshund would be a good choice for me too. And Mazie is a joy -- almost entirely. She's always thought the whole neighborhood was her domain, barking at other dogs she thought were getting too close. In her defense, the dogs on two sides of us are big and slam into the fence. Since we've returned from a month away, though, she's developed a new bad habit -- barking in the foyer when she hears something out front. She never did that before our most recent trip.

Now, if you've never had a small dog, or never been around one, you might not know that they have shrill barks. And that high pitch is even worse when it's echoing off the walls of a narrow hallway. I'm not sure how to break her of this habit. Outside barking is easier to deal with; I can just bring her in the house. But if she's already in the house, there isn't much I can do. I need to research this.

Well, she's back at it again, and I can't think. I heard a car door slam, but I'm sure it's just the neighbors. And I can't make them stop slamming their doors.