25 Dachshund Facts Every Owner Must Know
Whether you are a first-time Dachshund owner, haven’t owned one in a long time, or are thinking of getting one, you’ll definitely want to know these 25 important facts about Dachshunds.
I wish I knew some of the things I know now from the beginning so I am going to share them with you below.
Knowledge is power and it makes for a happy healthy life for both you and your Dachshund.
How I Became a Dachshund Owner and Breed Expert
I became a Dachshund owner kind of by accident.
I did my research and chose a different breed of dog to be my first as an adult. But then my roomate brought a Dacshshund puppy home.
I ended up helping her take care of him and when we eventually moved apart he went with me.
I was clueless as to what I was getting myself into.
It was supposed to be a temporary situation but, once I realized that I was in it for the long haul, I figured I better learn about the origin, characteristics, temperament, and health concerns of a Dachshund.
I’ve become pretty knowledgeable about the Dachshund breed, both standard and miniature Dachshunds, since that fateful day in 2003.
I can say that there isn’t much I don’t know about Dachshunds now. Some might say I’m a breed expert with all of my experience.
I think my first Dachshund would have even had a better life had I been more knowledgeable from the beginning.
Note: some of the links below are affiliate links, which means that we collect a small commission on qualifying purchases. Also, I may have, or have had, a working relationship with some of the brands/products I recommend. I only work with companies and product I truly love though.
25 Things About Dachshunds Every Owner Should Know
1) Dachshunds are hunting dogs with a high prey drive
Dachshunds are scent hounds to be exact.
They were bred to hunt, covering a lot of ground, sniffing out badgers, rabbits, and other small game.
This means that they are they are controlled by 2 things: their nose and their belly!
Killing anything that squeaks is part of their nature.
Anything that is furry and runs fast, or resembles something like that, is seen as prey.
While I have seen many Dachshunds learn to live peacefully with a kitty or other pet, they will almost always see critters outside of the house as something to be chased, hunted, and eaten.
Hold onto that leash when near small animals and know that random wildlife in your back yard may meet an early demise.
You can help fulfill their natural prey drive by making them feel like they are “hunting” for food and treats.
Great ways to do this are to join a nosework class, buy a snuffle mat like this one or this one for home, or let your Dachshund chase using a flirt pole.
You can also give them plush squeakie toys to “gut”.
Some of the favorited at our house are:
- ZippyPaws Hide and Seek Burrow Toy – fried chicken
- ZippyPaws Hide and Seek Burrow Toy – Milk and Cookies
- This plush, sqeakie pea you can hide treats in
So you don’t spend all of your money on squeakie toys that your Dachshund destroys in minutes, try these tricks to make your dog’s toys last longer.
Also remember to work on recall training with your Dachshund so they will come back to you when called.
2) The difference between a standard and miniature Dachshund
Both standard and miniature Dachshunds are the same breed of dog.
In the United States, there are two different sizes recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) – miniature Dachshunds and standard Dachshunds.
Note: Tweenie is a casual “classification” not recognized by the AKC and there is no such thing as a “toy” or “teacup” Dachshund.
They are two different size/weight classifications only.
Genetically, they are the same (besides whatever gene determines whether they stay small or grow larger, color, pattern, etc).
Miniature Dachshunds, and standard Dachshunds that are 22 lbs and under, are considered to be small sized dogs.
Standard Dachshunds over 22 lbs are generally considered to be medium size dogs.
3) How to pronouce “Dachshund” and their associated nicknames
The word Dachshund is made up of two different German words – dachs (badger) + hund (dog).
In German, “chs” is pronounced like “ks”, or “x”, so the word “Dachs” is pronounced DAKS or DAX.
In German, the word “hund” is pronounced HUUNT.
Therefore, Dachshund is pronounced Daks-huunt.
There are also over 15 Dachshund nicknames, and spelling variations, for this funny looking long and low dog.
Be sure to know them so you understand that someone is talking about Dachshunds when they use them, not a different type or breed of dog.
4) Dachshunds are smart and curious
Dachshund were bred to hunt animals that will fight back.
Because of this, they often don’t back down or give up in the face of a threat.
They were also developed to think for themselves because they were frequently down in the burrows without a human telling them what to do.
A Dachshund will keep at any problem in front of them until they solve it.
Unfortunately, that means they may use their superpowers to figure out, or get into, things you don’t want them to.
When I travel with my current Dachshunds, Gretel and Summit, in the car, I use a seat belt tether, or a dog car seat with a strap to hold them in, to keep them from wandering and distracting me.
I also place my groceries, dog food, etc. in a tightly-latched cargo box so they can’t eat it while I’m not in the vehicle (they probably COULD still get into it if given enough time, which is why I also use a seat belt tether).
5) People often Say, “Dachshunds train you”… and it’s for good reason
Dachshunds are strong-willed and want their way how and when they want it.
It’s definitely possible to train a Dachshund though – they are whip smart – but it takes a lot of patience and consistency.
The key to training a Dachshund is to find what motivates them – a favorite toy or food usually – and use that as a reward during training sessions.
In the end, you will likely have to adjust your routine a little to set them up for success and make sure they, and you, are happy.
My Dachshunds have all been very treat motivated.
My favorite training treats are small and low-calorie like Pupford freeze-dried meat training treats and Crump’s Naturals Freeze Dried Beef Liver Training Treats.
I use the larger venison jerky strips when I need something they can see and smell from a distance during photo shoots.
I can easily break off a tiny pieces for a reward instead of giving them the whole thing at once – have to watch those waistlines you know!
While your Dachshund will melt your heart and you will want to give them whatever they want, remember that they are dogs that still need structure and manners.
6) Dachshunds live for a long time
The average Dachshund lifespan is 14-16 years old.
Most live at least until they are 11 or 12 and I have seen many, many Dachshunds live to be between the ages of 17 – 20.
If you own a Dachshund, be prepared to be in it for the long haul.
I help keep my Dachshunds Summit and Gretel healthy by giving them these supplements and feeding them these foods.
7) Dachshunds bark often and loudly
Some Dachshund bark more than others but they are generally dogs that bark at the mailman and blowing leaves with equal vigor.
Also, the pizza delivery guy may think you have a Rottweiler behind that door because this deep-chested breed has a bigger bark than people expect.
You’ll have to work to train a Dachshund to stop barking and keep it under control in most cases.
This is what some of our readers have to say about the barking, to give you an idea:
“You will never need another doorbell. Earmuffs, perhaps, but no doorbell.” – Deci, Dachshund owner
“They’re big barkers. They bark and bark and bark and then bark some more.
This is largely hardwired since they were bred to trap prey underground and then bark until the hunters could find them and dig them out.” – Kay, Dachshund owner
8) Dachshunds generally don’t like getting wet
Many Dachshunds have what I like to call Wet Belly Syndrome so it can take some coaxing to get them to walk in the rain.
They are short and close to the ground so rain doesn’t just fall on them from the top but it splashes them from the bottom.
Be prepared to meet some resistance if you try walking them in the rain and be prepared to shovel a path if there is snow in your back yard.
Your Dachshund may refuse to go outside in the cold and rain to potty and do it in the house when you’re not looking instead.
That being said, I am a huge proponent of not letting them refuse to go out in inclement weather.
If you start young and teach them that you don’t allow stubborn shenanigans on rainy walks, they will learn that it’s something that can be tolerated.
Potty training is not always a one time deal. Your Dachshund may need refreshers throughout their entire life!
A warm and waterproof jacket made to fit a Dachshund can help them to be comfortable going out when it’s wet or cold.
Also, it’s not just rain.
Although Dachshunds can swim, many don’t like to plunge in the lake or pool.
This distaste also includes getting wet when you give your Dachshund a bath.
They may learn to tolerate them but most don’t enjoy the experience.
9) Dachshunds are notoriously hard to potty train
I didn’t consider my Dachshund Chester 90% potty trained until he was 7!
Honestly though, a huge part of why it took so long is because I had to figure out that it was his separation anxiety that caused him to pee on the carpet when I left.
Having accidents in the house might be the #1 reason Dachshunds get surrendered to shelters.
There is hope though.
I believe, and have heard the same from several Dachshund owners, that it’s not very hard to potty train a Dachshund if you are dedicated and consistent.
I was able to potty train my Dachshund puppy Summit in about 6 weeks.
Now she rarely has accidents in the house. If she does, it’s usually because I missed her signals that she needed to go out.
Do keep in mind that their potty training might slip when they become a senior dog.
Find out what to do when your old dog starts peeing in the house here.
You also might want to keep this natural, pet-safe urine and odor remover on hand.
10) Most harnesses and jackets you find in the pet store will not fit your Dachshund properly
Dachshunds are funny shaped so you will have a hard time finding harnesses and jackets that fit them properly.
Harnesses
Harnesses are safer for Dachshunds than collars when walking because they help to project their fragile necks and backs.
Many harnesses may not fit right because of the Dachshund’s prominent breast bone.
The chest strap on my Dachshunds always slides off to the left or right.
Because the fit is a little off, the harness may put too much pressure on their delicate windpipe.
One of our favorite casual harnesses is the VelPro Choke-Free Mesh Harness.
It’s the one Summit and Gretel wear for travel and short, easy walks to potty.
Read our Velpro Choke-Free Harness Review for more info.
For long walks or hikes, especially wet and dirty ones, we use the Hurtta Padded Y harness or the Ruffwear Flagline harness.
These are the only ones I’ve found that fit well and don’t chafe them.
Read our review of these great harness for active Dachshunds for more details.
Finding a jacket or harness to fit your Dachshund may take some trial and error.
Jackets and sweaters
Jackets that fit a Dachshund’s deep chest may be too short to cover their back.
Jackets long enough for them may drown them in fabric around the neck and chest.
If you’re having trouble finding a jacket to fit your pup, check out our list of jacket suggestions for Dachshunds and favorite Fleece Jackets.
11) Dachshunds are prone to back injury
Dachshunds are genetically prone to a condition called Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD).
IVDD is a hereditary disease and your dog will either have or not.
If they have it, no matter how careful you are, they could develop a spinal injury in their neck or back (but not always as there are other factors at play too).
Owning a Dachshund is kind of like roulette in that regard because 1 in 4 Dachshunds are affected by some kind of back issue at some point in their lives.
You won’t know if your Dachshund has IVDD unless they rupture a disk because at this point there are no test for IVDD that are 100% accurate.
For more information on IVDD, read my article The Truth About Dachshunds and Back Problems.
Commit these back injury warning signs to memory (and print out the checklist) so you know what to keep an eye out for.
–> See the Full List of My IVDD Articles, Information, and Resources HERE <–
None the less, it’s always best to minimize jumping, and other things that put pressure on their long backs, because that can exacerbate the issue.
I have a Snoozer Scalloped Dog Ramp for our couch and my mattress/box-spring is laying on the floor to make our bed shorter.
You can read more about how I keep my Dachshund from jumping off our furniture HERE.
On the other hand, they are not fragile beings that should be kept inactive.
Sports like hiking (yes, it can be safe to hike with a Dachshund), agility, and Earth Dog can strengthen their backs and keep them supple.
Just know your dog’s limit and try to prevent UNNECESSARY jumping from high objects.
Note: You must do these this right away if your Dachshund suddenly becomes paralyzed or has trouble walking.
12) Properly support a Dachshund’s back when you pick them up
When lifting and carrying your Dachshund, support their chest and bum so their spine is not bent, stretched, or stressed.
Make sure your friends and relatives know how to properly pick up and carry your Dachshund too.
You may also have to remind any pet care professionals you hire like groomers, dog walkers, and dog sitters that Dachshunds have special needs when handling.
The first groomer I took my Dachshund to picked him up by his chest and left this back legs dangling.
Then she proceeded to run around and show everyone how cute he was with his back end “flailing in the wind”.
I about had a heart attack.
13) Dachshund are prone to a few other health issues too
Besides IVDD and back or neck issues, Dachshunds are prone to some other health issues too.
Some of the most common Dachshund health issues are:
- Dental Disease
- Cushing’s disease
- Seizures
- Patellar luxation (dislocated knee cap)
- Alopecia (baldness) due to color dilution or skin allergies
Check out this article for more: 21 Most Common Dachshund Health Issues
14) Have a Backup Plan for Medical Expenses
The three most frequent medical issues I’ve seen with Dachshunds are:
- The need for back surgery, or expensive physical rehab, due to the IVDD mentioned above
- Teeth cleaning and extractions
- Bowel obstruction from eating things they shouldn’t
Back surgery can easily cost $7,000 – $10,000 and I’ve known Dachshunds to need surgery more than once.
There may be other options besides putting your Dachshund down if you can’t afford the cost of back surgery like conservative treatment.
Depending on where you live in the country, and the extent of any dental disease, teeth cleaning and extraction costs can range from around $500 to $1,200 or more.
While most pet insurance companies do not cover routine dental cleaning, they do cover medically necessary procedures like extractions.
For this reason, they may cover the dental surgery and required anesthesia portion of the bill.
My Dachshund Chester needed surgery to remove a intestinal blockage twice.
The first time, the cost was around $2,000 but it was over $4,000 the second time due to complications.
The two best backup plans for emergency medical needs, in my opinion, are either to have an emergency fund of $5,000 to $10,000 set aside or to invest in good pet insurance.
That being said, don’t immediately give up if your Dachshund needs back surgery and you can’t afford it.
I know of several Dachshunds that have recovered with conservative treatment – medication and strict crate rest – alone.
You may also be able to get assistance with back surgery costs through a charity, Care Credit (card), a rescue, or by setting up a GoFundMe.
15) Dachshunds can easily become obese
The nickname “sausage dog” may be cute but your Dachshund should not actually look like one!
A Dachshund is likely to always tell you they are starving.
It’s up to you to have the willpower to say no when they’ve had enough treats and provide the proper quantity of food.
Obesity is rampant in Dachshunds and can exacerbate IVDD.
It can also bring on other serious medical conditions like diabetes.
Dachshunds at a proper weight should have a tuck behind their rib-cage (think greyhound) and you should be able to see their waist when looking from the top.
If in doubt, check out this body conditioning chart.
Two of the most important factors in keeping your Dachshund at a healthy weight are to make sure they are getting enough regular exercise and control their food portions (take into account the number and size of treats they get too).
16) Dachshunds are energetic and need plenty of exercise
Because of their small size and short legs, many people think that Dachshunds don’t need much exercise or are not capable of it.
But they are bred to be hunters, remember? They are bred to be active dogs.
Sure, a Dachshund is happy to laze around the house if you let them but they are capable of more than you think when it comes to exercise.
There are many genetic traits that make a Dachshund well suited to hiking.
Most Dachshunds I know took to hiking 3 – 5 miles their first time out.
I’ve hiked up to 10 miles in one day, three days in a row, with my Dachshunds.
I know many Dachshunds who compete and excel in athletic events such as agility.
Although not typical, TruMan the Doxie ran a whole marathon (over 26 miles!).
Besides needing exercise to stay physically healthy, it will keep them mentally happy.
A well exercised Doxie is less likely to bark incessantly and chew things in the house that they shouldn’t.
If they have to be cooped up in the house for the day, spend some time playing fetch with them or tug with a toy.
Summit loves this squeakie ball and would probably chase it endlessly if I let her.
If you’re not sure your dog is getting enough, check out these ways your Dachshund may be telling you they need more exercise.
17) Dachshunds can be fierce when walking on leash
Dachshunds are a small breed dog that can be prone to fear anxiety.
If a Dachshund is fearful, they may act out by barking and lunging at strange dogs and people when out on walks.
While this behavior may be interepreted as aggressive by some, the motivation is different, which matters when trying to find solutions to the behavior.
Most Dachshunds are not truly aggressive.
18) Dachshunds love to dig
Flower beds beware!
Badgers and rabbits live in the ground so hunting dogs like Dachshunds were bred to dig.
Their paddle-like feet, strong nails, and determination make them naturals.
I know plenty of Dachshunds that are not diggers. Just be aware that yours might be.
That means they could destroy your lawn, dig up your flowers, or dig under the fence to escape.
This SmellyMatty Brain Teaser can help to satisfy their digging instinct indoors.
One of our readers had this to say about a Dachshund’s tendency to dig:
“They dig because it’s what they are designed to do. If they can take down a badger, you can bet you’re going to need to help them manage impulse control and give them a whole lot of exercise.
Big dog, small long body. Big voice, big personality. This ain’t your Momma’s Maltese. It’s a DOG!” – Loren, Dachshund owner
19) Look before you sit
Dachshunds love to sleep under blankets (read this article to learn why Dachshunds love to burrow).
If there is a blanket on the couch, they are likely snuggled under there so be sure to feel the blanket or look under it before you sit down.
Consider giving them their own place to burrow and nest when they are not on the couch with you – the Snoozer Cozy Cave Pet Bed or the Ethical Pets Sleep Zone Cuddle Cave Pet Bed
20) Dachshunds Are Fiercely Loyal
Dachshunds are loyal to their people.
They love to snuggle with you on the couch, sleep with you in bed, and follow you around the house (including into the bathroom).
They will be protective of their family members and sometimes one particular member of the family.
Socialization is very important so they don’t become super protective and lash out at strange dogs or people (resource guarding a person).
This is what some of our readers had to say about a Dachshund’s Velcro nature:
“They are fiercely loyal to their “pack”. YOU are their pack. They live to love and be loved.” – Sue, Dachshund owner
“Oh yes they WILL be in your bed. I’ve had dogs my whole life, never slept with any of them. Then I got a dachshund.” – Susan, Dachshund owner
21) Dachshunds are very social
I tell people that this is not a breed that will be happy hanging alone all day while you are at work (although every dog is different).
They are very social and can be unhappy when bored and alone.
Many are totally fine if a dog walker stops by during the day to give them a little people time or they have a friend to keep them company.
I will say though, my Dachshund Gretel was an only dog in between when Chester passed away and we got our puppy Summit. She missed the company a little but was generally fine.
One way to help fulfill their desire to be social is to find a dog meetup group near you.
22) Beware: you may be compelled to get another Dachshund
Dachshund owners will tell you they’re like potato chips – it’s hard to have just one.
Many people have at least two and the “once a dachshund owner, always a dachshund owner” mentality leads people to get several over their lifetime.
One big reason people often get a second one is because so their first Dachshund can have a friend to play with.
Also, getting a second is how a lot of people choose to address their Dachshund’s separation anxiety and their behavioral issues.
Note: I don’t necessarily agree with doing this because then you could end up with two misbehaved Dachshunds. It’s better to train the first one before getting a second. But if you really want a second anyway, go for it.
Some people choose to get two Dachshunds so theirs isn’t lonely when left home alone. This should be considered carefully though as a second one is an additional responsibility and cost.
Some people can’t stop acquiring Dachshunds and have three or more.
I’ve been debating getting a third Dachshund for years.
Having three is definitely not as easy as having one, or even two, but it would also be three times the love and cuteness!
23) Dachshunds will steal your heart
Their clownish antics and silly looks will melt your heart.
There are funny things Dachshunds do that only owners understand.
Check out these Dachshund memes to get more of a feel of how silly they are.
24) Your Dachshund’s feet might smell like corn chips
Whether the smell is described as corn chips or popcorn, it’s not unusual if your Dachshund’s feet smell a little.
Many Dachshund owners lovingly refer to their Doxie’s paws as “Frito feet” because of this.
Do be aware though that their feet should not smell strongly and the schent shouldn’t change much over time.
If the smell suddenly changes, or your Dacchshund’s feet become smellier than normal, you may want to have your pup checked over at the veterinarian to make sure the smell is not the result of some underlying medical condition.
25) Prepare yourself for a lot fun
Be prepared for wiener jokes. Dachshund owners love a great pun.
You will also hear a lot of the same comments over and over if you hike with your Dachshund.
Owning a Dachshund makes you part of a community. Dachshund people are fanatic and gravitate to one another.
Random people will run up to you on the street to tell you about theirs out home, that they loved one as a kid, or that they know someone who has one.
There are many Dachshund clubs and meetup groups around the country you can join to meet people as passionate about the breed as you.
I have become good friends with several people who belong to the Dachshund club we run.
Dachshunds aren’t just a pet, they’re a lifestyle!
“Know that they are a fascinating blend of ferocity, entitlement, and neediness… and be ready to live with a tiny clown.” – Pattie, Dachshund owner
Final Thoughts
Every dog breed has a set of typical characteristics that make them who they are.
Read this article to learn a few more things you likely don’t know about Dachshunds.
Dachshund may certainly be more challenging than some breeds but are less challenging than others.
I LOVE, LOVE them but Dachshunds are not the breed for everyone.
If you already own a Dachshund, you should learn all you can about them and learn to work with them instead of against them.
If you are looking to add a Dachshund puppy to your household, please take into consideration all of the above and be honest about whether a Dachshund is the right breed for you.
So many Dachshunds end up in shelters every year because people don’t know what they got themselves into when they brought home one of these funny little dogs. That makes me sad!
Are you a Dachshund owner? If you have something to add to this list, please do in the comments.
About the Author
Hi, I’m Jessica. I’m a Dachshund sitter, President of the largest social Dachshund club in Washington State, a dog trainer in training, and I’ve been a Dachshund owner for 20 years. I have over 150,000 hours of experience with the breed. When I’m not working, you can find me hiking, camping, and traveling with my adventurous wiener dogs.
I have adored all the Dachshunds I’ve ever met, including your pizza-thieving Chester and sweet-faced Gretel. I actually intended to adopt a Dachshund or Corgi before I got Ruby, but when I lost both my previous (larger breed) dogs to neurological disease, I didn’t want to take on the extra risk of back problems again. They still appeal to me, and this is totally an aesthetic preference which I know carries with it some breeding complications, but I love the dappled ones. There are actually several for adoption through Colorado Dachshund Transport & Rescue right now, one is a little deaf girl.
Chester says thanks for the pizza. Ha, ha. They will certainly steal anything and everything they can get their little mouths on. With the Doxie determination, that’s a lot!
Dappled Dachshunds, like Gretel, are ok. It’s the double dappled you need to look out for. If they survive, they are often deaf and/or blind.
Do any of your ‘weenies’ growl at you when they’re wanting attention or be pet? Cooper, my weenie, will get super excited when I get home and will let out a relatively vicious sounding growl until I love on him. Not complaining at l or worried about it, just wondering if this is normal for a dachshund. Thanks!
My boy Cooper yes he has the same name, is piebald in color and 10 years old And yes he growls when he wants my attention. He sleeps in bed with me and when he wants covered up or I have the audacity to try to move him over so I can actually have some of the bed to sleep myself he gives a grumble. I have had 4 dachshunds over the years and they all done! I adore doxies they’re just the best.
I have a male he is adopted suddenly over night he tends to sit with my husband any time I open or close a door he barks like a.crazy dog he lunged at me and growls he will literally act as if he were going to attack me I have three other dogs all get along fine he’s very loving to all dogs in my home when my husband is out he sticks to me like glue once he arrives home the dog takes on a totally different temperament any feed back would be great my husband and I ate trying everything possible nothing is improving confused guys with a lovable but crazy acting dog nothing has changed in our home hum
It sounds like your pup is trying to “resource guard” your husband from you. I dog sit and have occasionally had dogs that are aggressive toward my husband when he comes near me but are super sweet to him when I am not around. That sounds like what is happening here.
There is more information out there about the resource guarding of food or other objects then humans but similar principles can apply. The fastest and quickest way to solve this is to consult with an animal behaviorist or dog trainer. That person will assess the situation and give you specific tools for overcoming this behavior. If you want to try and address this on your own, here are a couple of articles that might help:
http://thebark.com/content/resource-guarding-dogs-solving-troubling-problem
http://www.dailydogdiscoveries.com/tag/dog-resource-guarding-me/
I have had 5 doxie’s . Once you have had one, you can not go back to any other breed. I loved all my girls, I adopted them all from the Doxie Rescue League. My entire family enjoyed them all. My last one Daisy is now 13 years old and she is one happy puppy!!!!
It’s true. I might own another breed too someday but I don’t every see myself not having a Doxie 🙂
I have had seven miniature weeny dogs in my life time. Two of them lived to over twenty years one 23 years. They are liars and con artists. They are truly pocket rats. But there is one breed that puts them to shame and I stupidly ended up with two of them. If you really want trouble get a pair of chew weenies.I am owned, I get no respect. Ten years ago I became deranged and started rescuing dogs. A few months ago I had 9 mutts I am now down to seven. I live on fifty fenced acres with a four acre lake, its called dog paradise. They are all going to out live me so what I want to ask is have you ever heard of Best Friends? If so what do you think of them? This is where I intend to put them with a donation of a few dollars. If you have a better idea I would like to hear it. God bless you and your pack.
Wow! 20 and 23 years? That’s great. I love your description of chiweenies and how you came to be owned by them. I actually thought they would be more cooperative than Dachshunds so it’s good to know they arean’t 🙂
Do you mean Best Friends Animal Society in Utah? I’ve heard they are wonderful and know several people that have toured their facilities personally. The closest I’ve gotten is their visitor’s center in Kanab (I think that was the town) and their rescue seemed really neat. I would have no hesitation sending an animal there.
so cute
Not the same, but similar. Rory was “my” dog for almost a year. Slept between my legs and under my shirt. One day my wife was gone and Rory tried to jump into my lap, jamming her spine. Nothing permanent, but hurt like crazy. Next day and then on, she switched her bond from me to my wife. Broke my heart. Better now, but she’s not bonded to me anymore. Dachshunds are complicated.
