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Original poster

Dachshunds- puppy v adopting?

35 replies

llmb · 01/02/2018 14:35

Firstly I don’t want this turning into a debate on breeds etc. Please only comment if you have Daxie experience.

Iv grown up with dogs (family) but not had one myself yet. I really want a Daxie. I’ve done my research and well aware of their traits. I know quite a few people with them also.

What I’m stuck on is getting a puppy or getting a rescue. What worries me about a puppy is the usual things that go with any puppy.... destruction and mainly the toilet training as they are notoriously stubborn. I live in a rented house but landlord is ok for me to get a dog (with a clause in my agreement) but I worry about damage to floors etc

I’d prefer to adopt in the sense of giving a dog a home but they are hard to come by. I belong to 2 groups specifically for this breed and the only ones that come up are from abroad or always the other end of the country. So I don’t know wether just to keep waiting or should I be looking for a rexommended breeder to get a puppy. I’m worried I would regret getting a puppy!

Anyone had any experience?

OP posts:
rightsaidfrederickII · 01/02/2018 17:04

Would you consider a dachshund cross? PestDog is one (and a rescue) and he's a brilliant little dog.

They do come up in rescue - are you just looking in the Facebook pages or directly on rescue websites?

Original poster
llmb · 01/02/2018 17:25

Iv not thought about a cross to be honest. I haven’t really come across any? I’m on the facebook groups.

OP posts:
Jigglytuff · 01/02/2018 17:37

Sorry, no daxie experience

I'm a breed obsessive too though Blush

BassAce · 01/02/2018 17:57

I have a miniature dachshund puppy, currently 15 weeks old. I can only speak for him and not the breed as a whole (I have no idea if I got lucky!) But he is an absolute delight, and has been easy as pie and nothing like the stubborn, difficult to train beast that you read about.
From day one of coming home he was toilet trained to go on a puppy pad/newspaper in corner of the room. And he's very quickly picked up that it's the garden or out on a walk for it now he's had all his jabs.
He walks off-lead happily at my side when out in (safe) open countryside or woods, and is happy on lead in town (weather-permitting.... he is not keen on walking in rain or snow yet!)
He has slept through the night from the day I bought him home, and he adores the kids and will often sleep curled up with them if they nap on the couch.

I should say he comes to work with me every day in the week (i work school hours in a local office), and we go everywhere/do everything together like meals out in a pub, or visiting friends. And he sleeps in a crate next to my bed. So our bond is great, and my ability to watch him and learn his clues for things like toileting have been easier to establish quickly. But he's been the best little dog I've ever had (childhood and lifetime of spaniels previously) and I would have another daxie puppy in a heartbeat!

Dachshunds- puppy v adopting?
Original poster
llmb · 01/02/2018 18:06

bass!!!! Oh my goodness he is beautiful!! Iv not been looking at miniatures as people have put me off regarding their health etc. Plus a miniature puppy I would worry about losing it behind the fridge!

I’m around a lot. But it couldn’t be with me all day as I go in and out of work (just beside where I live) couldn’t take one in with me annoyingly. Do you lock him in the crate? I can’t make my mind up about crates... I hear their reasons... but again it feels mean locking them in

OP posts:
Original poster
llmb · 01/02/2018 18:07

Thanks jiggly, I hadn’t heard of them.

OP posts:
BiteyShark · 01/02/2018 18:12

Crates can be very useful. I used one until BiteyDog was one year old and it helped to keep him safe if we had workmen about and also as a safe place for him to go and sleep in. I also used it for timeouts when he needed to settle although lots of people say you shouldn't but my crate was the biggest I could get for a small/medium sized dog so it was like a massive play pen. I also think it helped that he was used to one when he was unfortunately hospitalised at the vets due to illness ( the vet nurses used to say he would just walk into their crates and lie down). He naturally stopped wanting to use it around 1 year old and that was fine because he wasn't destructive etc.

Can't comment on the breed but good luck in finding your dog OP.

