Miniature dachschund advice & experiences please?

[sarahw81]

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Hi, this is my first post so hello everyone!

I'm thinking of getting a miniature dachshund puppy and wondered if anyone could give me any advice on the breed in general, whether it's likely to be suitable for me, good/bad points, things to look for a in a puppy etc? I'm looking for a little dog to be a companion really, I have a busy lifestyle but only work about a day and a half a week and could take him/her with me, the rest of the time I'm at home or out on the yard with the horses (I have horses at home), or running errands etc. I'd like a small dog I can basically take everywhere with me, but that is still fairly active as I have an outdoorsy active lifestyle and we go for walks and bike rides a lot as a family. I have an 11 year old labrador at the moment as well as the horses, I was brought up on a farm around dogs and other animals all my life so certainly not a novice by any means, however I'm aware I've been incredibly lucky with my current dog who is just the sweetest natured dog in the world and has been an absolute doddle to train and so low maintenance it's untrue! He even comes out riding with me and follows behind the horse!

I know mini dachshunds are said to be really loyal and attached to their owners which really appeals to me, and I've spoken to a couple of people who have them who absolutely adore them...however I've also heard they can be a bit stubborn and difficult to train? And that they bark and dig a lot?! Also have read they can not always be the greatest with kids? (I have 2 boys but they're 8 and nearly 6 now and used to dogs so old enough to understand how to behave around them.) And finally being a hound breed do they tend to roam around a lot and run off after scents? As we have 4 acres of land with post and rail boundaries so as a minimum would need to be trainable to come when called and learn to stay by me while I'm outside doing jobs rather than disappearing every 2 seconds! I appreciate all dogs are individuals and a lot depends on the training and parentage, and I'm quite prepared to put time and effort into training however I don't want to bite off more than I can chew!

Sorry this is a bit long but any advice/experiences would be greatly appreciated! And also if anyone knows of any reputable breeders in the Yorkshire area that would be fantastic! thank you

 

[Biker John]

First as you say each dog is different, all I can say is we have had one Mini Long haired Dachshund, she was a lovely sweet natured dog that loved everybody and every dog she met. I think she was highly intelligent, at the time we had two Border Collies and for intelligence she was a match to them, however for training it was totally different, yes we did manage to get her to recall, and she was clean in the house, but as to getting her to do anything else, it was a case of guiding her, she would do it once, get a treat, then refuse to do the same thing again. It was just like ok I've done that, now what next. Between the dogs she always got her way, she manipulated the Collies, even though they were a lot bigger and stronger than she was.

 

[gypsysmum2]

All hound breeds can be single minded. They are bred to hunt and work away from, not with, people. This makes them challenging to train especially if they get the "hunting" bug. The adrenaline they experience, on a "hunt", cannot be bettered with a few treats.

The hound temperament will suit your lifestyle as, once settled, they tend to switch off and not fuss about being left alone etc. This is assuming they are brought up to be fairly independent characters. When you say they are "loyal, and attached to their owners" is this a euphemism for nervous and scared to leave their owners? This is often what happens with the miniature breeds. They live with people who cosset them and so cannot cope when separated from them. Your puppy should not grow up like this because of your outdoor, active lifestyle. If you are expecting a little shadow I would think again, unless you bring your puppy up, as many people do, to be like that.

There is no reason that any dog should not get on with kids. It is all about early socialisation. If your puppy comes from a busy household and spends the first 12-14 weeks of its life being handled, gently, by children then there should be no reason that it will not be fine with them. If there are no children in the breeder's household do make sure you collect your puppy no later than eight weeks of age to take advantage of the socialisation "window" up to 12/14 weeks. It is much harder after this age.

Digging is what Dachsunds are bred to do, so that may be the case. This can be managed by giving them a sand pit in the garden to dig for treats and toys. Barking is often a sign of a nervous dog and should not happen, excessively, if the dog is well socialised with all sorts of people and situations.

Any dog will be tempted to explore beyond the boundaries that you describe. Hounds and terriers would be more inclined than most to do this. Could you fence with sheep netting?

Are you hoping to ride and have the companionship of your new dog? I think a miniature dachshund would struggle to keep up. A standard might cope better? I have heard tell, too, that the standard dachshund has the sounder (braver?) temperament of the two sizes. If you stick with the miniature then do ensure that both parents, and in particular the mother, is a bold, outgoing type of dog. Ask to see her outside her comfort zone if you can.