Oh wow. That’s an interesting but heartbreaking story. I’m sorry that happened.
Typical female. I had female wiener that when I took her to the vet and she got stuck the next morning I would find poop in my shoe. If no shoe she would poop right where my foot would hit the rug when I got out of bed. You are being punished for letting her get hurt. You are going to have to put in a lot of overtime cuddling.
Richard, I disciplined My standard male for snapping at a guest once and he avoided me for weeks. I thought he would never forgive me. I wonder if Rory thinks his pain was your fault? My wife and I bought two Doxie pups from different breeders when we were in our late forties
both of the pups mothers were biters. I just figured that it was the way they were raised. WRONG both of our pups would bite if a stranger walked into the yard or even someone they were familiar with. the older they got the less sociable they were with guests and aggressive toward other animals. We had those dogs for 19 and 20 years. both have headstones in our yard. My wife grieved for months. I found two sisters in ark and we quickly fell in love with them. Thgy love everyone.they meet. one chose me and the other chose my wife and they love each other. they will probably out live us. we worry about that.
Hello,
In response to your comment about living long enough. Don’t even worry about it. Right now is all that matters. We just elected a 78 year old man to be president.
I wanted to adopt a doxie but the website of doxie rescue just came right out and said that they wouldn’t adopt to anyone over 65! I thought that was very nasty of them and also probably illegal for a non profit to discriminate like that.
Meridee Thompson
I’m 71 and I want to adopt a senior Doxie. Thanks for the information.
Nita
Awww, that’s cute. I’ve babysat a ton of dogs. Some are more attached(and guard) one of the parents. But they’ll still love both. When I’m around one guarding one of his masters, he’ll growl and even snap at me. Then I’ll sit on the floor, call him to me and he’ll love on me just fine.
I’d say.. Don’t let it worry you. Take comfort that your husband will always be protected.. (joke)
Once your doxie decides on his main person, this person is the main person throughout their lives. They will guard their person with their lives and not want to leave them even for a walk. My little guy would hide under the bed or behind a chair, so he didn’t have to leave me. If my husband tried to get him, he would bite. He has bitten my husband several times over the years and I am thankful my husband didn’t make me give him up. Once I learned that he was over protective of me, I would put the halter and leash on and hand him to my husband. Your doxie will love you when he isn’t home. And you will enjoy him the most then. You could put a small blanket where you sit on the couch so he will come over to your side. They can’t resist going under or scrunching blanket. Don’t sleep with him in your bed. If you get into bed second or later on you may get bit. Mine bite my husband several times. We finally had him sleep in his bed; he choose the floor and refused his bed. Every nite after he’d look at me with those soulful eyes begging me to pick him up and I didn’t. It was tough not to.
You should be the one to give small treats. Be careful of people coming into your house. Have people ignore them at first until you know how he will act. I suggest getting another doxie just for you. They are fiercely loyal. My little guy just died at 12. I miss him terribly. Our other doxie loves both of us equally. I will get another doxie. Good luck. I hope this helps.
Wow. That sounds a little scary Brenda. It’s true that Dachshunds can be prone to resource guarding or fearfulness (usually the cause of such behavior) so it’s important to learn to adapt the situations and environment to minimize it (like you did) or stay really on top of training (or consult with a behaviorist if they need it).
Hi Brenda,
I have a little boy that was going to be put down because he kept trying to bite people during his intake at county. Pretty quickly he bonded to me and started showing some similar behaviors to your dog. I eventually hired a trainer who made it clear that the issue was actually with me. He believed that I couldn’t protect myself and thought he was the boss. After following through with what the trainer told me to do I went from having a dog that was very stranger agressive to a dog that is no longer dangerous and trusts me to keep us both safe. Please hire a professional. He can’t be happy feeling like he has to be the boss and there is always a risk he will end up biting someone who reports him.
I have found that when a dog is getting possessive with someone, it is that person’s behavior that allows it. Its like the dog is saying, “This human isn’t strong enough to defend his/herself.” When dog has done this with me as being the defended, I will poke them firmly in a rib (like if you tap someone on the shoulder) and it will knock them out of that mindset. Sometimes, putting them down on the ground and off the couch will help them calm down. Hope that helps!
That’s very interesting insight Liz. Thanks for sharing.
My dog Duke recently has growled at me I’m had him about 7 months now and he’s never done that before what to do
Hi Regina. The cause could be so many things. While I suggest you speak with a dog behaviorist, my best guess why it’s happening could be resource guarding. You can find a lot of information about that online. Reading about it may at least tell you if that is the cause or not so you either have some potential solutions or can rule that out. Good luck.
If you do get any good advice please, please forward to me. I have just rescued a 13 year old deaf and cannot see good male dachshund that at thisoment had to be taken outside because he is trying to kill my husband. I’ve talked to trainers. When I’m not home he does great with my husband as soon as I come in he attacks my husband. I’ve let my husband be the hood guy, giving treats for doing good, he takes him on walks, but nothing has worked. We had him about month and a half. We are at our wit’s end. I don’t want to take him back to the shelter. I just need some good advise please
Hi Terri. It sounds like your dog may be trying to resource guard you. Any training to help with that could be really difficult since he’s deaf and partially blind. I don’t have any personal experience with those kinds of issues. Still, you may at least want to look up “resource guarding human” online to see if his behavior matches the “symptoms”. That would at least give you a place to start. Also, I would consider reaching out to the rescue if you haven’t already. A good one will be interested in keeping the dog in your home so they may be able to offer some tips and advice regarding his behavior. Good luck.
My boy, Bleu, will growl at the blankets til I cover him up 🙂 He’s also known to return a growl in response to my stomach!
I agree. I have three doxies and I had one before I got three more. T-Bone chose me for his owner. I was going to purchase another type of puppy, but when I walked by him, he literally stole my heart. After he passed, I didn’t think I could own another puppy as much as I love him. It wasn’t 3 months later that I bought another doxie. Kodak, he is a dapple and was supposed to be a miniature doxie (he weighs about 30 pounds) then I bought another puppy that came from the same parents as Kodaks’. KaySea is her name and they are brother and sister, just from a different litter. It wasn’t 2 years later that my cousin found a dachshund lost in the woods. She tried to find his owner, however no one claimed him, so she put him online to give away. I immediately responded that I was coming to get him. His name is Ryder. T-Bone was a short haired, red puppy. The three I have now are all long haired puppies. I don’t call them dogs, they are family!!! I think I will always own a dachshund. They love LOVE and the more you give them, the more they want. Each one have their own personalities and I adjust to each one individually. I love dachshunds so much!!! I love my babies more than anything!!!!
Thanks for sharing Sandy. I’m glad they found a loving, happy home with you!
I have a doxie that came from 2 mini parents (10-12lbs) and she is a standard size and around 24lbs. All the other puppies in the litter are small. Prior to having Daisy I didn’t know that mini doxies could produce standard pups. She’s a long-haired dapple piebald and she is the most stubborn and occasionally difficult little dog I’ve ever known, but I wouldn’t trade her for anything.
I am on daschounds numbers 4&5. (Frankie & Johnny). Johnny is the only one who has growled for attention. He will come sit by my feet in the morning and growl until I show him some love. I can set my clock to him. lol
Mine does the same.
How funny! Yes we have five mini doxies who now live in the mountains of Cyprus with us ( before it was Israel) they bark if they can’t get into a certain room, whine to get on the bed wiggle theirs buts and make there most interesting noises idf they know there is some tiny Morsel hidden some where… the noises they use mean something different and it’s so amusing but also smart. They also stare at things out of reach for ages sit and wiggle till we get the message to give it to them! Usually a toy lol.
Based off of my personal experience, I feel that Daschunds tend to be verbal for just about any reason they see fit! My pup, Odie, likes to do the same thing that yours does, not to mention that he gets jealous and also barks whenever we are petting the other dogs and he has been waiting for his turn for too long lol. He also barks whenever another dog is in pain (out of concern, I’m sure…) or if they’re playfighting and he’s too tired to get in on it so he just yells from a distance. It’s like watching an angry sports fan.
It can become a bit frustrating and sometimes saying no to them wanting affection feels wrong but I guess my advice would be to give your pup as much love as possible seeing as how he will beg for it anyway hah. I do have to tell mine “no” sometimes if he is being outright outrageous but it’s hard to resist him at the same time since he is basically stuck in puppy mode forever. I anticipate that he will want to be by me all the time and it took years for me to just give in. He kept barking all those years ? But he is much quieter now and we are all happier when I just accept what he wants. Usually it’s just to at least sit next to me on the couch nowadays. He’s gettin’ old 🙂 But at least he knows who Mama is! I’ve had my baby since I was 12. He deserves all the love he can get. Yours, too!
I have a 12yo standard who is also an Odie! He’s 94cm (37 inches) from his butt to his nose and weighs 15kgs (33lbs). No one believes he’s as old as he is when they see us out walking.
He sees a behavioural specialist vet because of aggression and anxiety that stems from our experience with domestic violence.
He’s not aggressive with strangers, including men after I implemented intensive socialisation after we got out of our bad situation.
With the right attitude and lots of love I believe that Dachshunds can prevail to live their best lives.
I hope each one of you gets the Doxie love you all deserve from being amazing and dedicated paw-rents!
As a longtime and devoted Doxie Mom, I can tell you that the growling, howling, barking, and excitment from your dachshund when you come home from work is normal for my dachshunds. I have had these little dogs since I was 19. I am an experienced doxie Mom. I have had all the coat types, male and female. Not so long ago I had 4 of these amazing dogs. Even with multiples, they get so excited when I come home even from a 1 hour errand run that their little bodies just can’t contain their joy at you walked back in the door. They are totally devoted and so full of love for you. Whether you are gone for 10 minutes or a full work day, they will greet you the same way. It makes them even more endearing.
My wirehaired mini red dachsen Hans growls and howls at me when I come home. My wired haired dachsen Fritz growls/grunts when cuddled. They also both talk back when spoken to with sqeeks howling grunting etc. I can have very interesting conversations with great input with them ???and as all owners know just leaving the room for 30 seconds and receiving the same welcome as if you were gone for 3 hours is fab!!!
My dapple has a specific bark pitched just for me, with a distinct repetition. She will sit far enough away so I can’t touch her unless I get off the couch, and bark. It sounds a like like MOM! It is so loud !! Usually I shout back WHAT? Yes I live alone with my 2 mini doxies. I was reading the reviews for some of the coats. The Ultimate Winter Coat said it was waterproof but not in a downpour. Is there a winter coat that can handle freezing torrential rain and snow?
Sounds like you have a very smart Dachshund! 🙂
It’s true that the Ultimate and Extreme jackets from Hurtta will get wet in a prolonged downpour. I am not aware of any jackets on the market where this is not the case since they don’t cover their whole body and water can come om from the sides. I will say that the jackets still keep Gretel very warm even when they are wet.
yes there is. It is a house with a roof and a wood burning stove.
My Bernie will talk to me when he wants lovin’ or attention of any kind! We carry on wonderful conversations!
yep!!….I get a little throaty growl when it’s time ( according my dachsie Dusty’s schedule!!) to do the tug game or throw a ball…
I have a Minnie ,13 this year, never ruined anything, not an agresive bone in his long body , he is a registered support dog, loving very trustworthy, I am 70 and deaf disabled he alerts me to noise in my seroudings,I ware a cochlear implant and am not connect all the time , we have been through alot together, now he is having some health issues ,and I am heart broken, he used to sleep with his bum to me , guarding position, now he is facing me and needing more cuddles, I was not a dog person but he was a gift that just keeps on giving 💙 love him so much💕
My female retired breeder dog makes an odd yowl when I shut a door where she can’t get in, or if I leave the house for a few minutes. My father says my dog sounds like she is possessed. The breeder who owned her had her get ventriculocordectomy, but that didn’t stop her from figuring out how to bark again or make her strange noises to find her “pack”. I think that noise is my dog name that she gave me. She only does it to find me.
My boy Pablo is more like a cat. He is not too interested in talking walks, unless it’s new territory. He loves his blankets and he is extremely picky when it comes to food. He loves having guests over, so instead of barking, he happily runs to greet them when the bell rings. He has never digged a hole in his life and most importantly, he was potty trained in less than a month.
Yes, he absolutely hates the rain.
He’s friends with everyone, kids, cats, other dogs, birds..
Wow that is impressive! Pippin ( all my mini doxies named after lots of rings characters) was the first but cage trained him so he did well for a while and did his business outside .. now I have five; mum ; lady willow ( champion in various shows) children; Tauriel ( mischief but sensitive and loving) King Theoden ( hunter of the biggest kind and obsessive but also very loving) and Bilbo ( incredibly loving bit dopey and makes a lot of noises as always needs to be clamped to someone )
I walk everyday 4 miles with them; in a pack of there is an animal they will attack to kill which is distressing. But as long as they get their walks everyday they r a ok at home.. don’t pee inside or poo.. all are entire due to them being show dogs which does make it more difficult. But they would kill a cat ???? or any other animal if in a pack .. its nature but it’s hard and thank God it’s a rare occurrence . 2 are much more obsessed about hunting than the others ; mother and son Theo who def has OCD.. because they are ‘go to ground hounds׳ I worry about snake season coming up.. didn’t worry about it in israel but I was ignorant about it then!!!
Doxies are cute admirable stubborn loving and very very family orientated; no one could take our dogs as they hate strangers and if someone tried to catch them they would be off! Which in Cyprus where pure bred can be stolen it’s a good thing!!
I am fostering a doxie for my daughter….Buckley is a love bug & very good with house training but walking is a big strain….I am 70 & he pulls & for 15 lbs is very strong does not heal & I was told can’t let doxie off leash….am getting very attached but the reality is he bolts & am so afraid of him getting hit by vehicLe !
Hi Cecelia. It’s surprising how hard a 15 lb Doxie call pull isn’t it? My Gretel used to pull very hard. Now she just pulls kind of hard… most of the time anyway. Unfortunately, Dachshunds do not make good off-leash dogs. I definitely would NOT recommend doing that. I have seen 2-3 Dachshunds over the years (6 years – run a dog club of 500 members) who were very good at following voice commands off leash. That took years of training though. I would suggest trying a no-pull harness. They make several different kinds but the simplest ones have a clip in the front that you hook the leash too. They were created after a training technique. When the hook is in the front and a dog pulls, it forces their body to turn around to face you. They don’t like that so the theory is that they will stop doing it. If you Google “front clip dog harness” you will come up with many options. Hopefully one of those will help. You can also work with a trainer but that will be much more expensive. Good luck.
You totally can train a dachshund to be stellar on leash or off it’s just that they are motivated differently from other dogs. They have a diva mentality; they are really competitive and actually easier to train with other dogs. My 6 yr old dox was a total lazy bug and then became the star of her obedience class. She was food motivated but it seemed like she really just loved the attention that came from being top of the class. I have trained all my doxies since then with other dogs and found that their competitive nature spurs them to excellence when training with others. Dachshunds are smart and can learn anything – just don’t let them kid you about what they know because they are kind of lazy and kind of “it’s all about me” by nature. Doxie Kisses!
Thanks for the insight about training. I definitely didn’t intent to mean they could NEVER be trained off leash. It’s just that 1) I don’t know any myself that are reliable on leash (and I literally know 100s) and most people don’t have the time or skills required to train a Dachshund to be 100% foolproof off leash. To be 99.99% sure they won’t get lost, I suggest people keep their dog on leash (any breed). I think your comment if very encouraging though and may be helpful to some.
I’m interested in knowing how you potty trained him so quickly??
We’ve had a boy for a month, sometimes he uses his paper but more often than not, he pees whenever and wherever he deems a good place!
I’d appreciate your ideas!
I have the perfect potty training trick (which happened by accident!). We got our little Dapple Doxie pup, Galaxy, as a Christmas present for our children. Since it was the holidays, we had a set of Disney Christmas bells that were hanging on the front door knob, and Galaxy learned within one week to go ring those bells when he needed to go out to potty. ONE WEEK! We couldn’t believe how smart he was! Needless to say, we keep bells on the door year round now. Lol. He is crate trained, and sleeps in his crate at night. When he sees us getting ready for bed or getting ready to leave the house, he will actually go in his crate and close the gate behind him (we have to lock it of course). And like many others, he growls when he is happy, hungry, or just wants attention! Our family adores him, and he adores us. He has definitely been a blessing to our family. 🙂
Any tips on potty training would be greatly appreciated. I have little pippa who is 4 months now and will go outside every time I take her but doesn’t show me at all that she needs to go. If I take my eye off her she will go inside. She also still cries all night. We are crate training her and we are exhausted. Don’t know what else to do. I think she just hates the crate.
Hi Sara. What kind of crate are you using? When I got Gretel she was supposedly “crate trained” but I put her in one of those plastic kennels like you would use for a cat. Per crate-size recommendations, it was just bit enough for her to stand up and turn around. Oh my, the noise she made in there. After she broke a nail and busted the crate in half I was done with that. I went the route I did with Chester – and open wire crate a couple of sizes bigger than she “needed”. I then started giving her a stuffed treat toy every time I put her in there. She’s super food motivated so that kept her busy for a while. Now she sometimes even goes in the crate to sleep when we are home. I hope you find a solution that works. I’m a HUGE proponent of getting a dog used to a crate in case they have to be crated in an emergency situation (like natural disaster) or be put on strict crate rest after an injury.
I’m no expert on potty training but I do have a “trick” that has worked for me every time. Take your pup out every half hour whether they ask to go or not. They don’t have to always go potty but give them a few minutes and keep saying “go potty”. Once there are no accidents in the house, start taking them out every 45 minutes. Repeat until they are going out every 3-4 hours. That’s when someone is home. When someone isn’t, then the dog should be in a crate filled with bedding so they won’t pee in there (they won’t pee where they sleep) or confined to an area with a hard floor like the bathroom or kitchen. The “peeing as soon as you turn your back” sounds like the issue could be a bit of anxiety or attention-seeking so I would look into those things too. Good luck.
I have 2 6mo dapples. One pees all over the bedding in the crate. The other potty broke within a month. They have lots of toys but chew on my wood work, couch corners, even pinecones twigs, they have a hugh back yard they run non stop They fight about who gets my attention even if I play with them at the same time. My boys love the rain, they look like drowned rats this week as they tried to catch the yard rabbits and birds for Hours outside. I just towel dry them when they come in.
Sara,
I am a well seasoned dachsie mom. These little darlings are really stubborn but they are trainable. It takes a lot of patience and consistency, especially if they are young. In the beginning, I would take my very young pups out to pottie every couple hours during normal daylight hours. When they wake up for a nap, take them out immediately. Give them their own “potty space” outside every time you take them. That way, their own scent will be there. Keep that area clean of solid waste. I always picked my little guys up, brought them to their potty area, put them down and gave them a simple verbal prompt by telling them “potty” These little ones have tiny little bladders and pee often, but with consistency, this method always worked for me. I was lucky enough to be home in order to do this. I have never had to use a crate to potty train. Also, I always adopted my Dachsies during warm weather. They hate cold wet weather, so they are more willing to go out to potty. By the time it gets cold here in New England, they are trained. If your winters get cold, put a nice warm sweater or coat on. They won’t feel the cold so much. This is especially true for smooth coats. Another method I have used for very young pups is to use puppy pads. These pads have phermones embedded in them to attract the dog to the pad to do their business. Once the pup uses the pad consistently, take the used, but not with b.m. on it outside to the designated potty area and put the pup down(leashed of course), the pup will gravitate to the pad and get the message that he is to potty outside.
same! my girl gypsy is more like a cat. she tries to be friends with my cat but my cat is a loner! lol
Hi Jessica. They definitely will eat anything and, sadly, that can result in their demise. Our sweet “Santana” ate some palm tree seeds and despite round the clock care at Olympia Pet Emergency, he died 2 days later. My point is that doxie owners must be aware of anything in the path of their dogs, and there are a lot of poisonous house and yard plants sold with no warning labels. You have to educate yourselves. We loved Santana very much and had no idea those seeds are so toxic. His death broke our hearts.
Oh gosh Judi, I’m so sorry for your loss. You are right though, a Dachshund will eat anything. Chester has had stomach surgery twice for a blockage. So has my friend’s dog.
This hit home with me. Our first dachshund, Willy, got out the door when it was opened to receive a package, and no one noticed. We got a call a few hours later by a neighbor who found him. He acted a little off that night, but he got worse the following days. After many vet visits, and a surgery it was discovered his bowels had huge holes in them. He died on the table. He was just 4 years old. I think he either got into rat poison or ate a dead rodent full of it on his little trek out. Very devastating. They will eat anything, and bear watching.
Oh Gosh. I’m so sorry for you loss.
Do you have a Facebook or means of contact. I live in Ohio and would love to be a part of a group. I also just need to talk to other dachshund owners. I lost mine two days ago and my heart is shattered.
Chrystal, My heart aches for you. It is the hard fact that to love is to lose is to hurt is to cry. So sad. We have 4 dogs. A bichon, 8; a Havanese, 7; a Doxie, 6 and an 85 lb St. Bernard-coonhound mix.
Got the Havanese to play w/the Bichon. Bichon not interested. Got the Dixie red female to play w/my son’s Doxie male. He wasn’t interested. My husband wanted a big dog. Now he walks the little ones and I trained and walk Molly.
Doxie Pippa is Molly”s nursemaid-ear/eye cleaner. Pippa and Havanese Titus play like crazy. Toby Bichon likes people and other white dogs.
I hope your grieving eases into fond memories. It’s hard. But their love is the best thing ever! Blessings.
I lost my 12 yr old Joey 3 days back….bouts of vomitting n before we cud get help he was collapsing. Kidney! So numb…cant function. My world revolved around him n now dont know wht to do….
I’m sorry for your loss Pranoti. I know it’s difficult when we are used to caring for a family member and then they aren’t there anymore. I’m not trying to diminish your feelings because I know it will only get easier with time but I would try to find another way to fill that time. Maybe it will be dog related for you like volunteering at a shelter or volunteering to walk a neighbor’s dog. Maybe it won’t. Maybe that would remind you of your Joey too much. But perhaps you can volunteer to visit people at an old folks home. I am sure someone there would love to hear about your wonderful stories about Joey or just other things in your life.
Hi Chrystal. I think your comment got lost in this thread. Could you please clarify who you were asking about a group and which group you are referring to? Thanks.
Hello, my name is Erica. I’m 22 years old and I have a light brown dachshund mix and his name is Spike. My boyfriend at the time (now fiancé) adopted him and got him for my birthday. It was such a great surprise. My first dog, my first dachshund, and my first pet. Spike was at a humane society because his previous owner passed away. The owner’s family adopted Spike & a few days later returned him to the humane society. If he was brought back, the people were going to put him down. I was so heartbroken because he’s such a great boy & he’s so calm. I’ve had him for 2 years now & he’s 10 years old. He goes crazy for the ball. He becomes a whole different dog when it comes to the ball. He howls like crazy. He kind of cries/ whimpers if I don’t throw the ball. He enjoys sleeping on my bed right next to me & he loves his soft wet food. He can’t really eat hard food because he only has a little bit of teeth. But if he does, the hard food have to be little kibbles. I’ve taught him to understand Spanish and it’s adorable. I would love to know more about dachshunds so I can take better care for my Spike.
What a wonderful story Erica. Thanks for sharing and giving Spike such a good life. It sounds like you are taking really good care of him but I love to hear that you are always seeking to learn more and do better. I’ve written a lot of articles on Dachshunds, and I’ve run a 500-member Dachshund club for over 5 years, so I know a lot about the breed. Let me know if you have any specific questions and I’ll try to point you in the right direction.
I’ve had two dashunds.1st one would get choked anytime not eating nothing.I think she choked to death at 13,I have one now that’s doing the same thing at 6 years old now.choked anytime and lasts a few minutes.no vet can tell me why.when she choked she has to stand till it’s gone.then plays again.
Hi Lester. Are you sure it’s choking or is it just forceful coughing? Both of my Dachshunds will sometimes stop playing and cough if they get too worked up or get a string from a toy in their mouth (or piece of hair from the floor). In my case, it’s never been a cause for concern but I understand that it would be if it happened several times in one play session or was very severe. I hope you can get it figured out.
I have a mini-girl named Feather. She sounds like she is choking after drinking water. Actually, she just turned one and after watching closely her nose hits the water as well as her tongue. She coughs if she inhales the water through her nose.
Hi Joyce. Gretel coughs sometimes too if she drinks too much water too fast. In our case, it’s nothing harmful. You can always ask your vet about it the next time you’re in if you are concerned.
My dashound chokes when drinking water..now I put ice cubes in his water dish ,enough that there is just a bit of water,if the iced cubes are in his water and he drinks,he never chokes on the water ,that way ,I always try to have ice cubes in his water dish..we are retired my husband and I so we are home a lot,others might find it harder to keep ice cubes in the water dish .