BassAce · 01/02/2018 18:32

I use a crate with the door open in a playpenned off area so there is room to wander about and play too (not that he does at night time). But the crate is like his safe space and he has one in the lounge too if he wants to escape the kids Grin
In the office he just sleeps on a normal dog bed by my desk (ok.. or mostly on my lap!!)

Original poster
llmb · 01/02/2018 18:40

Do you always need a ‘playpen’ with a puppy?

I guess if I had a rescue and it wasn’t used to a crate then I wouldn’t get one but if I rescued one that was used to one I would?

OP posts:
BiteyShark · 01/02/2018 18:43

No you don't always need a playpen with a puppy but it's very handy to be able to limit areas where the puppy can safely play and sleep if you need to do things as they can be into everything and anything (eating and destroying Grin)

Original poster
llmb · 01/02/2018 18:46

That’s what is putting me off a puppy as I rent. My landlord is gone with a dog but I worry about damage.....

OP posts:
BiteyShark · 01/02/2018 18:50

My puppy hardly destroyed anything other than his toys and some mats because I kept him in the kitchen which was puppy proofed for months before we progressed into the other rooms. I never let him wander about without keeping an eye on him.

When he was left for short periods he was crated and for longer periods he went to daycare so he never got bored or left to his own devices which is often when they destroy things. He was also crated overnight in the kitchen.

Original poster
llmb · 01/02/2018 18:53

The trouble is my house is very open plan. The only door downstairs other than front door is lounge door so I would worry with the stairs.... pretty sure they would fit through a stair haye plus could climb in the side of the stairs ..

OP posts:
bluemosquito · 01/02/2018 18:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
llmb · 01/02/2018 18:59

blue do you think it’s down to temperment as apposed to breed/being a puppy if they are distructive or not?

OP posts:
Jigglytuff · 01/02/2018 19:09

I’ve got pressure stair gates.

Polpette · 01/02/2018 19:16

Dachshunds aren't really destructive or even big chewers. But many (my own included) are very needy and can't be left alone at all, with others it could lead to destructive behaviour due to separation anxiety. They're utterly wonderful and loyal dogs though.

If your property is carpeted then I'm afraid you may find a puppy ruins the carpets - mine is with me 24/7 and she was well toilet trained but we've still had to throw out four rugs from around the house as she has had her moments of deciding it's too cold/wet/far to go out (obviously have cleaned up the mess but over time the rugs are beyond help). She's over a year old now too and still suddenly decides she'd rather not go out.

bluemosquito · 01/02/2018 19:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AcrossthePond55 · 01/02/2018 19:23

Our Daxie was a pup AND a rescue. He was about 9 weeks when we got him and was 90% housebroken. Or we were. We just had to figure out his "HEY, I need to go OUTSIDE!!" cues. We crated him at night but now (5 years later) he sleeps with us. We do still use baby gates though. One to keep him out of the kitchen, the other to keep him off the stairs (they are notorious for spinal problems). And we crate him when we leave as he stresses and yaps if we don't. His crate is his 'safe spot' and he feels comfortable and secure in it when he's alone.

I think it's doubly hard to get a pup when you work. DH and I were both retired when we got him so we were around 24/7 to keep an eye on him. I think you'd be best off crating and having a reliable dog walker for when you're at work.

The crate we use belonged to our late Lab so it was a plus size wire crate so it has plenty of room and is light and airy. He does fine in it when we're gone.

Original poster
llmb · 01/02/2018 19:25

The most it would be left is 2 hours.... we don’t go abroad, the most we do is centre parcs and you can take them there. Do you think 2 hours is too long?

OP posts:
bluemosquito · 01/02/2018 19:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
llmb · 01/02/2018 19:41

I am looking to adopt over 1-2 really. That would be ok wouldn’t it?

OP posts:
BiteyShark · 01/02/2018 19:49

All dogs are individual so some puppies are fine being left for short periods quite early on whereas others aren't and I suspect the same for rescues.

2 hours really isn't a very long time at all to be left alone but be prepared to have a settling in period to get the dog used to you and your home.

Original poster
llmb · 01/02/2018 19:50

I only work term time so in an ideal world end of term would be fab! Grin

OP posts:
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