Thinking About Rescuing a Dachshund? Things You Might Want to Know

I am the proud owner of a Dachshund and love giving advice to other owners.

Sebastian in his sock monkey bed.

Personal Photo

Doxies Are Irresistibly Cute

I’m not really sure why I decided to adopt a dachshund. I never had one
before. They are irresistibly cute, right? I searched on Pet Finder online.
I looked at dozens of potential adoptees, reading all of the profile
information. It sounded like they all have such a wonderful temperament.
Profile after profile remarked on what cuddle bunnies they all are, and how
they just can’t get close enough to you.

I think all those wonderful things are true, but I should have read that
Dachshunds for Dummies book before I got so headstrong about rescuing a
dachshund. I could have done more research, and maybe I would have known that
doxies are in the top five of dog breeds that bite. Even better, maybe I would
have learned how prevalent back issues are, even if “you do everything right.”

So I am in the beginner phase of “all things dachshund,” but have already
learned some important lessons. Some of the things I learned before I adopted
my doxie, and some things since.

What, You Can See Me?!

Personal Photo

Sebastian between two pillows.

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They Are Burrowers and Diggers

Dachshunds were bred as badger hounds. They would thrust themselves into
tunnel holes in the ground to flush out badgers.

Most dachshund owners will tell you that their doxie likes to burrow under
covers. Mine likes to burrow under pillows as well. He likes a bed with a
pillow, then another pillow and blanket on top so he can burrow between the
two pillows. I bought him a cave bed, and he didn’t touch it for maybe 10
months. I was ready to give it away but put it next to my feet on the couch
one day, and he just crawled in. Now he loves it and doesn’t come out for
hours. I would say the burrowing is a pretty endearing trait.

Dachshunds also have a reputation as diggers, which would not be so
endearing. Before I brought Sebastian home, I hired a friend to put up chicken
wire around my fence so he could not dig under. You just dig a six to ten-inch
trench right next to the fence line. Then bury the chicken wire, covering it
over as you go, and staple the remaining to the fence. I think I got 24” wide
chicken wire.

For Sebastian, it seems the chicken wire was not necessary. I’ve seen him
scratch in the dirt from time to time, but he’s never done any serious
digging.

Dachshunds Can Be Biters

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Dachshunds Are Frequent Biters

Dogs like Rottweilers, Pit Bulls, and Dobermans have a reputation as
potentially aggressive breeds, who may attack and cause serious injury or even
death. In terms of biting, however, the small dogs lead the pack, like
dachshunds, Chihuahuas, and Jack Russell terriers.

My dachshund Sebastian is a biter. In the first 18 months or so that we had
him, he bit my brother, sister, and me a couple of times each. I was blaming
it on his status as a rescue, assuming he had been mistreated. My veterinarian
however told me about an interesting study on foxes published in National
Geographic. This study concluded aggressive vs docile traits are likely
inherent in many animals, and not learned. This is not to say that an animal
can’t be trained to be aggressive, but that some may be aggressive vs docile
despite their environment or upbringing.

Sebastian has not bitten anyone in a while, but I am the only one that can
pick him up, and he has to be heavily sedated for all veterinary care. If you
have a biter, get yourself some Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque. It will
prevent infection and bring redness and swelling down quickly.

Dachshund overbite. My, what beautiful toofs you have!

Personal Photo

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Dachshunds Have an Increased Incidence of Overbite

Dachshunds have a higher incidence of overbite when compared to the general
population of dogs.

Sebastian has a very large overbite, and he was no doubt used for breeding
because of his beautiful chocolate dapple coat. But he should not have
been used for breeding because of his huge overbite.

Breeding a dog like Sebastian can result in puppies with such a small lower
jaw that they may not be able to feed adequately. Worse, they can have
breathing difficulty, to the point they may not survive.

Sebastian has an incredibly cold nose, which I believe is related to not
having a jaw below to aid in warming. Thankfully he has no chewing and feeding
problems. He can go through a bully stick over twice as fast as our spaniel,
who is much bigger.

