How are they with children?
Dachshunds can be very good with children, provided they are socialized properly when they are puppies. It is a good idea to let your dachshund meet as many people as possible at an early age, including adults, teenagers, and children. Good experiences with people at an early age will make your dachshund a very good canine citizen, who gets along with almost everybody. Still, no matter how good any animal is with children, you should never leave them unsupervised.
Do they bark a lot? What do they sound like?
Once they find their voice, they have barks that sound like they come from much bigger dogs, making them good watch dogs – not guard dogs (which will actually attack) but watch dogs, which only make a lot of noise when someone comes to your door.
Do they have any funny habits?
One peculiar thing they do is to roll around in smelly things when they encounter them. Rolling on earthworms or dead bugs, for example, is a popular dachshund pastime. This is due to their hunting instinct. While doing this, they are trying to “lose their scent” so that their prey cannot smell them. Another carry-over from their hunting instincts is their love of digging, and if left unsupervised, they can often be found digging for grubs in your lawn. Although this trait is usually seen outdoors, it also follows them into the house, where they like to tunnel through blankets until they get it “just right.”
Are they clean dogs?
Dachshunds are low shedders, relatively clean, and they have little or no doggy odor. They don’t need to be bathed often (less than once a month, unless, of course, they’ve gotten into something, which they’re known to do). Bathing is not a problem, however, as they fit in the kitchen sink!
How much exercise do they need?
Dachshunds require a modest amount of exercise. Two walks of moderate distance (each about 1/2 mile) a day should be pretty good. More if you’re so inclined. They’re a long-lived breed that can live up to 16 years or more with proper care. Because they are such social creatures, they don’t do well as outdoor dogs – they need to be with their humans.
What activities can I do with my Dachshund?
Even though they were originally bred to go to ground to hunt badgers, Dachshunds have evolved to become a very versatile breed, and there are many types of activities you can do with them, that are fun for you and your dog. Besides being wonderful family pets, you can, of course, show them in conformation, do obedience work with them, enter them in field trials (tracking rabbits) or earth dog trials (where they enter tunnels to track rats), use them as pet therapy dogs (where you bring them to hospitals and nursing homes, provided they are properly evaluated for behavior and temperament). Many people have also done agility (think of it as an obstacle course for dogs) with their dachshunds. If you choose to do agility, please be especially careful with the jumps, so as not to injure your dachshund’s back. Please feel free to ask me about getting involved in Conformation/Performance events.
Should I spay or neuter my dachshund?
The only reason not to spay or neuter your dachshund is if you are going to show them in conformation, and intend to breed them if he/she does well in the show ring. Otherwise, there are numerous health benefits to spaying or neutering your dachshund, including significantly reducing the risk of certain cancers and other life-threatening ailments later in life, as well as eliminating the chance of an unplanned pregnancy. Spaying or neutering does not alter your dog’s personality, nor does it cause them to gain weight; overeating does that! Many reputable breeders will insist on a spay/neuter agreement when they sell a puppy or dog, and will only allow a limited AKC registration (a puppy with a parent who has a limited AKC registration cannot be registered with the AKC). Don’t be surprised if you are asked to sign such an agreement when you buy a dachshund from a reputable breeder. Further information on Spay/Neutering can be obtained from your Veterinarian.
What is the best age to purchase a dachshund puppy?
If you are going to purchase a puppy, he should be at least 8 weeks old. This ensures that he is properly weaned from his mother, and has had at least one vaccination.
It sounds like a Dachshund is the dog for me. Where can I get one?
If you decide that a Dachshund is the breed for you, you have several options. If you want to buy a puppy, then you should only buy from a reputable breeder. You should be able to talk to a breeder to learn more about the breed, and meet at least one of the parents of the puppy, which is a good indicator (health-wise, temperament, and appearance) of how the puppy might turn out when it is full grown. Don’t rush; take your time to find a good breeder with a puppy available. This may require being placed on a waiting list; breeders often have waiting lists. But the benefit to buying from a good breeder is to maximize your chance of getting a healthy, well-socialized puppy with a predictable temperament and physical appearance.
A good breeder:
-
- Breeds to the standard and works towards improving the breed.
- Selects healthy, well-tempered parents who are exemplary samples of the breed.
- Is extremely knowledgeable about the breed, as well as the heritage (parents, grandparents, etc.) of the puppies.
- Will ask as many questions of you, as you should of her;
- Is very selective about who she places a dog with, and wants to make sure the dog will have a great home.
- Has puppies who can be registered with the AKC (limited registration).
- Follows the Dachshund Club of America’s code of ethics.
.Being such a popular breed, there are breeders who are more interested in making money than breeding well-tempered, healthy dogs.
By asking a lot of questions of a potential breeder, you can weed out the bad ones from the good ones.
I just want a dog for a pet.
I don’t want to show him. Why should my puppy’s parents be AKC dogs?
Presumably, the reason you’ve decided to get a dachshund is because you like the look and personality of the breed.
So don’t you want to maximize your chances of getting one just like you expect?
