Dachshund owners please come and speak to me!

[Inbedbynine]

So I bitten the bullet and will be bringing pup home next month! Super excited but also a little anxious. I grew up around dogs but it will be my first one. I have a list of things the breeder said I will need but can anyone recommend what I should get and things not to? Any tips???

[Parly]

Read up and research the breed as much as possible including all the little traits, quirks and behavioural aspects i.e. burrowing / guarding / needing care around smaller pets and being sod-pots as and when it suits but that's not exclusive to the breed they can all be that way out

You have the advantage of bringing home a puppy which means you alone can train and shape and help turn out a well-rounded, safe and happy dog albeit very teeny-tiny one.

I personally think it's essential to have a crate / cage for safety whilst puppies are still very young and not safe to free-roam the house during the night or whilst you're out.

A good size with some blankets to make it comfy cosy at night. I've found almost all our dogs have taken themselves in there as a comfort and for a place to sleep and know they won't be disturbed or moved.

Start as you mean to go on so make any "rules" now i.e. where he can and can't go and spend these next few weeks reading up and arming yourself with knowledge.

Where there's a puppy there will always be people on hand and popping up to tell you what you should and shouldn't be doing and honestly, I'd just avoid taking too much on board because otherwise you'll go stark raving.

When he comes home and whilst he's still grounded and his vaccinations have kicked in, have lots of fun and play lots of games and introduce him to lots of new sights, sounds, smells and enjoy!

[Inbedbynine]

Thanks for replying. Iv spent the last 2 years solid researching and have found a lovley breeder.

I will be crate training for sure. Is it best to get a hard bed or soft? I’m thinking hard better for cleaning... with lots of soft covers/cushions....?

[Inbedbynine]

Is it like when you’re pregnant/new baby and everyone will have a different opinion and tell you what to do??

[adaline]

My only advice would be start as you mean to go on. So if you want to crate, do it from day one, if you don't want it upstairs, don't allow it now or you'll form habits that will be hard to break.

I would also recommend getting them used to being left from the very beginning too. We didn't do it with ours (we didn't need to) and it made things quite difficult. He's one now and can be left but it was quite frustrating for a while - he just wasn't used to it and got really upset!

[Inbedbynine]

Thanks for that. I will definitely be using the crate and I will let it upstairs although not on my bed at night (she wouldn’t get up anyway as it’s a divan) would it confuse it if I carried its crate up each night to sleep in?

The breeder has agreed with me to ‘start as I mean to go on’, what does anyone suggest to start this off with regards to being left? I only work part time over 3 days and will come home after 2.5/3 hours. I will be home for a week when we bring her home as I don’t work school holidays. How should/when should I start the process of leaving her? 5 minutes at a time? Walk out the front door and then back in? I know not to make a fuss when leaving the house but when I start this, do I put her in her crate then leave the house for 5 minutes, come back in and get her out?

[Nesssie]

Start with crating her whilst you are in the house. Give her a chew/treat. Wander in and out of the room randomly. Ignore her. Eventually she will settle down. Then after a short time (and not whilst she is whining) let her out. Repeat regularly. Wander out the front door, come straight back in again. Go upstairs for a few minutes. Etc etc. The speed which you can increase the length of time will depend on how the dog reacts and how quickly she settles.

You can also do the above whilst the dog is outside the crate (but don't let her walk up stairs on her own) To start with, she will follow you but as you keep moving, she will realise its tiring and boring so will (hopefully) settle down.

[NoSquirrels]

I don't think you can leave a pup (of 8-10 weeks old) alone for 2.5 hours... do you have an plan for when you go back to work? When older it will be fine, but not as a puppy.

[Adarajames]

Get very good and comprehensive insurance! All dogs need it but daxies tend to have expensive health issues!

Dont allow it to walk up and down stairs / jump on and off things etc until it’s about 12 months old or risk damage that is already more likely in the breed.

They’re not lapdogs so need treating as such.

As NoSquirrel says, will be too young to leave alone for that long, so find a good puppy sitter for working days until older.

And if you’ve not yet read it, get The Perfect Puppy by Gwen Bailey, if you only ever read one puppy book then that’s the one to go for.
And enjoy! Daxie puppies are the cutest thing imaginable!

[adaline]

? I only work part time over 3 days and will come home after 2.5/3 hours.

What are you going to do with regards to toilet training? I believe dachshunds can be hard to train as it is - but leaving it alone for that long won't help as it'll have no choice but to go in the house.

