Getting Closer (Kinda Long)

[MarkR]

The time is getting closer. Me and my girlfriend are getting out of our apartment and into our house. We are set to close at the end of April. That means we can finally have a dog. I would like to start with a dachshund, but my girlfriend would like a medium sized dog. So for now I have some questions that I would like to pose on you experienced dachshund owners.

1. Are dachshunds truely that hard to housebreak, or is it just a myth? I assume any dog can be hard to housebreak but are dachshunds really that difficult?

2. Would it be better to get two right off the bat? I hear they work better in pairs.

3. If we decide to compromise, my girlfriend would like a medium size dog. She likes the boxer. Could these dogs of different sizes get along well or could there be a heightened cause for injury due to the size difference?

I can't think of anything else right now, but I am sure I will. I have been researching the dachshund for some time and I think I have gathered enough information to make a decision on this type of dog. Sooooooo, be on the look out NJ/PA area rescue representatives, I may be contacting you soon for a dog. Thanks in advance for all of your help and I hope to have dachshund stories soon.

[OwnedByChaucer]

1. My doxies were really not that hard to housebreak. I've never housebroken any other kind of dog, but it sure seems like my neighbor is having a much harder time with his Cairn terrier than I did with my doxies.

2. They do work better in pairs IMHO, and if you are thinking rescue there's always a need for people who will take pairs.

3. My male doxie weighs 20lbs, my female not even 8lbs and they play just fine. When we got Gidget last summer, Chaucer waighed about 18 lbs, and she was 2.5 lbs, and they were fine. I know there are lots of dachsies on this board that live with much larger canine friends than a boxer. Of course, you could just convince the gf that a small standard/tweenie IS a medium sized dog.

[Owen's Mom]

I'll do what I can to answer your questions...

1) I don't know, Owen came housebroken as he was a rescue. He's had 2 accidents in the house, both times they were my fault for not taking him when he clearly had to go.

2) DO NOT get two right off the bat. They are much more difficult to train that way and will most likely bond with eachother unless you really take the time to train them seperately and seek the advice and counsel of a qualified trainer. I say get ONE, train it, house break it etc, have it for 1 year, then add another to your pack.

3) If you want a bigger dog, go for a standard dachshund. Mine is close to 26 lbs these days and has a bigger dog personality. Also, Owen does GREAT with his girlfriend, Ruby, who is a boxer
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I don't know that I'd trust a boxer with a mini though, they can get VERY wound up and very tough. Ruby and Owen play very hard together.

[Krista]

My guys were also not too hard to housetrain. Both were puppies and it took me about 6-8 weeks. You do have to be able to adhere to a schedule for the potty training though in my opionion.

Standards are kind of medium sized dogs. There are a few on the Dachshund Rescue web page that weigh over 30 pounds right now.

I like having a pair, but would not really want to have two puppies at the same time. Two adult dogs -that I would consider doing at the same time.

Most dachsies get along fine with other larger breeds, but a few may be frightened. It would depend on the personalities of both dogs -they would need to be compatible (so would two dogs of the same size for that matter).

Keep us posted!

[Mandy]

If you really want a puppy, I would wait on getting the second. We got Henry and then waited two years before getting Jakey. However, if you are willing to take adult dogs, I know of some rescues who MUST be taken together because they have spent their entire lives together and for some reason or another, they are now looking for good homes.

I know many people hwo have a large breed with their dachsies and everyone gets along great!

[LisaH]

Well, they can be more difficult to housetrain, but there are a lot of individual differences among dogs of the same breed, too. Some people have dachsies who've been housetrained since the first week, and others have dachsies who even as adults occasionally "slip up." I don't think it's a "make or break" decision for most people. You just need to be aware that you may have to spend more time on this than you might with another breed.

I have only the one dog (mini dachsie) so I don't know much about the two-dog issue. My dachsie is pretty happy by herself, I think; again, each dog can differ. If you decide to get two dogs, it's a good idea to get a male and a female, since this improves the odds of their getting along well. (Of course, if you take a rescue pair who've already been together, that's not an issue.) It also seems to me that if you have a larger dog and a dachsie, it might be good if the larger dog were male and the dachsie a female. Male dogs can be very chivalrous, and that would be a nice plus for the smaller dog!

