If you have thought about owning a Dachshund there are pros and cons to this breed you need to be aware of.
Dachshunds are a canine type that might have the most fascinating personality and physical characteristics on earth today.
Of course everyone likes to refer to dachshunds as wiener dogs as they are shaped like a little hot dog with their long bodies and short legs. But are they right for you?
Dachshund Pros and Cons – The Pros Of Owning A Dachshund
Dachshunds are extremely loyal, as well as once they are affixed to you, they follow you around your home.
They don’t like you to leave or go into a room without them, and that includes joining you in the bathroom.
They like to bond with one person and also do not like being alone for long. If you have to work all day, it may be a good idea to acquire or take on another dachshund so the two of them can comfort each other.
Dachshunds are perfect for the house. If you live in the city, then a dachshund is the perfect dog companion to consider having.
Dachshunds are lap dogs as they like to snuggle and be by your side.
This breed comes in three different varieties, long-haired, short-haired, and wire-haired. They also come in three sizes; standard, tweener, and miniature.
Every one of these dachshund types has solid brief legs as well as long bodies, which is their hallmark.
If you opt for the long-haired or the wire-haired varieties, then you’ll need to brush them out about once every other day to help them stay clean.
The short-haired dachshund is the easiest to groom as they have no long hair to comb and don’t require brushing.
They stay pretty clean and you only need to bathe them every few weeks, unless they found something fun and stinky outside to roll around in the yard
Like other dogs, dachshunds require brushing their teeth occasionally to keep their teeth and gums clean to prevent any health issues.
Another advantage of owning a dachshund is that they are intelligent and love to play fetch.
They can keep you laughing as they run after their favorite toy with those little short stumpy legs, ears flopping, and a little happy-type grin on their face.
Another pro advantage of owning a dachshund is that they have a long lifespan usually between 12-17 years.
Keeping them on a proper diet with recommended dog food along with enough daily exercise will help them live a long time.
Dachshunds don’t need a large yard for exercise, but it is recommended to take them on a daily walk.
And they can get a lot of exercise in your house by playing fetch with their toys in the living room.
You will usually find your dachshund lying in a sunbeam or tucked into covers happily snoring away until they are ready to start playing.
The dachshund type is bred for searching and has an amazing nose that can locate food practically anywhere.
You will certainly get the pleading eyes, wiggling, brows, and also perky ears to convince you that table scraps are an exceptional dinner alternative, but you’ll require to disregard their pleading.
It is imperative that these canines not be allowed to come to be obese. The extra pressure can cause back issues, such as slipped discs.
Dachshund Pros and Cons – The Cons Of Owning A Dachshund
Dachshunds are notorious for barking and they have a loud distinguishable bark.
This makes them good guard dogs as they will alert you with their bark if anyone comes to the door.
They also will bark at other dogs that come around them. And for that matter, will bark at squirrels, cats, the postman, and even cars.
The barking can get very annoying, and if you wish to train them to stop the excessive barking they can be somewhat difficult to train.
You need to have patience along with the proper training methods in order to get them to quit the excessive barking.
It is recommended you use dog treats in addition to positive reinforcement as dachshunds love positive statements like “good dog” as they want to please you.
Dachshund Pros and Cons – Other Issues
Another issue is that if you leave them alone without any companionship, then this breed can develop anxieties that can lead to unwanted behaviors like chewing and scratching.
They like to bond with one person and don’t like being alone for very long.
If you have to work all day, it might be a good idea to buy or adopt another dachshund so the two of them can comfort each other.
It is very important that you do not allow your dachshund to become overweight. The additional strain can cause back issues, such as slipped discs.
Dachshunds love to eat and their small size doesn’t like a lot of extra calories.
You will get the pleading eyes, wiggling, eyebrows, and perky ears to convince you that table scraps are an excellent dinner option, but you’ll need to ignore their begging.
Foods with high-fat content can spell trouble. The dachshund breed is bred for hunting and has an incredible nose that can find food almost anywhere.
Their intelligence is high as well, which means they’ll get into whatever is available to them at their level.
You will want to always keep the food well out of reach to protect their health.
Since dachshunds are prone to back injuries because of their long backs, you don’t want them running up and downstairs. Nor do you want them jumping up or down sofas or beds.
It is recommended you purchase a dog ramp to train them to use the ramp in order to prevent any potential back injuries.
Since dachshunds were originally bred to hunt badgers, they like to sniff and dig into yards.
So you need to keep an eye on them if you plan to let them out in your fenced backyard alone.
They have over 400 years of breeding history to support this behavior, as their long bodies and short stubby legs make them ideal for burrowing into tunnels and going after prey.
So you can’t leave your dachshund unattended in your backyard.
The stubbornness of this breed is directly attributed to the breeding that they used to do in Germany.
Since the late 19th century, their attitude can get in your way when it is time to do some training housebreaking. Thus, these dogs can be exceptionally challenging to train.
You must be very patient and consistent with training in order to manage that process.
They might be loyal to a fault, but this breed will have it in their nature to have a robust prey drive.
That’s why you’ll generally want to walk this breed on a leash, instead of letting them run free. If there’s a squirrel around, you can bet that your dachshund is going to want to chase it.
Even though dachshunds are loving little dogs, many of them will nip at others when they feel cornered or scared.
So that can be an issue that young families may need to be aware of and manage it.
Most breeders and associations recommend that small children should not be left unsupervised with this breed because of this behavioral trait.
For if a small child is loud and annoying the dachshund can interpret this as threatening,
Dachshund pros and cons are important factors to consider before bringing this small dog home with you.
These dogs are relatively clean and have little body odor. They are loyal, cuddly, cute, and can keep you smiling.
If you manage their care effectively, then you will find that having this dachshund companion around can be a very rewarding experience.
