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A black and tan Dachshund puppy sits on a wooden coffee table beside a white mug of cocoa topped with marshmallows. 7 / 23

The Dachshund Puppy Climbed the Coffee Table Near the Hot Cocoa

AI imagedachshundchristmashot cocoa

Steam curls up from a white mug heaped with marshmallows, and a black and tan Dachshund puppy has parked himself on the coffee table to keep an eye on it. His long, silky ears hang like velvet curtains, his chin is lifted, and his gaze is aimed at something beyond the frame. The tree twinkles behind him, a gray throw is draped across the couch, and a cream blanket spills over the table edge.

We'll call him Noodle. He is sitting very properly, paws together, as though he just happened to wander up and has no opinion about cocoa at all. The pine boughs along the table's edge add a little cabin feel to the scene.

Hot drinks are one of those holiday comforts that really are best kept to people. Chocolate contains compounds that dogs cannot process well, and cocoa mixes can also include sweeteners that are harmful to them, so a spilled mug is worth taking seriously. Set cups toward the center of the table and keep an eye out for little noses. Dachshunds are curious, determined, and clever, bred to follow scents, so a puppy at table height is simply doing what comes naturally. Their long backs are delicate, which is why vets recommend ramps or steps instead of letting them leap on and off furniture. Talk to your vet about safe ways to keep your puppy's spine healthy as he grows.

Noodle waits, content in the glow of the tree. Sometimes the best part of cocoa is just the cozy look of it.

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