Sebastian sunning himself on his ramp

Personal Photo

They Have a Stubborn, Independent Nature

Before rescuing my dachshund, I did some research. I saw the words “stubborn”
and “independent” listed on many dog breeds in the many books I collected on
dogs. This seemed to have a high correlation with being difficult to house
train. According to Almost Home Rescue, the independence that served
dachshunds well as hunters is not only related to housebreaking difficulties,
but associated with excessive barking as well.

I’d have to say guilty on both counts at our house. One of Sebastian’s
favorite pastimes is going to the backyard to bark. And housebreaking? Well,
let’s just say it became a necessity to have my own steam cleaner.

Sebastian recovering from surgery. He was walking normally within 5 days.

Personal Photo

Sebastian is no longer allowed on the couch.

Personal Photo

They Are Vulnerable to Back Injury

I had a friend who had several dachshunds over the years. He warned me about
the back issues, but I guess I didn’t think it would happen to Sebastian for
some miraculous reason. Magical thinking perhaps?!

I remember meeting some buttinski veterinarian at some social gathering, who
felt compelled to say “not if, but when” in regard to severe back problems
when he found out I had a dachshund. I could have peed in his coffee.

I guess Sebastian had his back surgery about a year and a half after I got
him, at about five years old. He became essentially paralyzed in his hind legs
in a pretty short period of time. The whole shebang- MRI, surgery, and post-op
care- was over $3000, and that was after my $500 military discount.

Looking back, I wonder why the All Texas Dachshund Rescue representative
didn’t say anything to me about back precautions. I had to have a home visit
interview before I was allowed to adopt. She was impressed with our chicken
wire fence, and with our doggie steps, which we had to each of our beds for
our spaniel, Hope.

We also had steps to the couch. All the steps are gone now, and regrettably,
Sebastian is no longer allowed on the bed or couch. He would use the steps to
go up because that was the only way he could get up. Unfortunately, however,
he jumped down more often than not.

We have had to take bricks to close in our back porch, and have a ramp and
less steep steps that my sister built for him. He still occasionally seems to
get a little stiff and slow at times, maybe just from running like a lightning
bolt. I give him conium from my naturopath, five drops, then again in three
days. So far that does the trick. Fingers crossed.

Comments

bigandsmallhounds on May 24, 2015:

We’ve been breeding dachshunds for about 6 years, Never have mine had back
problems, and the many happy homes we’ve placed our akc pups into, have never
had issues with back problems, our oldest female which just had her last
litter is 8 years old, has only had 5 litters in her whole life, her name is
Saleen and she still hops up and down with no problem, We’ve always kept ours
inside when it’s cold but they love it outside. we have 4 normal steps on our
porch, and one of saleen’s daughters loves to climb and fit through any hole
she can to get out of the yard, but Always hangs around by the gate.

our male we got in Oklahoma to prevent the possibility of our male being
related to our female, sounds really far fetched but it can happen, and the
last thing you want is dog cousins having oddball pups!

Love my doxies and our bassets, Never have mine ever Bitten anyone, they will
let you know when a stranger, or anyone outside the yard is there like an
automatic doorbell! but up in the country, you depend on your dogs for things
like that and it comes with the breed.

If you adopt a dog from a shelter or the pound, your basically getting a car
from craigs list, they’ll tell you everything good about it, but one it’s
yours, you’ll start to find all the fix-er-up things, but now and then, you’ll
luck into a real Gem. in our 6 years of breeding, I’ve only had 1 person bring
a puppy back, and that’s because his girlfriend didn’t want to house train it
on $3000 carpet haha.

Love the breed, and Enjoy giving people a 4 legged companion to complete or
start a family. Remember, if you go looking for bad on the internet, you’ll
end up with posts like above that make you think every dachshund will need
back surgery, this is not the case, simply a collective of the handful of
people who Did have issues with theirs.