[dutchman]

Glad to see you back. I'll try to address each item separately.

1. Housebreaking, dachshunds are the only breed I've ever owned so it's hard for me to really say. I can tell you that while never really 100% broken Aggie my little mill mother who spent the first 18 months of her life living in her own filth in a wire cage did reach a point where poop accidents were almost unheard of and piddle spots were maybe once a week. That doesn't count having to clean up the kitchen floor when I came home from work. My current crew were house broken when I got them and I just have to watch for any backsliding. Tanner had about a month where it was a problem. This developed a couple of months after I got him.

2. If you are not experienced dog owners I would suggest one dog then add a second down the road. You will learn a lot if this the first dog either of you have owned on your own. Family pets when you were growing up don't count after all you most likely were not finically responsible for those dogs.

3. Dogs of many sizes can get along just fine. It is important that they be socialized with as many different sizes and breeds at a relatively early age. Just make sure you check with your vet to see when you have reached the proper point on their vaccination schedule so it is safe for them to be around other dogs. Would your girlfriend consider a standard dachshund? Does she really know dachshunds they are after all a large dog trapped in a small body. I have seen a Chihuahua and a Great Dane that were house mates. You can't get a much bigger size mismatch than that.

Good luck, keep those question coming. The more thought given in advance the more likely a happy outcome.

Best Wishes,

Tom and the boys (Frank and Tanner)

<FONT COLOR="#00FFFF" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by dutchman on February 13, 2001 at 02:08 PM</font>

[MarkR]

Wow, you people are quick! Don't worry I've been here just reading the other postings and soaking up the information. I see alot of different points and all will be considered because they are all valid. Whatever type of dogs we get they will definitely not be two things: puppies or bought at a pet shop. I know rescue is the way to go because, in most cases, you can find out a little about the dog, and because the foster can match you up with the right dog. Thanks for all the answers and I will be checking back for more answers and with some more questions.

[Heather]

Hi Mark, glad you made your way here. A wealth of knowledge and friendly people here, huh?

[Susan'sFreddie98]

Welcome MarkR,

Dachshunds ARE stubborn by nature, which relates to hard-to-train and housebreaking (some more so than others). My Freddie was a little more difficult and took a while longer. He's now almost 3 yrs. old, and STILL occasionally poops inside (no pee though - he's good about that). Since Dachshunds are stubborn, they tend to "get back at ya" if mad at you, AND will leave a poop for ya in the house.http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/smirk.gif I have learned this from other dachsie owners, so it's nothing new!
Another thing; most Dachshunds HATE HATE getting wet! So if it's raining, be warned - you'll probably have to prepare for them to potty INside. Some dachsies love the water, but I think most do NOT. So, that's something to consider. Freddie HATES getting wet!

Dachshunds ARE a big dog in a small body. Most (if properly socialized and cared for) think THEY are the big guy!http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/biggrin.gif Size means nothing. They DO get along well with larger breeds. Remember too - the dachsie MAY become the Alpha and rule the roost. The main thing is to make sure their personalities fit.

Dachshunds are IMHO THE most affectionate, silly, clown-like, lovable, and LOYAL breed. Their lifespan is longer too - about 12-14 yrs. average, some even longer.

BUT, dachshunds ARE barkers! Some are more so than others (mine is a barker). They are great watch-dogs, and will ALERT at anything, very protective.

One last thing, dachshunds are INside dogs. They are NOT to be kept outside overnight. They will not do well. They NEED to be with their humans, and are very sociable. They're very adaptable too, city or country. Some love a big yard to run around, others prefer to lounge around.

Good luck on your decision!

~Susan~

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[crock]

Mark,
Well there seems to be a lot of good replies to your questions, but I'll add my 2 bits anyway.

Yes, they are hard to potty train. I have 4 little guys, the oldest bring 14 months! I would say we are 95% there with everybody. When we installed a doggie door in our bedroom out to their own private yard it really helped alot.

