Planning for a Dachshund to join the family

[bebeboeuf]

I have always had dogs growing up and when I moved out had a Pointed who was a gorgeous boy.

It’s been about 4 years since having a dog and in that time we’ve moved house and had a baby who is now just over 2.

DH has never had a dog but would like one (although he also is exceptionally clean and tidy person which makes me nervous of introducing a potential mess maker)

We have always said it will either be a puppy or second child and it seems discussions have turned more towards a dog and just so happens that some friends will be having a litter soon.

Are we mad to introduce a puppy to the family with a 2 year old?
2 year old is very used to large breeds and is around them half of the week but I don’t know if it’s too much work for us having a toddler and a puppy.
Will it be too soon?
Should we say no to this litter and wait a year?

Is this friend a proper breeder or someone who is breeding their own pet. Most breeders will have have home for their puppies before the bitch is even pregnant so I'm guessing not.

You need evidence of health test from both parents, has this friend had these tests done?

Dachshunds are very prone to awful back problems, you could be setting yourself up for a lot of expense if this puppy is not in from a very good background.

Also, you say about waiting a years, is your friend planning to breed the same bitch in a years time? Not a good idea either.

I’m not sure I would have any puppy around with a toddler. My 6 year old is very calm but she found our dog overwhelming much of the time when he was a bouncy bitey puppy and he really was a very good puppy.

I don’t know much about Dachshunds but I think they are a pretty delicate breed. So again, a reason to avoid toddlers?

I’ve owned dachshunds and had toddlers. I wouldn’t put the two together at all.

A dachshund puppy is tiny and a toddler would injure it. Also sharp teeth and claws would certainly hurt baby.
You can’t health test for back problems so wherever puppy comes from it will be always vulnerable to this.

Yes, I realised after I posted you can't test for back problems MattMagnolia .

I know several people with dachshunds and every one of them has back problems.

I certainly wouldn't have one in a house with children and a good breeder wouldn't sell one to a family with small children.

I’ve had dachshunds all of my life and three of them (so about a third, maybe?) have needed back surgery. My last one that needed it cost around £5000 and most insurers won’t cover you for much more than £2000.

They are bloody hard work - stubborn as all hell and I cannot imagine a worse combination than a pig-headed mouthing, pin-toothed dachsie puppy and a toddler. All of my dachsies, without exception, have been absolute buggers to house break as well. You do not want a toddler tracking dog shit around the house. Puppy will also chew up all of your DC’s toys. And power sockets. And door frames.

I doubt these qualities are unique to dachsie puppies, but I do think they are particularly hard work. I’m also increasingly against ever getting puppies and I think ‘reputable breeder’ is an oxymoron when you’re actively breeding for dangerous traits like a long back and short legs and there are so many abandoned older dogs needing homes.

My current dachsies will probably be my last. Since having DCs I just find dogs too much of an extra burden I don’t need.

I remember as a teenager a friend has a standard size one that was 'her' dog.

I was standing with friend and her father chatting when her father put his hand on friend's shoulder in a calm, affectionate, fatherly manner, he got bitten for his troubles, no warning growl, nothing.

Definitely not the easiest of dogs, well that one wasn't.

pigsDOfly They are notoriously one- or two-person dogs only so can be quite antisocial. My current ones (minis) are lovely but some past ones I’ve had (standards) took chunks out of people. I think they topped some poll or other of most aggressive dog, but because they’re so relatively small they don’t do much damage so don’t end up on dangerous dogs lists.

Could do some damage to a toddler, though, especially a standard.

Hi, dachshund owner here...mine struggles with my two kids age 7 and 10. I wouldn't trust him at all with them,and other younger children. They are notorious for not liking to be manhandled,he still isn't toilet trained in the house (unless when he wants to be!),is a nightmare to walk and has zero recall skills. Personally trying to deal with a dachshund who has any similar properties to ours plus a toddler would send me over the edge...

Am I the only one who really hasn’t found having s puppy and a toddler a problem?
Op, I’d never had s dog before and was really inexperienced with dogs. My ds turned 2 in November and we got a cocker spaniel puppy in December and it’s been great. Having a puppy has really added to our family and ds and the pup are best buds.

I can only speak of my own experience but I’d do it.

I would advise against getting a dachshund, when you have young children. The risk for spinal injury is far too great. I have four dachshunds, from different houses that I sit, and each one of them has had or currently have a spinal problem. You have to lift them in a specific way, so their back doesn’t twist and you must make sure that all four paws are touching the ground, when setting them on the ground before you let go. They should be discouraged from jumping up for attention or going up and down stairs. The tan ones are more prone to spinal problems.