Thanks for the tip Mary. The ice cubes probably slow down how much your pup is able to swallow at once.
I have a very stubborn double dapple. There is no stopping him from what he wants. He was so fat at one point I had to put him on a diet. Hes great now, and his vet said he’s the strongest she’s ever seen. He is difficult to train, but when we are consistent he does much better.
Hearing your dedication to your pup makes me happy 🙂
Well let me tell you of my Augustus, I moved to Texas from Indiana last fall…I had to leave behind my Zell…..I had had him over 8 years…he was a 100 percent Heinz 57…I missed him so….but he’s with my best friend of 30 years he’s ok…..back to Gus, I live n the hill country of Texas almost smack dab n the middle….there is a place called Deer Springs I would go up and visit with a friend of mine because well I was bored and missed my doggie…then enters Augustus….I fell in love with him….had no clue of a dapple….thought my friend said Apple…ha…well they would not let him in…so I sat out with him…. every time I went over I’d be sitting outside with him… now, I wasn’t happy how this little dog was treated by these people….the kids were sometimes mean, and he would defend himself….about 2 months ago I was sitting out with him and the person we were visiting said…you want that dog….well. ..absolutely…. everything that they said he was doing wrong and why he was so bad…..I HAVE NOT SEEN…OR HAD TO DEAL WITH….he is the best cuddler, and just yes sleeps….I love that….he does not get in my garbage….unless I walk outside without him for less than 5 minutes….ha…he loves to be held and well I love him…he loves the cradleing it’s almost silly….and after my first night with him, I took him off the leash unless in the store or somewhere I think he may roam to far…he’s always by my side….I was very sad last week and walked n my home and just cried…he laid his head on my lap and used those little legs to get to my face and licked my tears away….if I couldn’t of loved him more….I’ve had people asked how old he is because they assume I’ve had him since a puppy…it’s very obvious we are that close….and they are shocked when I say less than two months.im unable to get him to the vet to see his age until next month…the other person who had him doesn’t know either..a man said he looks like he has belonged there.in my arms..love Gus….as for fearless….YES…..he dashes out at the BIG TEXAS TRUCKS…they know he’s here and watch for him…I try to scoop home before he sees them… but his loyalty is shown…he doesn’t like anyone to close to me I like that…so…Anessia(me) and Augustus ( him)…( I changed his name from Buster)…he’s my best friend….I promise to keep you posted….maybe you could tell me what to look at on him to tell approximate age….thank you…I hope you enjoy my story as much as I love telling it….
Thank you for giving Gus such a good life. Indeed, sometimes the difference between a “good” and “bad” dog is a loving home and consistency. Dachshunds are very social so not giving them the attention they crave can make them act out often. Again, thanks for loving him.
I have a double dapple. She is healthy and 14 years old. I love her so much. But my friend adopted a litter mate of my little Kaya, and he is deaf and almost blind. Another litter mate was adopted and returned for being blind. So be careful and adopt from responsible breeders or better yet, check the shelters.
Yes, good advice. One can’t always tell a double dapple by looking at them. I 100% don’t support breeding two dapples together because of the very common health issues (many don’t even survive birth). I’m glad your Kaya is happy and healthy.
My little dachshunds is not socialized and he is 4yrs old. Is he too old to they and make him less aggressive with other dogs and children?
Hi Robin. It’s not too late but I would consult with an experienced trainer. Although your pup may never be as-well adjusted as if socialization had occurred within the first 6 months, the trainer should be able to help you make progress. Gretel was 11 months old when she came to live with me and had very little socialization. She was so anxious, she was on Prozac. She’s still anxoius, and I have to be cautious with her in certain situations, but she can be around children and other dogs more than she used to be able to.
I had a double dapple, silver dapple. Lived to be 171/2 years old, only went blind the last two years and deaf the last year; he had 2 blue eyes.
That’s great. Adn rare. So many double dapples have issues from an early age (some can be seen but some can’t). I don’t condone the breeding practice but it does always make me happy to hear of a double dapple that is healthy and lives long.
I haven’t met a Dachshund that didn’t think it was nice of you to order them a pizza. You just have to be careful about giving dogs a lot of bread. It expands in the bellies.
“Nice of you to order them a pizza”… ha, ha! yes, indeed my Dachshunds think all food is for them. Not only is it bad to give them bread, but also food with too much fat.
I would love for my pup to sleep with me, but when she was younger (like 8 was) she would mess in my bed. I put her in the bathroom because of that. I put 2 pee pads down and her a bed in there. Some mornings it looks like a poop party went on in there and some mornings she’s done good. January 8 she’ll be 4 months, do you think she would still mess in the bed!
Hi Janice. It’s hard to say for sure. It could be something she grows out of but, because there was no training involved and you didn’t discourage her not to go potty in the house (by putting pads in the bathroom), she may not understand that going potty in the bed is not acceptable. The only way you will know for sure is to try.
My shorthair double dapple is 11 years and is neither blind nor deaf.
My longhair standard Dachshund, Dodger, got 4 trucks titles: novice, intermediate, advanced, and expert. He also did agility including 12 weave poles. He was the first dog I ever really trained and I used a clicker. He just turned 14 and is losing his sight, but still caught a rabbit this summer. Keep training and loving your pup! He is my first heart of hearts dog and I love him❤️
Way to go Dodger! Since Dachshunds hunt using scent, I have no doubt he gave that rabbit what for even though his eyesight if failing 🙂
I’m new to the world of Doxie’s. I now have a sweet girl via rescue. She’s just 1 year old. No problem with accidents in the house – she’s very clean. Some barking but nothing extreme. She’s really a perfect little dog. However she has become obsessed with rabbits. She’s on constant alert looking out the window behind the couch or at the deck door. When she sees a rabbit she shakes from head to toe and cries loudly. When this happens I let her out to run the yard. Any advise or should I not worry about her? I feel bad that she becomes so upset.
Dachshunds were bred to hunt badgers and rabbits so I’m not surprised 🙂 They generally have a VERY high prey drive. It’s not something to worry about but may be something you want to discourage (like blocking, or moving the furniture she stands on from, the window). That will discourage her obsession. The only real reason it matters is because rabbits look like cats and other vermin so eventually she may get very amped up and uncontrollable any time he sees those things out in the world. Another idea is to enroll her in something like lure coursing, barn hunt, Earthdog, or nosework so she can use her natural instincts, get some satisfaction out of it, and burn some energy. She’ll likely calm down with age too. My Gretel calmed down a lot when she turned 4. Welcome to the world of Doxies!
I think enrolling her in a class where she could use those strong instincts would be great for her. Thank you for your suggestions.
I have two doxies one is Lucy the other Linus. It is my first set of Docies and its so true that you just can’t have one. My dogs are twins as well. Lucy is very independent while Linus is less and relies on Lucy. Lucy is the protector. She is very smart so is he but he is more reserved and fragile. Lucy follows me everywhere. Learns in an instant and yes they have a great sent. I have found out it’s hard to keep their teeth cleaned. But they are not stubborn as a matter of fact they both behave very nicely and do not bark at the door bell ringing or people coming in. Lucy will bark at other dogs when taking a walk. Linus on the other hand does not like walks. They are supper loving and loyal and Lucy is particularly very fund of me while Linus can be shared between my daughter my grandson and I.
Their training was not bad considering I have a miniature female pitcher who was older when they came to our home and she is the leader and has helped with training. However when I tend to not take Lucy out on trips with me she may decide to have an accident????. They are loving the best I have ever had besides my min pincher
I just got a mini. This is the first dachshund I have ever owned and he was given as a gift…no research. I was wondering what you thought about raising them with rabbits. I know they would typically hunt them, but these are pets that live in the back yard. I have successfully raised my Jacks around them with no problem. My little guy is only 6 weeks old and I have been taking him out regularly to spend time with the rabbits. The rabbits are and will be much bigger than he is. Do the rabbits stand a chance or should I keep the separate?
Hi Jackie. In my experience, there are always exceptions to the rule. Jack Russels are also a hunting dog so if you had success there I don’t think it unreasonable for you to have the skills to teach the Dachshund too. I would be careful though. No matter how much training a dog has, their primitive instincts can take over. if your new up ever shows agression towards the rabbits – especially any biting – I would err on the side of cautuion and keep them seperate. That’s just my two cents. Good luck.
CONGRATS.Welcome new doxy owner. You’re in for a wonderful time with your doxy. Anything you hear about doxy’s will be true and from loving devoted doxy owners. I have had three doxies, the first two are deceased now and lived wonderful healthy lives. The third is my only baby now, now 4 yrs old, and a typical doxy. I have always wanted a red doxy and maybe someday I will have one. For you, enjoy your doxy, and learn from all those people who offer you advice about doxies. I have yet to find a doxy who doesn’t destroy his squeaky toys,or a doxy who doesn’t sleep under the blankets, or a doxy who doesn’t follow his owner to the bathroom.To many doxy traits to mention, but love your doxy with all your heart, and he/she will
love you forever. AMEN
Omg….I have a wirehaired doxie named dodger too…I love him. He is nine and still acts like a pup when we play. He has one ear that stands up and one that folds and I can’t even describe the feeling I have in my heart for him. So glad I found this discussion…feels like family. Doxie lovers united. ????
I have a wire hair also, almost 5. I’m in love with him and my husband knows it He is with me first and my husband plays second fiddle. What a funny, loving, devoted dog.
Hello everyone..I just adopted my first dashound ever..he’s a mini. .love him so much except the peeling and pooping in the house..I’ve had him three weeks tomorrow and have been working on the housetraing..the accidents are getting down to once or twice day which is better than what he was doing two weeks ago..how do I stop him from raising his leg on my furniture ? He is also starting to bark at people in my apartment complex which is not good since I live in a senior building..the barking and crying when I leave has gotten better ( working on that problem as well ) just these few things..other than that he’s perfect..he’s one and a half years old ..he’s smart and loveable..whoever had him before he became a stray trained him to sit..I know nothing about his history but we’re learning about each other everyday..what can I do about the few problems I have with him ?
Hi Quita. Your pup’s issue sounds more more a territory/marking issue than a classic potty training issue. I would explore solutions for the “marking” issue. Your home is new to him so he’s trying to claim it as his and make himself feel better by spreading his scent around. A short-term solution might be a belly band that covers his pee pee. That way he can lift his leg but won’t actually be marking anything. Good luck on the barking. I can’t say for sure but it sounds like a combo of separation anxiety and fear aggression because he’s meeting so many unfamiliar people. You’re probably researched solutions for those problems but here are a couple of articles that might help.
(geared toward hiking but explains about reactive barking in public) https://youdidwhatwithyourweiner.com/reactive-vs-aggressive-dogs-hiking-trail/
(about the barking issue) https://youdidwhatwithyourweiner.com/why-wont-my-dachshund-stop-barking/
I have 2 chiweenies and 1 dapple Dachshund. I love Them all. The 2 chiweenies don’t have as long of a back so they probably won’t have near issues that my Dachshund could have. If you are looking for a Dachshund, but concerned about the back problems maybe look for one that is a mixed designer breeds. I’ve had several different dogs over the years and these are by far my favorite. I could Have a house full of them.
The most difficult thing about them that I have found is the house training. My Full Dachshund is still a puppy and I am Trying the puppy pads this time. He has been pretty good about using them but occasionally he will still find a rug to pee on. The 2 chiweenies were difficult to house train as well. They are 3 years old and still have accidents. I’m not sure if it’s the breed or the fact that they are small dogs and have small bladders or maybe a combination. I have Found that the chiweenies are a little bit more aggressive with strangers than what I have Seen from other Dachshunds. They are very protective of us, but they do eventually warm up to people and especially if someone were to sit on our couch, they would be right in their lap wanting their belly rubbed.
Hi Jessica. Actually, the length of the back has little to do with IVDD and back issues. IVDD is a genetic disease that is inherited from a parent. Some breeds are more prone to it than others: Dachshunds are #1 and French Bulldogs get it pretty frequently but I also know some Chihuahuas with it.
As to mixed breeds, I love purebred Dachshunds but have definitely developed a love for mixes too. I think my favorites are Chiweenies and Dachshund-terrier mixes.
Hey jess, loved this article and can relate to most of the points! I wondered what you take is on letting dachshunds off their leesh? I’ve had a few moments, when my little one has almost disappeared over the horizon…my heart in my throat. But on other occasions, he looks back constantly to check I am still close by. I think he tends to run off when he recognises the route and makes to find his own way home. Even if that means running out into a busy road!!! Fairly inconsistent behaviour..
In almost 100% of cases, I don’t believe Dachshunds should be off leash. Most dogs do not have 100% reliable recall. Those that do can be extended off-leash principles. However, most people think their dog does and they don’t. It takes a VERY well trained dog to ALWAYS come when called and Dachshunds, which are a hound, will often choose to follow their nose when they smell something irresistible. Add to it that Dachshunds are stubborn and bred to be independent, and I think one is just asking for trouble if they let their’s off leash. I know, personally, I could never live with myself if my Dachshund got lost or killed just because of my desire to have them off leash (despite what some would argue, I really don’t think a dog cares that much. They are not humans and just learn to accept a leash if we choose.) With that being said, there is ONE place I sometimes let my dog “off leash” (I let go of the leash but she drags it so I can step on it to catch her quickly if needed) and that is the beach if there is a cliff on one side. With a cliff on one side and water on the other, there are only two ways she can go – toward me or away from me. Toward me is obviously not a problem and if she goes away from me she will only be able to go so far… and will probably stop at something super stinky up ahead and/or be caught because she is “running lose” by some good Samaritan on the beach.
Thanks Jess. Very informative, and I can confirm almost all of what you said. Particularly I liked that you qualified things by pointing at that not all of these apply to each Dachshund. For example, none of my three are diggers. I do believe they have barked once or twice though. Keep up the good work.
I’ve been so lucky that Chester and Gretel aren’t diggers. Now, barkers? Maybe a little 🙂
We just moved to a new house about 2 months ago, and my neighbors have given us a lot of latitude as far as our two dachshunds barking is concerned. But we get tired of it too. At our old house we had high, block walls so my dogs could never see where scary noises came from, and they barked a lot.
Now our new house has chain link fencing and very close houses. They barked at literally everything the first two weeks, until they made the associations of noises to things.
However, they still barked at all the neighbors, and every time they did I had to shush them.
They got so good at timing the barking with how long it took me to get outside, stop barking, and resume as soon as I went back in the house.
Today we got vibrating dog collars to get them to stop. It only took about 2 times and they figured it out. It’s been a very peaceful day, and they are a lot calmer, even though our neighbor has guests outside!
One of our dogs is so smart and manipulative. When the neighbor offered her treats so she wouldn’t be afraid of him, she would watch and wait for him until he got near where he kept the treats and then started barking so he would bring her some! He finally figured out her game and quit giving them to her.
Even though they have on the collars, she has tested it all day and has realized whining, growling, and soft yips don’t set it off! So she still bosses me around!
I’m glad the collar is working for you. I used one on Chester when he was a puppy and he, too, found he could “yip under his breath” and not get in trouble. It was actually kind of cute. Hey, at least he was quieter 🙂
Ah, some of these make so much sense! I think Alfie is part dachshund, and he does many of these things! It explains why he’s so tough too. It’s funny to see such a cute little dog…going after and killing a chipmunk. Oops.
I have a friend that has a Doxie mix. Her’s looks a little more like a Doxie than Alfie. When I’ve been around her dog, I feel like she’s 100% Dachshunds. So many thing she does are similar. My friend never realized that until I pointed the traits out to her and being “Doxie traits” because she doesn’t have any Dachshund friends near her. I wonder if Doxie traits are dominant? 🙂
Just lost our Joey… cute dachshund
You should see my docshound he is so intelegent smart wise and caring dog companion
I believe it! 🙂
This was a great article! i always enjoy reading your new blogs. I started out with 1 and soon very much realized she was not going to survive being alone while i was work… even with coming home at lunch….. luckily a short while later the breeder had a second litter and we couldn’t resist taking in another one. Now for the record my dachshunds are not pure, their mother was a beagle and their father was a miniature dachshund. I’m always trying to guess which characteristics are from what breed although from what I’ve seen and read they both seem to favor the dachshund personality traits. Physically they are quite different, they stand taller, they have shorted noses, their bodies aren’t as long and they have big ears and paws but boy do they give you a run for your money!.
Chester survived for 8 years without another dog around. I am not sure how he did it because he’s so social. Honestly though, he’s always been way more into people than other dogs. He wasn’t a fan of Gretel when we brought her home. He didn’t dislike her but he didn’t want to have much to do with her. I would still describe him as “tolerant” of her. When we go to the dog park, he doesn’t play with other dogs. I know I can find him at the next available human hand though.
I am glad your pups keep each other company. A Beagle-Dachshund mix must be interesting – both in look and temperament.
I am currently on dachshund number 4. I am a vet tech so mine have all came from clinics with stories attached. All have been barkers, the current one does most of her barking in the yard at least. All have also been landscapers, Penny Lane my current has managed to catch a couple ground squirrels with her digging. I have given up on crate pads and dog beds, instead I buy inexpensive fleece blankets or remnants at the fabric store. Beds were just being eaten too often, and they seem to like arranging and covering themselves better. I have discovered that Penny is very easily trained in the right circumstances. She steals cat food, and cleans the litter box, I know I am surprised also lol. As my cats have aged I can not have things up out of dachshund reach anymore. I am currently using a Pawsaway Zone alarm. I don’t even have to turn on the collar anymore, just put it on her. I put off a “shock” collar for years but finally got desperate, works like a charm. I have added a second base by the front door, and now people can actually get inside before the dogs demand attention.
I’ve heard those types of “zone restrictions” are great for keeping Dachshunds away from the kitty roca and out of the cat’s private space. I am glad it’s working for you and your pup (and kitties). It would be a dream at my house if Chester and Gretel actually let people get in the door before they went nuts on them and demanded attention. Ha, ha.
I have had doxies for 50 years. I cannot be happy without at least one. All of what you said is soooo true. I love the breed and have friends that have them and are the same way. lol. My present boy is number 7 for me. I lost my little girl 2 months ago at 17 and a half. All have lived at least 13 years.
I am sorry for your loss. I can imagine how hard losing a beloved pet is but I don’t KNOW because I’ve never lost a pet as an adult. I feel like I didn’t totally grasp it as a kid.
Chester is 13 now. I’m hoping to have at least 2 or 3 more years with him. He seems to be going strong. Gretel is about half of Chester’s age and I feel like that is good. I can “leap frog” them that way. Right now I have Chester and Gretel, someday it will be Gretel and another Doxie, then it will be Doxie number 3 with Doxie number 4, and so on.
I recently had to put down my doxie, whom I loved with all my heart. He was 12.5 years, and had I.V.D.D., I guess, I didn’t get an MRI. He was at the vet’s hospital because he couldn’t walk, his back legs went out , and he couldn’t go to the bathroom. They had to put in a catheter every four hours and it took 3 adults to hold him down while they did it. I has him outside in his crate at the hospital and tried to give him a pepperoni and he wouldn’t eat it. They were his favorite, and he wouldn’t eat it. We talked, and sat in the sun for about a half an hour, when the vet assistant came out to put another catheter in him, I said NO, never again. Then I said, give him the injection. I watched as he died, and it’s been 6 months and I hate myself for killing him, I cannot forgive myself. He was my third doxie and I never want another due to having to do the same thing, but I miss him so much, any suggestions?
Hi Liz. I am sorry for your loss. How heartbreaking. Six months isn’t that long ago so I am not surprised you are still mourning. Please don’t beat yourself up though. I truly believe that recognizing when it’s time for a beloved pet to go, and being willing to let them go, is the last, greatest, most noble thing you can do for a pet. As with any loss and grief, it gets better with time. I’ve heard many a tragic story from Dachshund owners. Several of them swore that each time would be their last Dachshund. The Dachshund breed wiggles it’s way into hearts though and many of those that “swore off” getting another did, in fact, end up doing just that.
You will know when it’s the right time to bring another pet into your life. The need for that companionship, and the hope of giving a pup a loving home, will start to outweigh your grief. When that time does come, you have several options. Maybe you will have decided that Dachshunds are “your breed” and you will be willing to give another one a home. Maybe you won’t. You can consider a Dachshund mix. IVDD is a genetic disease that is most likely to afflict Dachshunds. Although some other breeds can get it, it is less common in those breeds (I would advise staying away from a french Bulldog though – I know several of those that suffer from IVDD). I’ve become partial to Dachshund mixes like a Chiweenie (Chihuahua mix), Dorkie (mixed with Yorkie), or any other breed crossed with Dachshund. You could also just go with another breed all together.
Good luck to you and I hope your heart heals quickly.
I’m sorry about your loss I too have been through a lot with my husband he put down his baby of 18 years. He told me he never worn it in another dog again he couldn’t go through the loss but I had my baby and new he needed one to love also. So I contacted a lady and found him little Tyia – Chihuahua – 1/2 a pound when we got her now she’s four years old and he couldn’t imagine his life without her .I have my baby Dashound of 6 years old and now his daughter of 11 months old who looks like his twin. He’s actually a full fledge service dog he helps me when I have seizures and go paralyzed in the morning he allows me to remember how to move by going underneath my arms until my brain registers how to move again I don’t know what I would do without him . He’s absolutely silent in public but at home if he sees a squirrel he’s on the chase and I’m worried if he ever catches one because he’s a little scaredy-cat and im afraid he would turn tail and run if it turned around and bit him. Most people are amazed and think he’s a stuffed animal when he rides with me or goes places because he is so quiet but his personality completely changes when he comes home he’s just like any other Dashound barking at things that run through the yard and lets me know when he wants food growls at me talk to me wines to me sleeps in my bed and hogs the blankets Belly up in likes to be rocked to sleep . now to figure out how to get rid of the anxiety when I’m not around him he likes to Mark his territory especially on my husband’s items never on anything of mine which frustrates my hubby the baby girl Dashound is totally potty trained and crate trained but wines when I’m not in her sight. Sorry lost sight of the post it would be a good thing for you to find another one to love it did wonders for my husband I know you will never forgive yourself for what had to be done and he still hasnt to this day but he knows he’s in a better place and we talk about him often and it seems to help
I’m so sorry for your loss. I am on my fourth and fifth daschounds. I have had to put down two them. Baron lived for 13.5 years and developed stomach cancer. He was very uncomfortable at the end so I put him down. I stayed with him until the end and I was the last thing he saw before he left. Schultz live to be almost 17. He was deaf and blind when I had to put him down. They both lived great lives with lots of love. I now have Frankie and Johnny ages six and four. Take some time to grieve and perhaps you will find yourself wanting another. I did!! Good luck
I just lost my doxie of 13 years. He was there for me thru good and bad. He died at home with me. I just couldn’t put him down. He’s been gone a month and a half. I haven’t gotten over it yet. Hopefully time will help me. But I rescued another doxie from the humane society. She has heartworms and is being treated for them. She is the sweetest dog I’ve ever had!
Almost three months ago, I watched my dachshund drowned. I jumped into the lake where he used to swim everyday when I noticed something was wrong and he was struggling . Unfortunately, I did not get to him on time and I saw him disappearing into the lake. His name was Leopold and he was only six and a half. The pain was unbearable. I could not stop seeing him drowning in my head and I felt super guilty. This dog was everything to me. We bounded the first day I picked him up from the SPCA.He was only three months old when I adopted him. He plaid an essential part in my life. Without him, I feel lonely and empty. I have another Dachshund who I deeply love too but without Leopold both of us feel lost.
Corrine, that is so heartbreaking. I can’t imagine what you must be going through. I hope your heart is able to heal with time.
My Winnie is going to be 20 years old on September 2nd. She is still active and catches anything that moves in my back yard. All my doxies have been deer stalkers and deer chasers. It seems they like to stalk deer. Winnie has even gone after a bear in the yard. The funniest is watching her try to catch Sand Hill Cranes. I keep asking her what she would do with one if she catch it! If she’s not chasing or stalking, her nose is always to the ground.
Wow… 20. That’s great!
I meant to mention cats. We’ve had 2, Pepper lived for 19 years and dearly loved his cat. When she passed away we thought Pepper was going to die of a broken heart. He was so happy when we brought home Bella. She used to tease him unmercifully but he love it. Arnold, our blind 4 year old, has two cats, Bella and Lilah. He loves Lilah. When she yowls when we’re trimming her claws he gets all upset and wants to protect her. He doesn’t seem to care what we do to Bella. It’s not unusual for two of them to be camped out on our lap and on rare occasion all three will be there.
I love that your Doxie loves kitties! We desperately want a cat but fear it won’t work out well since Chester and Gretel haven’t been around cats before and they are 6 and 13 now. I think Gretel would do better than Chester. Chester bit a friend’s cat once while they were watching them. Some day we may just go for it and take any precautions we need to to keep the kitty safe. Who knows… it may work out better than we think.
Make sure the cat(s) have plenty of high places where they can get away from the dogs; cat structures, catshelves etc. Karin. Catlover.