1, 2, 3 or how many? Like I said we have 4 youngsters- none related. I'm a sucker. We had 5 but poor little Rusty was being picked on by everyone so he found a new home with a cute little girl dachsie to play with and he is fine. Having 2 seems for us a great way. While we are gone from the house they keep each other company- as they tear the house apart! But, they don't get lonely. They are all happy to see us come home. But, I know they have a fun time playing while we are gone.

Hope this helps

Char

[Mandy]

hmmm...I don't know if I would go so far as to say dachsies hate water......

While pottying outside in the rain is not a favorite of our guys, playing in creeks and swimming with us is a great past time for them.

We attend a dachsie playgroup in the summer. The is a creek where we hold our playgroup. Our guys always wanted to play in the creek sevral times during playgroup....other human members were shocked at this....but by the end of last summer....I was in the middle of the creek with our guys and about 10 other dachsies (we averaged 15 at playgroup)....they loved it...

If you look at a dachshund...they are built for swimming....strong muscles, a sleek body, webbed feet, and (for the smooths, at least), hair that doesn't allow water to get underneath.

Pottying outside when it's raining is another thing......

[sunday]

Where are you located? I would love to attend a dachsie playgroup.....I am in Houston, TX. Anyone know of any activities in Houston?

[Mandy]

Sunday, we are in PA. There about 40 members of the playgroup...but most of them don't come on a regular basis. We were averaging 15-20 dachsies a week. We meet on the grounds of a military museum. There is a field for them to play in and a creek taht runs through it. Check around. There might be some type of group in you area. We found out about the playgroup from a flyer at our vet's office.

[TessieMom]

Sunday,
Welcome to the board. Maybe we can get Maggie Aggie (Vicki is also in Houston) and the other Texans together when (if) the sun comes out again. Poison drops melt dachsies you know. My girls love to go to Dinosaur Valley State Park and play in the river with the dinosaur tracks. Rena

[MarkR]

Hey Mandy, where does your playgroup meet at in Pennsylvania. I live in NJ near Philadelphia. If you are near-by maybe I could stop by with my girlfriend sometime and get some more information and see dachshunds in action.

[Mandy]

MarkR,
We meet in Boalsburg, which is one of the small towns about 5 minutes from State College. I'm not certain when we will start back up......probably not until the weather is better....maybe later Spring...

Something you will definitely have to look forward to is the Dachsie Day 2001.....from this bulletin board. Bart and I couldn't make it last year, but we plan on it this year. Last year (the first annual meeting) was at Scranton in August. Anyone know when and where this year's meeting will be?

[pluto'slanie]

I believe Georgette is thinking about her house. I guess she has a big yard - but that's just "thinking about it."<IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm32.gif" border=0>

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Lanie, Pluto and Shana, AKA the little sister

[Timber]

Timber didn't take too long to housebreak, about 2 months, I think. He still has a accident sometimes, but that is just because of cold, wet weather.

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Tiffany
Snowyhill Kennels
Miniature Smooth Dachshunds

[Heather]

I am trying to talk Georgette into having it at her house, she has the perfect set up.

I will keep working on her <IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm35.gif" border=0>

[georgette]

Hi Kids,
I'm glad I checked in here today. Sure we can have Dachsie Day at our house. Now it's not that bid but Heather thinks it would be fine. We're very friendly with the neighbors so perhaps we could stretch out a bit if there are lots of us. Also ala Mickamack's DDay of last summer, there's a high school ~1/4 mile up the street so I'll check out the fencing - also a creek when I think of it but then again there's our pool. I hope Karen & Chris can come with their new "little one" who will have arrived by summer.
So many more of us this year. Better go inform the sisters<IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm35.gif" border=0>

[Augie Dog]

Doxie Day 2001!

As soon as a date is set, post it to the special events! I'll bring extra treats for all!


D S & A

[Mandy]

We can't wait for Dachsie Day 2001! We'll bring our crew...and some home made goodies for the dachsies....if the boys don't eat them all on the trip there!