Mine couldn't hold it long at all when he was small. Can someone come in and let the dog out for you, or at least sit with him for a few weeks until he's a bit bigger?

[Inbedbynine]

I was going to leave it until the summer holidays but the breeder says it will be fine and I should ‘start as I mean to go on’....... with regards to toileting I will be home for one whole week and then will to and fro from work as it’s just across the road.

Iv decided I think to use petplan for insurance as they have a £7k policy that I think will be ok?

I’m now worried about the toileting!!

[Inbedbynine]

No I don’t have anyone who can come in, unless I pay someone which I would rather not have a stranger do that and have a key to my home? The breeder thinks 2 hours is ok.......?

[BiteyShark]

I was at home for just over a month with my puppy and we still hadn't cracked toilet training in that time. We built up to leaving him alone for a few hours in that month. 1 week wouldn't have been enough for my puppy as we were still finding our feet with him at that time.

Can you get someone to pop in or look after her when you go back to work?

[Inbedbynine]

How many weeks are we talking do you think.....?

[Inbedbynine]

Have I made a big mistake?

[BiteyShark]

Just seen your cross post

The breeder thinks 2 hours is ok.......? you might be lucky and your puppy is fine but mine wouldn't have been after 1 week.

[Inbedbynine]

Sorry for cross typing, was typing as I was thinking....

[Wolfiefan]

Honestly? To be reliably toilet trained can take a few months. Make sure you have enzyme cleaner for mistakes.
Vet fleece is a cheap and easily washable bedding solution.
Nylabones or stuffed kongs are great for teething. As are carrots esp frozen ones. Don’t leave pup with stuff it can choke on though when you’re not around.
Dog training advice and support has some great advice on FB. Not breed specific but really really useful.

[Inbedbynine]

wolfie would you put that under blankets or as a top layer?

[adaline]

Honestly? Mine wouldn't have been okay being left for that length of time at such a young age. Even at 15/16 weeks he still needed letting out every hour or so, else he would have an accident. We stayed at home for a month with ours, and then he went to daycare on the days we worked.

I really think you need to have a back-up plan. If you leave your dog for about 3 hours or so, be prepared to clean up several accidents in that time, and to be setting back toilet training a fair amount. Dachshunds are small dogs anyway so need letting out more often than most at the best of times.

[NoSquirrels]

I do think (based on my small experience of watching someone else's two) that daxies are hard to toilet train as it is. So the "start as you mean to go on" 2-hour solution from the breeder strikes me as ... er ... unusual advice.

When you say you wanted to do it in the summer, does that mean the breeder pressured you a little into taking a pup now? The long summer holidays would have been much better, to be honest.

However, you can make a plan, but I do think it will need to involve someone checking in on puppy more frequently.

[BiteyShark]

Ok let's take a step back.

The puppy might be a laid back quick to toilet train one and everything is fine bloody wish mine had been one of those

But let's think about what is she isn't. Two things I can think might be an issue. The toilet training if she can't hold it as they have such small bladders and she starts to think peeing in her crate is fine because she has no other option. This would mean you really really would have to work at toilet training as it could take longer. The other issue is if she is a puppy that absolutely hates being left alone and is stressed and vocal. This can be more problematic if you have neighbours.

I would just think through a plan b if you do find you need to pay someone to pop in or maybe know someone who might 'mind' them for you at their house.

[NoSquirrels]

Is the breeder local? Would they be willing to puppy sit on your working days?

[Wolfiefan]

Mine would have eaten anything and everything as a pup. She slept on vet fleece on the floor. Cushiony beds are great but awful to wash wee accidents out of.

[Inbedbynine]

The breeder isn’t local to look after it. I was going to get a pup from her around summer. But these ones became available and my friends who already have dogs said I should start as I mean to go on.... I broached this with the breeder and she agreed that I should ‘start as I mean to go on’ and getting it now would be fine?

[Justtrying]

Having grown up with Dachshunds, they are loving dogs, but never forget they are hounds and pack animals. You need need to be their pack leader and given any chance they will hunt, so please ensure your garden is secure.

Stairs and dachies don't mix.

Insurance is a good thing as is buying from a trusted breeder with a good contract, they should take pup back if any problems at all.

Please don't overfeed as if they get fat their health suffers.

Dachshunds are amazing pets, but real dogs with little legs. Not handbag dogs.