The potty training thing I didn’t know was a breed issue but now it makes sense! My aunt has always and will always have a doxie, but we figured it was spite when her doxie would pee in the house – it seemed to usually follow an episode of jealousy over something…or so we thought.
A lot of people say it’s “spite” when their Doxie (or any dog) pees in the house. I thought it was spite with Chester for a long time too. That’s before I learned that dogs don’t feel emotions like spite or seek revenge in the true sense. “Spite” peeing is their sign that something is wrong or they don’t like it. Now, with Doxies, they are very opinionated so this “wrong” thing could be arbitrary. With Chester, he was peeing inside when I left him out of anxiety 🙁
My first Doxie Miss Weenie was extremely smart! She would do things out of spite & revenge! When I would scold her for eating up another blanket (of MANY!), she would get one of my felt tip markers & chew them up! Sometimes I would catch her in the act. I would be coming down the stairs & I would see her on the couch craning her neck over the side into my wicker basket to see what she could get ahold of & chew up! I would make my disapproval noise of “annnnnk!” & she would jump backward on the couch! She never went potty on the floor for revenge. She would hold herself until we got home to let her outside. I think it was a matter of pride for her. She was the first dog that was ever truly mine & I loved her so very much. She was a little person in a dog suit. I lost my only child in a very tragic manner on July 15, 2008 while I was in Nicaragua on a mission trip with my Church. Christopher was only 25… I lost my beloved Miss Weenie on Dec. 12 of 2008; only 5 months later… She went into acute CHF & I had to have her put on the path to the Rainbow Bridge. I held her in my arms & whispered into her beautiful red silky ear that she was such a good dog & that I loved her very much, but she had to go to Heaven to play ball with Christopher… She was only 10 years & 10 months old… I thought that we would have 15 years together, but we didn’t… I still miss her so much…!
“A little person in a dog suit”… love it 🙂 I am sorry for both of your losses. I’ve suffered a lot of loss in my family too so I know how painful it can be.
I love this information. It is so “right on.” I don’t currently own a daschund, but I dog sit Maggy (they even let me “borrow” her when I need company). I am a total daschund lover. I even take Maggy shopping at the pet store when we get her nails clipped.
I agree with all of this and I’ve had dachshunds for over fifty years. I wouldn’t even consider another breed of dog. They are unique. A standard dachshund breeder I know will not even consider someone without prior dachshund experience!
I can understand why. A lot of rescues want Doxies to go to someone with prior experience too. Unfortunately, you can’t get prior experience without someone giving you a chance in the first place. Each person has to set their own boundaries around that but, to me, as long as the person REALLY understands the breed it’s ok for them to have one. I’ve also had people ask me about Dachshunds and then say they’re never had one but did have a Jack Russel Terrier. I was like, “Oh, you’ll be fine with a Doxie then.” Ha, ha.
I never cared for the Dachshund breed. I never thought I would want one. But when I decided to get my recently adopted terrier mix a companion the woman at the shelter brought out a feisty little copper colored five month old Dachshund. I was hooked! She is the cutest, most lovable little creature! All those “bad” things that Dachshunds do she does. I didn’t know anything about the breed or their idiosyncrasies. Now that I know more about them I am less frustrated with the housebreaking difficulties. I’m ok with a wee wee pad in a corner. All my tables sport chewed corners and I have thrown away many a dog bed and ruined shoes. But I love her more than anything!!! I’m a Dachshund fan now for sure!
They’ll hook ya for sure 🙂 Most people become Dachshund owners for life.
Ha. So true. My doxie is a jack russel mix. My neighbor has jack rusell that was ruled the neighborhood court for a decade after I moved in. He was on this earth for 16 years. So I knew a bit about JR. They are fierce and colorful, like a doxie.
I so agree! Especially about looking before you sit. 😉 I love the breed, but Nola has absolutely ruined me for all other dachshunds. She’s one of a kind!
I kind of know what you mean. I love Chester but Gretel is my “heart dog”. I can’t imagine life without her and I can’t imagine loving another Dachshund, or any dog for that matter, more.
Although I lived with a Dachshund for over 16 years, you mentioned some things I hadn’t previously experienced. Now that I’m about to embark on mommyhood to a new Doxie girl, I’ve got some good information thanks to this post! We’re down to just about 3 weeks before our baby girl comes home to us! 🙂
While the things listed are VERY common, each dog can be so different depending on their temperament and environment. I had trained Chester to hardly ever bark but all bets were off when Gretel came. I am not sure if it’s just a pack mentality thing (HE is the one that made HER a barker by the way) or that he’s protecting her but he likes to bark, bark, bark at everything. I can’t wait to see how your little bundle of joy turns out 🙂
My dog use to bark at everything. He is a mini daschund, We decided to use bark busters and within 24 hours he no longer barked at dogs or any of the other things he use to bark at.That was a year and a half ago. The training is pretty simple and easy. My biggest question is he does not care for being in an area that is closed off by a gate by himslelf for more than 2 and a half hours to 3 hours. It is a big area so I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions they have tried. he is 13 and a half but he still has the energy of a puppy.
Thanks
Great to hear you had such success with Bark Busters. In order to give any insight, I would need to know the behavior your dog is exhibiting after the 2-3 hour mark. I assume it’s different than during the first few hours? Is it barking? Whining? Desctructive behavior? Self harm?
Jessica, thank you for the information. I am a Doxie owner and lover of 2 doxies. I brought home my first doxie 6 years ago to be companion with my black lab. They were inseparable. They totally loved each other. When my lab died, Jack was despondent and the vet put him on puppy Prozac. After about a month I contacted my friend that bred Doxies. She had another one, so I made a 10 hour trip to pick up this second doxie. Jack went along. At first he did not like Hank, but now they are the best of friends. Jack stopped taking the Prozac after about 10 days. He knew and shared with me that he didn’t need it any longer. They are such companions to me. They make me laugh and keep me grounded on responsibility. Jack lets me know when it’s dinner time, sometimes a little early. Then he’ll run and get Hank to let him know that it’s food time. Needless to say, Jack is a tad on the heavy side (I watch his food intake and exercise closely) while Hank is a tiny skinny mini.
Having had big dogs all of my life, I never knew what I was missing about not having doxies. Jack thinks that he is a big dog as he was raised with big dogs. I tell people that he thinks that he is a rottweiler!!
Thank you so much for your informative blogs and fb posts. I love watching the antics of Chester and Gretel.
Chester and Gretel are early “dinner alerters” too. They don’t eat until 5 but they usually start in with their antics around 3 pm! Thanks for sharing the story about Hank and Jack. That’s sweet 🙂
I can tell from reading all the many stories that my Ms. Gracie Mae needs a playmate. She is home for 4 hours alone, then I come home for about 45 minutes then she is alone again for another 4 hours. Then I’m home all evening with her. She is almost 5 months old and has done a really good job of potty training. But she loves it when other dogs come to visit, well people too for that matter. She loves all the attention. Now I just need to decide if I want to take on another Doxie or if I should try a cat? Thoughts?
Diane, I can’t imagine my life without 2 doxies. The two are not any harder to take care of than one. They both sit in my chair with me easily!! They are great company for each other when I’m not at home. Yes, they both can get into trouble and you never know which one was the culprit!!
The other thing that you would need to consider as well is the vet charges. You will have double the vet bills and heartworm medication with two. Luckily where I live, we have mobile vets that are less costly than stand alone vet clinics and this helps tremendously with the charges.
Since I’m not a cat person, I would say that whatever you feel more comfortable with for a companion for your Ms. Gracie Mae.
Good luck!!
My daughter and I have a 1 year old female labradoodle and recently got a mini female dapple.. It sounds like the two are tearing the house down playing with each other. The LD loves to get the mini to play with her. The LD gets a little rough sometimes and we make sure to calm her down but the mini holds her own. They are so funny to watch!
Gabi campaigns for early dinner or better yet for moving up Apple Time. She uses Jake The Snake which must be, to my regret, the loudest squeekie toying the world. And Gabi could campaign forever if need be because she loves apples and Quaker Rice Cake which is what we give for rewards and treats. She and Monty are our 5th and 6th Doxies. She is an Alpha and has been known to go after and hurt Monty our Kissing Fool who has never snapped or growled at anything. We have gad other large breeds, loved them but Doxies are OURS. I was fearful if dogs until in Hawaii I met Fink. A real Dachshund Character. So our first was Fink. The breeder didn’t like the name so he was registered as Baron Von Finkelstine. Fink was the starter of the Randall Dachshund Revolution
I have a Gracie Mae also!
What a great article and tribute to doxies! We had a doxie mix, and I can definitely relate to some of the behavior and health issues, as well as the quirks. Our Kermit had seizure issues which were really difficult to deal with, but it was so worth it. Thanks for such great information!
I have found that Doxie mixes seem to display the Dachshund traits most. Maybe it’s because they are so strong willed. Ha, ha.
I hope LOTS of prospective doxie people read this! Many of the things you mention also apply to corgis. Breed research is so important.
Of course, knowing Chester and Gretel personally, I can’t imagine them being anything but perfect angels. Well, excluding the small animal nuances 😉 I might have told you before that I have a huge crush on wirehaired doxies. I’ll probably have to be satisfied with just staring at pictures online, though. 🙂
It’s always interesting to learn what is a Dachshund trait and what is just a “dog” trait. Since I’ve never owned anything else (as a kid but….), I have to rely on people like you to share 🙂
Chester’s Halloween costume is a devil. I think he should wear it all year round so people know 🙂
I got my first Dauchshund when I was 9 years old. I am now 64….55 years of being owned by Doxies. That should be #22 on your list of things to know. Dauchshunds own you, you do not own your Dauchshund! I have lived with all shapes, sizes, and coats, with the exception of the wirehair. Rose was my digger. I sware I think that hole went all the way to China! My current Furbaby, Magnolia Honeychille, a.k.a. Honey, is my barker!! She can be heard in the heavens…and it really does sound like a soprano Doberman making that obnoxious, ferocious racket. I live in a condominium. One neighbor graciously refers to her as “Security.” As a matter of fact, she looks just like the beautiful baby in your pictures. She is very protective of me and isn’t interested in having anything to do with anyone else. Talullah was also a longhair. These Doxies are much more sensitive than their smooth coat cousins. Dauchshunds cannot be housebroken…ever..100%. Weather and spite won’t permit it. After 55 years, I think it’s obvious that I’m addicted to this wonderful breed. I can’t imagine living life without a Dauchshund, or two, or three.
Chester was my first dog as an adult. Not only did I have to adjust to the personality and neediness of a dog compared to a cat, I had to deal with a Dachshund! I didn’t do well at first. He would chew everything and was always pestering me. Then I realized that I couldn’t just come home from work, give him a pat on the head, and expect to be left alone. I really had to change how I did everything to cater to him. As soon as I started giving him undivided attention, he stopped chewing all of the things he wasn’t supposed to. He sure did train me good 🙂
I’ve met some European hunting dachshunds who participate in field tests. They were pretty awesome! And so fit.
Scout is half Dachshund and half Chihuahua. This list sounds just like him. Needy, stubborn, silly, cuddly, loud, hates walks in the rain and being alone, loves to dig in our flower bed and lawn, and can never get enough to eat. Lol. He is my mini watchdog, every squirrel, neighbor, loud truck or other dog that passes our house he lets me know about in such a way that each time I thought for sure someone was actually breaking into our house. Now, I am used to it so I don’t panic when he goes on alert. He has a lot of energy, sometimes he will go upstairs and I will hear him racing back and forth down the hallway and back, crashing into the blinds on our sliding glass door. He does that for several minutes and then he comes back downstairs and hops up on the couch and takes a nap. So silly. He makes me smile and laugh every day.
Chiweenies are super cute! I can picture him running back and forth chasing birdies on the other side of the window. One time I thought it would be a good idea to put a bench under our large livingroom window so Chester and Gretel could see out. Mis-take! That lasted about 30 minutes. I couldn’t stand the incessant barking. I am sure our neighbors weren’t appreciative of it either.
Yes. I wish there was a way to keep him from being able to see outside sometimes. We have two glass sliding doors and so it’s not possible. Even when he can’t see anything he can still apparently hear a leaf hit the grass in our yard and needs to let me know. Oh and the harness issue. We finally got a great fitting one for him on the third try. Lol.
Great info on these dogs. Mom says Bailie and I are tiny in her mind and she wouldn’t want a dog that was any smaller, but if she did, she would want a miniature wire hair Dachshund. She thinks they are so adorable, but being so small it would be hard to have them in the yard and stuff as they could get out so easily. Maybe one day when she is really old she will get one.
You definitely need a fence that touches the ground with no gaps with a Dachshund. They can easily squeeze out small holes and, although Chester and Gretel don’t, I am sure some of the diggers would try to burrow under it. If I didn’t have smooth-haired Dachshunds, I would have a wire.
Oh yes, doxies are hunters! This did not sink in when I got my first doxie Penny until I took her out to the stable….and she proceeded to catch and kill every chicken out there. I was mortified, the stable owner was mad, and Penny was very pleased with herself! She also would occasionally leave me ‘gifts’ of dead gophers on my pillow. And I’ve had six more dachshunds since!
Wow. I bet that was a surprise at the time…. not now that you know the breed though 🙂
Like you I knew nothing about Dachshunds only adopting Dolly because she was so cute. Even though she is a mix, I’d guess at least 75% Doxie, she matches every item on your list except for No. 7 hard to potty train. Dolly potty trained in no time and has never had a mishap in the house. She can hold it forever which is probably related to the one about being picky about the weather. (Yes, I just saw this post on your last email and realized I never saw it before!) Sandra (& Dolly)
Great article! The comments were very interesting, as well, although it makes me sad when people cross Dachshunds with other breeds. Breeders in Germany would have a heart attack. I grew up with these dogs, my mother bred them and they are wonderful dogs. I don’t understand any of the difficulties such as with housebreaking, digging, etc.; as long as they are exercised regularly, (almost everyday), taken out frequently as puppies, and given firm, consistent boundaries, they are perfectly fine. I’ve owned many Dachshunds, and I’ve never had one that wasn’t housebroken within six months, (at the latest), or dug up the yard, or barked incessantly, nor have they ever eaten cat poo. They do tend to chase cats, but have never injured or killed one, and they kill the rats in the barn that are too huge and nasty for the cats. The kind that will try and attack you if you attempt to get them out of a grain bin. I wish the government would fund an education program that teaches dog care, psychology, etc. They are such a wonderful breed, and in my humble opinion, only the Border Collie is smarter. Our farm wouldn’t be the same without them.
My short-haired mini (Dennis) conforms to pretty much everything here, though he’s not much of a digger. Glad to hear about the toilet training – Dennis is really good 99% of the time, then suddenly, for no discernible reason, once every couple of months usually, he’ll go inside.
He loves water though – absolutely fascinated by it. He has no qualms about going out in the rain. When walking after it’s been raining he’ll watch water run-by in the gutter, loves to go swimming, especially trying to catch the little fish in the local creek (I don’t think he’s every managed it – they’re too quick).
That’s great that Dennis doesn’t mind the rain. He would make a good running or hiking buddy 🙂
Could not agree with you more. A Dachshund is a life companion. I just buried mine in January after 18 glorious years. Fritzy was my true best friend and constant companion when I was home. Very protective of me, but I admired him because of it. And a great judge of character of people. I always looked at him when we met someone on a walk or they came over. If he walked away and came and sat by me, a flag went up as to what they were after or about. And he was never wrong. I miss him and his antics and love daily. My little boy.
I am sorry you lost your Fritzy. It sounds like you have a ton of great memories of him you can cherish though 🙂
So I have my first Doxie his name is Jayne and boy did I not know what I was getting into. :).. He’s not my first dog I did have another before him and when she died it took three years to decide I was ready for another canine fur baby. I’ve known doxies in the past just never lived with one. The barking is him completely, there’s someone at the door, cat, bird, empty bag, leaf in the yard, Danger DANGER WILL ROBERTSON!!!! He doesn’t dig much and is a total goof ball, he actually shoplifted a toy from the store…. (face in hand shaking head) ‘George the shoplifted Pterodactyl’ is doing well and joins us in bed almost every night. That’s another thing I never expected to allow, a dog in bed. He turns on the sad face and does the little doxie wine and I cave in with many things. he has not yet succeeded at getting my dinner form me. Jayne does get along with my cats, it may help the boy is a huge Snowshoe Siamese mix almost 20 lbs. and the other plays with him. it’s been a learning experience with him and I’m planning on working with him in agility. People always “why? he’s little?’ Who doesn’t think it hilarious to watch a Winnie fly?
Ha, ha. Right? Size does not determine how much energy they have, how athletic they are, or how cute/funny they look running and flying 🙂 Doxies certainly change your life in more ways than one. I slept with my cat when I was a kit so sleeping with me was natural since Dachshunds are cat-sized 🙂 However, I didn’t consciously think about it when I considered having a dog. Chester just didn’t take no for an answer 🙂
I couldn’t find a place to put a fresh comment so I’m replying wherever I could find one. that’s a great article with lots of tips and they’re all very true I’ve had a miniature long haired dachshund for the last 40 years I’m on my third right now and it gets better and better and just a couple little things I want to share I. Knew nothing about dogs when I bought my first at the mall. That no longer happens but it worked out. It was tough at first until the crate if you want to potty train them the crate works like magic and the other thing is consider a litter box. I’m not getting any younger and going outside down three flights of steps from my bedroom in my house is not exactly my idea of training him I found out they make litter for dogs in a litter box and he loves it. when he was a puppy he played in it when it was fresh and then he started to Insist that I clean and change the litter every time he used it. not a problem it was a good reminder that he did use it so it’s the easiest way I’ve ever had to train a dog. Batu is the only dachshund I’ve had who is 100% trained. I can take him in the city to the bank other little stores that will let him in. I am not worried that he’s going to do anything on the floor. I can’t say that for my first two boys. I flew halfway across the country and back to get him when it was time and it was well worth it. Especially in this time of lockdowns he keeps me sane.
I have just gotten my second Dachshund – my adorable little Daxan, who was the light of my life – I sadly had to put down a month ago. He had a heart murmur which we discovered on a check up when he was about 10 years old. We had him on medication and the vet said he could live for another 3 years if lucky but sadly he didn’t last longer than 6 months after putting him onto the medication
The night he passed he came to look for me and was breathing very heavily with a chest that looked like his poor little heart was going to pop right out of it. His eyes were telling me it was time for him to go. I remember sitting on the bed (I am a grown man of nearly 40) crying my eyes out next to him and he just kept nodding his little head with the most loving stare I had ever seen him give me. He truly was the most lovable and loyal of dogs and I cherish the 12 years we got to spend together. Putting him down that night was the hardest thing I have ever done in this life but I am thankful it was quick and painless.
We have adopted another little one from the shelter (a boy called Jack who is 2 years old) and he is just as cute, just as lovable and just energetic as Daxan was. He has brought so much joy into the house even though not a day goes past where I don’t think of Daxie and hope where ever he is he is happy!
We plan on adopting Jack a new Dachshund friend from the shelter in the coming months as these dogs definitely need to be in pairs for company.
Honestly I could not imagine a life without a Dachshund in it. Daxan and now Jack have made sure of that. I agree with the comment “once a dachshund owner, always a dachshund owner” because as long as I live there will always be the pitter-patter of Dachschund feet running throughout my life and house
I’m so sorry to hear about Daxan. My friend’s Dachshund had an enlarged heart and passed away too. I know how heartbreaking it can be. I’m glad Jack is there to fill some of the space in your heart 🙂
I loved this! I have a 4 year old black & tan dachshund named Chloe who I call “Piggy”. She loves pizza in fact she has a facial expression we call “pizza face” where she smells it or sees it heck even when we talk about pizza. She’s stubborn as hell and has decided that my husband is unfit to take her potty! It’s been most frustrating. I could be standing in the same room and she won’t go through an open door unless I stand up and go with her. She’s full of personality! We have a German shepherd and she bosses him around. I love the breed and am looking to add another to our family 🙂
Wonderful article! I have a Dachshund, and though he’s obviously a small dog, I make sure people understand he isn’t just a lap dog! He isn’t like most other Dachshunds (unlike most others, he loves kids, isn’t too protective, is never stubborn, and never barks) but he still will happily walk, jog, run, or do other activities! Being hounds, nothing is better to them than getting fun exercise!
My Chester “breaks the mold” too because he loves kids 🙂 I’m so happy to hear your pup loves being active.
I have always been a cat person. But my kids begged me to get a dog when they were little. They are grown now.
I have owned two dogs before I got my doxie. One I inherited from a sister, and the other one I got as the last puppy from a litter, both spaniel mixes. One passed and I could see having just one dog is hard on the dog, They seem much happier when there is two of them. After a few months I started to look for a 2nd dog.
I found my doxie/terrier mix on Craigslist. He was saved from the gas chamber in a different county by a lovely lady who ran a pet rescue from her home. When I saw that face in the photo, I was smitten. I liked my other dogs, but I fell in love with my doxie. LOVE. It caught me by surprise, I can tell you that. Clever, sensitive, funny, loving, independent and obedient ( I must of lucked out). Potty training was a 6 month challenge, during the rainy season. That is how I started to research the breed. His aversion to wet weather was so strong it cracked me up. 2 years later now and he has never gone in the house again. So take heart if you are battling the potty training. I was in despair at how long it took. Also my dog adored my cat and they play every single day on and off all day. It is so entertaining. He is very gentle and respectful when he plays with the cat, ( and the cat really likes him, much to our utter amazement). They wrestle and dance around each other. My older spaniel dog is a nervous uptight dog, and the doxie is very respectful and plays gentle with her too. I have been so impressed at my doxie’s sensitivity to both animals.
I was glad to read how long they live, because I cannot imagine life with this doxie now. Once the older spaniel reaches the end of her life. I will get a 2nd doxie. When a doxie stands in front of your face looking into your eyes, ( or your soul) it is seriously like nothing else. lol Pure kismet. You know it was meant to be.
What a wonderful story and perspective. Thanks for sharing. I can’t imagine a time in my life where I won’t own a Dachshund. Chester is a little more aloof and bossy in his old age but Gretel certainly looks into my soul with her eyes 🙂
Amen about dachshunds! They so much steal your heart. I have one named trixie. She came from Pennsylvania, I live in ks. My daughter is blessed with her dachshund …jazz. aka jazz the spazz…vet thinks she might have a hint of ADHD. But we still love her to the moon n back as we do trix.
My comment Id like to add…..when you praise one praise them ALL! This way no feelings hurt. My family thinks this way about dogs. ..they dont ask for much just loved fed & watered, petted and playtime. Thats a considerable amount less than humans and a dog will always be loyal. More than what I can say for some human beings. If came down to my life or my dogs ..ive told my husband & girls my dog comes before me.
Good tip. No Doxie likes to feel left out 🙂
I started out in 2006 fostering Dachshunds for a local Dachshund Rescue group. My first two were a bonded pair. They are what we called failed fosters, that’s right, after having them for several months I knew there was no way I could give these two up. I have fostered many over the years from tiny puppies to really old ones and have never regretted doing so. I have 3 now as I have lost several to old age. I can tell you this there is no other more loyal to his or her person than a Dachshund. They fiercely love their people. Be prepared to learn to take care of their backs and their teeth. These babes have an enzyme that causes rapid plaque build up that gives off a nasty shrimpy smell. They need their teeth cleaned yearly. I promise you will never regret owning A Dachshund if you research first to see if you can handle their antics and learn to have patience in house training. I you can’t handle house breaking then choose another breed.
Thanks for your tips and perspective. It’s very true that the three “problemmatic” issues with Dachshunds are back, teeth, and potty training. Luckily, Chester was blessed with good genes. He’s never had any back problems or teeth issues. His teeth are cleaner at 14 than my other Doxie’s teeth were at 3! Now, I’ve had several stern talks with him and pottying in the house over the years though. Ha, ha. Gretel has never pottied in the house but has dirty teeth a lot and a bad back 🙁
I also have one that his teeth are as pretty and white as they were when he was a baby but my other two, ugh, every year they have to be cleaned and they start stinking 6 months after. I just can’t afford to have them cleaned twice a year.
I got my first Doxie when I was 9 yrs old. I am now 54 and I have three of them now. I’ve been privileged to have bee able to be Mom to ten beautiful girls so far. They are the loves of my life, especially Jessica. I was impressed with your knowledge on them. They do also have anal gland issues and should try to keep their teeth clean. As with any breed really. Frequent wormings with some also because , as you mentioned also, they eat almost anything. I was also fortunate to be able to cure one of my Doxie’s back injuries with 8-10 weeks of crate rest and physical therapy, so she can walk again. The vet. didn’t tell my about this alternative and said Addison would never walk or pee by herself. Now she does everything she could do before. So vets do not know everything. Go with your gut, you know your little one better than anyone else. Doxies are the best, and although they all share a basic similarity no two are the same they are all wonderfully unique.Thank you so much for putting all of this information out there. I found it very accurate and informative. And for giving Doxie lovers a place to go. Your club sounds great, but I live in NY.
Thanks for sharing your insights. You truly have way more experience than I do. I am so glad the crate rest and physical therapy worked for your pup. Your’s certainly isn’t the first story I’ve heard like it.
