Dachshund owners advice please.

[Onesieone]

We are looking around for the right puppy for us. We have 4 kids 15,12,3 and 2. We have a large enclosed back garden and live semi rural so safe and entry of pple to walk him/her. We all love the dachshunds we see but I don't know much about their temperament. My 3rd child is 3 and has autism so we need a calming dog and something small-medium. Do any of you dachshund owners think we r suited? We all love dogs and it's a few years now since our beloved Tibetan terrier was PTS.

[boobyooby]

I'm currently on a waitlist for a mini shorthaired Dachshund ...... just waiting for confirmation of a pregnancy in the next month! Seem to be quite a good all-rounder robust dog :)

[LadyTurmoil]

I think you'd need to be very careful with your younger 2 children. Dachshunds have problems with their backs due to the length and can't go up stairs, jump in and out of cars, jump on and off sofas.

It will be very tempting for your younger ones to "manhandle" a small dog a bit too much, so you'd have to have eyes like a hawk and lots of ground rules, esp if you're getting a puppy. Also, I presume you have a fairly busy household with other visiting children as well, so perhaps a slightly more robust dog would be better?

I think some can be stubborn and barky but I'm sure that varies depending on training. What about one like this?

[EmpressOfJurisfiction]

We used to look after a friend's mini dachshund and I wouldn't call him calming. Bags of personality but stubborn, hard to train and very protective of food.

[Onesieone]

Thank you all for your advice. I searched for other threads with the breed mentioned and it looks like they may not be the best for children never mind someone as volatile as my ds 3. Thanks again. My search continues.

[digerd]

I had a standard female and she was stubborn, barked at loud vehicles, obsessed with digging, could be aggressive to get her own way and with other dogs. But bags of personality. She was a long-haired , black and tan. There was a rough-haired male in our village who was a dear in comparison.

[EmpressOfJurisfiction]

Oh and they HATE going out in the rain - I remember trying to take this boy out for his business in a rainstorm. Plonked himself under the nearest hedge and flatly refused to move any further. When we got back in he lay under the radiator with his back to me and sulked.

[higgle]

WE had a long haired standard years ago. He was very calm and loving, pretended to be gormless if asked to do anything he wasn't keen on. DS 1 loved him and used to lean back against him drinking from his bottle, subject to usual doggie provisos he was very trustworthy with children, and indeed everyone (except that he hated spaniels and cats). I've heard that long haired standards are the calmest. Sadly our dear Henry developed the typical back problems and had to be PTS following failed surgery. WE loved him too much to risk similar sadness with another, I still pine for him.

[excitedmummytobe]

i did research a little while back and there is a list ranking dogs in order of chance that breed will be snappy and attack etc. daschunds came out first. of course if u raise him well im sure hell be fine but worth baring in mind with small children.

[excitedmummytobe]

try a staff. if you put the effort in and show them whos boss even older rescues learn prettt quick and the rewards last a lifetime. i was scared of these dogs before i got one and 2.5yrs later i cant imagine my life without his amazing personality. theyre amazing with children too young and old :)

[higgle]

excitedmummytobe - we were dachshund people and are now Staffie people, wonderful dogs and far easier than a dachsie. We have adopted two middle aged ones - 8/9 and both were houe trained, child friendly and jsut great company from day one. Sadly our first died of leukaemia 18 months after we got him but our present old chap, Butch, is asleep at my feet as i type this, I can't see us ever getting anything else now. I hanker after an old lady staffie with an old lady name.

[Emilycee]

How about a Cavalier Spaniel? We have had 5 on our family (mum and dads dogs) and they are so friendly and gentle with children.