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Hi and welcome to the board! I was new only 4 short months ago, in the same exact position you are now - dachsie-less, and wondering if this was the right dog for me and my busy lifestyle. After doing some research I found a Dachsie was in fact the perfect dog, we got Opal back in March, and I cant tell you how glad I am I found this wonderful board. Does a Dachsie fit your life style? They are really a dog for almost every kind of dog lover, busy active ones or elderly sedentary ones. They run fast, and do tricks, hunt, get crazy, or sit on your lap stoicly for hours sucking up your love. If they had arms more than 3 inches long, I am sure they would hug you. Thats the kind of personality they have. They are one big hug. And seeing them just walk around your house is funny on a daily basis because they are so long and hysterical looking.
On a challenging note, Dachsies, at least for a beginner like me, tend to bark more than other dogs. THey have alot to say to you so they will look right at you and TALK to you. If I go down stairs they cant get down, mine will bark in protest. They always sleep the long way on the couch so they get two cushions, you get 1, even thought the dog is 5 inches high! Potty training IS POSSIBLE. They love a schedule! Opals is going just great but she hates cold and rain and lets us know it by not "making" it outside. Yeah sure. Dachsies are really smart, my Lhasa Apso seems learning disabled next to my Dachsie! When they get running their ears flap in the wind and I about die laughing. They are demanding sometimes though, and want to be with you at any cost, and the puppys like to put everything that isnt nailed down, and some things that are, into their mouth. My biggest suggestion and I DO hope you follow this is DO NOT BUY ONE FROM A PET STORE!!!! Dachsies desparately need to be well bred to avoid ALOT of problems. Please go to a breeder who also shows dogs if you can and knows the lines for many gens back. Im sure a few great dogs came from Pet stores on this list and thats fine, but a breeder is so much more likely to have healthy dogs than a pet store, the risk of genetic problems greatly decreases. Its worth the wait and in my opinion - GOOD breeders are cheaper than pet stores and puppy mills because they are out to find good homes, not make money. My Dachsie is from a breeder and is the healthiest 6 month old dog, both mentally and physically. I really hope this gave you some insight, from another Dachsie beginner!
Stacy
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<FONT COLOR="#00FFFF" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by Snorodent on June 22, 2001 at 08:31 AM</font>