Funny – my rescue doxie has few of these traits – rarely barks, no chasing of anything living. Doesn’t chew on anything. No accidents in the house (although if we leave her alone too long out of the crate she will poop). No digging.
However, I do call her my tumor because she is attached at my hip if I’m sitting at home. She goes to the office with me and we walk at noon so she’s pretty attached. And of course she’s under the covers at the bottom of our bed. I also identify with the fair weather comment – she’ll hold it for hours waiting for the rain to stop.
We think she was a puppy mill breeder that was dropped off – so interestingly, many of the “negative” qualities I think were trained out of her. She does run with me and we get a lot of exercise…so maybe she’s just tired. Funny, people are always concerned that I’m abusing her for exercising her… I tell them she can run much farther and faster than I’ve ever dreamed of doing! She’s 9 (we’ve had her 4) and I hope she lives many more healthy, happy years.
It sounds like you guys are on the right track for a long, healthy journey together 🙂 I’m glad that people’s negative comments don’t deter you guys from excercising.
Rescue Doxies are the best!
I have a couple of questions, if you don’t mind 🙂 Last year, we adopted a 14 month old doxie mix (the shelter said he was an owner surrender and that he was mixed with a golden retriever – figure that one out, lol – and they had his birthdate and medical records). He made tons of friends in the neighborhood, greeted every dog we met with a play bow, and has doggie play dates 3-4 times per week at least. Yes, it’s like having a toddler all over again! Something changed when he was close to 2. I was speaking with a neighbor and she had her older dog with her, who he had never met. Suddenly, after sniffing the dog (who was bigger than him), he snapped at it and started snarling and barking. Now, every time we meet a new dog, he sniffs and snaps (he has never bitten another dog, just snaps at it, and I always warn people that he does this before letting them approach us). Most of the time, he snaps, I pull him back, and then he is fine with the other dog. He becomes leash reactive if we don’t let him meet the other animal. We spoke with a trainer, who has 4 doxies of her own, and she said this is very common with the breed. She also said that if the dog isn’t “in their pack” by age 2, it isn’t going to be. Do you find this to be true? If so, how do you deal with it? We’ll continue to work with a trainer, but I’m feeling a little hopeless.
Hi Leslie –
Sorry for my delayed response. I’ve been traveling for work.
It’s my understanding that. at 2, a dog is becoming a teenager. Probably like human teenagers, their attitude changes and they can act out. I’m not sure what the trainer means by a dog not being “in their pack”. It IS true that most of the socialization starts before 2 (they can still become more social but it takes more work and they will likely never be perfectly socialized) but I’ve heard of older dogs coming into a household and becoming close friends with the other dog already there. Dachshunds can be known to react the way you describe toward other dogs. Chester has gone through stages in his life but has been known to do that. Gretel wasn’t socialized when she was young so she is always reactive at first.
Unfortunately, I don’t have any solid advice for you. I can say that Dachshunds almost always get along with other Dachshunds (I know this from observing members of my Doxie club for 5 years) and have less of an issue with dogs similar to their own size. Almost every Doxie I know is reactive in some way toward big dogs at one time or another. There are dog training classes specifically for reactive dogs. The one I took was based on knowing your dog’s distance threshold (the minimum distance between them and another dog before they react) and ways to make them more comfortable at closer distances. I don’t know if your trainer mentioned anything to you about that. If not, my advice might be try a different trainer. Although Dachshunds are stubborn, an “oh, well, that’s just the way they are” attitude is not helpful for you (now saying that was her attitude – just saying ask another trainer if it was). There ARE things you can do.
In my experience, Chester mellowed as he got older and, although he is an excited barker, rarely snaps at other dogs anymore. I would suggest more socialization training, the reactive dog training, and crossing your fingers that he’ll mellow once he is out of his teenage years.
Good luck!
Thanks so much for your reply! We actually just got the contact info for a new trainer the other day. Almost everything the first one suggested seemed to make things worse. I wish I knew our dog’s history, but we didn’t get him until he was 14 months. He’s definitely getting lots of opportunities for socialization with us – our backyard is one playdate after another! 🙂 We’ll get the leash issue figured out. It’s going to take time and patience, but we’ll get there.
There are so many different trainers out there – personality, method, and skill. I hope this new contact works for you but don’t be afraid to try a third time. It sounds like you are dedicated to working on any issues you have and I commend you for that.
I am a new doxie owner (and new dog owner!) and had a question about how much they sleep during the day? I adopted my sweet Sulley in March of this year, and the shelter said he’s about 7 years old (though the vet thinks he’s closer to 5-6 years old). I’m fortunate enough to work from home so he’s rarely separated from me, but I am unsure if it’s normal for him to sleep so much during the day! I am in an apartment so no yard for him to run and frolick in, but I do walk him at least 4-5 times a day and I’ve tried different kinds of toys for him (stuffed animals, mini tennis balls, squeaky toys, rubber bones that hold treats)- none of them hold his attention and sit in the corner unused. I want to make sure I am being mindful of his needs but I don’t know if this is boredom or just laziness? He doesnt have many bad habits that dogs typically exhibit when they’re bored- he doesnt whine or bark or chew anything, and is usually sleeping at my feet under the table while I work, or in the bathroom where it’s nice and dark in the corner between the tub and the toilet (imagine my sureprise the first time I found him there!). He’s a very happy dog in general, but I dont want him to feel neglected being that I’m on my computer working M-F, 8:30 am -5:30 pm. Any suggestions?
Hi Briane –
Welcome to world of dog ownership…. especially Dachshund ownership 🙂 I’ve owned Chester for 14 years and Gretel for over 5. I also Doxie sit in my home. Dachshunds sleep a lot. I work from home too so Chester and Gretel sleep in my office. They are raring to go if I want to (they can hike all day) but, when we are home, I would say they sleep maybe 75% of the day? It’s at least 50%. Most dogs are lucky to get walked once or twice a day. On days that they get a walk (30 – 40 minutes), they sleep more of the day. If they were getting walked 4-5 times a day, I’m pretty sure they would never wake up 🙂 When we spend all day hiking, they barely move for the next day or so. The first time that happened I thought I had broken them. Ha, ha. Anyway, there is no advice to give. It’s great that you can walk your pup so much and sleeping most of the day is normal, especially under the circumstances.
Hello,
I have a Dachshund which is very beautiful, lovely, and sensitive. It was given to me by a friend, and after I got my Dachshund one month old, it made me completely change the attitude towards dogs. Very funny, playful, lovely, smart, clean, and an “integrated” dog I’d say. Despite his independent nature, I praise him because of his loyalty and love towards me and my family members. However, we are coming across some problems with our precious Dachshund. His nature tells me that he desperately loves to walk in my courtyard, which is shared with two of my neighbours. Now the problem is that the dog prefers to go near the gate of my neighbor, where he sees a next-door dog barking and giving him signs to play. Sadly, not all people love dogs, so we are forced to take great control of him because the lady has warned me that she will hurt the dog if he goes there to destroy her flowers and her small bloody garden. Another case might be that she could release the dog, and then somebody could pick him up by force and steal him to keep at his home considering his beauty. The dog is getting bord, and I am, too!
We are planning on dividing our courtyard from my neighbours, so that the dog will have his space to walk at tremendous speed to chase birds, butterflies, bees, pigeons, and any other kind of living creatures that might come around.
Despite being a small dog, many people who visit us are really afraid of him, largely when they hear his noisy unstoppable barks. They are surprised how such a small dog can give away such a loud bark.
To conclude this comment, I’d say that this dog breed is wonderful, amazing, and heart-stealing. It’s true that they demonstrate an independent nature, but that sometimes is very similar to the nature of humans. I could give you many examples unless my eyes were not being closed by my needs to sleep right now.
Cheers!
Hello. Yes, Dachshunds are sure amazing. I am sorry you are having trouble with your neighbor. It sounds like your situation is very complicated. Is this neighbor that said she might hurt your pup not the owner of the dog that keeps giving him play signals? It sounds like dividing the courtyard might be the best thing. It’s hard for me to believe but some people just do not like dogs.
Hello,
It’s fine, finally! I told my neighbor to yell at my dog when she sees him, and yeah, it worked, the dog does not go there anymore. Even the stress is gone now; he can walk freely anywhere around my courtyard.
Next door to my neighbor, there is a dog who provoked him to go to play with him. Hearing his barks, I can recognise it is a German Shepherd, and it is hard to believe that my dog is trying to get along with a dog of a larger breed, something I’ve never seen before on his nature, because on other occasions, if he’d see a larger dog, he would bark at him until the dog was out of sight.
I am finally happier!
Yay. I’m so glaad the issue has been solved.
First thing a dackel owner should know is how to pronounce the damn name. It’s pronounced: ducks- hooned (like mooned). NOT dashs-hund. A dachs is a badger (German). Second, know its common German name- dackel (duck-ell). Third- don;t let them climb to many steps or leap heights/depths greater than 2x their height (though they often do in play or hunting). Hip dysplasia is common and paraplegia. Use ramps wherever you can place them (front/rear porch for many people’s houses). Use a child-guard on your stairs. I would advise carrying them up/down the stairs. If you like them in your bed (don;t- they will OWN it) carry them or have a ramp built.
They bark a lot and won;t be silenced (hunting breeding). They’re stubborn. I haven;t had problems toilet training them- mine go in the cat litter tray (note- remove all cat feces or they will eat it. Charming). Spay your dogs. Usually if you have a male and a female- they will mate (even if spayed). They also love to destroy things like cushions and stuffed objects. If you love lacey things like table-cloths- be warned- that looks like perfect teeth floss to a dackel. As will straaw hats, wicker baskets etc. Vinegar is a good scent deterrent to them.
Good think you mentioned the eating cat poop out of the litter box. Mine to love “kitty-roca” and I have to physically keep them away. I hear that is a common issue with a lot of dogs actually. Yuck! I definitely think is a great “fun fact” for folks in the US and other countries to know how to pronounce the breed in German and to also know that it’s most commonly called Dackel in Germany. It doesn’t make one any less of a great pet owner just because they don’t know those things though. Now, if a Dachshund owner lived in GERMANY and didn’t know those things, that would indeed be quite embarrassing. Ha, ha.
I love the picture of the doxie running! I have entered my doxie Lucy in the races! Everyone should! They are so fun!
I’ve had two dachshunds in my lifetime. The first was my childhood dog, he’s a senior now and stayed with my mom when I married and moved a few houses down. My 2 year old named simply “Weenie” was a rescue from a puppy mill situation and maybe just due to his nature, or his past, he has attached so strongly to me that I fear for his separation anxiety when I go back to work soon. This little guy makes every step I make during the day, jumps in the car every time I have to run into town, goes to my moms house while I clean for her during the week. Do y’all think it’s silly of me to arrange for my retired mother to babysit him during the day when I go back to work? She is one of his favorite people, she’s familiar with the breed, and he gets along fine with her 12 year old doxie, but almost everyone I talk to thinks I’m going overboard by having a babysitter because “it’s just a dog!”…..lol tell that to Mr Weenie. I’d like to add another doxie to the mix soon, but I’m not if he would happily welcome a friend, or if he’d be insanely jealous.
I think it’s WONDERFUL that you would have “Guy” stay with your mother when you go back to work. They’re never “just a dog” – they’re family! and I’m sure your mother would appreciate the company as well. It gives her a purpose and gives you peace of mind knowing that your little best friend is in good hands. 🙂
My partner and I have fallen for Dachshunds ever since spending a weekend with a family member’s dog back in May. For me personally, I was never a dog person before then and the turn around in my attitude to them has really surprised me! Our next step is to buy a house (rather than the flat we rent now) but not long after that we’d really like our own Dachshund. However the problem is that we both work 9-5:30 and are out of the house 8-6:30. This is clearly far too long to leave a dog on their own as it’s just not fair. We have considered doggy day care which could work for a couple of days a week and also a dog walker to call in on those days where the dog isn’t at day care. If we were to get a puppy is there scope to train him/her to spend more time alone, maybe 3/4 hours at a time or is this likely to lead to massive separation anxiety?
Any help or tips appreciated
Hi Jack. You’re right… 12 hours is a long time to leave a dog home alone with no potty breaks. I admit I’ve left Chester home for that long once or twice but I didn’t have any other alternative. Usually the max I leave him is 6 hours. I’m glad you are aware separation anxiety could be an issue and you are looking for ways to prevent it already. Since separation anxiety is a common issue, there is a lot of great information online about it. Here is one good article: . The training methods are not different with Dachshunds. I’m sure you were hoping for some specific information though. Each dog is different but I can share what worked for me. Gretel was so anxious when I adopted her that she was on Prozac. The first few weeks we had here were really rocky. Then I figured out what worked for her (which, also happened to be what had worked for Chester years earlier). Gretel is VERY food motivated. When I leave the house, she gets a treat toy (specifically, the Busy Buddy Waggle from Petsafe). She willingly goes into a crate when I give it to her. The crate is a little larger than recommended for her size and one of those open-wire ones. I then did a short version of the recommended desensitization technique where I left for short periods of time and then extended it. She progressed really quickly. My theory for her is that she is so obsessed with the treat toy that she doesn’t even see me leave. When she is finished with it, she maybe has forgotten or is tired enough to nap so she doesn’t freak out that I’m gone. Anyway, good luck with your new pup when you get it.
You also might want to seriously consider looking at Petco their brand of dog litter is the best and they make litter box for dogs usually for small Audreys miniature Docksin works perfect my dog now right at the present uses his litter box and this is the first docs and I’ve had that is 100% range and he’s been that way since I got him it’s very easy.
My boy Boris is 1.5 years. he has an extra rib so his body shape is not as long, he is like a little tank ! He has around 6-7 hours per week running amok with dogs all sizes for 2 hours 3 days a week, then his usual milder walks in between when we are home from work. He shares his kingdom with 3 cats and an older terrier who is his best bud. In all my days, my eldest daughter has never really spent too much time with our fur babies, just usually at the beginning before the novelty wore off….except for Boris!!! She is totally besotted with him it’s actually quite embarassing haha. Now she will say that she cannot cope with not seeing him daily to make her smile and forget the worries. So I guess they are a breed of their own x Love them all.
Yes, I’ve seen people proclaim they don’t like dogs, or small dogs, or Dachshunds and then fall in love with one 🙂
I TOO WAS NOT LOOKING TO BE A DOXIE MOM.MY FIRST WAS GIVEN TO AN OLDER WOMAN FOR CHRISTMAS AND SHE COULD NOT TAKE CARE OF HER SO MY HOLLYBELLE WAS OFFERED TO ME.AT FIRST I SAID I DON’T THINK I WANT THAT BREED ALWAYS HAD MUTTS.AFTER MY DAUGHTER AND HUSBAND DROVE ME CRAZY I SAID YES.WELL THE REST IS HISTORY .I FELL HEAD OVER HEALS IN LOVE AND SO DID SHE AND EVER SINCE I LOST HER I HAVD 3 MORE.I SEE A DOXIE AND IT’S LOVE AT FIRST SITE.I HAD 2 SHORT HAIR AND 2 LONG HAIR.JUST CRAZY ABOUT THESE SWEETIE’S.OH YES ALL THE ABOVE ARE SO TRUE TO THE BREED
They certainly do have a way of working themselves into the hearts of people. I’ve heard several people say they don’t like small dogs but then they’re like, “Well, your Dachshund is pretty cool”. 🙂
We’ve had doxies for many years. What you say is spot on!
Stretch, the wonder weenie is now 11 years old. He is slower, yet still an active weenie:)
Stretch, named because we wondered how far he could reach the forbidden zones, came into our hearts with Six cats, a poodle mix and …and after the loss of a beagle/basset mix, Rev..
This newly acquired Cocktail Weenie.
He took us by storm. He herded the cats, got along greatly with our Preacher Creature (poodle mix) and the buddy to Stretch, but he outlived them all, yet he guarded them as part of the family..
Today… He is old and gray in the face, but still up for chasing the ball.
I learned, just last year that his chasing the ball was practice for chasing rodents. Stretch LOVES to chase his ball! I thought he was chasing his ball last winter, when he appeared with a good sized rat between his jaws.
I heard the snap, as his jaws broke the skull of the rat that had been racing across the floor.
I was astounded! He is a better mouser than my acts had ever been!
He is getting older… Not so fast, as I toss the ball more gently nowadays.
Stretch, the Wonder Weenie is still in control of his world and mine.
I Wuv my Weenie!
“Stretch”… I chuckle because it makes me picture my Chester stretching to try and get on the counter 🙂 Happy to hear that someone else’s heart was captured by a silly wiener dog.
We just got our 4th dachshund. He is 18 weeks old. We currently only have one other who will be 16 in May. The other two have crossed the rainbow bridge. Our new puppy is a long hair, and he has been fully house trained since he was 13 weeks old. One of the two that has passed was also a long hair and very easy to house train. Our two short hairs I would say were never fully trained. Has anyone else had the same experience with long hair vs. short hair and house training?
Hi Amanda,
I never owned a short-haired, but both my daughter and my husband and I have long-haired dachshunds. My daughter’s is a mini and ours is a small standard, 18 lbs. (or tweenie as some people call them). Both dogs were difficult to house train. I would say they were both around 4 – 5 months old before they could be “trusted” in a room alone. We kept them crated at night and when no one was home. This alleviated a mistake. Dogs do not like to soil the area where they sleep. Stick to a strict daily schedule with him and his bladder will get used to going at that time. Also, take him outside IMMEDIATELY after he eats EVERY TIME so he gets the idea that it’s time to poop. I always left some in the yard and took him to sniff in that area. This helped, too. Good luck…and never give up!!! You will have a best friend for life!!!!
Hi Amanda,
I see you are a long-time dog owner….didn’t mean to give you House Training 101 lessons as I see you have owned many dogs…..just giving you some encouragement with the long-haired dachshund since I have experience with them 🙂 Good luck!
Hi Penny m y name is Robin, I have a 7 year old long haired Dashund I have been taking care of her owners, one passed in August and husband in hospital couple days ago. Been taking care of Beth as well and just got her to my home on Monday 12-18.17. She is absolutely wonderful with me and obviously knows me. She is not use to. A leash as family has always had the electric fence and collar on her. Kinda struggling with that one, she use to be able to go out and knew her boundaries and with being on a leash is really upsetting her with me? I am the bad guy.i am trying to make her aclosline runner making sure that she does not get wrapped around anything.. I cannot afford to have the electric fence put in my property. Just trying to make. Her transition easier on her. Just doesn’t realize that she can run free. Any suggestions would be greatly helpful. Thank you ??
We have owned 4 dachshunds over our 19 years of marriage. Our current one, Lucy, is almost 13 years old and she is definitely my sweetest child. One thing I’ve noticed over the tears of having them is that they are actually very easy to potty train IF you have a doggy door. This has been true for all 4 of ours. You have to start them using it as a puppy and they will stay using it. They are smart so they catch on really fast with the proper reward. Hope this helps for some that may be a little iffy about getting a dachshund due to so many saying they’re hard to potty train. We’ve never had a problem.
Hi I’m Joy, I have a Standard long haired, I had him at 12 weeks old I was told he was blind, so I got every thing you would need for that condition , he at first could not tell difference between glass door or things that were moved, but I took him to my vet who to,d me after examination he, like a baby had a squint so his brain couldn’t effectively tell the difference between certain things, but he was house trained by the age of 20 weeks, and could retrieve named toys on command he loved the game, he is now 9years and still a loveable but has his own stubborn ways loves the beach our garden backs onto it. I had a rescue miniature short haired rescue dog which was t house trained when I got him he was I year then but it took me 6weeks to train him and he was absolutely the best he loved to please unfortunately he passed when he was 6 with a cancer. Miss him so much and so did Mr Kipps my older dog so good to read your news Joy
Such an awesome read!! Just wanted to mention that my 2 1/2 year old dachshund Jasper is a pretty aggressive chewer and I’ve had good luck with the “go dog” Toys with Chew Guard Technology (which have a free one time replacement 30 day guarantee!). Though he did destroy the toy’s arms and legs, it definitely took some effort and the body is still intact! Next I’m trying the Outward Hound Incincibles. Fingers crossed! He has destroyed everything else and as a result I have a very macabre set of partial dog toys including a chicken with no beak, a bird with no head (and a head with no bird, which he seems disturbingly fond of), a ladybug with no legs, a fish with no tail, a dragon with no arms, and a creature that was unidentifiable even before his legs and nose were chewed off. I definitely have to keep an eye on him with any stuffed or squeaker toys but i’m glad to have found some that will last more than an hour!
“Last more than an hour”… yeah, that’s a Doxie for you. Ha, ha. Thanks for the great suggestions.
Hi, I am just writing to ask if it is easy to determine wether a Daschund is a Miniature or a Standard at 12 weeks old? I purchased what was supposto be a Mini in fact, but I am wondering, considering his size, wether I was actually sold a standard in actual fact.
Either way this puppy is loved unconditionally, but it would be good to know, considering I have read that there are distinct differences between the two varieties. He has huge feet and a long body, hence the confusion faced here.
Also the breeders insisted we meet at a location other than their property, considering their property was a matter of a few hours extra along that seemed helpful at the time. They refused a bank transaction, wouldn’t accept a deposit, wanted cash upon delivery and did not provide me with a receipt… all of this sounds bleak doesn’t it…
He looks in all to be healthy puppy, is very energetic, happy to be handeled and is very cheeky ( pulling on our clothes with sharp teeth) and is willing to engage. He has a habit of regularly scratching his side, though there is no signs of dermatitis or fleas.
These breeders are very tightly linked into the society/circles and I’m sure there would be few breeders to tell us if we’d been stooged.
Lastly they quoted a price that later increased by $900 (AUD) as the communication developed. They obviously sensed how much I wanted this/a puppy and I’m now wondering if his price was also a scam?
He was apparently considered a Red but on all accounts appears to be a Chocolate with a bit of Red in him, so is he is chocolate in the majority with a bit of red or am I confused ? Or is this a breeders usual response to the colouring of the Puppy ?
We are totally smitten and are in total love with this Puppy but these concerns are plaguing me and it would be nice to know wether I have any thing to worry about, or if I’m being ridiculous.
Thank you for your time.
Hi Amy. The short answer on miniature/standard is no, you can’t tell at 12 weeks. I believe a dog sin’t considered full grown (or mostly full grown) until about 11 months. That’s when the rules apply – minis will be under 11 lbs. To complicate things, a standard can have babies that grow up to be minis and visa versa. I know many people that have told me, “he/she was supposed to be a mini” but their dog turned out to be closer to 15 lbs. It’s easier for a responsible, experienced breeder to predict if the puppies will grow up to be standards or minis but even their “predictions” aren’t foolproof. If you get a dog from a backyard breeder, an accidental litter, or someone who commercially breeds dogs, (ie. from a friend/neighbor, a pet store, off of Craigslist) their predictions can be much less accurate. The situation you are describing certainly sounds like the latter situation (sketchy situations and “something is off” feelings is a dead giveaway). A reputable breeder with ALWAYS let you come to their house and see the parents of the dogs, and siblings if they haven’t been sold yet. It can vary but I believe, also, that they do not demand the payment be cash only.
I can’t say on the coloring without a picture. Feel free to post one on our Facebook page with your questions and I, plus my other followers, can likely help you. You can find our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/YouDidWhatWithYourWeiner/ There are so many coat combinations. You could be describing a red and chocolate (the red being similar to where the markings are on a Doberman or Rottweiler), a chocolate dapple, or some combination thereof.
I just rescued a small Dachshund. I am not for sure of his age. He was given to me by a friend who found him wondering around in the road. The first night I had him, he bit me on the eye and cheek when I tried to pick up to take him out to pee. This startled me because I have a 8 year old golden retriever who is extremely gentle. My children are 18 and 13 so they know not to get up in the pup’s face. Although he is a little bigger than a pup, not for sure how old he is because I have taken him to the vet yet. But he already goes outside to do his business and comes back to the door when he is finished. He does like to sleep in the bed and does growl when he wants something. I didn’t know if the growling was normal. I haven’t even had him a week yet but I don’t want to take him to the animal shelter either. He seems to be getting along with my big dog so far. Just a little barking and snapping at her. He has not been neutered yet and wanted to know if that will help.
Jessica, I read this entry before getting a mini dachshund… and I thought it covers all but my experience so far with my mini doxie is not that good even if I truly love him! He’s a puppy (11 weeks old now), he doesn’t have all his shots, I live in an area where raccoons, possums are visiting every night. I can’t take him out in the back yard to play till he has all his shots, so another month has to pass.
