Dachshund puppy

Toothfairy4

My husband and I are hoping to get a Dachshund puppy soon and were wondering if anyone has any experience with them? We work mostly opposite shifts as my husband is a waiter and works mostly in the evenings so at most he would need to be left alone for a few hours. Is it advisable for one of us to be home sll the time when we first get him for a few weeks?

We would like a standard size rather than miniature and they seem to be a lot less common, having difficulty finding any remotely near us so if anyone has any tips on finding breeders etc we would be grateful.

Thanks!

UKTigerlily

I don't know anything about the breed but at first any Pup would need to go out plenty, after every meal, when waking, every hour etc etc & would need to slowly get used to being left so someone will need to be at home with him or her for a while. Have you had Dachshunds before? It'd be worth looking into what health problems if any the breed may suffer with & making sure both parents have been health scored if necessary. Others will know more, make sure to post pics!

Gingham_R

How long would the pup be left on normal days and how long would the longest amount of time be? Are you looking for an 8 week old or an older pup from a rescue?

Pups are full on, constant attention seems to be what's needed. Really. I'm not exaggerating. I hardly do anything except keep the dog amused and try to fit stuff in while he's having his naps!

Person_one

Buy a copy of 'The Perfect Puppy' by Gwen Bailey, read it several times before you do anything!

Gingham_R

Also, kikopup http://www.youtube.com/user/kikopup#p/u/35/RWSJVwZybwo

and Tab289 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrbA7cyp6K4

are the best online training videos I've seen.

pigpen

They dont like being left for long.. they are big pansies!

My mother has 3 currently.. 1 cannot be left alone as he gets scared and has seizures.. her last one was the same.

My advice research it properly.. make sure the pup it checked out by a vet.. there are a few conditions which may cause different probems for the dog as they get older which can be found while they are little. Ask about seizures (esp with dapples!) as they are hereditary.

One of my mothers has had a severe herniated disc which she has not recovered from fully and another has one which comes and goes. You must have a vet who know dachsies otherwise it is like going to the dentist with a foot problem.. I know that sounds daft but that i the one thing my mother and the friend who is a breeder press upon people.

The standard ones think they are miniature expect insanity! They are willful but adorable.

amibovvered

I remember when I got my standard wire haired dachshund many years ago everybody said oh, you'll have problems - they get bad backs, slip discs, you can't let them jump up. So, I insured her, actually the only dog I've ever bothered insuring, and the only time I claimed on the insurance was when she died at 14, having spent most of her life jumping on chairs, laps and low tables!

Don't let your dog go upstairs - their legs are too short to come down again. Mine used to stand on the landing and howl until I put a dog gate up. Don't overfeed it - all dogs can be greedy but dachshunds eat for England and their tums are low on the ground as it is!

I had to travel halfway across the country to get mine - wire haired standards are definitely not the most common of breeds but I imagine long haired wouldn't be so hard to find. Not sure about smooth coats. Which are you thinking of getting? I used dog magazines to find mine but nowadays I imagine you can find breeders easily enough on Google.

As other posters have said, if you're getting a puppy you really must plan to be with it as much as possible - you just can't leave puppies alone for long. I was lucky, I worked full-time but my mum lived with me and was at home all day, and I took two weeks off when we first picked her up.

Good luck whatever you decide!

Humphrey10

My aunt had one, he was a lovely dog, so characterful and friendly.
These are typical dachshund traits:
- stubborn
- wilful
- devious
- brave
- intelligent
- greedy
- prone to guarding behaviour

They love to dig and chase things. Even big dangerous things eg badgers. My aunt's had a thing for hedgehogs. The spikes would just make him more and more angry, he always had to be physically separated from the hedgehog, he'd never leave it alone of his own accord.

A benefit of getting a standard one rather than a miniature is that they bark rather than yap.

Dandie Dinmont Terriers are a similar body shape, and similar in temperament to dachshunds from what I've read, and are a 'vulnerable native breed', if you are interested in a rarer breed: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dandie_Dinmont_Terrier

Previous posters have covered puppy-specific stuff so I won't repeat it.
With a Dachshund (or Dandie Dinmont I assume) you need to be careful about their backs - as puppies, they shouldn't be running up and down stairs a lot, for example. The breeder should tell what you need to do and not do to avoid future problems.

Hope this is of some help.

rising_from_the_ashes

Ohhhh I'd love a Dandie Dinmont - I saw a programme on them a while ago and they are gorgeous. It's so sad that some of our native breeds are drying out.

Re Daschund's my aunt has just got her 2nd one - they're lovely wee dogs but make up for lack of size in a huge temprement! (Other have already given loads of great tips and can't really add more).

Yes, one of you should plan to be at home all the time for the 1st few weeks. If the dog will need to be left for the odd hour or two when it's older, build this up gradually (start with 5 mins several times, move to 10 mins & do the same etc etc).

Good luck

Toothfairy4

I work during the day 8-4 mondays and tuesdays and home around 6 on wednesdays and fridays with thursdays and weekends off. My husband has wednesdays and thursdays off and works evenings most other days, leaving for work around 4. There is the odd day when he works 12-5 which is what I would be worried about, I dont want to have a dog just for ourselves I want it to be happy aswell.His work are quite flexible so he could arrange to have evening shiftd for the first few weeks at least so that the dog was never left alone.

Obviously we dont want to enter into this lightly and want to make sure its the right decision.

Person_one

Have you considered an older rescue dog that might be happier to stay on its own for longer periods? It can be a lot less stressful if you get the right dog.

I'm also wondering when you and your husband get to actually see each other!