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An older man in a cap and fishing vest scatters feed to mallards at a park pond while a dapple Dachshund stands beside him. 2 / 36

Grandpa Brought Feed for the Ducks. The Dachshund Thought It Was for Her.

AI imagedachshundduckspark

Along the grassy bank of the park pond, Grandpa Ray crouches low in his cap and fishing vest, letting a little stream of feed fall from his fingers. A half-dozen mallards glide toward him, green heads shining against the gray water. Pickles, the dapple Dachshund, stands right at his side on her short legs, her spotted coat mottled in silver, black, and tan. She is not watching the ducks so much as watching the feed, head tilted toward the ground with one floppy ear hanging forward. In the distance, a park bench, tidy hedges, and tall trees fade into a soft, cloudy afternoon.

Dachshunds were originally bred in Germany to hunt badgers and other burrowing animals, which is why they can be bold and quick to chase small creatures. A walk past ducks is a good chance to practice calm leash manners. Short sessions with plenty of rewards for staying settled tend to work well with this clever but sometimes stubborn breed. If you feed ducks, skip the bread, which offers little nutrition for waterfowl. Options like oats, cracked corn, or thawed peas are often suggested instead, though some parks prefer that wildlife not be fed at all, so check the signs. Keep your dog leashed near water and away from murky pond edges.

Pickles may be the smallest one at the pond, but she is clearly in charge of quality control. The ducks seem happy to let her supervise.

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