He has his playtime for apx 30 minutes in the morning, 30 min at noon (fortunately I can come home and play with him but I can’t do this anymore for a long time), then in the evenings I think we are playing for hours! Playing = toys + positive training sessions. So after all this schedule, every day something new comes up… If I turn my back on him in the evenings for 10 minutes he will chew on absolutely everything! (even if the furniture is sprayed with bitter apple). Everything = wall corners, baseboard, furniture etc. If I see him I use “NO” then redirect his attention to a chew toy. But believe me, if he’s unwatched for 5 minutes he will destroy something…Basically I would need to watch him for over 5 hours non-stop and say NO a zillion times and redirect his attention to his toy. Every single forum says that chewing is a “bored” signal.. but honestly, I don’t know what puppy plays for 2+hours every single evening and in the first 2 minutes that he’s left alone he will chew on something. I keep him in a pen, with wee pads when I am not home (with classical music and kong toy as “treats”) and he is using the wee pads and did so for 2 weeks.. Now it’s getting worse in the evenings when he is out of the pen and when we are playing, the chewing, totally ignoring NO command, peeing wherever and today he even peed on his empty food bowl! I want to mention that I got him when he was 7 weeks and 1/2 old and he’s been sleeping in the pen, in my bedroom, next to the bed since then so we had the crying issues (that are gone), separation issues (are gone) now it’s the chewing on EVERYTHING part that it’s getting worse instead of getting better 🙁 . He has different textures of chewing toys that I alternate… I don’t know if you have any suggestions, but my advice for people that want a dachshund is to maybe first talk to someone that recently had a puppy or visit someone with a dachshund and keep in mind that positive obedience training, not beeing able to get your puppy out in the yard for 16 weeks, playing with him indoors, watch out the chewing habbits, it’s very very hard and life changing … Thank you
Hi Simona. It sounds like you are really doing all of the right things. All I can really say that “chewing everything” is typical puppy behavior. It’s not Dachshund specific. My friend’s young Husky just chewed up her couch! I wish I had an answer for you but I don’t. It does sound like he is getting enough exercise and attention. As for the peeing in the house on everything, perhaps he doesn’t totally understand the concept of “pee only outside” since you let him go in the house on potty pads? Dachshunds are notoriously hard to potty train. Gretel and Chester sleep in small crates while I am gone. I let them out IMMEDIATELY when I get home and they go out about every 2 hours when I’m home. My senior dog has accidents though so he wears a belly band (a male diaper). You may want to try one of those. The ironic thing is, it deters him from going pee in between when I let him out (doesn’t wet the diaper). If you want to look into these issues more, I suggest consulting with an animal behaviorist. Good luck!
I have a doxie he’s a year and hard to “poop” train lol. He sneaks off and leaves a atinky little present. The vet said he has downs syndrome. We found out his mom and dad were brother and sister. These kind of people don’t need animals. He has an enlarged heart i love him. His name is weenie
I’m glad weenie has found a loving home with you. The poop issue is not just an issue he has though. My Doxies still poop inside when it’s raining sometimes. Little buggers! 🙂
I never considered a Dachshund until my daughter got one after college and moved out on her own. He was adorable and soon captured our hearts. His name is Dekkon (deekon). He is 6 years old and my husband and I have claimed visitation rights to him (when we want!). He is everything you said he is…..loyal to a fault (if you are in his circle), courageous, funny, and everything that belongs to him is his and everything that belongs to us is his, too. When Dekkon was 4 years old, we got our own Dachshund. His name is Moose. My husband and I are in our late 50’s and this little dog has brought energy, love, joy, motivation, and fun back into our lives. He is the BEST companion anyone could ask for. He seems to know us to the core and acts appropriately in every situation (unless the doorbell rings). But we don’t mind the barking; it is a sign that he believes he has a job to do – to keep us safe. I agree that it is difficult to house train a dachshund. Puppy pads were a great help for him and us. He took to it right away. But we knew we needed to get him to go outside so we were persistent and rewarded him EVERY TIME he got it right. I would add that keeping to a daily strict time schedule will help more than anything. Dachshunds respond more to love and need a “reason” to perform. If he doesn’t think it is his idea, it probably ain’t gonna happen. I do not ever see us being owned by any other breed. 🙂
“If he doesn’t think it is his idea, it probably ain’t gonna happen.”<– Ha, ha. So true! Personally, we don't have a set time that the dogs go out (like 1 pm, 5 pm, etc.) but we DO make sure to let them out every 2-3 hours and after specific "activities". For example, the first thing we do when we come home and let them out of their crates – every single time – is to put them outside to go potty.
Hey Jessica! I’m glad I found this article, as I’ve been looking for a harness to fit my pup for months and I haven’t been able to find one that fits her! thanks for suggesting the VelPro Choke-Free Mesh Harness. I’ll be sure to check them out!
This was a good read!
I got my long haired wiener when he was 3 years old, he is now 9. I have only heard him bark at least 4 times since I got him & those were times when we were sleeping & someone walked into my room pitch black. I was amazed that the only time he barked was protecting me from my brother walking into my room.
I also agree, I never thought I would own a dashaund breed but I really wanted a loving companion & I fell in love with him. Though he can get really clingy at times I love him to death. Sadly when I got him his owners didn’t give him good oral care, he got a gum infection & lost many teeth in surgery!! So fair warning make sure you brush there teeth once & awhile! That goes for any breed though. After 1,300 dollers later we call him “toothless wonder” I don’t know why but my dad came up with the name. I’m honestly scared for him that he will get back problems, reason he’s a little dare devil. We have a small porch with two steps that he just jumps off of & jumps back up. He is a jumper & won’t use the damn steps!! One last thing I recently moved in with my boyfriend and we bought a bed that’s really high off the ground so he no longer sleeps with me, I miss cuddling up with him every night he would alway sleep beside me. Anyways, we decided to buy him his own bed after many years of never having his own the cutest thing is seeing him curl up on his own bed & only taking him a week to learn the command “go to your bed” & so now he always does.
Thanks again for the read!
Hi Emilee. While there is always a chance your pup could suffer an acute back injury from jumping, it’s unlikely he would blow out a disk from IVDD… which is the main cause of back problems in Dachshunds. It’s still possible but IVDD injuries typically show up (if the dog has the disease) between the ages of 4 and 7. Since your dog is 9 and hasn’t had problems yet, the odds are in your favor 🙂 Of course, that doesn’t rule out age-related spine issues.
It’s sad he doesn’t have many teeth left but I’m sure it makes him extra cute 🙂
I have a Wirehair Dachshund that is a year old. Can anyone tell me how to stop her from jumping up when she first see’s me? I don’t want her to hurt her back, but she gets extremely excited.
Thanks
Hi Regina. I think Dachshunds are born wanting to jump on people because they are short. Ha, ha. There are different techniques you can use to deter this behavior. Here is an article with helpful tips: https://www.awla.org/resources/training-dogs-not-to-jump/. The few tips in the article are good. I don’t agree with their statement that “Petting your dog or having strangers pet your dog when he jumps reinforces the behavior and should be avoided.” Or rather, it probably IS true but my focus is on managing the situation (see below) and giving them attention calms them down.
Chester and Gretel like to jump on me when I come home. I have not trained them to totally stop. However, I am able to manage their behavior. First, they sleep in a crate when I am not home so they can’t run up and jump on me as soon as I walk in the door. When I am ready, I let them out of the crate. They want to jump all over me but I sit on the floor to get all of the excited “hellos” out of the way so they are not jumping up on me. All they want is my attention when they do that and they get it by me sitting on the floor with them. They also (losely) know the “off” command. If I happen to be walking and they try to jump, I sternly say “off!” and they usually stop of for a bit. Then, knowing they want my attention, I give them some by sitting on the floor or picking them up. Once I set them back down, they usually don’t jump again (at least not for a while).
Exceptional advice. Thanks a bunch.
Hello,
I have watched Ceasar the dog whisperer show many times, he has said to not pay attention to the dog until they calm down, and then reward them for good behaviour. I know this is hard to do, but give it a try. have fun with the dog.
Hi All,
I found myself here after being asked to give a home to my friend’s really sweet one and a half year old long haired mini doxie. My friend had bought him as a pup for her teenage daughter. Over the past year the daughter has developed a busy social life and my friend works long hours leaving early and getting home late. Their little Moseby spent most days crated and alone. My friend really loved Moseby and realized it was unfair to him to leave him alone so much. So, she asked me to please take him. She knew I’d be a good dog mom. I have two very spoiled dogs already. A Sheltie and a Griffie. I always played with Moseby whenever I visited and he was always happy to see me. But I was reluctant to take him because I knew nothing about dachshunds. After much consideration, I agreed to bring Moseby home and he has been here for about 3 weeks. I have always been an animal person and very good with animals and manage well. But Moseby has definitely made me earn my chops as a dog mom. So different from my Sheltie and Brussels Griffon, stubborn in a way that is hard to describe. Into everything, has already chewed and eaten a glass bead, darted out the door and went missing for 10 minutes, going potty in the house everywhere etc. etc. HOWEVER, as each week passes and I learn his nature and personality and he begins to become apart of our pack, and I create routine in his life, he is becoming a joy to have in the household. He sleeps in my lap as I type this. He growls and yelps for my attention, either for play or for affection. Obsesses on toys and I’ve lost count of the ones he has killed and un-stuffed. I am learning the kind of toy that is durable enough to survive his serious kind of play. He is scheduled to be microchipped today and neutered tomorrow. And if I take him outside frequently for potty breaks, he is now going outside. I purchased some doggie pants that keeps him from marking in the house and they’ve worked like a charm. He has not marked once inside since he started wearing them. So I highly recommend these if anyone is having difficulty with their fur baby marking the furniture. Our story continues, but I think Moseby has found his forever home. He has been the most challenging animal I have ever had. But he is also one of the sweetest and most affectionate fur babies that has ever owned me. Thank you for sharing all your experiences here and providing all these tips. I needed this information so desperately. It has helped me know what to expect and how best to approach those tendencies innate in the breed. I’m sure I’ll be back with questions and stories. Thank you for posting so much information. It has made it possible for Moseby to become apart of our family. Committing to a doxie truly requires a dedication and a degree of patience that will teach the owner so much about themselves. The journey continues….Thanks!
Hi Pat. Thanks for sharing your story. It sounds like you will be a wonderful dog mom to Moseby. I’ve never had any other breed of dog (except when I was a kit and wasn’t that responsible for them). My Dachshund-owning friend and I used to look at other dogs laying or standing quietly by their owners, or tied up patiently waiting for their owner to come out of the store, and lament that we wished our dogs would do that. Then we would say, “Well, that will never be us. If we wanted a quiet, obedient dog we should have got a lab.” Dachshunds are indeed one of the most stubborn breeds and – exactly as you said – they will test your chops as a dog owner and teach you a lot about yourself. I think that’s why they are so endearing though. Once the breed gets into your heart, they’re hard to get out 🙂
I have two Mini Doxies. My male dog is Mocha and my girl dog is Latte. They are both eleven yours old. I never even wanted a dog when we got Mocha. I did not like dogs in the house. My husband and my grandson, (who I had adopted) keep begging me to get a dog, then one day we were in the pet store at our local mall and there was this cute little coco brown dog there and after we went home I couldn’t stop thinking about him. So I finally said lets go and get that little dog at the mall. He was so cute and just happened to be a Mini Doxie and was about eight weeks old. And he was so cute. About three months later I told my husband that I thought that Mocha needed a friend, so he would not be lonely when we were at work. or gone elsewhere. So we went through a breeder this time and got our girl dog, Latte. Who would of ever thought that eleven years later, me, who never wanted a dog has ownership of both dogs because my grandson grew up and moved out and my husband a I got a divorce leaving me with the dogs.
I no longer work out of the home and live alone, so they have been here too keep me from becoming to lonely. Each of my Mini Doxies have very different personalities. Mocha is very stubborn and likes to role over on his side and play dead when I tell him to do something. He wants to be by me for a little while on the couch and then he gets down on the floor and lays down. He also lays on his side when he wants his belly rubbed. He eats everything he can get a hold of. I have to tell my family and friends not to leave their purses and bags on the floor if it has anything in it that Mocha could eat, candy, mints, gum, etc or he will go for it. Once he chewed a hole in on granddaughters backpack and another’s purse. And he love to get into the trash and chew up kleenex, diapers, and pads, while I have to tell everyone not to put these things into the bathroom trash. As I get older he has learned to tell me its time for them to eat, if i forget to feed them. He reminds me at almost the same time everyday. Mocha is going bald on his back. Mocha is overweight, he did weigh 25 lbs and like overnight he couldn’t walk on his back legs for some unknown reason. The vet said that he had fluid around his heart due to being overweight and had me put him on diet food and now he is down to 20 lbs. And my girl Mini Doxie, Latte, she is a different story. She has to be with me at all time, no matter what I am doing. Shes timid and shakes when she is cold and scared, mostly when there is fireworks. I have to cuddle her in a blanket and hold her close, even at bed time. She does like eating much in the mornings and lots of days will only eat in the evenings. She is tiny and dainty and is turning gray. I love them both very much and want to get another one when they are going. But this time I would like to get a toy dachshund.
Hi Anita. Thanks for sharing your story and I am glad you have to loving Dachshunds to keep you company. Your Mocha sounds a lot like my Chester – relentless and will get into anything.
The concept of a “toy” Dachshund is very new to me. I just heard about them the other day. I see that “toy” is a category now recognized in Europe. It is not in the United States. Not that I know of yesterday. Very small mini Dachshunds used to be called “rabbit” in Europe. It seems to me they just switched that name to say “toy”. I am assuming that is to capitalize on the trend of “toy” sized breeds. My fear is that people are labeling very small Dachshunds “toy” and charging twice as much for them. Just be sure to do your homework before spending a lot on one. Here is an article that explains the “toy” distinction as I understand it. http://ponderosapups.com/toy-dachshund/
I recently adopted a 7-year old smooth tweenie (my 2nd), who is gentle, mellow, and scary smart. I tell him we can’t cross the street because there are too many cars – 2 minutes later he pulls for the curb at a corner and there is no traffic. He does this every day. He’s figured out squirrels – he chases one up a tree and then plants his little butt on the ground, perfectly still, until the squirrel comes down and gives him another merry chase. He tracks rabbits with me (we don’t catch them). He likes 2 hours of exercise a day – walks, dog park, or training class. I think he could be a good working dog, and am looking at what kinds of work could be compatible for a dachshund and keep him occupied.
Dachshunds are super smart! I know many people who compete in Earthdog, agility, or nosework with their Dachshunds.
Tex is 13. Whenever I am home, he never leaves my side.Well just for a few minutes if he thinks he can get a treat from my children or my husband. I love him soooo much. I had to go out of town once and my daughter face timed me and he slept on the stairs wating for me to come home. My kids said he wouldn’t even eat. I am really concerned about all the little lumps on his body. I had one removed from his hind leg because it was starting to restrict his walking. He has one under his neck close to his throat .It looks like a little ball the size of a ping pong ball. When he had his dental work I was going to have it removed but they said it was a very dangerous procedure band he might not make it do do I said no. The lumps are not cancerous but sometimes if I pick him up and touch one he yelps. What should I do.
Hi Sondra. I’m not a vet so I can’t give you medical advice. I know Chester has many lumps and bumps and they are just fatty deposits. They are fairly small though. I imagine if they grew bigger they could potentially impede his movement or be painful if they were accidentally poked. Do you know if they are cysts filled with fluid or fatty deposits? I know fluid cysts can be drained. If they are causing an issue for your pup then I would talk to your vet about that. If you don’t feel you guys are getting the help you need, I would get a second opinion.
I met a lady today who has a dachshund sniffer mix, she told me they were breed in Germany to be service dogs. Has anyone ever heard of this, the dog was a beautiful tan gold color. Her dog is a a service dog, very sweet dog. I was raised with a dachshund, have since had a mini and a standard doxxie that chased deer out of the yard, ate strawberries off the vine, without damaging the vine. All doxxies I have had the pleasure of meeting have loved chasing the ball and chewing on squeak play toys etc. I now have a beautiful female, the color of a wirehair, oatmeal and red, but not so much wire hair She is a rescue dog and is the sweetest thing ever. I also have a male minnie doxxie and chihauhau, and he has been hell on wheels his entire life time. He has to be there, doing it, or planning it. I feel sorry for anyone trying to ring the door bell. The little male dog is okay with people coming into visit, but when its time to leave I need to put him in his own room so he does not run after them and bite their heels. Attitude, endurance and perserverance, loving, playful, stubborn little babies while stealing your heart. shame on the people who laugh at doxxies because they are short, my little man will bite anyone that laughs at him for being short!!!!! They have such a great personality, they do prefer to have a playmate and not be alone.
I’ve never heard of a Dachshund/Sniffer mix. Or a dog called a “sniffer” for that matter. Do mean Schnauzer? I’ve heard of many mixes but most of them are accidental mixes. I don’t believe a reputable breeder would breed a Dachshund with something else on purpose. At least in the US anyway.
I love this page! There is nothing more true than the statement made about not knowing what you’re getting into when you haven’t ever had a wiener before! That being said. I have the most adorable long hair mini, she seriously tugs at the heart strings. How could I not bring her home when she was being given away for free? Let me tell you. If I knew she was going to be the devil to potty train (or train whatsoever!) I may have thought twice. We have almost had her 6 months, and she was about 3-4 months old when we got her. My biggest issues with her at this point are the potty, and getting her to actively obey commands. On the leash she wants to lag behind until I’m pulling her forward, and when I call her to come in front she hides behind my calves (and very well might I add since she follows just about as fast as I turn around to try and grab her!) Also, she will sit and pout with puppy dog eyes and hide behind me and what not when I try and direct her outside, off the bed, out of the kitchen, etc. and refuses to leave the spot she’s in until I pick her up and do it myself.
Also, she mostly poops but here and there she will pee in the house. I’ve tried everything I feel like, and at this point I think part of it’s anxiety due to the fact that she will pee and poop in the car if you leave her (even for two minutes), and she will defacate on the carpet in the house if we leave even for two minutes to smoke. I have definately been extremely close a number of times to giving her away because of this, but as she is so stinking adorable (and a little reassurance from my man) I have decided to keep her. She’s a part of the family that I will quite obviously have to try and accommodate until I get it right. Reading definately helps me to understand the “whys”.
recently i lost my dachshund one couldn’t a dog like that in fact its my brother once after u own a pet like dachshund be prepared n hav lots of will power to withstand the struggle when u lose it infact i lost my self in sorrow.One of the bst dogs i have ever had.And its name is ROGER……………………:(
I’m sorry for your loss.
I’m sorry for your loss. We lost ours about a week ago. I completely understand what you are saying. When we lost Coby (15yo smooth mini red), we were inconsolable. We sobbed and sobbed for days. My mother even now is still having a hard time. Right now her only real consolation is the prospect of getting another. But now she has learned that she can’t be in a house without one for any length of time. So we will make sure that there is at least one in the house at all times.
So glad i found this site. Its been almost a year since i lost Tripp to IVDD. He was my first dog and simply the best dog ever. He was a black n tan long hair tweenie(supposed to be a mini but he was 13 lbs). A couple of traits that i havent seen here but im sure were doxie traits that he did. “nesting” he would scratch n pull his covers n do a few turns before getting settled for a nap. And he loved giving kisses. He had a really long tounge and when he was napping or just relaxed the tip would just barely peek out of his mouth. He would kiss with long strokes on my cheek n sometimes would stop mid stroke, tounge still stuck to my cheek n just ponder the moment, doxies are always thinking. I only found 1 toy he couldnt destroy and his beds were his favorite toy. He would flip his bed and walk around under the bed, we called it turtling. Loosing him has to be the worst thing ive ever experienced. After a month we talked about getting another dog if that would help. Looked at pounds n shelters but nothing fit. Another month n decided we had to get another dachshund. We went to the same breeder we got Tripp. We visited a couple of times to see the puppy we picked out. During the visit we met tripps dad and brother, and the parent of our new puppy.
Great breeder, dogs were outside(cept for mammas n babies)but pens were huge with igloo houses and trees and a small fenced feild to let them out and play. One of our visits was on a cold day n the breader had put coats on all the dogs. Our new precious baby is Champ, a tan n cream longhair mini* and he is now 9 mos old. I forgot how much of a handful they are when they r puppies. He is great and his obsession is playing fetch with squeaky tennis balls, he will play for hours! Thanks for sharing and letting me share.
LOST MY BABY LAST NIGHT. aNYONE KNOW A GOOD BREEDER?
Hi Harriette. I’m sorry for your loss. The best place to ask this question is on our Facebook page. These comments aren’t read often by many people but the Facebook page is very active. Be sure to tell everyone where you live so they know where to recommend breeders. I would, however, suggest you at least consider adoption.
Makes me want a dachshund now 🙂
https://thebouncymutt.blogspot.com/
hi, my 5 year old daushound is now starting to pee and poo in the house . day or night.
door open or closed. im not sure why or what to do?
Hi Maria. The behavior could be due to a medical issue so I would be sure to check with your vet. It’s also very likely with a Dachshund that weather could be a factor. They are notorious for not wanting to go outside when it’s wet and/or really cold. Instead, they will go inside. If you think that is the reason. I would take your pup out as often as you can on a leash and stay out there until potty is achieved (ie. a little re-potty training). Good luck.
I have a 5 month daschund, but he is very aggressive and often to bite everyone including me around him. So we kept him tied, but I dont think that is the right way to do it. Can anyone help me to learn how to teach my daschund not to bite people?
Hi Robin. That situation sounds terrible for both you and your pup. I’m sorry it’s such a challenge. Definitely tying your dog up is not a solution so I’m glad you asked for help to address the underlying issue. Unfortunately, there could be many factors involved, and I don’t understand the full situation, so I can’t be of much help. I would look up fear aggression and resource guarding and see if your pup’s behaviors match either of those descriptions. Those are usually the two most common causes of aggression in dogs. If you don’t find those topics of help, you may need to consult with a dog trainer, dog behaviorist, or even your veterinarian, to try and find out why he is doing that. Good luck.
Hi Ms. Jessica, I’m glad you replied to my problem. If fear or resource guarding, can you tell me how should i address that with my pup? But i dont think thats the case, because as long as he sees someone or something in a distance moving or not moving, he will automatically chase that with his tail wagging. I think he always want to play, but how can i tell him that he can play but dont bite us.
Everything you said is so true! Me and my husband have 3 dachshunds. We started out with one, Bubba, and ended up getting a girl (Chloe) a few months after. We wanted them to have pups. Chloe had 9 total (between 2 different pregnancies) then we got her fixed. Most of our family has her pups, cuz everyone wanted one. We also kept one. They are really loving dogs, but I honestly had no idea how much work it would be. Me and my husband both have to work a lot so aren’t home often, and it’s sad cuz I know our dogs struggle with it. Our 2 boys (bubba and chipper) pee all over the house, and even on our couches/throw pillows, and blankets on the couch. So it’s been very frustrating. They also poop in the house still. It also drives me nuts when I’m home and they follow me everywhere. I try to give them attention but they want it ALL the time, and I need my space. So I’m really struggling right now. I really do love them but lately all my patience is gone.
Don’t all dogs follow their person from room to room? Ha, ha. I’ve never not been shadowed by a Dachshund so I wouldn’t know what that is like (never owned another breed). Seriously though, your situation does sound frustrating. Chester used to pee in the house while I was gone. It was mostly due to his separation anxiety. I started putting him in a crate while I wasn’t home. He never had bad separation anxiety so that didn’t freak him out. It did take care of a most house accidents though. As for following you around the house and needing your space, have you tried gates to restrict them to certain rooms? I recently installed a gate on our kitchen door because Chester and Gretel were always underfoot. It’s such a relief to be able to keep them out now. They do sit and stare at me but I don’t mind. We have a gate from Carlson Pet Products that has a door in it so I can open it and walk right through. When I’m not cooking, I just leave the door open because the dog’s water is in there. It’s really convenient.
My 5 month old Long Haired Dachshund Bruce is now 98% house trained. I have finally found a way to house break my wiener. From DAY 1 we started crate training him, oh it was so hard the cries from his tiny body broke my heart. But we were strong. Now he gets so excited to go into his crate and he sleeps forever in there so morning I can’t even get him out. He also spends his day in a crate while I’m at work which now has plenty of room for him to play and lay. We started with 3 hours in the crate and now his is up to 8 hrs without any accidents. I don’t love leaving him in there that long but when I come home his sleeping and “melts” out of his crate (he’s like a snake when I let him out, he wiggles out and slowly rolls while his talk is going crazy). Now we have also bell trained him from DAY 1. He now rings a bell when he needs to go outside. And sometimes just when he wants to go out and lay in the sun. Now the ONLY time he has accidents in the house is my fault because I don’t hear the bell or he’s been playing hard and can’t make it to the door. I think his doing very well for a 5 month old DACHSHUND puppy.
That’s great! Chester and Gretel have also learned to like their crates. Not as much as Bruce but she does sleep in there sometimes even when we are home. I’ve thought about teaching them to “ding a bell” when they want to go out but have never gotten around to it. Maybe I will will my next Dachshund 🙂
My wife and I recently adopted a 4 year old male Dachshund. He came to us unexpectedly when I picked him up from another rescue as part of Pilots N Paws in which I participate.
Rocky has been passed on from two previous owners as a result of fear biting. In the two weeks we’ve had him, he has warmed up to us, but we are getting a trainer to assess his needs and we are planning to schedule a vet visit.
He does not seem to have the high energy and interests that I read about other Doxies. Because I am a pilot and am away from home for 10 days at a time, my wife said that he is sleeping a lot and does not eat as he had while I was home. With his unknown past, am I being overly concerned that he might be depressed with all that he has been through recently, especially with me being away?
