Dog advice really needed - border, Norfolk or wire haired or long haired dachshund?

[HomeWorking]

Please help with dog breed advice! We have been thinking about a puppy for a very long time but can't decide which breed. After a very difficult time, (bereavement) we are now trying to move forward with this - but what would work best, we live rurally (open spaces, farm tracks) but also travel to work in city from time to time..... thinking Border or Norfolk Terrier or wire haired or long haired dachshund? We have not had a dog before and want to be sure we can meet all their needs. Any help very gratefully received!

I wouldn't touch any of those dogs as a first time owner tbh.

Never met a dachshund that wasn't an aggressive, neurotic, nightmare. They're stubborn, difficult and often have severe separation anxiety that ruins the owners life. Perhaps it's the size issue - their owners treat them like babies and don't train them, because they're little.

Norfolk Terriers can have poor recall (because of their drive, as a PP said) and are yappy. Border Terriers also have poor recall, very often, and need a lot more than most owners can give to make them truly happy.

If you want a non-shedding dog that's good with kids and less prey drive (i.e. easier to train recall) then you'd be better off with a toy poodle. But they still need lots of grooming. Don't mistake lack of shedding for little to no coat maintenance.

We have a cavapoo, they are great little dogs.
He has a lovely temperament, doesn't shed, robust and can walk for hours or happy to be splayed out on the sofa or a lap.
Ours has no separation anxiety in familiar environments - he's fine left at home for several hours. He just goes to sleep.
Because of the poodle side a lot of cavapoos are fussy eaters. He loves being with his people and is a dream to walk off lead - recall is fabulous except when he sees a squirrel. He is very ball focused and a bit yappy when bored - he will stand in the window and bark at passers by.

You need to get health checked parents and there are dodgy breeders but we did our research and have pedigrees and hereditary condition clear health reports for both sire and dam.

Oh Lord I didn't see the bit about being easy to train. DO NOT get a Dachshund OP. Easy to train they are not.

Training a Dachshund takes a lot of commitment. I wouldn't say it's for anyone trying to get over a bereavement or a novice dog owner.

Plus they need a lot of off lead waking so you'll need to get their recall at 100% which won't be easy.

I certainly don't recognise those traits in my wire haired daxie. Yes he has a personality but certainly not aggressive or neurotic.

What I would say is that he is best suited to living in a city. He likes a walk but he cannot go on for miles like someone has suggested. Makes sense really when you consider how short their legs are and their body shape. Our 8 year old daxie only needs around 45 minutes walk per day but he is rarely left for long on his own so he gets lots of mental stimulation. We also have a golden retriever and they get on so well. The daxie is certainly the boss but we do have to leave him behind if we go on a much longer, off terrain walk otherwise we end up having to carry him home. If he's had enough he certainly lets you know. Some might call that stubbornness, but he's an independent minded animal and that makes him so lovable.

All these comments are really useful thank you to everyone for replying!

Cavapoos are also easy to train as they are usually quite clever from the poodle side. They are less mad than cockapoos, less prone to brain and heart conditions than cavaliers (but usually don't shed) and a bit more docile and less sparky than poodles. They can be anxious. Ours is very confident in his routine. If you do something out of the ordinary he gets worried. We only have to bring a suitcase down and he starts crying because he knows someone is leaving. He absolutely loves being with the family and at home (as I said, happy to be left at home alone). He copes great with new places if he is with the family but when he had to stay at the vets he stopped eating :(

Don’t get a poodle cross. You don’t know what you are getting. There’s nothing wrong with getting an actual poodle.

Dd has a dashhound. It's a little shit. Barks at the noise someone made 15 miles away.
Youngest DD has a chihuahua little dog syndrome. Sleeps a lot but hates all dogs when on a walk. Even her mates.

Ds has a cavachon best dog ever. Walks beside you, friends with all dogs.
Not much of a guard dog. Prefers to sleep on the bed.

Only time there is a problem is any dustbin men wearing a hi-viz jacket.
But they are used to him now and he lets them stroke him.

Don't know how that giff was attached.

Cute GIF though

@HomeWorking
Are you going to a breeder?
Just getting a random 'cross' can be a bit hit and miss - I know quite a few manic cockerpoos. Having said that we had mongrel terriers who were brilliant.

