Talk to me about Dachshunds and having a second dog

[sz90168]

I currently own a nearly 4.5 year old male Cockapoo who is extremely chilled. He has excellent recall, can be left on his own fine for 4-6hrs (this does not happen often) is great with other dogs and people. He is a confident and happy dog who I think would be a great teacher to a younger one. I have always wanted a Dachshund and someone I know just had a litter of standard chocolate wire haired ones that I have fallen in love with. I would be wanting a female. I would be doing puppy classes with the young one and taking them out individually too as I know they can become very reliant on each other. My cockapoo has done agility and got Bronze KC good citizen and I always had animals so would consider myself as quite an experienced dog person. I would introduce both on neutral grounds and crate train the puppy so my older boy has some peace and quiet. I have the time and resources for another dog as I work from home. What do I need consider when getting second dog? I am aware Dachshunds can be hard to toilet train and yappy but is there anything else I need to be aware of?

Any help would be much appreciated as I want to make a very informed decision.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I know virtually nothing about Dachshunds but would always advocate for having at least 2 dogs. It is fascinating to watch their interactions.

 

[Aperchristmas]

You sound very well prepared for a second dog so would go for it! The major things are supervised contact at first and making sure the older dog gets a break from the annoying puppy - all things that you have already planned for. Also, learning to love your garden as you'll be out there every hour for the first few weeks

I'll let the Daschshunds specialists comment on the breed specifically. IME he or she will be ruling the roost in no time!

 

[AmyMay]

Sounds like both you and your boy would really enjoy having a second dog around. I love dachshunds, but as I said in another thread, their price tag and potential health issues put me off (despite being offered one for free last year).

m What I would say is make sure both parents are fully, gold standard, health tested before going ahead.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

They are prone to the following, so I would ensure you have comprehensive insurance (which will be expensive due to the breed):
- Invertebral Disc Disease
- Slipped discs and general back problems, they are super fragile
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy which is hereditary. They are also prone to cataracts and glaucoma. Mini dachshunds are especially prone
- Hip dysplasia
- Patella Luxation
- Hypothyroidism
- Flea Allergy Dermatitis (and colour dilution alopecia if you get a dilute colour).

Essentially they are another breed who has been bred to the extreme and suffered greatly for it, be very open eyed and do your research if you are set on this breed - a good breeder will literally be the make or break for your dog.

 

[millikins]

I recently met one who was bred and imported from Hungary, he's only 17 months so can't tell if he will have problems later but he has long legs, t least half as long again as the UK ones and his owner said they are still bred to the traditional standard in Hungary.

 

[Jenko109]

I personally wouldnt set yourself up for the heartbreak and would consider a different breed if at all possible.

 

[Moobli]

Your situation sounds great for a second dog and you’ve given plenty of thought to ensure the best start for the relationship between the two dogs so
I would say get the puppy.
As has been pointed out by others, the breed can be prone to certain health issues so ensure your pup is from health tested stock.
Look forward to seeing puppy pics ?

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

. I have always wanted a Dachshund and someone I know just had a litter of standard chocolate wire haired ones that I have fallen in love with.

I am aware Dachshunds can be hard to toilet train and yappy but is there anything else I need to be aware of?

Any help would be much appreciated as I want to make a very informed decision.

Ohh my goodness!........ I could be writing this.

You are not in Devon are you OP??

 

[sz90168]

Ohh my goodness!........ I could be writing this.

You are not in Devon are you OP??

No I am in Hampshire. Are you also interested in wire haired dachshund?

 

[OlderNotWiser]

I have owned 5 miniature Dachshunds and have been very lucky as they were very healthy and lived to be 14/15 without issue. According to a vet nurse friend (who worked at Fitzpatrick’s) 8-10 years ago it was the smooth coats that had the most disc problems (of the dogs that they saw). Mine were long haired and wire haired so I don’t know if that was relevant. Do check the breeders though as they are suddenly popular again which sadly often lead to poorer breeding.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

No I am in Hampshire. Are you also interested in wire haired dachshund?

Yep!!! Pup ready on the 28th! Standard wirehaired. Gonna be called Charlie (after His Nibs.....). People I know from local Hunt have got both parents. Good working types both of 'em.

 

[P3LH]

I have owned 5 miniature Dachshunds and have been very lucky as they were very healthy and lived to be 14/15 without issue. According to a vet nurse friend (who worked at Fitzpatrick’s) 8-10 years ago it was the smooth coats that had the most disc problems (of the dogs that they saw). Mine were long haired and wire haired so I don’t know if that was relevant. Do check the breeders though as they are suddenly popular again which sadly often lead to poorer breeding.

I don’t have dachshunds but I do have Pembroke corgis - granted they aren’t quite as long or as low as some dachshund and are quite different in shape, but the concept is similar! Ours are both young so who knows what’ll happen in the future but we limited jumping when young, as with all pups - not completely as they’re still dogs and they still hopped on the sofa and things. I keep them well exercised and in good shape. They come from lines where most of the oldies have got to at least fourteen and there hasn’t been IVDD or DM in the lines (touch wood). They hop on the sofa and in and out the car. They tear about the countryside. They rampage in fact. They’re agile and fit.

The fun we have with them outweighs any worries of anything that ‘might’ happen - and I’d think it’s the same with dachshunds. Every modern breed has some potential draw backs. Buy from good breeders and raise them sensible would be the best I’d think.

I lost a rough collie, a generally healthy breed, last year at 8. I’ve lost terriers at four. You never really know with any breed. I do think a lot of dachshunds now are much more moderate thanks to good breeding.

 

[OlderNotWiser]

Yep!!! Pup ready on the 28th! Standard wirehaired. Gonna be called Charlie (after His Nibs.....). People I know from local Hunt have got both parents. Good working types both of 'em.

