For Daschund owners?

Question

I am thinking of getting a Daschund and I was wondering what they are like? For example, are they good with children? Do they tend to eat a lot? Run away a lot?

Thanks for your help

Answer 1

I have a mini dashcund.  SHE IS AMAZING!  Her name is Stella.  They like a lot of attention, but they give a lot of attention back.  As far as food, 2 small cups of science diet small bites a day.  She likes to run away, but only when other people are around.  She loves people!  With children, okay, she plays like any cat or small dog would.  Some playful biting.

Answer 2

my wiener dog is very playful he love running around the house and he loves to eat, but i think you should get one especially for children they are going to love their wiener dog, mine likes a lot attention though so yeah he always wants to be around me and he loves to play, but i totally recommend you get one

Answer 3

I also had a mini Dachshund. His name was Max. I had him from when he was just weened till he was 9 years old. He loved people, cats( yes, cats,my moms cat and him were playmates.lol), and dogs.

Full of energy, love to play and cuddle. Go for it. A big part of me went with Max when I lost him. But if I ever need to smile, I think of the times we had.

Answer 4

If you are considering a Dachshund, I really recommend you read "Dachshunds for Dummies." You can probably get it at your local library (I did). Someone recommended it to me before I got my first Doxie, and it helped me more than I can say. They are certainly not a breed for everyone. I recommend you do A LOT of serious reading on the breed if you are really considering one.

Things to keep in mind:

-They were bred to bark and will bark at literally everything. They will bark at noises, people they don't like, they will bark during playtime, they will bark when they are excited... unless taught not to, which is possible, but difficult. And they sound like a dog at least 5 times their size when they bark. Because of their early alert and loud bark, they make great watchdogs.

-Many are difficult, if not impossible to housetrain. It doesn't matter how successful you've been in housebreaking a dog before, or what kind of techniques you plan to use, a good percentage of Doxies will simply refuse to be 100% housetrained for years. Most owners can make it to at least 95-99%, but even that will usually take several months. I know one lady who has 5 Doxies, and all are perfectly housetrained but one. That one is 5 years old and still will not housetrain, even though the other 4 were successfully housetrained. One of mine was completely, 100% housetrained by 4 months of age, which is considered extremely early for this breed. The other one is almost two and it still only 90-95% housetrained. It all depends on the individual dog.  A lot of people can't deal with this, and a lot of Doxies end up in shelters or rescues for this reason alone.

-Some Doxies dig. Mine especially like digging for grubs in the spring. I couldn't care less, but it does bother some people.

-Most Doxies are not very good with children. Some are good with older, careful children, but most will not tolerate any kind of rough handling by a child, even if it's accidental. However, if you raise a Doxie around children and the children know what is ok and what is not, then it should be just fine. They are, at heart, sweet, affectionate dogs who love to play, and a Doxie could make a great companion for a child who knows not to treat it roughly. It all depends on the child.

-Despite their size, they do need some good exercise. They are tough, strong little dogs who have a lot of stamina and energy. I give mine a minimum of 30 minutes strenuous exercise a day.

-Some tend to gain weight quickly. For a dachshund, this is especially dangerous, and I will go into why in a moment. Now, not all Dachshunds will have eating or weight issues. Mine are both free-fed, and still both are at their ideal weight, because they are not very food focused and will only eat as much as they need. But I recently attended a gathering of over 600 Dachshunds and their owners, and you would not believe how many fat Doxies I saw! Most Doxies will devour any food in front of them.

-They need a lot of attention and affection, so you'll really need to have time for your Doxie. It's not the kind of dog that will do well if left alone all day.

-This is hugely important - if you only read one thing I wrote, read this. The Dachshund breed is plagued with spinal problems. Because of this, they absolutely can't be allowed to jump on or off furniture, or use stairs, an they MUST be kept at a good weight to avoid putting strain on their fragile backs. We have ramps all over our house, including a giant one that runs the entire length of our staircase. They also need to be picked up and held a certain way. And even with all the precautions in the world, some Dachshunds STILL have back injuries. I once read that as many as 1 in 4 will have some kind of back injury in their lifetime, and these injuries usually happen between the ages of 3-7. Sometimes, this is a minor injury and is easily healed, but many Dachshunds end up with their rear legs permanently paralyzed due to back issues. It is extremely important that you read everything you can find about keeping a Doxie's back healthy before you bring one home.

So what's good about Dachsunds? Obviously, they aren't all bad if I went out and got another one less than a year after bringing my first one home. In fact, over 50% of people will eventually add at least one other Dachshund to their family (I know someone who has 13!). Dachshunds don't really like strange dogs, but they do really well with a canine friend in the house!

-They are extremely affectionate and cuddly. They love to drown you in kisses and spend hours on your lap.

They are very playful and energetic, but not in excess. They're a good balance of calm and hyper.

-They are a big dog in a small body. Dachshunds are adventurous and bold, strong, and very inquisitive. They will go along with you in whatever you want to do with them indoors or out.

-They LOVE the outdoors. My girls absolutely love walking in the woods or at the beach, and they really enjoy camping with me. They are small, but they were never meant to be lap dogs. They were bred to hunt badgers, and they still have that hunter's spirit.

-They are extremely intelligent and clever.

-They want to get involved in everything you're doing. Some people don't like this kind of thing in a dog, but it was one of the traits that first attracted me to this breed.

-They live a long time. Dachshunds often make it into their mid-teens.

-They come in every size, color, and coat type you could ever want. An adult Dachshund can be anywhere from 6-30 pounds, they come in smooth, longhair, and wirehair, and literally a dozen or more colors, and several patterns as well.

-They do not need to eat a lot, and SHOULD not eat a lot because of their fragile spines. Mine are each 13lbs, and they eat 1/2 cup of Orijen dry a day each. They are free-fed, and still they choose to only eat this much. But of course, how much they need to eat will depend on your dog food. They will need to eat up to twice as much of a low-quality food like IAMS, Purina, Pedigree, Kibbles 'n Bits, Alpo, Science Diet, etc.

As for if they run away, no, that has not been my experience. I have mine off-leash all the time at a local beach (it's a well-known "dog beach" in my area), as well as in the woods when we walk on trails, and I have never had either of them run away. They usually stay within 30 feet of me.

I hope I gave you a balanced look at the breed. So many people will say, "Yeah! Get one! They're great!" but all breeds have their pros and cons. No breed is "perfect" for every situation or every person. If you have any specific questions, I'd love to answer them. Just e-mail me.

Answer 5

I have 2 daschund both of them are quite agressive and doesn't work out well with strangers but they're good with children, if you want a dog that get along with children well I suggest you buy Golden Retriever because they're friendly and they love to play