Mini dachshunds - advice and positive experiences!

[Greentomatoes21]

I have wanted one of these dogs since I was a child. My grandmother had a couple of them over years and I adored them - but obviously I was too young to appreciate the work, health, typical temperament and quirks of the breed at the time. Unfortunately I have read a lot of negative things about these little guys - barky, anxious, difficult to train - and I feel a bit scared off. Hoping to find some advice from those who have had one; how did you manage to overcome these tendencies, if they are so prevalent in the breed in general? Is your mini dachshund a lot more difficult than other dogs you've had? Thanks!

Yes, don't buy a dog from a breeder - it's cruel. Adopt one of the many, many dogs who are already alive and living crap lives in shelters.

🤣 I'd like cockroach too please.

You sound like lovely dog owners.

My grandmother's were rescues also and had no health issues that I am aware of, both living until 14+. I guess those guys were really lucky compared to some of the dreadfully sad health experiences I've read about here today.

Thanks all, insightful advice from everyone.

Mine is nearly 9 and a great dog. Zero health problems, great with kids, very chill. Love her to bits. Big fan of the breed in general.

HOWEVER. They are not easy dogs. She was hard to train, has very little tolerance for other dogs and would quite happily be super glued to me or dh so we never had personal space again.

I think the standards (the wirehairs in particular) are easier going that the minis. The mini's all act like they have something to prove 🤣

The dachshund of 30 or even 20 years ago is nothing like the dachshund of today imo - they may as well be different breeds.

Ours is 13 and has never had any back issues. We walk miles every day and he’s super fit. The only medical issues we’ve ever had with him is he had to have a couple of teeth removed.

He’s the sweetest most divine little dog although not the brightest and also very stubborn. We have 4 dogs and he is everyone’s favourite.

The "breed standard" has definitely changed over time but not that rapidly. My grandparents had dachshunds and great grandparents had dachshunds and they all looked very similar to mine (from photos, at least)

I think the biggest problem has been shitty breeders trying to get them smaller and smaller when actually even the minis should be quite stocky and robust. Their conformation makes a huge difference to their back health too.

They are hounds after all, not toy dogs, and people do forget that.

A lady i knew had three of them. One of them jumped from the floor to her lap and failed and severely damaged its back so the poor thing became paralysed and had to be put to sleep.

Another one had awful back problems and had to be put to sleep.

Both young dogs.

The third one is still going and is a mature dog but he walks along at such a slow park and whilst he has the sweetest face, I can't imagine his life is that great.

I do see a couple of larger ones, one that is long coated and they seem quite robust.

They are more like working dogs though and one is a ratter not a molly coddled pet.

Just being KC registered doesn't give any guarantees, it just maximises your chance of a healthy pup via interpretation of the Information required - healthy, assured lineage and certain health tests (admittedly not all, depending on breed). I don't think there is any way of guaranteeing anything health related?

Importantly, buying from a KC assured breeder doesn't mean you should just blindly buy without doing any research, and absolutely shouldn't proclude buyer awareness of the breed... KC have a great section on breed characteristic which anyone can arm themselves with when viewing a puppy and it's parents.

Well, no, that wasn’t quite my point but since you quoted me.. I will continue to buy my dogs from breeders who exceed all recommended health testing for their breed and ethically produce KC registered, genetically healthy, fit for function dogs.

Not a dachshund but my old dog had to have an op on his spine due to a disc issue. We maxed the insurance (3k) then paid a further 1.5k that was in 2010.

@SuperbOwls they may look similar but in terms of health issues the dachshund of today is in really poor condition.

Over-bred to the point that many of them can't be "normal" dogs as they're so unhealthy - it's awful to witness.

I had 2. Both lived to 15 without back problems.
They both had dental problems.
Both had completely different personality's. One was anxious and would bark a lot at other dogs,but the breed is adorable.
Great company. I wouldn't get another because of the dental problems but I don't regret having them.