AKC puppies are most likely to conform to the look and personality you have decided you want. With the dachshund, the physical structure of the dog is important to reduce the chance of back problems and other injuries.
Second, when you purchase a puppy, you probably don’t want one who is too shy, or one who is too skittish. In either of these cases, the puppy will present an extra set of challenges to you, as you raise him into adulthood. Dogs that been well bred are less likely to exhibit these qualities.
So puppies born to quality AKC dogs are more likely to be sound, have a good, balanced temperament not too timid and not too skittish.
Given that the best predictor of a puppy’s looks and temperament is the look and temperament of the parents, you want a puppy whose parents have demonstrated themselves to be excellent, both physically and in temperament. Healthy, structurally sound, and well-tempered parents yield healthy, structurally sound, and well-tempered puppies.
So how do you increase your odds of getting a puppy that will grow to be healthy, structurally sound, and friendly? If, By buying one from a breeder who has AKC dogs, even if you have no intention of showing your dog.
You might be tempted to purchase a puppy from a breeder who does not have AKC dogs, to save a little money. Or you might be tempted to purchase a puppy from a pet store because it’s convenient.
And honestly, you might be very lucky with your choice.
But given the fact that you’ve decided you want a dachshund that looks and acts like… well, a dachshund, do you really want to take that chance?
Dachshunds who are shown in Conformation are proven to have been bred to the DCA Breed Standard upon earning their Championship Title.
The odds are much more in your favor if you adopt one from a breeder who has AKC dogs, and who lets you meet at least one parent of the puppy who you are considering adopting.
What should I look out for, to avoid dealing with a breeder who is not reputable?
To someone who has never purchased a puppy from a reputable breeder before, it can be difficult to know if you are dealing with a breeder who is ‘less than reputable.’
But some indications that breeders you are considering dealing with fall into this category are:
- They don’t give you an opportunity to meet at least one of the puppy’s parents. They haven’t socialized the puppies with people.
- They offer to sell a puppy to you without even meeting you, and will ship puppies ‘anywhere’ to people they’ve never met.
- They will release puppies before they turn 8 weeks old.
- They always seems to have puppies available, year-round (reputable breeders typically only have a few litters a year, and will only breed their females a few times in their lifetime).
- They seem more concerned with getting your money than making sure the puppy will have a good home. With proper care, socialization, and training, dachshunds can be wonderful, faithful companions for many years.
Dachshund History
The Dachshund was first created in Germany. The word Dachs means badger. This says a lot about the Dachshund. The breed was originally bred to hunt and follow the badgers. The breed was able to conform to these needs becoming evolved with shortened legs which are used to be close to the ground and dig with ease. Some of the smaller Dachshunds were used for hunting different prey such as hare and stoat. The Dachshund is very similar to that of the terrier and carries the same traits. They are known to be courageous and take on all types of prey.
Dachshunds’ Appearance
The dachshund comes in three different types. There is the short-haired dachshund, the wired-haired dachshund and the long-haired dachshund. The Dachshund is a long muscular dog with short legs. The breed is known to carry itself with pride and is always seen with an alert expression. The head is also long in size with a long muzzle. The Dachshund has protruding eyebrows, and a very strong jaw. The bite of a Dachshund is known to be sharp and strong. They have a scissors bite.
The eyes on the Dachshund are oval in shape and very alert with a friendly expression. The ears are long and hang close to the Dachshunds cheeks. The body though small and low to the ground has a very muscular form and a shiny coat. The Dachshund can be solid colored or bi-colored with shades of brown, red, cream, black and chestnut. There are also the piebald, brindle and dapple patterns.
Dachshund’s Temperament
The Dachshund is known to be lively and very loving. They are bold and proud. This breed is also known to be very clownish and mischievous as well. They are very clever as well and can seem to be training the owner to do as they please rather than the other way around. Some owners believe the long haired type to be calmer than the others. Another idea is that the wire-haired variety is more clown like and outgoing than the others.
The Dachshund can need more consistency to train and will do best around older children who know how to respect the breed. They are barkers and like to dig. They can be protective and jealous at times. They are known to need lots of attention to feel loved. They tend to gain weight easily and should not be overfed.
Dachshund’s Role
The Dachshund plays the role of a wonderful companion dog. They are best for older children and adults who can understand how to respect the breed. They are not well suited for a family environment with small children, unless well socialized from a very early age and children are well supervised. They need to be loved and given lots of attention. The Dachshund would be a great choice for an older couple or individual looking for a fun loving dog.
If you do decide to get a Dachshund Puppy, Here is one Promise:
They Will Change Your Life -Before You Even Realize It. They are such Little Characters, Very Devoted and Loyal, Comical, and Silly! Always Ready to either Play, or Just Snuggle on the Couch and Watch a Movie! Always a Joy to share your Life with !
Ask others who have them They will tell you too-
“They Never want to be Without One (or More) ever again!”
They Really are Addicting !
Their Love is Unconditional, They do not care if it has been the worlds’ worst day at work, or if you smell bad because you have worked hard all day and are dirty and tired to the bone. All they know is that you are Home now and They are Sooooo Glad to see you !