Mona Sabalones Gonzalez from Philippines on December 29, 2013:

Thank you for this story of your dachshund. What an adventure he’s been in
your lives! So sorry about his back, despite all the care you had given him.
It seems that despite all his imperfections, you love him very much. I have a
wire haired dachshund. She doesn’t really bite but will snap. However, she
barks LOUD. This was voted up, as it was obviously told with so much humor,
love and heart.

Margolyn from Wisconsin on November 29, 2012:

I got a Doxie from a shelter. She was 2 years old, and the shelter never told
us she had diabetes. I have adopted many dogs from shelters and rescue
organizations and none of them have informed the customers of the dogs health.
So, many times people get the dog home, find out that it is sick and the
shelters and rescues won’t take them back.

My dog Weener was very sensitive about her paws. Aparently previous owners
pulled or picked her up by her front legs and she limped slightly on one side
and became defensive if I tried to play with her paws while she laid on her
back. She finally trusted me and I was allowed to play with her paws gently.

She was smart, and had back issues because she was running up and down 3
flights of stairs and eventually stopped and we had to carry her up. When I
moved back to my home I had ramps put in and she quickly learned to use them
along with the steps for the sofa. She always stopped at the end of the bed,
and would not jump as I knew she could hurt herself. So, I gently put her on
the floor whenever she signaled me.

She learned quickly to stay withing the boundaries of my home, and wouldn’t go
up to the second floor.

My Jack Russell was not socialized but after Weener came Jaqi was alpha but
eventually started to play with Weener.

I am appalled at the shelters and rescues for selling sick dogs, most of the
time the animal has something wrong with it and are given up or abused after
the owners find out they have been duped into a sick animal. There is no
guidelines for the foster care people, many times they are paid to keep these
animals and they are caged for the rest of their lives or transferred from one
foster home to another.

I got a fox terrier from a rescue organization and found out he didn’t have
much time to live due to a liver problem. I had to put him down after a year
of watching him just lay around feeling badly. The Doxie was another sick
animal that was passed on to unknowingly owners.

All dogs have a propensity to have back problems. Espescially the longer
animals and large dogs. If you allow your dog to jump excessively or go up and
down stairs a lot, they will developed a spinal injury. Fortunatley my Jack
and the Weener had to be treated with cortisone, but eventually got better
after I stopped them from running up and down stairs. The vet says the spine
right above the shoulders and the back by the tail are affected. But when they
refuse to walk up the stairs or go for a long walk it usually is an indication
of pain someplace. So precautions should be taken. No small child should be
left alone with puppies, as they inadvertantly can hurt the animal and destroy
their trust in people.

amithak50 from India on April 06, 2012:

That is really interesting ..funny to read this hub ..Nice

glutenallergy on April 04, 2012:

My neighbor has a doxie and she’s such a sweet dog! She’s also great with
their pet cat (the cat usually has the upper hand between the two of them).

Liz Hancock on April 04, 2012:

You sound like such a great dog owner. I know what it is like to rescue a dog.
You never know what they have experienced before you and you have to have a
really big heart to help them trust and love again. Kudos to you for giving
Sebastian a better life. Loved reading this and hope he has stopped his
biting.

hvacunits from Longview, TeXas on April 03, 2012:

Simply an amazing Hub. Thanks so much for all your wonderful work. “Awesome.”
A big vote here for your hub!

iguidenetwork from Austin, TX on April 03, 2012:

Nice!

Cornelia Brown on April 02, 2012:

I have a little longhaired miniature with an overbite and she is absolutely
adorable. She is our little princess and everyone that sees her is smitten
with her beauty. The amber fur is long and healthy and looks great especially
on her ears. We had her for 4 yrs now and enjoyed every moment. She is a true
blessing gret with the grandkids and great with my father. He was so lonely
when we lost mom but Trixie is keeping him company and she makes the lonely
days a little easier for him! Thank you and please visit my hubs I am very new
to this!