Please share lots of photos, I have regular Dachshund withdrawal symptoms!

 

[MarvelVillis]

We have a 1 year old standard daxie (2 in Jan) who we are completely besotted with. It took me a couple of years to convince the OH to get one, but now he admits he wished we got one sooner and that he can never imagine living without a daxie now! We specifically went for a standard due to the apparent lower risk of IVDD, and I'd echo the comment above about getting the best insurance you can to pay out for IVDD incase it ever does happen. She did take longer than any other dog I've had to toilet train, but we got her in January and daxies are renown for not wanting to go toilet outside when it's wet/cold. She is a real character - if she knows it's raining outside and it's time for her to go outside, she'll run behind the sofa in protest! We still get the odd accident now but it doesn't happen very often. We made sure to leave her by herself for small periods which we built up over time, and we can now leave her for max 4 hours (although this rarely happens). They absolutely hate the cold, and you'll need to make sure you have loads of blankets which they love to get tucked under (even in the heat of summer this year!) She usually wears an Equafleece daily throughout winter too else she'll be too cold. Luckily she's not a barky dog at all, although as she's got older she's taken a random dislike to children and puppies and will give them the odd bark in the local park! We have another dog too (who's a Cyprus rescue) and they are besotted with each other, and she loves nothing more than snuggling up to him on the sofa for warm.

 

[MarvelVillis]

Another thing to mention is they are renowned for being fussy with their food. I think we are on our fourth brand of dog food now which she finally seems happy on, but be prepared to shop around!

 

[GSD Woman]

I'm going to be the wet blanket. I had always thought that dachshunds would be fine with their backs if kept in appropriate shape. I found out from a board certified veterinary surgeon that it is actually a genetic issue that actually causes the disk issues. I was crushed because I wanted a standard wirehaired one.
Another issue is that their teeth seem to get dirty faster than many breeds. I've cracked enough tartar and found hair underneath. I don't know if the dogs in the UK have this issue.

 

[IrishMilo]

I have a mini smooth-coat. He's REALLY fussy, has been a nightmare to house train, barks at everything and is really stubborn. I'd also have another 5 if I could! He's a complete cuddlebug, wants to sleep under the duvet all day and is absolutely hilarious. I have a Lab of a similar age (a year old) and they play fight all day. I've never bothered stopping him jumping off the sofa or bed (how do you even do that?) - I think it's better for them to be acclimatised to it - I think people forget that they are/were hunting dogs and baby them way too much! He will walk for hours and has more get up and go to him than the Lab.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I think people forget that they are/were hunting dogs and baby them way too much! He will walk for hours and has more get up and go to him than the Lab.

Your boy has a gorgeous face!

The problem with the statement I have quoted though is that the current breed standard isn't anything like it's predecessors who were bred for working, they are much more extreme and less atheltic than then, with a lot more problems bred in, and so they really aren't anywhere near as hardy as they once were.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I'm another who loves Daxis but would never own one because of the heartache waiting down the line ?.

 

[Landcruiser]

Speaking from a vet receptionist point of view, we see WAAAY too many dachshunds coming through with back problems, both chronic and acute onset, and in young dogs as well as old. Personally I wouldn't go there, but if you do, OP, get good lifetime insurance at a good level of cover - osteo referrals are £££££££££

 

[CorvusCorax]

Ah, another day on planet 'my dog, who I live with and look at every day, is fit and healthy, from health tested stock and can do all these things....NO YOU'RE WRONG'

 

[AmyMay]

Ah, another day on planet 'my dog, who I live with and look at every day, is fit and healthy, from health tested stock and can do all these things....NO YOU'RE WRONG'

I think that’s really unfair and pretty unkind.

 

[CorvusCorax]

You can think that for sure, how do you think people feel when an entire breed is pilloried, particularly when it is by people with limited personal/practical experience? Is that fair?
How do you think people who are excited to get a well bred puppy from health tested, working stock feel when they are basically poo-poo'd?

For instance, I was once PM'd by an 'expert' who told me my dog would be lame at a young age, based purely on a photo I have posted. Happy to say the same dog competed at a very high level for years and is still running around like a loony, sound as a pound, at almost 12 years and three out of his first litter tested so far have excellent health test results.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I would rather walk into something with my eyes open and knowing all the facts, espeically if I had started a thread specifically asking for the facts.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I would rather walk into something with my eyes open and knowing all the facts, espeically if I had started a thread specifically asking for the facts.

So in a breed which has eight variations, many different bloodlines and a working/showline split, it's more factual to say that it's advisable to get a dog from working/health tested stock and get good insurance, rather than 'they are all cripples'.

 

[AmyMay]

You can think that for sure, how do you think people feel when an entire breed is pilloried, particularly when it is by people with limited personal/practical experience? Is that fair?
How do you think people who are excited to get a well bred puppy from health tested, working stock feel when they are basically poo-poo'd?

Ah, apologies - I see your post was actually the opposite of what I thought you meant.

Yes, your point is well made. But I guess people just post on either their experience, concerns or (in some cases) own researching of a breed.

One of my dogs is a Shitsu. Would I get another? Yes quite possibly. Would people raise concerns about that due to some of their health history? Quite possibly yes. Would I be offended? Of course not.

 

[AmyMay]

So in a breed which has eight variations, many different bloodlines and a working/showline split, it's more factual to say that it's advisable to get a dog from working/health tested stock and get good insurance, rather than 'they are all cripples'.

I’m not sure anyone has said that…

 

[CorvusCorax]

I’m not sure anyone has said that…

It's certainly the inference and the OP has been advised to get a different breed.

 

[AmyMay]

It's certainly the inference and the OP has been advised to get a different breed.

The inference is that they are prone to significant health issues, the advice is to get comprehensive insurance cover.