I have a lovely one. About to turn 6. She's fantastic with kids, not aggressive at all. She loves a long walk but hates the rain. Took to toilet training really easily. They are stubborn and definitely benefit from training. I meet lots when out on walks and have never yet met aggressive ones but then they do love their own breed so maybe it's aggressiveness to big dogs who they feel threatened by. Mine actively avoids big dogs.

My friend has one, and she’s a lovely little
dog, but a lot of work.
They are working dogs, and I think problems arise as people get them because they’re cute, and don’t exercise them enough. They won’t thrive being at home all the time or with a couple of short walks a day.
My friend is always out in the countryside with her, she will go all day and still have energy when she gets home. They are smart too so need early socialisation.
So yeah can be fab dogs, but I know I couldn’t live with one 😂

I think dachsunds were originally bred to flush out badgers from setts. My vet described them to me as 'vicious, bloody-thirsty little bastards'. Over-long spines and very short legs are the result of designer breeding. They are effectively deformed. Years ago we had a neighbour who had a standard dachsund, quite chunky and sturdy, about the size of a small beagle. Perhaps it's the miniaturisation breeding that's caused the problems.

I haven't rtft so apologies if this has been covered but I have a standard whd (teckle as ddog is from working lines) and he is totally different from the other sausages. Much bigger, sturdier, far fewer health problems, great with everyone and everything, rarely makes a noise... but the highest prey drive of any dog I have ever met. He took a little longer to toilet train and is stubborn but he's a joy.

My lab is friends with one haha he is really cute and friendly but yes, he barks to high heaven (whereas my big boy just instigates carnage in silence)

@MakeMeJuno, really interesting to read your post about working-line dachshunds (teckels). Just had a google. I am a terrier fan (I have a prt) and those dogs seem utterly lovely to me from what I have just read (provided that they are well-bred to avoid the health problems of most dachshunds)

But how is it that they are not terriers!! They seem to have all the characteristics that make terriers the best dogs in the whole wide world such lovely dogs (as well as all the characteristics that make terriers a pain in the neck!!). And yet presumably they are classed as hounds?

@AlbertCamusflage I haven't ever had a terrier but I know some who have had both and say they are very similar, especially in terms of the prey drive. The main difference I would observe is energy levels and preferred enrichment - my boy needs an hour of sniffing (and if he can get away with it digging) in the morning but he does not like to run... unless he spots something small and fluffy. Like a terrier he will give chase and kill - it isn't enough to track and flush.

He will then sleep for 8 hours until it is dinner time, when he likes a short walk around the block to pee on everything and then he is done for the night. He is actually incredibly lazy.

People assume he's noisy but he truly rarely barks... but yes the PITA stubborn streak is sooooo strong

Thanks again everyone I am finding this to be informative from all angles.

My neighbour has two. Snappy, growly little things who hate me and my children. We have two big dogs ourselves but we are all terrified of the little sausages!

That is all very interesting to read, @MakeMeJuno . I can see that they have additional skills and interests on top of the hardcore terrier stuff. Though, actually, my parson russell terrier might fancy himself as a bit of a teckel as he is the most tenacious sniffer, almost hound style. The little bleeder never takes his nose off the ground until he actually finds some small grey thing to chase

@AlbertCamusflage he sounds gorgeous! Some days I wonder why I didn't go for a biddable lab, but I just love their personalities - he sounds like a similar character. How is his recall? Ours is a constant work in progress - I can never let the training slip.

Of course there is a small risk of health problems, as with any dog, but we manage it by keeping his weight down and of course careful selection from a good breeder in the first place. To be totally honest I let him jump on and off the sofa - realise that we probably shouldn't, but life is too short

Unfortunately this post is inaccurate.

Just being a Kennel Club breeder does not mean a healthy health tested breeding has taken place.

A Crufts best in show cavalier winner had Syringomyelia when it was award best in show for example

KC recommend tests but do not check and you can still be an assured breeder without having carried them out.

Exactly @KeenOtter - being KC registered means very, very little unfortunately- I do wish more people were aware of that.