If you go to a breeder who knows what they are doing the above shouldn't happen.

We went to a Australian labradoodle breeder - (had a telephone interview and I wrote an essay into how we could look after the dog). I asked them loads of questions. Most breeders love their dogs and want the puppies to live their best lives.

The next dog we get will be a rescue, now that our DC are older.

Are you dead set on a small dog? Terriers are often chosen because of their size but they aren't easy dogs if you don't have the patience of a saint. I've had a couple and I've adored them but I'm going back to bigger dogs after this one goes because the prey drive and desire to either be touching me at all times or barking at passing molecules has driven me mad.

But if it has to be a small terrier type, I'd go for a Border. Clever, cunning little dogs and they can go all day (but, to be fair, so can most terriers, just in a different direction to everyone else).

I have a dachshund. They are different from a lot of dogs. Hard to train, hard to toilet train and stubborn. I adore my one, he isn’t barky, is super with other dogs/cats/kids etc but I wouldn’t recommend for a first time dog as it’s very easy to mess them up as puppies as people rend to treat them as babies so they end up with separation anxiety. There is also IVDD to consider.
I also wouldn’t have a cockapoo/ cavapoo etc. You don’t know what you are getting, they can have all sort of behavioural issues or they can be fab. I have one who is a rescue and is on meds for life- I wouldn’t have another one.
My friend had a Norfolk and he is fab. But they have put the work in when he was a puppy, lots and lots of work. He could run all day but is small enough to Easily pop into car.

The long hair will get filthy- full on deep clean after every walk.
I’m walking my Whippet now ( on lead hence on phone ) but when we reach the fields it will mean mud spattered undercarriage - and that’s a silky smooth dog!
Non shedding breeds need regular trimming.

As a first time owner I was guided by RSPCA who selected a young Lurcher puppy , a stray

We walked many miles in those days and her Collie cross part made her extremely trainable.

Definitely be guided by bigger dog charities as to best type of dog for you.

We have a wire haired dachshund and he’s been a brilliant pet. He’s a lot less temperamental than the smooth haired ones we’ve met, with a very friendly, open character. He’s not been hard to train at all as he’s bright, but wants to please. It’s our first dog we’ve owned as adults, and he’s been great with children and other dogs and cats (if anything, he’s too friendly!). He’s definitely not an ‘off road version’ as he hates mud, jumps over puddles and has no prey instinct (will still roll in fox poo though). But he will walk for miles. Equally after a walk, he’s happy to be left in his crate for a while if we need to go out. We knew the breeder, and hers seem quite similar to him (not working dog stock). I’d highly recommend specifically the wire haired version as he seems easier than the other sausage dogs we’ve met.

Borders Terriers can be very naughty and go to ground-They can follow horses for miles
a friend’s one went to ground and came out a day later.

I love Whippets but they have a high prey drive and can suffer separation anxiety.

I agree. But I have a Patterdale and feel I have suffered enough now.

Hope not hi-hacking but In answer to the poster below who said they thought dachshunds were better suited to a town, or wouldn’t walk for miles (it may have been two separate pps not sure), it’s useful to know that some cattle farmers nowadays are using them like sheepdogs and corgis to round up their stock.

It obviously depends on the individual dog but our daschunds have a lot of energy and walk for miles every day. They walk miles back home, have a quick nap, and are ready to go again. .

Imho dachshunds get a reputation for being wilful and barky because they are treated like lapdogs when they were bred originally to be a working dog which hunted badgers and as such had a lot of verve and stamina. And of course are vocal because they were “speaking” to mark out prey or their habitat. And best not to buy one if you value your flower beds bc they are champion diggers. 😀

Edited to add that our female dachshund is so brave she will easily stand up to a cat, dog, ram, draft horse, and bull, several times her own size 😄. She’s not agggressive she just stands there and stares them out.

I’m very interested to read this as we are intending to go for a wire-haired next.

I must admit that the ones we know personally are rather grumpy males but yours sounds delightful!

The border terrier that frequents our park is all teeth and attitude. My miniature poodle steers well clear of it.