Dachunds

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So we've been looking at getting a dog for a few years now been trying to decide on a good family dog and I cant stop looking at dachunds.. my husband likes them so I'm just wondering if anyone owns a dachhund and could give me some pros and cons I've been doing my research on them but I'd like to hear it from actually people. Thank you

We've had two standard shorthaired dachshunds, we lost our old boy aged 16 this summer.

Pros - apart from being generally lovely and bringing a smile wherever they go - very clean and unsmelly; can do good long mountain walks but not really need to go for much of a walk in bad weather.

Cons - probably the most bark per pound of dog! (But with a standard it's a proper hound bark not an annoying yap). May have back problems - our first didnt at all, the second had a slipped disc when he was 14 which did require surgery.

Character depends on the individual dog.

I'd add that there are far more dachshunds around now than there were when we were looking for our dogs. They're too popular tbh, especially minis - you'd need to be very careful to avoid puppy mills or dodgy imports.

@ErrolTheDragon did you find they was hard to potty train ? We've been talking to a breeder and we've been to see a pup with her

@ErrolTheDragon he's a lovely wired haired dachund but he's got such a character already she's letting them leave at 14 weeks so next week if we decide to get him we've been to see him near enough every week since being born.

No, not really. We had the first as a pup, I'd guess the number of 'accidents' was pretty normal. We got out second when he was 10 months - kept for show/stud by the breeder but he hadn't made the grade - so he was already trained, once he knew where the back door was and had been praised for going in the garden he was fine.

lots of personality and sweetness but hard to potty train in my experience -

Friend has miniature one. Never. Stops. Barking.
I cannot emphasise this enough, its a painful high pitched bark.
They have used a behaviorist and it has reduced it somewhat but still bad.
Every time I call to the house I pity them.
If you want a small dog, why not a small terrier breed, lots of them in rescues as well.

Cons (not all dachshunds but generally):
• They’re really seriously barky. (And it’s Very Loud.)
• They tend to be likelier to have anxiety/reactivity issues (ie will bark at other dogs while on walks, aren’t typically great with children, suffer from separation anxiety).
• The toileting issue: it’s not that you can’t train them, it’s more that it’s never 100% reliable because they’re so stubborn ie they hate going outside in the cold and rain to poo so they’ll sneakily poo inside instead.

Pros:
• Very lapdog like. Tend to love their owners enormously and want to be on them all the time.

Honestly I love them but I don’t think they’re easy dogs. Especially for first time owners and especially for busy owners.

Psychos with health issues

We had 2 next door for 6 months and it was awful, just didn’t stop barking . On and on and on and on for hours and hours and really yappy and annoying. Much rejoicing amongst the neighbours when the yappy fuckers moved out and we all have dogs of our own. These were a whole new level .

I have a 10 month old miniature dachshund. Smooth haired. There are less wire haired and they're less popular so you may fair better with finding a reputable breeder.

He's my first dog, I did a lot of research going in so I knew what I was getting in to. He's stubborn, wants to do things on his own terms and pouts if I make him walk in the rain. He took a while to house train but is now fine. Relatively easy to train basic commands because he loves food. Loves the sound of his own voice, distraction training ongoing and success is about 50/50 at the moment.

He is the best little companion, cuddles up with me in the evenings. Is great with our 3 year old although obviously boundaries are needed.

IVDD is a risk with the breed, mini's more than standards, smooth more than wire haired. Pick a good breeder, get good insurance.

Pros:
Dachshunds are energetic and playful, which can make them great companions for families with children.
They are intelligent and can be trained to do a variety of tricks and tasks.
They are loyal and protective of their families, and make great watchdogs.
They are small in size, which makes them suitable for apartment living.
Cons:
Dachshunds can be stubborn and difficult to train if they are not properly socialized and trained from a young age.
They can be prone to back problems due to their long bodies and short legs.
They can be prone to barking, which may not be suitable for apartment living.
They may not be suitable for families with very young children, as they can be easily injured by rough handling.

My standard wire.....loves his cushion

We have a 3 year old boy, shorthair.

Agree with pp, they're seriously barky.