Pilots and Paws!!! How awesome. I’ve admired what you guys do for a long time but have never actually talked with anyone from the group.
Thanks for giving Rocky a loving home. I can’t say for sure but it sounds like maybe he has bonded with you more and life isn’t as fun without you around. Honestly, I wouldn’t worry about it too much. He may eventually learn to bond with your wife too, especially if she is able to give him lots of undivided attention and playtime. Fop reference, on days that I work at home, Chester and Gretel sleep about 80-90% of the day. That’s not abnormal. On days that we are traveling, or exciting things are going on in the house, they sleep much less though. It may be that what he’s doing while you are gone is his normal but he’s so excited when you are home and active around the house that he sleeps less. The not eating does make it sound like he missed you but he’ll eat when he’s hungry. Unless he refuses to eat at all while you are gone, it’s probably not going to harm him at all. I often Dachshund sit at my house and sometimes a dog won’t eat for the first day or so because they are stressed/nervous/missing their owners. I just keep offering them food and eventually they get hungry enough to eat it.
Our 13 year old dachsund pass away 2 months ago and we now have only our 15 year old dachsund. He seems lost without his “sister”. Is he too old to bring in another dachsund ?
We would like to adopt from a shelter or rescue but don’t know if he is too old to adapt to a new dog.
Hi Charlotte. I was sure I replied to you earlier, sorry.
I can’t say whether 15 is too old for bringing another Dachshund into the house. Chester was 8 when we adopted Gretel and he was fine. He wasn’t showing any signs of aging at that point though. Now that he’s 15 and has a bit of dementia, and takes more of my time and energy to care for, I don’t personally think it would be the best time for me to bring a new dog into the household. That’s just me though.
The older a dog gets, the more set in their ways they are and the harder it is for them to adjust to change. That being said, many senior dogs are fine if new dog is brought into the house. However, if you were to get a puppy I would watch them closely because a puppy will be very energetic and want to play and your senior dog might be grumpy about that.
I have a female dachshund and she has a bad odor all of the time and cannot hear. What do I do? She is 16 years old now and she does not want to go out side anymore too and so I am thinking she is at her end of life and soon will be going up to heaven. I don’t want her to suffer and I also see her biting all of the time and shakes for a couple of hours or more at times. What do you all think I should do??? Vet has told me of allergy to grass and such and have use the shampoo and still the same no change.
Hi Carol. 16 is a ripe old age. But only you and your vet can determine when it’s time to let her go. The smell could be various things like an abscessed tooth or fungus/bacteria. I assume your vet already ruled those things out though. Shaking could be as simple as being cold – senior dogs have a harder time regulating their body heat – or it could be pain. Have you talked to your vet about the shaking? Sorry I don’t have any simple answers for you. I guess the question you need to ask yourself is, “Is she still enjoying life?”. My thoughts are with you.
My sausage has SARDS and went totally blind overnight. It’s devistating !! Perhaps you haven’t come across this
To all my AMAZING (hard headed) DOXIES – – I LOVE YOU (so much)!
“Being the owner of dachshunds, to me a book on dog discipline becomes a volume of inspired humor. Every sentence is a riot. Some day, if I ever get a chance, I shall write a book, or warning, on the character and temperament of the dachshund and why he can’t be trained and shouldn’t be. I would rather train a striped zebra to balance an Indian club than induce a dachshund to heed my slightest command. When I address Fred I never have to raise either my voice or my hopes. He even disobeys me when I instruct him in something he wants to do.”
— E. B. White
I just lost my little Doxie of ten years, her name was freckles and she had the same coloring as autumn leaves. The vet told me she had low platelet levels and that she was bleeding internally. On Friday she was her old self running around and always following me no matter where I went to peeing and pooping thick digested blood. She stopped eating and drinking and the vet gave her just 2 days to maybe pull thru. I kept taking her back to the vet and yesterday she got up and vomited blood clots and kept falling over. I knew right then it was time. I took her back to the vet and we held her and kissed her while she quickly drifted off to sleep one last time. My heart is broken, she had one black eye and one blue eye and I miss her jumping off my bed and following me and my little Yorkie misses her too. I know she is at rainbow bridge and playing with all my other fur babies and I know she is chasing butterflies and waiting for the day we will be together again. Rest in Pease my little angel!!!
I’m so sorry for your loss Monica. Loosing a beloved pet, especially so suddenly, is hard.
Good evening! My little fur-baby Lord passed away a week ago, he was only 11,5 years old. He was very ill, heart failure last stage. I miss him a lot, my home is empty without him, he was my happiness, he was a real miracle! Thank you.
I adopted my first doxie Rosie from a friend 3 months ago. Potty training has been a struggle but we are getting there! We have 2 other dogs (Akita and a husky) and she loves them. They play all the time. We also have 9 cats and they wrestle and chase each other. She does the cutest thing…standing up like a meerkat when she wants attention ! She is so sweet! We have small blankets throughout the living room and toys in every room! Can’t imagine our life without her!
I call that prairie dogging when they sit up 🙂 Somehow, all Dachshunds seem to be born with that talent. Thanks for giving Rosie a good home. It sounds like she’s fitting in well!
Thanks for this great article! I learned a lot. I adopted somewhere between an 8-10 month old Italian Greyhound mix. The vet thinks she’s is part Dachshund. I am going to look up the toys you listed as I was surprised when the IG dog was ripping hard at the fur and destroying them. Then I had the memory of a one-eyed Dachshund I fostered who was very active and I thought hyper. He would bark to get his call thrown outside for hours. Even if you did it, he still wasn’t tired. Both of these dogs will lay on your lap or in bed with you, but only when they are tired. I’m feeling I need to do more exercise since she is also playing roughly with my older girl dog who is 10. She puts her paws up around her neck, bites her legs, and pushes her physically around. Anyway, I learned a lot and am trying to do the best for her. She may have been abused or just neglected and underweight and tends to want to snap when strangers are around, people who are my friends but are loud. Trying to tell them to be calm and quiet first. Let her come to you to be petted if she wants to. ?
You have to understand that you do not train a dachshund – you negotiate with them. Understand that he is willing to treat you like an equal. Socialize him well with other dogs and people and everybody will shower him with “AWWW ain’t he so cutes.” My wife and I have had four now – one at a time. One way we have addressed the barking problem: When Toby (our current buddy) begins to bark, I will quickly say “Good watch dog! Now I know there’s something out there. Thank you, good watch dog.” He will then go from the loud bark to a quiet clucking-like sound – just his reminder. He got used to this almost immediately and is real good at it.
Pretty funny… and true! Some are easier to negotiate with than others (Chester always tries to stick with his way while Gretel is more eager to please) but it is indeed always a negotiation 🙂 Thanks for reading my blog.
I have owned/ helped my parents care for many dogs throughout my lifetime. I lost my best friend (Chihuahua named Lulu) last summer. She became very ill with heart issues and kidney issues (likely due to improper care of her previous owners). I swore I would never get another dog bc it was so hard losing her. But….. I saw this adorable weenie puppies online who had lived a couple of places. I found out that in the middle of winter, he was living out doors. He was super scared when I first got him. He used to pee everywhere, chew everything, run from us, and pee when he saw other dogs. He has finally realized that he isn’t going anywhere and that we are his forever family. He is awesome!!! I come home on my lunch break everyday to see him. He will go on 3-5mile walks with me without complaining. He loves stuffed toys (but he eats them so he doesn’t have them often). My kids love him because he loves to play and cuddle. He loves the dog park and play dates w puppy friends. I want another weenie so he has a friend but am likely going to wait a little bit so that we can continue establishing the sense of permanence and love for the little guy 🙂
That’s a wonderful story Meagan. Thanks for sharing and giving him such a wonderful life full of fun and love!
I need advise on how to handle a situation. Six years my husband and I adopted two long hair dachshund, one male and one female) from a breeding/testing lab. Together they were great but the female passed away in November 2017. The first month was rough on the male but he seemed to adapt, then about two months ago he has reverted back to peeing in the house and sometime in the middle of our bed. We have tried everything but to no avail. Any suggestions?
Hi Melinda. How old is your boy now? My Chester forgot his potty training a couple of years ago at 14. The vet says it’s due to some dementia. It was super frustrating at first but I adapted the way we do things (like take him out more, deny access to certain spots in the house, etc.). The real life-saver was belly bands (male diapers) though. You can read about our experience here: https://youdidwhatwithyourweiner.com/old-dog-peeing-house-help/
Regardless of his age, you should take him to the vet to rule out a medical cause. He may have a urinary tract infection or it may be incontinence that can be managed by medication.
Hello and thank you so much for this write up Jessica. My doxie is named Sadie and I have had her for 12 years now. I am recently having the problem of her getting scared of what appears to be nothing and hiding under the bed. She will not come out for treats or loving and when I try to get her out she will nip at me. What I found that works is for her to see me laying by where she is hiding ubdef the bed and eventually she will realize everything is okay and then go back to get old self. It’s as if she thinks someone is in the house to hurt her.
Thanks again for this great article.
Hi Kyle. That’s must be heartbreaking to watch. Have you had her vision and hearing checked at the vet? Dogs that age often start to lose one or the other and that can make them fearful and anxious.
We have a mini doxie, she is 10 now and still not completely potty trained.. very frustrating. I will be consistent in keeping a routine for walking and training, my husband treats her as if she were a toy.. no dicipline at all. Not fair at all for our dog!.. I’ve had to replace rugs and floors.. very expensive. If you’re not willing to work with a Doxie it’s better to choose a breed that’s easier to train.
As much as I love Dachshunds, I definitely agree. Not ever breed is right for every person or family.
You may be surprised at the noises they make. Mine emits this very low pitched and mournful howl if she thinks she got left alone. I was ill and napping one day and my husband went to the store and I was awakened by this sound and had no idea what it was. Kind of creepy, really. But I told her I was there through the door (I was too sick to get up) and she was fine after that. As long as she knew I was there, she didn’t have to see me. I had one growing up that would howl if you howled first.
Some dogs will do that because they just miss their owner or because being left alone (even though she wasn’t really) gives them a bit of anxiety. She sounds very sweet 🙂
Hi , we have a 8 month old Dachshund,. we leave her alone everyday as we go to work, and she is left alone until we get back in the evenings. when we greet her after work, she wee’s everywhere.
she also seems to whine and cry when we leave. what would you suggest we do as she is an only pup, we do take her for walks to help decrease her energy levels. will it help if we get another pup ( friend ) for her.
Thanks,
Isla
Hi Isla. It sounds like your pup may have some separation anxiety. You can find information about that online. I also wrote this article that talks about it and what to do (https://youdidwhatwithyourweiner.com/stop-dog-separation-anxiety/). Taking her for a walk before you go is great. It also helps if I give Gretel a stuffed treat toy when I leave. As for a doggie friend, I’m not the best one to ask about that. Maybe. Gretel has not been an only dog until we had to let go of Chester last month. She never had a problem in her crate before but I do notice she is a little more lonely now when left home alone. I do think it’s because she misses having another dog there with her. We do plan to get another dog later.
Nicklaus’s is my mini dauschund, I was his third owner and will be his last. I do not think that he truly wasn’t loved by his other owners , just truly misunderstood. Everything that are said about these little poochkies are a absolutely true. I call him my needy son. But, when he came in o my family was by chance , after my chiweiner , yes half chihuahua and half dauschund was sadly stolen away from the family. Another dog was not an option , but while visiting a friend he was an escape artist and during an attempt , my son with a stern voice said “Nicklaus’s stop “ and he did next thing we know his second owner put him in a Christmas bag and knocked on are door and said merry Christmas, with the resent loss of out dear Fluffy we were not really ready to become owners of another pup to have to train , but , like mention led Nicklaus stared to cuddle and run his wet nose and squirmy body field with excitement, I didn’t have a heart to say “No”. It is now four years past and Nicklaus is now seven. -And , yes we still have puppy pads all over and yeas he often misses, he is also very vindictive, do not even think of ever ignoring him, he will surely leave a very smelly gift in front of your bedroom door. Nicklaus is also very sociable, he has a special bark for the neighbor that means “ come open the gate I want to visit.” And as far as dauschund being smart they are problem solvers, now at the age of seven he has learned to un-zip any bag that he can stick his nose . I could probably go on forever , but a word from the wise “ tile floors” they are easier to clean than carpets, any ownwe would probably agree so please anyone getting a character dog make sure you are prepared , once you have one and become angry over and over be patient they are now apart of your family and as much frustration one may become , they offer so much more that one can realize as quick as anger flairs , laugher and happiness of these sausage dogs makes them absolutely amazing.
Thank you for opening your heart to Nicklaus
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge & insight! I adopted a Chiweenie from the Humane Society earlier this month and thankfully I read this article because Astrid is EVERYTHING you mentioned. I couldn’t love her more! ❤
Congratulations on your new furry friend and thanks for giving Astrid a loving home.
My daughter and I fostered a 3 year old miniature doxy, but we realized we couldn’t let anyone else have him. Troy’s housetraining, however, was almost non-existent. I started going out with him and giving him a treat when he did his “business” outside, but that only took us so far. Sometimes it seemed like he didn’t know when he was peeing. What really seamed to make a difference was when I started putting a wrap (basically a diaper for a male dog) on him. He hated it, but it seemed to make him more aware of what he was doing and motivated him to go out. I also make sure to send him out every couple hours when I’m home. Crate training when I’m at work has helped because if he peed in the crate, he would get a bath–not his idea of a fun time. It has been quite a while since that has happened.
Thank you. You have created a 100% right on the money truth about this wonderful , addictive “meaning I only want this breed”.
Love everthing you have done at this site
Thank you for the lovely article
Dashunds are pretty amazing
Living with our beautiful long haired mini Luna and totally in love with her!
Glad you liked it. Dachshunds ARE special little dogs indeed!
I’ve had nothing but joy from mine as I’ve had them all my life can’t see myself ever without one love them to dealt as they also have my back
Glad I read this, we recently rescued a dachshund/pit mix a little less than a month ago. We are learning her little personality. This article definitely explains a lot about her, glad I read it. I would never give her up, just glad I read about their little quirks. She really cracks us up. just have an issue with her tearing at the carpet, and thinking my room is her potty. We are working on that. She just gets too distracted when she is outside because we have a lot of ducks and cats that live in our neighborhood, and when she is outside, that is all she wants to do is chase them. I am really glad that we got her. She is amazing! Love her personality.
Hi Heather. Thanks for adopting. For the distractions outside, it’s recommended that you keep your pup on a leash until they are better house trained. That way your dog can’t run around and sniff or chase everything. Just stand in one place until she goes potty. I’ve done this with many dogs and it does certainly help. Good luck.
My wife and I are seniors, retired and living Florida. We already had three Maltese and a Chihuahua so I was skeptical when my wife fell in love with a Dachshund puppy that was for sale. She made a deal with me – if she could have him, I could name him. Well. I thought about “Stretch” or “Longfellow” but registered him as “Max von Ueberhund,” or, “Max the Wonderdog.”Amazing! He learned his name the first day! And he potty trained himself, quickly learning to use his backyard visits with the other dogs as also his “business” time. He quickly bonded with the other dogs and became “Best Bud”with the cat. Loves to hunt – quickly removed the rats that haunted our backyard for dog food. My wife gave him a pillow with case to sleep on next to her side of the bed. Max sleeps inside the pillowcase! Oh, he’s on the sofa looking at me with those big eyes. Probably knows I’m writing about him. Hail Doxies!
What a great little story (pun intended). Thanks for sharing.
It was late in the spring of 2005 when we paid a visit to the local SPCA to adopt a pet for our new home. Our daughter was 8 yrs old and our son was 5. When we walked in front of one of the kennels that had 4-5 little dogs, one particular young red, short-haired dachshund raced to the front of the cage and stood up on two legs. She looked at us with those big black eyes and stole our hearts! We knew that she had picked “us” out to be her family member for life! We were blessed with having our wonderful Reeses for 13.5 years before she sadly passed away early in Nov 2018. Our kids who are young adults now were devastated as was my wife and I. I have lost several dogs as pets in the past but she was a first for my family. Reeses was the perfect little Doxie to us and she gave us so much joy and happiness to the end. As our grieving subsides over time, I wouldn’t think twice about having another dachshund to grace my family’s lives again! R.I.P. Reeses as well as all the Doxies up in doggie Heaven.
I’m sorry for your loss. Thanks for sharing about Reeses. I can picture her rushing to the front of the kennel saying “Pick me! Pick me!”
I have a 2 year old long haired daschund named Tucker. He is afraid of everything and everyone new. Three months ago my friend was down on her luck and moved in with us until she got back on her feet. He is scared of every movement she makes and barks at her non stop. Now it has begun to effect his eating habits. He has also begun to lose weight. Is this normal for a Daschund to be scared of someone so much they won’t eat? I am willing to do anything for him to return to normal. I don’t feel as tho she has been mean to him in any way because he has not liked her since the first time he met her. Any kind of advice would be greatly appreciated! We also own his brother from the same litter and a 9 year old Pomeranian and they are fine with my friend being there. Please help.
Hi Anita. That is certainly a dilemma but not uncommon, especially with Dachshunds. It’s likely to do a lack of socialization. A dog who is routinely exposed to different people and environments, although cautious, will not have such an extreme reaction towards others. Not knowing your dog, and not being a dog trainer myself, I can’t recommend exactly what will work for you guys but I think there would definitely be a solution. The first thing I would try is giving your dog treats when your friend is near, and eventually having her give him the treats, so he associates her presence with something positive. Since he is not eating, that can be a challenge, but there is definitely a chance you can find something so tasty to him that he can’t refuse. Some examples would be stinky cheese, pepperoni, pieces of cooked chicken or steak. If you end up giving him a lot though, be sure to reduce his food portions a little (if he goes back to eating) to make up for it. If that doesn’t work, and you can afford it, I would definitely have a dog trainer or behaviorist visit your home and observe his behavior so she can give some specific suggestions. Good luck and thanks for being so kind to your friend.
I had a problem with my beloved Dixie biting small children if they got down on the floor with them. I could not train her out of it. Now I am reticent to get another though I LOVE the breed. What do you suggest?
Hi Kathy. I know many Dachshunds that just naturally loved children or were trained to be gentle with them. However, it’s also important to teach children how to respect a dog’s boundaries and how to properly act around a dog. The behavior you described usually happens because the dog is feeling threatened or uncomfortable, whether real or imagined. If a dog starts that behavior, no matter what the breed (because it can happen with any breed, although Dachshunds do tend to be afraid of kids more so than some others), I would consult with a trainer or behaviorist to get ahead of the situation. Also of note, getting a puppy or younger dog may help the dog adjust to living with children better. In short, know that this behavior can happen with any dog, be on the lookout for warning signs, and be prepared to address the issue right away if needed. If you truly love the Dachshund breed, I wouldn’t completely rule the option of getting one out based on your past experience.
If you frequently have small children around then get a dog that is kid friendly. Google the best kids dogs. Then make sure kids are always supervised around dogs and taught very firmly to respect the dog. Any disrespect they have for a dog is no different from doing it to one of their friends and that is the way it should be handled. JMO
Hi 🙂
I found your site as I was searching for “how long do dachshunds live.” We have a very handsome, sweet, and loving tweenie named Dexter, classic red short-haired. He will be 16 on September 4th, and he has really been aging these last few months. It was moderately consoling to read that most dachshunds live 12-16 years, but many go to 20. I always assumed Dex would make it to 20, but now I’m not sure if it will happen. He’s definitely losing vision and hearing, and his mobility ain’t what it used to be.
I loved reading all “21 things” because for each one I could say, “Yup, that’s Dex!” or “Dexie does that too!” I especially appreciated all you wrote about the hiking and walking — for years, Dex and I walked almost every day for at least an hour, and when I would get some of those snide comments, I would just say, “We’ve been walking for an hour and I want to go home, but he’ll never quit.” Now my poor old boy walks up to the corner and back again — the couple hundred yards takes about 20 minutes! He will sprint occasionally — for a treat or when he’s feeling spry, but those times are less and less common.
Dex has been a super healthy dog all his life and I’m just wondering if there’s anything a vet would say or do that would change anything that’s happening now — basically, is there an antidote to aging? Also, is there anything we can do to keep him comfortable and happy? He seems content — my husband works from home and Dex spends their workday on a comfy bed. He waits at the door for me to come home and is rewarded with a treat and a lot of hugging and petting.
We are going away for a month and Dex will stay here at home with some nice girls who will tag-team staying here with him. He doesn’t stay in other people’s houses anymore because he doesn’t know the layout (he walked into a friend’s pool last summer). I think he’ll be okay — we’ve explained his idiosyncrasies and needs in detail, and they’ve had a few days with him already — but I’m so nervous that he is going to be upset because we are not around, and, worst of all, I’m afraid that he may pass while we are gone. Are there any reassurances you can give me? I’m wondering how long most doxies stick around when they start losing their faculties.
I know this is a very long comment but your site is so inviting and you are so sympathetic — I will appreciate any advice you can give, especially about end-of-life for dachshunds. My only other dog died 50 years ago when I was 14, and he was a German shepherd, so I have no point of reference for our current situation.
Thank you very much.
Hi Ellen. It’s hard to watch our babies age I totally get your concern. Unfortunately, some Dachshunds begin a long, slow decline at that age and some experience a sudden and unexpected health issue. Hearing, vision, and mobility issues are those slow decline things. I expect he may he may digress in one or all of those areas while you are away but they are all things you can come back to. It might be a different story if some major health issue popped up while you are away. In almost all cases though, a vet will be able to make him comfortable until you return.
I highly suggest speaking with your vet before you leave and documenting that the caretakers have the right to get Dexter treated on your behalf. Many people are surprised that veterinarians usually can’t treat a dog that does not belong to the person bringing them in. Some vets require the “permission granting” in writing and some are fine with a call. Either way, it’s best to leave a credit card number and let them know the limit they may charge to it.
As far as a antidote to aging, sadly there isn’t one. I don’t think there is anything one can do for vision or hearing loss except mitigation and accommodating the changes like you are doing. As for mobility, there are some things you can do to help keep him more comfortable. Turmeric and glucosamine/joint supplements can be helpful (My favorite is Glycoflex Plus). I also find CBD oil or treats helpful for joint pain (We use HempMy Pet). If those things are not enough, your vet would be able to give you a prescription for something that will.
Anyway, I can tell you love Dexter very much and take very good care of him. Hopefully you guys have many more happy years together.
Hi,
I want to go hiking with my dog but dont know how to progress from an anual walk to a hike of several kilometers.
Did you klimb as well with your weaner? This is my third ons. Our previous dogs had heart, back and kidney probleem. How I have a energetic pup of 6 months old…
Gr. Miriam
The Netherlands
Hi Miriam. I love that you’re introducing your dog to hiking. I recently wrote an article explaining how to start hiking with your dog (Dachshund focused but, really, applicable to most dogs). You can read it here: https://youdidwhatwithyourweiner.com/how-to-start-hiking-with-your-dachshund/.
Since your pup is still young. I would also read my article about what age is appropriate to start hard exercise: https://youdidwhatwithyourweiner.com/how-old-should-my-puppy-be-before-they-hike/
Let me know if you have any other questions.
All of our other children are grown; except Smokey, a miniature, “dapple” mix that is so black in color with the exception of long-hairs on the tip of his copper-colored paws & ears. ( I need to check with him about saying he is not grown…after all, he is eight. ) Smoke’s hunting instinct is incredible, hence his other name, Ol’ Copper. His instinct is to tree squirrels and try to take on whatever is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. We took him canoeing (he & his well -fitted life jacket) LOVE THE WATER. He’s jumped into a freezing but running stream. Anyway, after canoeing, he played “I’ll be your friend” to a jack russell and wagged his tail, they sniffed each other and while wagging his tail he went up to poor jack russell and *chomp*. A solid hour later, we passed a kayak that had the same color as the jack russell’s and Smoke jumped up barking & growling. He knows the days of the week and when he suspects is close to Saturday, if my husband puts on anything but work clothes, he jumps to the end of our bed ready to go. A true gem!
Smokey sounds like a lovable character. Dachshunds certainly have their distinct personality traits but I think they are a lot of fun to have around.
My wife and have had a piebald little girls teenie named ladybug for 14 years now we also have a miniature named molly. We just got her 6 months ago as a puppy. Our 14 year old is blind and has knee problems but still gets around pretty good. She was a really calm dog, really mostly a couch potatoe like me. Give her a blanket next to me and she is happy. Our little puppy is just the opposite, she’s always getting into something and then we get onto her and she rolls onto her back kicks her little feet at you and you can’t stay mad at her. I can’t imagine life without them.
Indeed their “cute” saves them from getting in trouble almost every time 🙂
What a great article. I’ll be book marking this one for sure. I’ve only ever had dachshunds in my life and I always will.
Jessica, I just adopted my new girl Zoe from my pastor. It’s been 5 years since I’ve had a dog, so I’m a little rusty. Zoe won’t stop crying and whining. It seems to be “good” whining, as in she does it when we cuddle and when she’s excited. But it excessive. Any tips or any hope to lessen the whining? Thanks!