Lisas-thoughts101 from Northeast Texas on April 02, 2012:

rm, we have two miniature dachsunds. We got both of them as puppies. They have
the personalities of lions. One is a human with fur on….. the other is her
dog 🙂 Both potty trained fairly well. Neither have had back trouble yet,
knock on wood. They are 10 and 12. The 10 year old does get arthritis in his
back legs in the winter but he takes a mild medication for this and is fine.
They are the loves of our families’ lives. We don’t know what we would do
without them. I guess we got lucky. Neither is a biter either. I suppose there
are anomalies in every breed and we found two. Now, if you try to clip their
nails without valium there is trouble. But we can do the vet without sedation.
I guess you never know. Great hub. Your Sebastion is precious. One of ours is
a black and tan and the other is red…. Lady Charlotte (Charli) and Sir
Maximus (Max) I voted up and interesting.

Lisa

Fred Smedley from Devon, United Kingdom on March 31, 2012:

Great hub and so true. When I was a baby and still in my pram my parents
bought a dachshund puppy so that we could grow up together (so I’m told
obviously). To cut a long story short, apparently he used to lie by my pram
for hours on end and would not let anyone near me and as you say, if someone
did venture too close, he would become very aggressive and wasn’t averse to
the odd bite – even much larger dogs weren’t exempt. We became inseparable and
he was very docile with me but he suffered ill health and unfortunately didn’t
live for many years. I wouldn’t hesitate to have another if it were possible.

DS from Danville, IL on March 30, 2012:

Appreciate your detailed information about dachshund traits. My friends own a
difficult dachshund with every negative trait mentioned in your hub. Although
difficult they wouldn’t trade her in for a million dollars! i also have a hub
about dachshund barking and territorial issues. Great writing and informative
hub.

jaswinder64 from Toronto, Canada. on March 30, 2012:

Great hub and great knowledge.

Doris James MizBejabbers from Beautiful South on March 30, 2012:

Thanks for an informative hub on doxies. We have several breeds on the list
for our next dog, and I may scratch doxies off. Our local pet store brings in
animals to be adopted, and recently had the most regal looking piebald
dachshund. I had never seen a piebald before.

I had a friend who trained his two doxies to use a litter box. He said that
nobody told him he couldn’t train a dog to a litter box, so he tried it and it
worked.

Add chows and chow mixes to the list of biters.

Cindy Murdoch from Texas on March 27, 2012:

Very nice hub. I have had friends who have had dachshunds that they loved
dearly. But I would always be worried about their back. Sebastian is a
gorgeous dog. I can see why you were taken with him. Congrats on hub of the
day!

MarkRFox on March 27, 2012:

I have a mix dachshund and mini pinscher. Her name is Minnie Mouse..”Minnie”
for short. She displays some of the traits you described especially digging,
having difficulties with house training (luckily most of the house is tile and
hardwood) and especially burrowing underneath the covers. I hope she does not
develop back problems considering she is a mix. She loves to jump very high in
the air off of her two hind legs. Sometimes I joke she is part gopher, ground
hog, and kangaroo because of all her weird traits, but I guess some of them
are not so weird. She has only bitten one person, the vet. Although, I wish
she had that independent trait you described as she is very needy and must
always be next to you or preferably on your lap. Sometimes I wake up with her
laying on top of my legs or chest. Good Hub. Voted up.

JP Carlos from Quezon CIty, Phlippines on March 27, 2012:

It’s really good to know all these information. Caring for pets and in
particular dogs is close to my heart. you’re doing the pet enthusiasts out
there a huge favor in publishing this hub. Congratulationis on making the the
Hub of The Day.

rmcrayne (author) from San Antonio Texas on March 27, 2012:

Magician, DON’T get steps!!! And DON’T let your doxie on the bed or couch.
Even though they may go up the steps to the bed or couch, they tend to jump
down. Jumping stresses the spine. It was difficult not letting Bastian on the
bed and couch anymore, but we both adjusted relatively quickly.

rmcrayne (author) from San Antonio Texas on March 27, 2012:

Thanks soooo much everyone. I’ve had over 30 comments today!! I would love to
answer each and every one of you, but I don’t know how realistic that will be.

