Have we just been lucky with our dachshund? Please come and tell me about yours!

[Blonchette]

We have a miniature dachshund who’s 4 now. We’ve had him since he was a puppy, and we all absolutely love him. But he’s leaving us :(. He actually belongs to my daughter, and she’s moving out and taking him with her.

One of my ds’s is really upset, and has (probably accurately) attributed the dog’s presence in his life to his improved mental health.

We’ve been so lucky with him (the dog that is!) - no particular destructive puppy behaviour, very very loving, when we walk him you’d swear we’d spent endless hours training him to walk to heel. We haven’t at all - he naturally sticks as close to us as he can. The only slight problem he’s given us is that he’s not always amenable to going outside to the toilet!

He has brought so much love and joy and fun and even new friends into our life, and has taught us things too.

I don’t want my ds’s mental health to suffer so am thinking about another sausage, but all my reading shows that actually, dachshunds can be quite tricky. Are they? Have we just been really lucky with our boy? Please would you tell me about yours?

I don't own one, but as a dog walker, I walk two.

One is like you describe - amenable, friendly, well trained, perfect recall and just generally lovely to be around.

I'm afraid the other is a bit of a nightmare. Growls at other dogs and strangers, has separation anxiety, can be destructive, toilets in the house and can be exceptionally stubborn.

I suspect a lot of it is down to their lifestyles, though!

Our little sausage sadly died at 5 as he dislocated his back 😩 I loved him so so much… he was a complete nightmare though 😂

The risk of health problems is not insignificant. Popped discs, dislocated backs, double incontinence and no use of back legs. Usually lovely little dogs but....

Our neighbour has one and while it seemed lovely as a puppy it is now a barking, snarling horrible thing who froths at the mouth straining to be at you when it's on the lead or in the back garden. I am generally a dog lover but finding it hard to warm to that one sadly. Not sure if that's indicative of the breed generally or an anomaly TBH.

Thank you both for your replies.

@cupsofcoffee from what I’ve read I think a lot of them are like your destructive little one

@sociallydistained I’m so sorry to hear that, you must’ve been heartbroken :(.

They're often anxious and can be aggressive.

Their recent popularity explosion means that there are a lot of backyard breeders about

Their extreme confirmation means they're likely to experience significant chronic pain for extended periods of time
I wouldn't want to financially support that

Yes, I have a dachshund and temperamentally similar to your dog. She's a dear dog, and is also resistant to going outside in wet, cold and windy weather. She's my second dachshund who was also allergic to inclement weather! I just use puppy pads a lot through the winter ...
There's a fair few dachshunds living local to me now and they all seem to be happy little dogs. I don't think I'd ever want a different breed.

Thank you for further replies.

The health issues do worry me. Obviously we have, and always would have, insurance and take proper care, but the heartbreak that would ensue if their little backs went and they were in chronic pain would be terrible :(

I worry about the back yard breeders too @Veterinari after their recent rise in popularity.

I don’t know what to do.

Go through the kennel club to find a breader that suits your need. They won't be offended if their puppies are not for you. They want their dogs to have a home for life
Good luck

If it is the temperament you like, consider a Jack Russell. Fewer health issues and good dogs for an active child.

I think standard dachshunds are a bit sturdier. I also walk a wire-haired dachshund who is bigger and sturdier than others - she's stubborn but has an excellent temperament, is very gentle and lives happily with another dog too.

Could you get another puppy from the same breeder?

I have a miniature dashund who is 1 next month, he is the most lovely natured pooch. I can’t say I have spent loads of time training him but he is overall very good. Toileting in the rain is a battle on occasion but other than that he is affectionate, gentle and doesn’t seem to have any of the qualities that you hear about daschunds. I don’t know how true it is but boy dogs are supposed to be more affectionate which is why we went for him

Thanks for more answers. Kennel club is a good shout.

Thanks for your suggestion @GeorgiaGirl52, don’t know anything at all about Jack Russells.

@Rubi87 he sounds lovely, I wish you much joy!

I'd recommend joining one of the dachshund groups on Facebook - London Lowriders, DOWBANS etc.

I've got a JRT X dachshund (rescue). Love him to pieces but I could write you an essay on why they're not easy dogs. If I had my time over again I'd adopt ddog again, but I wouldn't adopt another of the same cross!

If you want a dog to love you and amuse you - Shih Tzu
If you want a dog to love you and watch over you - Keeshond
If you want a dog to demand attention, amuse you, destroy small objects (like shoes) and bark shrilly at everything - Pomeranian
If you want a dog that is a little barky, a little destructive, but also entertaining, loyal, energetic and protective - Cairn Terrier
The above is a personal opinion based on 68 years experience with dogs.

My parents had 2 female standard dachsies. They were lovely. Not aggressive, not nervous. Very affectionate. Great little characters.
One developed a serious disc problem which caused her a lot of pain and needed specialist vet treatment. Because of their tendency for this to happen I wouldn’t have one again (or any breed with a congenital physical weakness), even though I love them.

@Blonchette

Thank you for further replies.

The health issues do worry me. Obviously we have, and always would have, insurance and take proper care, but the heartbreak that would ensue if their little backs went and they were in chronic pain would be terrible :(

I worry about the back yard breeders too @Veterinari after their recent rise in popularity.

I don’t know what to do.

I think for me that's the dealbreaker

Obviously having insurance to provide good vet care is essential

But that doesn't really mitigate the pain and suffering the dog feels. I personally wouldn't want to be responsible for financially supporting breed standards that create suffering in my pet just because 'I like them'.
To me it seems fundamentally selfish

I love that someone recommended a Cairn Terrier! Sadly they're quite rare these days but the one I walk is fantastic - her only downfall is her barking really and she does need regular grooming too.

But she has fab recall, she's excellent with other dogs, doesn't need too much exercise and loves a cuddle 🥰

If you're willing to consider a rescue sausage, then for me that removes the ethical issues around certain breeds - you did not breed the dog and you did not create the demand for it to be bred.

The Red Foundation is a Dachshund rescue - it does really help though if you can deal with some special needs - either physical (e.g. the after effects of IVDD, which can mean anything from a wheelchair to just being a bit wobbly) or behavioural (e.g. resource guarding seems to pop up frequently)

www.facebook.com/TheRedFoundation.DachshundRescue/

@GeorgiaGirl52 I had a cairn growing up! She was the lovliest dog. She’d died by the time dh and I met but I used to carry a picture of her with me everywhere, and remember showing her to him on our first date!

Thanks for the Red Foundation Rescue link @DeathByWalkies, I’ll have a look at that.

You’re right @Veterinari about not wanting to support breeding animals in a way likely to lead to pain and suffering. Seeing the connection between my ds and our dog has been incredible, but I think I’m going to investigate rescues, starting with looking at Death’s link.

Thank you all for the helpful comments.

Very old picture of much loved cairn!