Pooch - we have a cocker spaniel and a dachshund. Comparing the two is a little like comparing chalk and cheese! If the OP was asking about getting a cocker and a having a toddler my response would be similar to yours. Lovable,kind,gentle,our cocker spaniel is fab with any child not just ours and as easy as they come. Unfortunately the same can't be said the dachshund!!

I think you may have just got lucky, Pooch. I’ve never met anyone who hasn’t found a puppy seriously hard work, even without the burden of DCs. Dachshund puppies are just extra.

ElphabaTheGreen Looking back, she (dog) never seemed bothered by me thankfully. I suspect she didn't consider me worthy of her attention.

Small but tough. Given what they've been bred for it's not surprising they take no prisoners.

Wow, surprised at the reposes. I’ve had difficult puppies before but nothing like what’s being described here.

If dachshunds are work of the devil then I guess we will wait

The friends with cocker spaniels struggle the most compared to all other breeds friend have with children so also surprised at hearing they are a chilled out breed

Dachshund Cross owner here... he wouldn't be my first choice of dog if I had toddlers, not by a long margin.

He likes his peace and quiet, he doesn't bond easily with new people (there was a lodger he still didn't like after 7 months...), and wouldn't take kindly to being manhandled by a toddler. He's a bit reactive to specific triggers, so trying to walk a toddler along the road at the same time as him would be functionally impossible unless the toddler was strapped into the pushchair. He's very territorial, would never let another dog into the home, and only started letting visitors into the home again after I sought professional behavioural help.

Back problems can arise easily - they're delicate, and a child lifting them incorrectly or even dropping them can cause major problems (look up IVDD). They have a reputation for being hard to housetrain and stubborn buggers when it comes to training (I haven't had that issue - but he's a cross). Mine was with his 4th owner (me) by the time he was 18 months old - partly because some of them were idiots, but partly because he just has a lot of needs that people weren't prepared to meet.

If you must get a puppy, get something that's a bit more robust and less temperamental. They're not the work of the devil - I just can't see many enjoying life with a toddler.

I have a dachshund, and two children - a 2 year old and a 5 year old. Hes absolutely amazing with our children, and our children are with him. We also have a cavalier king Charles.

There are lots of dachshund advice groups on facebook - if you join one of those and ask the question you'll get some brilliant advice too.

Avocado I had a lovely dachs-fox terrier cross who was the only really reliably house-broken one I had. Also no back problems so I think a bit of cross-breeding really helps. I do think dachsies have been dangerously over-bred as evidenced by the prevalence of back problems and temperament issues. They’re loyal, funny, self-exercising lap dogs but definitely not for the uninitiated or unprepared!

I do think dachsies have been dangerously over-bred as evidenced by the prevalence of back problems and temperament issues.
I'm not being arsey here, this is a genuine question: have dachsies got less healthy and more stubborn and aggressive over the years? Family friends had one (wire, standard) who was as tough as old boots and housetrained and actually quite social: I was never warned away from him as an older child/young teen. I had a really soft spot for them back then, but the ones I have seen recently seem to expend a lot of energy working on their outsize Napoleon complexes.

Maybe I have been lucky, but then so must my sister who has a miniature dachshund puppy with young children. He’s great! The only problem they had was house training but they cracked it eventually.

OP, I joined MN doghouse for helpful advice - sometimes I get it but most people who come on here asking about introducing a dog to their home usually only get the most negative responses. I’ve joined a fb group and find much more balanced responses on there.

Pooch has hit the nail on the head. If I had listened to mumsnet I would have never got my first dog (young children) thank god I didn't listen!

Also, I searched mumsnet for daxi threads when I was considering getting one and all I read was negatives. My daxi has been a wonderful addition.

Facebook groups and pet forums have been very helpful and supportive :)

Thank you for all responses.
To be honest even as a dog person who has bought up pups some of the responses worried me.

DS is very chilled out boy and so gentle with dogs as he’s learnt since a baby to be respectful of lively and elderly dogs alike.

The only experience of dachshunds is that it seems to have been the breed of choice for one line of my ancestors and that we have met a few through clients who happen to have them.

Our plans were originally to try DC#2 in which case doggy plans on hold for quite a few more years at least but we are both starting to consider sticking with one DC and in which case a dog is the plan and with this litter coming up soon is making us focus and decide which way it will be.