I have spent the last few weeks working on a presentation on shoulders, that I
finally delivered Saturday. So I’ve been itching to write some hubs, and hope
to do a few before deadline Friday for the contest.

I’d say to anyone else passing through: There are some great comments above.
Many are from doxie owners, and offer some great advice and great stories.
Read above and enjoy!

Sherry Hewins from Sierra Foothills, CA on March 27, 2012:

As a dyed in the wood dachshund lover, I feel like I need to stick up for them
a little. Sounds like you really hit the jackpot as far as problems go. I have
owned 4 1/2 dachshunds in my life (the 1/2 one is half pug.) All were
previously owned, but the only one that came from an actual rescue agency was
the only one that had back problems, and he has not needed surgery, the rest
were spry and athletic. Only one had a biting problem, which I was able to get
him over by training.

You do make some good points. Their personality is similar to other hounds,
they tend to bond most closely with one person, they are barkers and diggers,
they follow their nose, and if you call them when they are giving chase they
do tend to just look back over their should like “yeah right.” Maybe not the
easiest dogs, but I love them. I wonder if any breed of dog is really easy.

Melinda from Oregon on March 27, 2012:

Very interesting. A friend of mine recently got a chihuahua/dachshund mix and
now I’m wondering if that will aid in the back problems, since her dog isn’t
as long as most dachshunds I’ve seen.

Arlene V. Poma on March 27, 2012:

Right on, right on! Congratulations on making Hub of the Day. Your article and
your photographs of your dog will steal any dog lover’s heart. It was a winner
from the get go.

Rufus rambles from Australia on March 27, 2012:

Congrats on HOTD! What a great, personal hub about your experience with this
breed. Before getting my Shetland Sheepdogs I wish I’d read a similar article
about their penchant for barking! They are an adorable, gentle breed but
massive barkers! My hubs on their traits and ways to get around their
“negatives” such as an overly shy nature is similar but I just love the way
you used humour and pictures of each aspect of the breed. Great work and voted
up!

Catherine Taylor from Canada on March 27, 2012:

My girls and I loved this hub. They adore weiner dogs but I am so glad you
shared the pros and cons of this breed. Lovely pics!

Paulie on March 27, 2012:

I have two doxies, one’s a barker, the other not. One likes to burrow, the
other not. Neither bite and will roll over, show their tummies and wave their
arms in the air if threatened by a human. One will kill any small animal if
given a chance. The other is just curious. Both like to be near their human,
except when gnawing something or wanting to run freely until pooped. Neither
shed (yay!). Both hard to housebreak and can’t be completely trusted to roam
freely. Both trained to go on a verbal command (hurry up!) to do it and do it
now. Neither has back problems and use stairs all the time. One is a smooth
hair and the other is a long-hair. So some of the stereotypes don’t hold up.

Susan Keeping from Kitchener, Ontario on March 27, 2012:

Excellent hub. I love that dog bed on top, the sock monkey one 🙂

CookwareBliss from Winneconne, WI on March 27, 2012:

Thanks you so much for sharing your experiences with your dachshund. I have a
dachschud that we bought from a local breeder who is now 7. His name is Oscar
and has been such a great dog for my wife and son. We got lucky with him
because he does not bark and has never bitten anyone…knock on wood. He does
have issues going to the bathroom in the house but is something we have
learned to deal with. He is in good health and has had a strong back, so I’m
happy we have not had to deal with surgery. This hub really hit home for me
because I don’t know what I would do without my dachshund. Thanks so much for
sharing! I voted up 🙂

John Sarkis from Winter Haven, FL on March 27, 2012:

I’ve never owned a pet before, but these Daschund look adorable; They look
nice and cute. Great hub and congrats on winning HOTD

John

Suzanne Sheffield from Mid-Atlantic on March 27, 2012:

Love these little fellows. Baby-sat Toby, my neighbor’s short-haired rescue
doxie and he didn’t want to go home when he came to get him. Great hub.

