Dachshund Puppy Breed Information, Care & Training

A Dachshund Puppy makes a magnificent family companion dog.

Dachsies are much loved right around the world for their cheeky playful personality, distinctive good looks and beautiful affectionate nature. They are lively little characters who are full of spunk and attitude!

Dachsies are adaptable to most living conditions which makes them a popular choice with apartment dwellers. A Dachshund Puppy (or older Dachsie) is at his/her happiest when inside spending time with their human family. They love to be involved in absolutely everything, whether it be fun and games with the kids or simply curled up next to you on the sofa.

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Dachshund Puppy - Breed History

This wonderful dog breed was developed hundreds of years ago in Germany. They were originally bred to hunt the burrowing badgers. The size, shape and tenacity of Dachsies made them ideally suited to this purpose and more than a match for any badger. You'll find that your Dachshund Puppy still retains many of these hunting instincts even today.

Dachshund Appearance

There's no mistaking a Dachshund Puppy when you see one striding down the street. Everyone notices a Dachsie and more often than not will come up and make a big fuss over them.

Dachsies are low to the ground with a long muscular body and big drooping ears. They strut along with their barrel chest thrust forward and head held high. Up close you are immediately drawn to their warm oval shaped eyes and intelligent expression.

Dachsies come in three different coat varieties - the short-hair (which is most popular), the long-hair and the wire-hair. Dachshunds are considered to be moderate shedders. Depending on where you live there are two or three different sizes. In the US it's a Miniature Dachshund (less than 11 pounds) and a Standard Dachshund (16-28 pounds).

Dachshund Puppy Temperament

All Dachsies are individuals, they have their own special and unique temperament. Generally speaking though they are mischievous, tenacious, intelligent, very affectionate and many have an independent streak. They are also playful little dogs - even when you don't think it appropriate! They crave human companionship and don't enjoy being locked outside or isolated from their human family.

The temperament and bahavior habits of your Dachshund Puppy are largely determined by:

Where you purchase your puppy - always go to a reputable Dachshund Breeder if possible.
The early socialization you provide (your Dachshund Puppy Breeder begins this process).
The obedience training you and your dog perform together.

When given proper socialization Dachshund Puppies are good with children and get along well with other household pets.

Some Dachsie owners suggest that their dogs tend to bond more closely with one family member over others. This may be true but I wouldn't classify Dachshies as a "one person dog" - they love the whole family too much.

Dachshund Puppies develop into very effective watchdogs. They are ever alert and have well developed senses. The deep (and loud!) hound like bark is enough to raise the alarm if an intruder is lurking around your property.

Dachsies display many terrier like traits. The most obvious is their fascination with digging in the garden - if you value your well manicured garden then a Dachshund Puppy may not be a good option for you. You can read a detailed article I wrote for tips on how to help prevent or redirect your Dachshund's digging problem here - stop dachshund puppy digging

The long-haired Dachshund is generally thought to be more docile or even tempered than the short-hair and wire Dachshunds. As I mentioned earlier they are all individuals though - regardless of coat variety and size.

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Dachshund Puppy Health Information

Dachshunds are a pretty sturdy dog breed. They typically (with a bit of luck) live an active and healthy 14-16 years.

To give yourself the best chance of bringing a physically and mentally sound Dachshund puppy into your life it is essential to purchase your dog from a reputable Dachshund puppy breeder. A good breeder genuinely cares for the future of the breed and carefully plans each mating from the highest quality breeding stock. Your Dachshund puppy breeder is also in charge of the crucial role of beginning your puppy's early socialization. Please don't take the risk of going to a puppy mill - their primary concern is getting the money out of your pocket.

Your Veterinarian and Dachshund puppy breeder is a good place to receive specific health care advice. Below is a list of Doxie health concerns that you should at least be aware of:

The most notable concern stems from the Dachshund's unusually long back. This makes them susceptible to spinal problems such as ruptured disks. This condition is most probably a genetic disorder but you can help to reduce the risk of injury. It's important to keep your Dachshie's weight at a healthy level (for many reasons really) and also to minimize the amount of jumping and stair climbing your Dachshie does. Be sensible about it, supervise as much as possible, but remember they are still dogs and will do doggy stuff.
Dachshies can be susceptible to Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA). This is an inherited condition which is a degenerative disease of the retina - in some cases it can even lead to complete blindness. PRA is especially prevalent in mini Dachshunds.
Other health problems you may encounter are urinary tract problems, heart disease and diabetes.

Dachshund Puppy Training Information

Let's be honest here, training a Dachshund Puppy is not the easiest task in the world. At times you will swear that it is your Dachsie training you rather than the other way around!

It's not because your Dachshund Puppy lacks any intelligence - in fact they are a clever breed. But they do have an independent streak and can be a little stubborn during the training process. This is not to say they can't be trained.

Dachsies respond very well to positive non violent, reward based training methods. Be sure to be consistent in your training, use plenty of encouragement and repetition. Short sharp training sessions are best. You'll find food to be a great motivator to your Dachshund Puppy! There is no place for (and no need for) harsh punishment or "corrections" when training a Dachsie.

House training a Dachshund Puppy is said to be a fairly difficult process. In truth if you find a good Dachshund Puppy Potty Training Schedule and stick to it, you will achieve the desired result. It just takes some commitment, consistency and a touch of patience to do it properly. You can find a proven potty training schedule in this comprehensive training resource - Dachshund puppy house training.

In order for your Dachshund Puppy to become a responsible and trusted member of society you will want to teach them some proper household etiquette and basic obedience training. Dachsies are more than capable of picking up these behaviors in quick time.

Household Etiquette - This is the process of setting the boundaries of acceptable behavior for you puppy and developing good behavior habits right from the start. At the same time it is the process of preventing problem behaviors before they arise. I'm talking about things like potty training, puppy biting, crate training, destructive chewing, digging, excessive barking and begging for food. All things that will help you and your Dachsie live happily together.

Basic Obedience Training - Some commands that you'll find particularly useful for you and your Dachshund puppy are the come or recall command, down, stay and how to walk nicely on a loose leash.

If you plan to train your Dachshund Puppy at home I recommend you take the time to read, learn and implement these Dachshund training methods - Dachshund Care & Training.