Hi Alexandria. Whining can be a great way to get your attention (or what they want). If you always give into it, they will learn it works and do it more. If she is doing it to get you to do something (give attention, treats, etc.) I would suggest ignoring her sometimes so she learns that is not the way to get things. When my puppy Summit did that a lot, I gave her time out in her crate to calm her down. If the whining is just in response to whatever you are doing (like joy), then I wouldn’t worry about it. She’s probably just over-excited.
Hi All ,
Due to work I am currently separated from my 7 yr old wiener dog Bella…. (Brown short hair with White Heart Patch on her Chest) .
I love reading stories and articles on Wiener Dogs it helps me with my separation anxiety from Bella…. I was given Bella a few weeks after I finished 6 months of Chemo and 1 month of Radiation as a gift. She was only maybe a few months old and she instantly captured my heart at a time I needed a lot of support. She is everything what everybody has written about; was difficult to potty train, barks a lot, energetic, protective, fiercely loyal, loving, quirky and everything In between.
She has become more than a pet over the past seven years and I am 100% sure she is the reason I have been cancer free for 7 years now. I would literally do anything for this dog. I know wiener dogs can be a challenge for many people but I think that the “challenge “ is what bonds the human and dog together for life.
I never thought that this little animal could have made such an impact on me and my life; it’s really quite unbelievable. I miss her so much and video call her every night. I plan to be re-united with her January time frame (seems so long away) . Once we are reunited I plan to bring her with me at my new job out of the USA and then where ever life takes me. I never want to be separated from her again.
Those of you who are with your wiener dogs cherish every minute with them. Anyone thinking about having a wiener dog as a companion- DO IT!! They are truly the BEST!!!
Thank you for sharing your story. The love of a Dachshund is indeed special. I hope the time until you are reunited feels like it goes fast for you.
I was able to potty train my 3 long-haired dachshunds in 2 weeks or less as puppies. Two are now deceased due to old age (15 yrs). I have an office in the back of my house and couldn’t see or hear them (they wouldn’t bark) when they wanted to go to out to do their business, so I hung a wind chime on the doorknob and taught them to ring it when they wanted to go out. All 3 of them picked it up very quickly, especially the one I currently have. I only had to show her it 2 times before she learned. It’s comical because when they really had to go bad they would whip the wind chime as hard as they could with their nose. It’s worth trying! Just make sure they don’t chew it! Mine never tried to chew it.
Hi Jackie. Indeed some dogs are faster learners than others. I’ve heard many people say they use potty bells with success. I’ve also had people tell me they are sorry they taught their Dachshund to ring bells when they want out because they started doing it every time they wanted out whether they had to go potty or not. And it happened often. I definitely think they can be a good tool for people that can’t keep a close eye on theirs though.
Kongs stuff animals are great for my dachshund. She hasn’t ripped it yet and it’s about a year old.
I live in the country on approx 80 acres of farmland. I have a trail thru the field I walk everyday with our current Boykin Spaniel. I have had multiple Corgis which seem to share some of the same personality and health concerns with the dachshunds.. My biggest concern is whether they can be trained to an invisible fence and also trained to solid recall when walking the trail off leash. I had a local breeder say they would not sell one of their puppies to anyone without a “real” fenced yard. I have had horses and dogs my entire life and found generally animals can be trained to their owners expectations and limitation is generally based on the owners commitment. Would love to hear feed back on dachshunds in the country and off leash but supervised. Tk you
Hi Cheryl. I don’t have any specific experience with invisible fences but I imagine they would work or not work for a particular more than by breed. In other words, it’s certainly something you could try but they are not effective for all dogs. As far as being trained for off-leash, Dachshunds are scent hounds to, personally, I would never 100% trust them off leash. They are bred to follow their nose and instincts can kick in no matter how much they have been trained. With that being said, I do occasionally let my two off leash but I do so only when I feel like they are in a somewhat controlled environment. For example, at a fenced dog park or at the beach with a cliff on one side (so they are “constrained” by the water side, cliff side, and you on one side to catch them). I hope that helps.
Hi,
Not sure if you know the answer to this or not but it;s worth a shot…
I have a male dachshund and a female chihuahua… they both have been together since they were 8 weeks old. they are both 8 1/2 years old. Last night my niece got a new puppy 8 weeks old. My dachshund were cray trying to smell the new puppy and he was also crying around the puppy and barking. I was holding the puppy on the floor while allowing my dachshund to get close to smell. I let the puppy walk around while holding back my dog so she can smell and go to my son and daughter. My chihuahua got down from the chair to smell the puppy and was scared and ran back on top of the chair and started crying. My dachshund which by the way is Buddy. He started nipping at her fur and at one time get he skin and the puppy yelped. I firmly told buddy not to hurt the puppy and to be nice. He started patting heavy to. He cries while sitting beside me holding the puppy.
I want to get a puppy but not sure if he will ever except a puppy. I have my eye on one which will be ready 2nd week of July… he will be 7 weeks old. Can you tell me why buddy is so aggressive towards a puppy and always crying around her. He also cries like this when a baby baby comes into the house.
Do i need to maybe get alittle older dog or just scratch the whole I want a puppy thing
Thank you
hope you have answers
Hi Lisa – I apologize in the delay in response. In my experience, it can take several months (up to 6 or more) for dogs to accept a new dog into the household, no matter what the age. Even then, some never become best friends – they just peacefully tolerate each other. While your dog’s behavior does sound a bit extreme, it sounds to me like they were just feeling very uneasy with your baby houseguest. If you brought a new dog into the house, I would expect that behavior to eventually calm down once they get more familiar with the new dog and realize he/she is there to stay. With that being said, I never left my older dog alone with a new dog (puppy or older) until I was sure that they would get along. I put my new dog inside a pen (X-Pen or Playpen) if I couldn’t supervise them so that my old dog could smell the new one and get familiar without being able to get in a fight or do harm.
Hi! We bot our dachshund for my 14 yr old daughter, She named him Hershey cause he was chocolate color. She loved him but we r the ones took care of him. My daughter now is 21 and we still have him. We love him very much but we have an issue with the little snot. We’ve had our granddaughter which is 8 now, my sons daughter, living with us the past 3 yrs and she’s gotten bit by him a few times and leaves a pretty good mark. It’s when she is playing with him and accidentally hurts him. And if she messes with his food in anyway. I say he’s reacting naturally but we can’t have that out him. I have a question how do I train him not to be SO aggressive or what do u
do when they do wrong? How do u
respond to it? I’ve regretted getting
him In the past but couldn’t part with him now. Myself, I’m 55 and wouldn’t get another dachshund, I didn’t do my research before getting him. ??♀️ I’m not much of a dog person anyways, my husband and my kids r tho. I’m more of a cat person 🙂
Any Advice would be appreciated, thanks!
Hi Marie. You are correct that your Dachshund is just doing what comes natural to a dog. This is maybe not the answer that you want to hear but at 8 years old you should be teaching y our Granddaughter how to properly interact with him and to recognize his body language that he is uncomfortable. There are almost always warning signs that go ignored before a bite occurs. There are many resources online to show what warning signs look like, some even with illustrations or pictures. It sounds like she is playing too rough with him, or in a way that makes him uncomfortable, so the way to make him stop getting defensive is to stop giving him a reason to do so. With the food, she should not mess with his food if he has a problem with that. Again, removing what makes him upset is a fast way to fix the situation. Now, if you do want to go further and work with him on the way he reacts to things that upset him, you can try working with a dog trainer or animal behaviorist (you can do an internet search for one in your area or ask your vet for a referral). I hope that helps.
Loved your article, we’ve had our Zoe for about 8-9 years. She unfortunately suffered spinal injury making her paralyzed. We had different options for her first medications, which helped at first. Second option was surgery but we could not afford it. Third option was euthanasia, of course that was TOTALLY out of the question. Zoe has lived a full life with her wheels and our love for her. She is a loyal companion and is so sweet. Unfortunately she and us lost our best friend baby about 3 years now. she was a Rottweiler mix. But Zoe loved her very much, she would sleep on top of baby like a big giant comfy bed.
Long story short, I think it’s time to get a new bff for Zoe. I’ve been looking around. But after reading your article I am interested in adopting one that might have been given up by someone that wasn’t able to keep theirs. Can you direct me to a place that might specialize in the breed that try to get them adopted?
Thank you
Irma
Hi Irma. That is so sweet of you that you want to rescue your next Dachshund. Without knowing where you live, it’s difficult for me to make specific suggestions. However, there are a few rescues that operate throughout the entire US or in a significant part. One is Midwest Dachshund Rescue. Two others are Coast to Coast Dachshund Rescue and Dachshund Rescue of North America. I don’t have personal experience with any of these but they came recommended from a Dachshund-owning friend. You can also try searching Petfinder.com online (you will mostly find mixes there but sometimes purebreds – that is where I found my Gretel). Good luck!
Thank you so much for the informative article! We have a miniature, long-haired dachshund, named Katie. We have had beagles, a loving corgi and a cairn terrier. Katie is the most loving animal I have ever known. She is definitely a member of the family. She does follow me everywhere; she is like a best friend because she understands what you say and feel, and still loves you. Katie is 12 now, and I hope she has a long life with us. I would love for her to help welcome another mini to our family. She is such a sweetheart and will always be a special dog.
Katie sounds like a very loved dog 🙂
I have a dachshund/yorkie mix who stole my heart when she was 8 months old. An co-worker just gave her to me when I went to pick up a dresser. She went willingly with me but seeing as how this was my first pet I didn’t even think anything odd about it. Only later as I learned how loyal she is did I realize something wasn’t right in that household She is so smart. She understands everything I say to her and she tells me things to in her own little way. She was on her second litter when she ran up excited, standing on her hind legs and rubbing her belly to tell me she was going to be a mom again. I love Vanessa so much, she is a true gift from God.
I’m glad you found each other.
PLEASE…. someone help me figure out how to stop our 5 yr old ‘Flynn’ to STOP EATING his bed, clothing, toys, towels, etc…. He just came home from the vet today after a week long stay and $1600.00 vet bill…from 5 large incisions in his large & small intestines and his colon, he’s impossible to stop this habit … I need help ASAP. We have tried all the recommended sprays, vinegar, exercising, scolding, turning his attention to a different toy.. nothing is working with this little guy. The second we turn our attention away, he is EATING something else. He does have a companion (Yorkie) that he loves they have no idea they aren’t humans and real brothers, they are fed the right foods, regular vet visits, very well taken care of. His teeth are all in great shape ‘per the vet’… When they see us coming they know he’s eaten something again, what a mess! Someone PLEASE give helpful advise!
I’m sorry you guys are having this experience. My Chester used to eat socks and underwear and had blockage surgery twice (in 16 years). Have you talked to your vet, or an internal medicine specialist, about his habit? This definitely sounds like more than just an annoying habit and is called Pica (if that is indeed what he has). There can be several different causes for it but one is when something is wrong with the digestive system so they are not getting enough nutrients from the food they eat. I have not written an article about this but here is one that could help: https://dogtime.com/dog-health/57125-pica-dogs-symptoms-causes-treatments
9/5/2020 – Just happened across your article “21 Things About Dashunds Every Pet Owner Should Know”, from 4 years ago while scrolling Pinterest. This article is spot on and a very good read! We adopted our beloved Newman (standard) 10 years ago when he was 1. We always feel we were robbed of his first year of life. He has spent the second half of August 2020 in surgery and recovery. Prayers and tears welcomed news of a benign pathology report. Thankful ? and hopeful of another 10 years with this little man that runs our household. We have had many pets in our lifetime but nothing is like this hilarious boy that has stolen our hearts and our bed! Be well and keep up the love of these precious little creatures.
I hope you have many more happy years with Newman too!
My “Roselie” , my first Doxie, will be coming to my home in two weeks. I can’t tell you how much I have enjoyed reading all the comments on here as I had no idea what to expect. I just knew they were adorable and since I have raised other puppies I just assumed they would be the same. The main thing I have learned is that barking does not mean “naughty dog”, the amount of food needed is not necessarily determined by dog size but more by activity level, short legs does not mean only a little exercise is needed and that it will probably be best if she doesn’t sleep in my bed as she will occasionally have to stay with my granddaughter where she will have to sleep in a crate. So much to learn and so very much joy to look forward to.
Congratulations and I’m glad you found some helpful information here.
Hi there, I was hoping you would be willing to share your email with me. I have some questions for you about your experience with dachshund puppies!
I have been hitting some road blocks and would appreciate some guidance! ??♀️
Hi Suzie. My email is on the contact page. It’s Jessica@PetTalkMedia.com.
I stumbled upon this article while researching about the breed. My beloved little long hair mini passed over a week ago. Devastated is an understatement. He was the best boy ever. Super loyal, stubborn as hell, and overly spoiled. He had Severe Chronic Bronchitis, and we think he might have been a puppy mill baby. We didn’t know when we got him. I miss him terribly. The bronchitis wasn’t even diagnosed till he was 4 or 5, but he had always had a cough. I had to constantly fight with vets about “kennel cough” and so many unnecessary and unrelated tests. Once it got found we managed it till he left us. He was my first baby, before my human baby came along. That dog didn’t come around me for 2 weeks, because I left him because I had a csection and had to stay 4 nights without him in the hospital. Loved my son though. Snuggled with him any chance he got. I will never stop grieving him I don’t think. You don’t get a connection with an animal like that often. I even hate calling him an “animal” because he was my baby.
I completely understand your sentiment Whitney. I am sorry for your loss.
I’ll start by saying i adamantly said no to getting our mini weiner…. He’s 10yrs old now and is totally a Daddy’s boy lol. He was raised by our black lab so i believe things like potty training and exercise were much easier. He was very muscular with so much running (bounding) through the tall grass with the lab. I noticed that all 21 points in the article hit it on the head when it comes to the dachsund lol. one that stood out to me was the Alopecia. I wanted to make people aware of another possibility if they’re dealing with hair loss on their puppy. Skeeter began losing his hair at around 1yr old. He was a black and tan and only his black hair fell out leaving his brown all intact. It took my vet a lot of research but eventually came across something that can be common in small dogs especially weiners, called “black hair follicular dysplasia” i did have to deal with some skin irritation and infection that was quickly healed with neosporin. He never lost his “spiciness” though and still has plenty of energy. I love your article and wanted to add my two bits in case anyone else was dealing with hair loss on their baby.
Hi Patrick. You are not the first person to not want a Dachshund and then fall head-over-heels. Ha, ha. Thanks for the tip on the hair loss. I hadn’t heard of that condition.
I don’t have dachshunds, per se, although Kitzel LOOKS like a purebred doxie. They’re a quarter Yorkie, but even Trinka is built like a doxie, but has a lot of Yorkie attributes. Trinka is built more like a ferret, LOL. Kitzel is pregnant, and the father is a Yorkie, cause I’m absolutely mad about Dorkies. Just from what you’re saying, though, I’m afraid Kitzel is going to give birth in the bed we just bought, which absolutely cannot happen (just bought a Sleep Number, NOT cheap), so I’m going to have to sleep upstairs on the futon in the guest room for a while.
Thank you for all the info. I’m about to rummage around on your site some more. Very good information, although I had very little trouble like you mentioned with potty training. I’m hoping to find something about birthing on your site, unless you can recommend a really good site for whelping doxies. I’m going to let each have one litter, then get them fixed. I just adore my girls.
Hi Maya. I’m glad you found my blog helpful. I don’t have any information about breeding on my site because I am not a breeder and don’t have any experience with it. It’s a serious matter that should only be taken up by people who know what they are doing. I believe in breeding only to preserve a dog breed as intended and between two genetically sound purebreds. I suggest you join the Facebook group Dachshund Breeding Basics and ask there. You can find the group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Dachshundbreeders
I’m in Ecuador. A lady has hit on hard times with this Covid year! She was fostering 3 mixed breed dogs. The smallest was a little black dog, that the Vet labeled a Dachshound mix. I had lost my little black doggy, who was Schnauzer/Yorkie mix to old age.
I took Moe because he looked a lot like my Wookie! I’ve had him 2 months. I had not read about Dachshounds at all, until now!! Yesterday, he was barking and “crying” like crazy! Went out to see what on earth was going on! Could hear him, not see him! He was inside a raised planter bed that had bushes. Looking over them, there he was…had killed a huge RAT! It was half his size!
So, if he has a mix of Terrier, Dachshound, and Schnauzer (his face, bushy eyebrows and beard) then he’s going to kill anything he can get hold of….and he’s FAST!
Yes, indeed he will! Thank you for taking him in and giving him a good home.
IVDD is not hereditary. It is a condition that is generally seen in long-bodied dog breeds but is not exclusive to them. Dodger’s List & the FB group IVDD & other Back Disorders provide current information about IVDD & the available treatments. Everyone on the FB group has “been there, done that”. IVDD can happen in any dog breed, from a 3 or 4 pound dog to the larger, beefier breeds. Many of the babies that are stricken with IVDD heal successfully without surgery. I would suggest that anyone thinking about getting a dachshund or is involved with dachshunds educate themselves NOW about IVDD & the available treatment options. If the vet recommends tries to guilt you into a surgery that is not guaranteed to “fix” IVDD or putting your baby down, and does not / will not discuss alternative treatment options, GET ANOTHER VET!
Hi Lisa. I’ve been studying IVDD for 15 years and have had several discussions with Dodgerslist in the past. I can guarantee you it is hereditary. I have written many articles on my blog explaining more. Here is a good example of the thorough explanation: https://youdidwhatwithyourweiner.com/the-truth-about-dachshunds-and-back-problems/. I linked to it from this article but I am assuming that you didn’t click to read it. In short, a Dachshund has a long back and short legs due to the dwarfism gene. Certain variants of the dwarfism gene carry IVDD disease risks with it. Since genetics are, my nature, hereditary, yes, it is a hereditary disease. You are spot on with the surgery and second opinion advice though. I personally know dozens of Dachshunds ( I run a 1,000+ plus member Dachshund club) that have successfully recovered with conservative treatment even when surgery was the recommendation. Sadly, many vets say, “surgery or put them down” and I’ve seen many owners make the latter choice because they thought that was the only option they had. Part of what I do on my blog and social media is try to spread the word that it’s not the only option. One should definitely get another vet if theirs tells them that.
I actually did come back to publicly apologize to you because I did not take the time to read more of your posts. And I didn’t notice the link back to the other information or I would have gone to it before I posted my thoughts. I can’t say that they would have been different, just more thought out. I don’t have the years of experience you have or know as many people as you do. All I have to go on is when my girl went down. The vet that diagnosed her was no help. I had to educate myself. There is not a doubt in my mind that I didn’t process some of the information as it was meant to be. When she was diagnosed, I had never heard about IVDD, that there are precautions I could’ve taken to lessen the risk of IVDD, that there is a general age range when it is most likely to present – and yes I know it can put in an appearance at any time, and what the earliest symptoms are. Whether it’s hereditary or not, it’s not anything to not be aware of. And I urge anyone who knows a dachshund or is considering one, to educate themselves about the possible problems that doxies & their “parents” may face and maybe even help with researching the options for treatment, what treatments are available in their area, the average cost, if it is something daschie “parents” can be taught to do themselves & to locate a vet before hand that is knowledgeable about the problems / diseases that dachsies are prone to.
Hi Lisa. Thanks for coming back to comment. I definitely agree that Dachshund owners should be aware IVDD/paralysis is a possibility. Unfortunately, so many don’t, which is why part of my mission is to study the condition rigorously and pass that information on to people through my blog. Researching what is available in your area ahead of time is an excellent idea!
Here is more about the hereditary nature of IVDD from UC Davis, the college trying to develop a reliable test to detect the gene that can cause spinal issues: https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/unraveling-genetics-disc-disease-dogs
Wonderful article and thank you for posting it. After I lost my two cattle dogs, I adopted an eight-month old Chi-Weenie from the City of Ridgecrest Animal Shelter. He is definitely Dachshund, both hunter and a challenge to potty train (latter accomplished, finally). He loves to run through grass but does it with a purpose…to flush out birds, lizards and other small critters. Only last night as I lay in bed watching the “Ridiculous 6”, he proudly presented me with the leathered carcass of a gopher that he found somewhere in the backyard. He’s a great little dog and loves to run the show.
Ha, ha. Dachshunds definitely run the show! My older girl has a high prey drive but, interestingly, isn’t a bit hunter in our back yard. On the other hand, Summit spends hours hunting snakes (which I try to spare) and chasing grasshoppers. Neither has ever brought me something that big though.
Hi Jessica: This is the first time I have seen your excellent site. I have been owned by dachshunds for 79 years, ever since I was brought home from the hospital in 1942 and was greeted by my parents’ dachshund, Nibsy. My wife Pat grew up with them, too. When we were dating in the early 60s (I am a Cornell grad), the first time I got invited to her house, her very tough Drill Sergeant dad came out to meet me. He promptly found me on the floor, giving belly rubs to their dachshunds! 4 years later, as we got married, he said he knew I would be the one, as I was the first boyfriend the dachshunds had accepted.
Pat and I presently have three: Lulu Belle (12), Harley (11) and Winnie (6). Harley is a certified therapy dog with the Alliance of Therapy Dogs and is very special — unlike most dachshunds, he loves everybody.
Your disc comments are right on. We have had 12 dachshunds in the 56 years we have been married (always 2 or 3 at a time, average live span 15.5 years) and have had 3 major back operations.
best wishes, Don.
Hi Don. I’m glad you found my blog and thanks for sharing your story.
Pretty much everything spot on. Our was sort of accident, adoption when wife worked on pet shop.. As said, the charasterictics, separation anxiety, potty training, and people get (give) pets before realizing everything what it means commitmentwise. So when one, still puppy, were to given away(!?). As we already had miniature schnauzer, noise wasn’t a problem, and with already trained company and pet door.. (Skipping first two years, what an experience :). And now when I (or wife) travel.. Look who’s having separation anxiety !! THE best thing to nap/ sleep with -dacshund- !! And exactly, don’t let the size fool you, anything and everything, even the long distance eyesight to spot squirrels, rabbits whatever running or up in trees.. And miles of the walk won’t count if it aint running a marathon. Love solves everything and they have endless supply and reception !!!
good article
Great and interesting article very pleasant to read.
I got mine for 2+ years now and she’s going to be 3 yrs old soon.
Loyalty is the most frustrating part to me.
When I’m with my family or friends my Dachshund becomes super exited and focus on them, which is just normal and great, but she tends to focus on some specific people in the group and it’s like I don’t exist anymore. She focuses on a friend (or Mom as example) like he’s god, following everywhere and licking him like a piece of meat.
No more attention or listening to me, then I can become upset (and jealous I guess). In addition if one friend disappears from the environment to take a walk or something else she’s like dying until he’s back, like a sheepdog who lost a sheep. Do you share this kind of situation ?
This could be frustrating to me as it lasts hours, days or any time I’m with other people and I would have expected some more “loyalty” from my dog.
This is more a psychological challenge, sharing is caring and this makes me work on myself and not being too possessive or jealous. But to give everything for my dog and see her dedicated to some other people for long periods of time can be annoying and hard to pass by.
Furthermore at the beginning of her life I used to live with roommates and went to parties with her so she’s 200% sociable with humans, which is great to me.
Maybe you would have some advice for me ? 🙂
Hello. What your describing is very interesting and unique to me. The fact that she is friendly toward others seems like a really good thing to me. It’s definitely better than the opposite. If you want her to stay closer to you, and more focused on you, try bringing training treats with you and giving them to her when she focuses on you. The other thing is to perhaps change your thinking on her bahavior. While it’s certainly ideal if she still obeys you with others around, perhaps think about her attention on other people as a gift to them. Maybe they need that kind of joy in their life and she is happily providing it. That might help you not feel so jealous.
I’ve owned 3 so far in my lifetime and let me say they are just like children none are the same lol 😂 They are also not for the faint of heart ❤️ either but they are amazing and i wouldn’t have it any other way!! My newest addition came into our home years later after losing my 19 year old dachshund Precious and let me tell you i was out of practice bc Maddy acts nothing like Precious or my other dachshund i had as a child Prissy. She is a complete FIREBALL AND FULL OF SALT AND VINEGAR 🤣🤣🤣 Pray 🙏 for me!!!
I feel you. Summit is the biggest drama queen and fireball out of all of the Dachshunds I have owned. I love her for it but it can also be trying at times. Not for the faint of heart for sure!
As a Dachshund owner myself, I can definitely attest to the fact that these little dogs have a strong prey drive! It’s important for owners to understand this aspect of their dog’s behavior and to take steps to manage it, such as keeping them on a leash during walks or training them to have a strong recall. But despite their hunting instincts, Dachshunds make wonderful and loyal companions, and it’s important for owners to educate themselves on all aspects of the breed to ensure their dog’s health and happiness. Thanks for sharing these 25 important facts about Dachshunds!
These are all pretty helpful! We have dachshunds at home ( and yes, by accident too!) But I’m not as knowledgeable as you. I learned a lot from this post–thanks for sharing! My baby just turned 10 today.. and yes I want her to live longer with me and spoil her more. 🙁