The Frog Princess from Florence area of the Great Pee Dee of South
Carolina on March 27, 2012:

I enjoyed your hub but on the other side of this I have two one mini and one
tea cup and they are the stars in my life. They do make great pets and most
loving little things. Lucky for me I have run into no back problems with
either but they do love their blankets. They each were raised with a doggy
door to go outdoors so housebreaking was a charm.

Donna

Sinea Pies from Northeastern United States on March 27, 2012:

We have owned three labs, two adopted, and their temperament is just perfect
for our family. So, my husband decided maybe the next dog should be a bulldog.
GOOD THING I asked a dog trainer friend of mine. She warned me of many
negative traits that would really bug my husband and we promptly wrote that
breed off our list.

Your hub will be very helpful to those thinking that dachshunds may be the dog
for them. It’s good to get lots of information first.

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on March 27, 2012:

Congratulatons on HOTD! Good information about dachshunds for those thinking
of adopting them. Yours is certainly a cutie! Really enjoyed seeing your
photos. Voted up, useful, interesting and will share.

Lindsay Blenkarn from Nashville, TN on March 27, 2012:

This is a great hub for potential dachshund owners to read! However, I do
think it should be specified that some of the behavior you mention are more
prevalent in the Smooth-haired variety than in the Long-haired or Wire-haired.
Each of the coat types have different temperaments. The Smooth-haired has the
most extreme temperament and are the ones most prone to being nippers. The
Long-haired are more docile and have more of a Spaniel personality. The Wire-
haired personality lies somewhere in-between and I’ve heard it’s more like a
Terrier’s (but, I can’t substantiate that since I haven’t known any Wire-hairs
personally). But, all three have an independent streak, are born watchdogs
(i.e. barkers), diggers, and can be difficult to housebreak (though they are
exceptions to every rule since my first dachsie was abnormally easy to potty
break).

Oddly, I have never heard of the overbite thing before (which may just be my
good fortune). I’ve known 6 dachshunds, none of which have had any signs of an
overbite. However, a couple have had brittle bones and/or slightly crooked
joints which I think is something else to look out for with some breeders.

It is, certainly, a fact that if you have a dachshund they are guaranteed to
have back problems at some point, however, I think it’s an exaggeration to say
it’s guaranteed that the problems will become severe. My first dachshund (a
Standard Longhair) didn’t severely hurt his back until he was 11 and that was
due to a very specific accident that involved falling off of a bed. Even then,
he was able to recover without surgery. And my current dachsie (a Miniature
Longhair) is 8 and still running and jumping just fine. Not to say that both
hadn’t tweaked their backs, now and again, but just some rest and half a baby
aspirin was, usually, enough to get them back on their feet within a couple of
days. But, regardless, it is important for people to be aware of a dachsie’s
long back and to learn how to hold them properly (which is, basically, the
same rule for most animals: support the back end!).

Voted up and interesting! 🙂

Kay B from Tampa, FL on March 27, 2012:

I love this! Sebastian is adorable! I have a daschund myself… well, it was
originally my mothers. I wanted nothing to do with her since I didn’t like
small dogs and wanted a German Shepherd so bad, but the daschund quickly grew
on me and now she is my wing-dog =) She’s also very stubborn and independent,
just like you described. I really should look into finding some sort of steps
for her to get on the bed and couch to ward off those back issues…

Stevennix2001 on March 27, 2012:

very cute dachshund. i used to have one myself, and he was definitely quite a
character too. in fact, i remember when i first got him, i also had a chow dog
too. needless to say, it only took a few days, and itchy was already acting
like caesar’s boss. lol. it was so cute and funny watching a little dog boss
around a big dog like that. of course, this also lead to itchy stealing some
of caesar’s food, so we had to make sure they were both getting properly fed.
lol. good times. it’s a shame he’s no longer around though, as i do miss the
little guy. anyway, thanks for writing this, as this was definitely a fun
read. 🙂

Paula from The Midwest, USA on March 27, 2012:

I had a dachshund once, and loved him very much. I agree, they are
irresistible and so cute. I don’t think I ever realized they were such biters
before, and we actually didn’t have ours for all that long so that is probably
why.