Ours was harder to toilet train (than our golden retriever), then suddenly he got it.
Pees with excitement when you come in from being away from him.
Suffers separation anxiety and will howl/bark when left.
Loves to sleep in your bed, under the covers.
Very much a lap dog, very loving, lots of doggy kisses.
Loves, loves, loves his ball, and if it squeaks, all the better. Will squeak and squeak it until you go insane
Once you throw the ball and he's chased it, he then has to go and sniff every surface/wall/door it's bounced against!
You have to stop them jumping on/off things, to protect their backs, but it's hard because they're so bloody quick.
Don't be fooled by the short legs - they can run FAST!
Our one barks at other dogs, and pulls on the harness, but we're still working on that.
Our boy was possessive of objects as a pup. Soft toys, the tortoise, chews.....he'd sit by the thing and show his teeth and growl if you tried to get him away from whatever it was. Fortunately maturity and neutering mellowed him.

I love our boy more than I could ever convey, he's adorable.

There are a lot of misconceptions about dachshunds. Mine was fully toilet trained and sleeping through the night by 13 weeks, he learned to sit in 5 minutes. He is affectionate but not clingy and is happy to be left home alone for 4-5 hours without making a peep. He barks at intruders in the garden (e.g. pigeons) but not at much else, not even the doorbell, and knows the quiet command so stops when told.

A lot of people mollycoddle them as they are cute looking, not understanding they are a hunting breed who need proper training, which is why some end up being right nightmares.

@redyellowbluepink mine is a wire, as is my SILs, so please feel free to PM me.

We have two smooth minis, brothers, who are absolutely lovely. I agree with all of the above posters. They are stubborn to potty train and They do bark a lot, however, they're also incredibly affectionate and adore their human family. My two love a good walk everyday in all weathers.
My mums daschund however, is totally different. He's incredibly "needy" , has to always be around somebody, and will not settle unless you're sat down. Constantly following everywhere, and he can't be left alone due to severe separation anxiety.
This has made my mums life a little more difficult as if she does need to pop out, she has to drop him to my house so he has the company of a human and my two Davies.

This!

Have you done your research on the breed, @redyellowbluepink ?
Your misspelling of the name suggests otherwise. Not just me being picky, but getting a dog is a big commitment, and dachshunds are often bought because of their appearance. There is a current thread about a dog that a new owner is considering rehoming because it is too much for her.

They were originally bred as badger hounds, and are determined and stubborn. There are health implications associated with the breed.

Mine is a standard short haired. 18 months and I bloody love him. But I won’t sugar coat it, he has been hard work

He is very loving but also clingy. He can’t be left at home on his own for more than an hour otherwise he howls. He will go to day care happily.

It has taken a lot of work to train the barking out of him. The only thing he barks at now is cats!

He is great with other dogs, decent recall and quite quick to house train. We rarely get accidents indoors but I do have to pick him up and take him out if it’s wet/cold. He won’t go voluntarily!!

I have done research very much the puppy is 13 weeks old
I have continuously read up and asked people even took my cat to the vet and asked the vet a lot of questions! So I'm sorry about my spelling mistake!!

We've had four, but we have lost two last year within 6 months of each other, from diabetes, which they are prone to. Heartbreaking.
Yes they are hunters and killers! I've seen them kill rats and birds so don't get one if this upsets you!
Ours will follow you everywhere, and jump on your lap as soon as you sit down!
If you get one make sure you have good insurance, I can't emphasise this enough, you need £10000 yearly cover, it gets very expensive as they get older. The cost for our 1st girl's illness was £6000+
These are the two we have left, Alfie is 10 and Honey the dapple is 6 months old.

The only ones I know are dog reactive bitey little things . That aside if the breeder is keeping them until 14 weeks is she socialising them properly / effectively.

@redyellowbluepink , the reason I picked up on the spelling is that the name is literally badger hound (dachs hund). It will have hound traits, and I wouldn't want to pick a fight with a badger.

I'm not sure if the vet is the right person to ask - there may be a financial incentive there.

we've had 4 in the family with various people. all have been very barky and super needy. like they have to be on u, touching u, in your face at all times when u sit down. no personal space hah.

Mine is an almost 4 yo smooth haired mini (although is pretty much a small standard size). She is very strong and fast and can walk for miles. She's very loving and extremely trustworthy around children. She loves cuddles but is also very happy in her crate and is well toilet trained (not had an accident since she was a pup). She's very maternal- loves puppies and other dogs that she knows. Dislikes certain breeds (bouncy fluffy dogs mainly). Has good recall.

The cons: the bark obviously!

Tip is to get them used to being left for gradually longer periods.