Dachshunds?

Question

Well I'm thinking about getting a dachshund. I have two teenage daughters and they love the breed. I was wondering how their temperament is, because the books never say the bad perks of the dog. Any information about this breed would help me out a lot, and any advice would be appreciated too. Thanks!

Answer 1

The people down the street have one and I can certainly tell you the bad from a neighbor's point of view.

The dog is EXTREMELY barky and crochety. It growls and barks at anyone who comes near their property. My dog, who has never been aggressive towards ANY dog, gets her hackles up, growls, and bears teeth at this dog. The doxie is not abused or neglected by any means, she's just very protective of her family and just a nasty dog.

Another friend of mine had a doxie, and in contrast, this dog was quite sweet. Not incredibly outgoing, but very nice.

Both dogs have had weight issues, and with the doxie back issues, it's INCREDIBLY important to keep their weight under control. It's also imperative to be very aware of their activities. They shouldn't be allowed to jump from heights at ANY time. Also, they can be diggers, so they need to be well supervised and exercised. They are better as indoor dogs as they really love their families.

I recommend visiting the Dachshund club of America http://www.dachshund-dca.org/ and reading everything that you can on that site. THe FAQs (under "Breed Information") seem to be well balanced with pros and cons.

ALso, I've found that rescue reps are some of the best people to get a real story from. They want the dogs to go to a home forever, so they will be almost overly honest about difficulties and problems in the breed - to scare off the people who aren't serious. The DCA site above links to a number of rescue reps with e-mail addresses - it would be a fabulous resource for honest information.

And of course, use a good breeder. Because of the health and personality issues, a responsible breeder is a must as they will screen for congenital health problems, offer a health guarantee, breed dogs of sound temperament, socialize pups appropriately, and you KNOW that they don't overbreed. Rescue is always an option as well. There is nothing like knowing that you saved a life.

Good luck to you in your search! : )

Answer 2

My mother in law got a Long-haired dachshund puppy last fall. He's a great companion for her but you wanted to know about some of the bad perks:
- he will not sleep alone. Confining him to a crate results in hours of scratching, whimpering, howling and barking. However, he is quite content to sleep in a basket in her room.

- he is very active and tears around the house all the time. Also very curious and hates closed doors.

- He's very smart. Sometimes this is great - he learns new tricks fast! Some times this is awful - he know Exactly how to get what he wants out of any given person at any time, he's great at annoying you if he feels like it and he's great at stealing stuff (like food he shouldn't be eating).

-for such a small dog, they have a very loud bark. My in-laws have a large Labrador in addition to the dachshund. The dachsund is always the louder of the two and will bark at almost anything (the mailman, a fly, his own reflection, the ball...).

Dachshunds are family dogs - they Don't Like being alone. If your teenagers are in clubs and such for school and out of the house a lot, consider a different breed.

Also, although I have heard many people say that dachshunds are one person dogs, I have never seen this with my in-laws puppy. He loves everyone and welcomes visitors... as long as they pay attention to him.

Answer 3

My mother in law has a mini-dachshund that's very friendly, but she pees everywhere. She's been impossible to housebreak. This seems to be a common thing with dachshunds. Definitely do not get one if you plan to leave it alone for long periods of time. They tend to be very attached to their owners and need lots of attention...

As for their temperament:

"Adventurous, bold, and curious, the Dachshund enjoys hunting and digging. While it is an independent breed, this dog will also join in on family activities. It is usually good with children in its own family, but care should be taken as some may snap at strange children. It normally gets along well with other pets, but they must be socialized at an early age in order to live with cats. This breed can become jealous and irritable, and they can be quick to bite. The Dachshund is generally reserved around strangers, and some tend to bark. It is said that the longhaired variety is quieter, while the wire coat variety may be more outgoing. Some believe that Miniature Dachshunds are more prone to timidity."

Answer 4

I have 4 mini-dachshunds. I have enjoyed these dogs more than any other breed of dog I have ever owned. they are comical to watch and a great deal of fun. They are very loyal and devoted to their owner which overall is great but can also be troublesome because when left alone or unattended they get into mischief and can be destructive. Crate training when you are away is a good idea. Maintaining a good weight can also be an issue as these little dogs tend to become overweight quickly. I won't ever own any other breed of dog again. I have dachshund fever. Be careful you may get it too.

Answer 5

Excellent dogs. Meet the mother and father if you can as this will give you a good idea of temperament. Socialize the puppy well. Some can be nippy, but most are very sweet. Some are genetically prone to back problems, so again ask the breeder about this.

Answer 6

Dachshunds are very protective of their home, not neccesarily you. When the doorbell rings and someone comes in you can expect a bit of chaos. Every dog is different. My dachshund is going on 8 and I rescued him when he was 5. He's the greatest dog, with the exception of the over protective part.

Answer 7

I have three dachshunds , one for 15 years and the other two for 11 years. All females. They are the most adorable dogs that I have known of. They are playful and tend to get spoiled easily and they do not have a temper. As far as I witnessed with other dogs and dog owners, the temper is the fault of the owner. If you treat any breed of dog with aggression, they get agitated. I treat mine very gently and they are like three little angels.
One of them likes to like my face quite aggressively though :)

Answer 8

Dachshunds are very good dogs although I would go with a miniature smoothe or a long hair they are very sweet. The standards tend to have attitude problems. I have a friend that shows both and I am a groomer and I also have worked with them and the two have different personalities and I totally reccommend the smaller of the two. Good luck

Answer 9

working in a vets, i can only tell you what i know from work as i have never owned one but have seen many. They are lovely dogs but they can be abit feisty and are def a one person dog (this is from the owners of the pets not me) although in saying that we have one that comes in that is fantastic and always happy. I would advise you to get one from a puppy (8wks) that way it will be brought up with your kids and if trained properly be a fantastic, loyal pet. I wouldn't advise getting a older dachshund as by then it might be set in its ways and not used to kids.
Having a puppy always means with the right training and love they should become great family pets.
They are dogs that are full of character. Cute too.

Answer 10

I grew up with 3 dachshunds. They were wonderful with us 3 girls, very loving and playful. The only area of concern I would have is that mine would chew on shoes, pants, toys, pretty much anything with our scent on it. I do love the breed even with the chewing habits.