Thanks for sharing a great hub on what it is like to rescue a dachshund. I am
so impressed with people that do something kind for others or animals like
that. What a wonderful thing. Thanks for sharing.

summerberrie on March 27, 2012:

I have always liked dachshunds. I enjoy watching a pair being walked in our
neighborhood wearing their dog sweaters (too, cute). My sister-in-law has a
dachshund and he bites if you try to take something out of his mouth.
Sabastian seems to really enjoy his cave!

Mary Hyatt from Florida on March 27, 2012:

Congrats on Hub of the Day! As a dog lover (which explains why I write Hubs
about mine), I love to read about dogs. I was married to a vet for many years,
and we saw so many Doxies with back problems. He would make a this contraption
out of a skateboard for paralyzed Doxies to get around on. He had a name for
it but I can’t remember now what the name was. I have a Miniature Schnauzer
who has back problems (I wrote about her, too). She is not allowed to jump
from furniture, either. Your dog is adorable! I voted this UP, etc.

50 Caliber from Arizona on March 27, 2012:

A super hub, you’ve include much information in a well lain out way with fun
mixed in [I considered behavior traits of individual dogs fun] to keep me
rolling through the article. I’ve had the pleasure of picking several of this
breed up wandering a dirt road that is used to dump and drive, as well as get
to my home in the hills. Every single one was joy filled to be found watered
and put in my Jeep, and if headed to town I either took them to my vet or if
it was too late or a weekend I u turned for home and would abandon my trip for
supplies and take them home to isolation from my Rottys and get them feed and
water with Gatorade or a survival mix that I used in my 5 gallon keg for
search and rescue that has salts, electrolytes and other needs. As a rule I
don’t allow people here so I often take dogs that are vetted, neutered, fed to
a healthy state and temperament tested to where I feel I can tell if a single
dog home or kids are a go or no go. I do the best I can with my dollars paying
the way. I charge a minimum of 25 bucks and/or 50 pounds of dog food, if they
can’t pull that off they can’t afford a dog. I have to accept that most are
spur of the moment decisions as most don’t come looking for a dog on a trip to
the flea market. I do get referrals from time to time who say they have been
several week ends looking for me. Most rescues want to see houses and all
sorts of rigamarole that I detest, prior to allowing a dog a chance to a home.
I figure anything is better than what happens to them if they are left in the
desert on their own, 48 hours tops is all they have. I have a sign to not
attempt to handle any dog until they have my attention and OK. I have had
three bite incidents and all were the breed show cased here, and had never
offered to bite prior to the actual incident, but after me picking them up and
giving them a stern rubbing on the head with my knuckles [a newgy?] and then
putting them back down and telling the person to talk to the dog and get it’s
full attention with some kibble, things worked out and they were able to rub
and pet with out further problems. They changed my set up to people getting
access to any breed while I was engaged with some one or thing other than the
person[s] and dog they saw that got their interest. I’ve gone on too long, but
you inspired me LOL so one more thing and I’ll shut up.

Your point of dog steps is so important to the long body that the Dox has, but
I hold it as a major point for all breeds, it’s good advise for all dogs and
humans as well, I have Rottys that are muscled up like a weight lifter, they
are subject to “hip displasia” due to weight and a breed problem, It is good
advise to eliminate the need or activity all together to prevent the loss of
large sums of medical bills or the dog. My Rottys are in the 7 to 10 year
bracket of life expectancy and my oldest at almost double that just passed in
the fall. I think there exist many that value dogs as family as you and I but
many don’t take the time to learn the breed they own and the ins and outs, so
kudos for the lesson here, I voted it up across the spectrum,even funny
[buttinsky]LOL.

