Blog
01, Sep, 2022
Dog coats vs. dog clothing
Do dogs really need clothing? Surely they’re born with their clothes on? Not all dogs are created equal when it comes to staying warm and dry. Dogs with longer and thicker fur have an insulation advantage. Some large, athletic dogs and dogs with thick dense coats or long legs seem to power through wet and cold weather, entirely oblivious. Dachshunds’ hairless tummies are only inches from the ground. They are famously reluctant to go out in the wet, despite their reputation for boldness. It's clear that a well-fitting dog coat can be extremely beneficial for certain dogs, including dachshunds, to protect them from the elements or perform some other function. Read on to find out more.
01, Sep, 2022
Our new snugglesack: designed by dachshunds for dachshunds
Our new dachshund snuggle sack is the perfect example of a customer-designed product. And it's a bit different to most other snuggle sacks. We know our dachshunds love using it, because they customised and perfected it! Read on to find out why every dachshund should have one of our new sacks for burrowing in comfort.
15, Aug, 2022
Do our dogs really need dog biscuits?
We reckon that anyone who lives with a dachshund (or two) relies on dog treats of some kind or another to achieve any sort of control and training. Our famously untrainable dachshunds can be trained with food incentives, and we think there’s a place for treats in dachshund diets, within reason. But what about dog biscuits, especially the kind of human-grade, beautifully-wrapped dog biscuits now available in delicatessens and at every farmers market in town? Dogs will eat almost anything, so what’s the point of artisanal baked products for dogs? Read on to find out more.
01, Aug, 2022
Help! My dachshund is on heat
If you've never had a female dog before (technically a bitch, but I’m not going there) then you may be in for a bit of a surprise when she goes on heat for the first time. Being on heat (or being in oestrus) is the stage in a female dog's reproductive cycle during which she becomes receptive to mating with male dogs. Read on to hear about our recent experience with Pixel, our young dapple mini dachshund.
15, Jul, 2022
Is an obedient dachshund really a dachshund?
Like most dachshund owners, you probably stop to chat when you meet other dachshunds and their humans. It’s one of the many pleasures of living with a dachshund. A woman stopped to ask us last week whether our standard dachshund Sunny was trainable. To her relief we told her no, not entirely. “It’s not just me then!” she replied.
Let’s be honest, those of us with a dachshund in the family don’t typically associate dachshunds with obedience. We deflect concerns about their lack of obedience with our loyal appreciation of their independence and strong character.
Read on to find out more about disobedient dachshunds and how this relates to their level of working and obedience intelligence.
01, Jul, 2022
Would you go running with your dachshund?
I love long distance running, and try to go out three times each week all year round whatever the weather. Running in adverse weather - heavy rain, extreme cold, during the first flakes of snowfall - adds an extra layer of challenge and wonder at nature to the buzz I get from the outdoor activity.
Evidence suggests that some form of regular exertion is good for humans and also good for dogs. “A tired dog is a happy dog”, as the saying goes. Exercise is good for keeping weight down and so protecting the long dachshund back.
So how practical is it for dachshunds and their humans to go out running together?
15, Jun, 2022
Hi-tech noses: dachshunds and the joy of sniffing
Last week, our standard dachshund Sunny and I took a long leisurely walk after lunch. The weather was awful, the ground underfoot was wet and muddy, but as we started out Sunny was having a great time with some intensive sniffing. I decided to make this walk all about sniffing, and let Sunny go entirely at his own pace. I wondered whether our goal of giving him a good long walk every afternoon - 45 to 60 minutes - acted to suppress his engagement with the odours around him, and the use of his professional scent hound nose.
01, Jun, 2022
Long dog, long journey: road trips with your dachshund
For most people, their dachshunds are considered part of the family, and it can make sense to take them with you if you take a long road trip so long as they can be accommodated with you at your destination. But travelling by road can be a stressful experience for dogs and there are a number of hazards to consider, so before you undertake any long journey you’ll need to ensure your dog will be comfortable and safe during the trip.
We’re planning a long car trip, so we’ve been doing some research on the responsible way to take our standard dachshund with us. Read on to find out what we discovered about safe road trips with your dog.
15, May, 2022
Undercover dog: our wrap-under dachshund coat designs
If you live with dachshunds you know how wet and dirty underneath they can get, all year round. It’s pretty much unavoidable given their low slung body shape, with a tummy just inches off the ground.
One of the things that inspired us to start Barkmatic was to solve the ‘underneath’ problem. Off the shelf dog raincoats and winter coats just don’t fit dachshunds without major customisation, which gets a little tiresome after a while. Our driving passion is to design dachshund coats that cover the chest and underside, and offer good protection underneath our dachshunds as well as over their back. Our custom-fit service delivers the right fit, right first time.
Here’s an outline of our two of the most popular coats on our online shop for year-round tummy protection for your dachshund.
01, May, 2022
Top 5 outdoor adventures to enjoy with your dachshund
One of the exciting things about welcoming a new dog into your household is trying out the adventures and new experiences you can have together which are fun not just for you but also for your dog. This is equally true whether you are welcoming a puppy or younger dachshund, or adopting a rescued dachshund whose history and experiences are unknown.
If you love being outdoors and active there’s an endless list of activities you and your dachshund can share, some of which play to their breed-specific skills and others which are just plain fun.