Blessings,

Eiddwen from Wales on March 27, 2012:

Thank you so much for this great hub;my partner’s sister had three;the first
one Tuppence sadly passed away at 17 years old;then Harvey at 18 years and
Paddy is now 14 years old.

They are indeed great little characters;and thanks for sharing this one.

The only ailment they seemed to have was cataracts;but still managed to get by
as long as not too much was moved in the house.

Take care and have a wonderful day,

Eddy.

moonlake from America on March 27, 2012:

My granddaughter had a dachshund and she was a good little dog. She did have
back problems and it ended up costing my granddaughter $3000.00 for surgery.
After surgery the little dog would wet all over the place. She finally found
her a home with an older lady. The dog would be with someone all day.
Congratulations on hub of the day.

shesacraftymom on March 27, 2012:

My mom has four dachshunds and we used to have one. I agree with all these
things. My dad built theirs a ramp to help with back problems. The one we used
to have used to snap and bite like crazy. We had to get professional training
because he was just being playful, and didn’t realize he was doing anything
wrong. They really are sweet, funny dogs.

Caroline Marie on March 27, 2012:

Great hub! I love doxies. I used to have a mini I loved very much. She loved
to burrow under the covers! I miss her very much and am thinking about getting
another. Loved this article. Very cute photos of your little guy. Voted up!

Vespa Woolf from Peru, South America on March 27, 2012:

This is well-written and very informative. My in-laws had a dachshund so I
knew about the back problems, but I didn’t realize they were tunnelers. It’s
amazing that Sebastian recovered so well from his surgery! Your photos are
adorable, too. Congratulations on HOTD!

Becky Katz from Hereford, AZ on March 27, 2012:

Congratulations on Hub of the Day. Well written story about your dachshund.

My mom had one when I was growing up. We got her from some friends of my moms
and she was a miniature red long-hair. We were all taught how to pick her up
properly but she still got the back problems. She was paralyzed for about two
weeks and we swam her in the bathtub for physical therapy.

She never bit but she never was totally house-trained either. She would quit
barking when we said enough because when she didn’t we tapped her on the nose
until she quit. That has worked on every one of our dogs and we have had quite
a few that were supposed to be yappy breeds.

She loved to climb under the blankets and sleep next to my dad. She would get
to dreaming and start running. He would move over and soon she would be
stretched out right alongside him again. The whole thing would repeat until he
fell out of the bed. We used to laugh about it. An Eight lb. dog kicking a 210
lb, 6’3″ man out of bed was funny.

Mike Bouska from Midwest USA on March 27, 2012:

We somehow ended up with a dachshund named Oscar when we went to look at a
piano that was for sale, and the lady had a black and tan male that needed a
home.

We took old Oscar home(he was 10)and he blended into the home okay. He did
chew a shoe of my wife’s one day, and after that situation, all my wife had to
say was the word shoe, and Oscar would show his teeth and growl.

It was like bark or fetch. “Oscar-Shoe! GRRRR” After we owned Oscar for
several years(or he owned us) I got transferred out of the area for a job.
There was a couple who were good friends of ours, and they were very fond of
Oscar. It was decided instead of moving the old guy to a new climate, he would
stay with our friends.

We would get phone calls and letters from “Oscar” keeping us up to speed with
his family and their lives.

Then one day we got a call that Old Oscar had died at the age of 22.

albin pius on March 27, 2012:

i know i have a dachshund in my home

Rochelle Frank from California Gold Country on March 17, 2012:

My granddaughter volunteers with a Dachshund adoption group. She and her
family have a very mellow doxie who rarely barks and never bites. The dog is a
dappled one, like yours and was formerly a mommy dog at a puppy mill.

Bill Russo from Cape Cod on February 23, 2012:

I LOVED the 280Z. Not only was it stylish, it did very well on the racetrack.
For me it wil always be Dachshund.

Kimberly Lake from California on February 22, 2012:

Voted up and interesting. I also wonder why the pet adoption agency don’t
offer more info on breeds when they are adopted. Your dog is very cute, I hope
the treatments you give him continue to give him relief. Socially shared.