I want one. A long hair. Not right now - going to wait until I retire. I want to get a puppy from a very reputable breeder. I am not a person who has had a lot of experience with dogs - more of a cat person. I did have a dog when I was a kid, a smallish one. I enjoyed training her - we used the AKC field obedience trial guidelines, she was awesome. You could leave her in a down stay and go inside and make a sandwich and go back out and she’d be right where she was supposed to be, it was tons of fun.
Sorry but of the 4 I’ve known, 3 have been nasty little dogs. I’m sure some of it has to do with training, but two of the four were owned by the same person. One is nice and friendly and the other will bite you if it gets the chance. Hopefully with time in retirement you can teach one to be a nice pet.
I have a mini wirehaired dachshund that will be 1 at the end of August. He’s a super super little dog and loves my kids, neighborhood kids, and all dogs. He lives with a bunch of border collies and a poodle. I’ve been in dogs for about 25 years but didn’t have any dachsund contacts so I went through the breeder referral contact of the Dachshund Club of America. I told them what I wanted and what I wanted to do (earthdog, tracking, perhaps conformation) and they put me in touch with some breeders. I went with one in North Carolina (I’m in Florida) who has standards and some mini’s and really enjoyed meeting her and her dogs. There are nice ones there if you look for them and get a good breeder. My guy’s a bit big for a mini, but in my house, that’s a good thing. I brought him home at 9 weeks and the breeder was bang on with her estimation of how big he’d get. My husband has lived with dogs and dog shows his entire life and frequently asks how come it took so long for us to get one! Of course, the fact that he’s opinionated, a bit stubborn, and determined goes without saying. His is, after all, a dachshund.
I will agree with Bizziedog, get one from a reputable breeder from the DCA referral site. IIRC, there are several good breeders in your area. If you are looking for a pet only and not really interested in conformation shows, you might look for a “tweenie”, that is a dog that is over the weight limit for miniatures but not really big enough to compete as a standard. They usually weigh between 12-15#. Watch out for breeders that specialize in the odd colors, ie dapples, creams, and blues. Oftentimes, they are breeding for color only and not conformation or physical soundness.
I have 2 and will never be without one!! I have always had labs or collies, very easy to train dogs. I researched the dachshund and knew the training had the potential to be harder than what I was used to. I went in eyes wide open knowing it could be a challenge. This was also my first small breed dog and first full time house dog. I was very strict in getting the pup out and used a command to potty. I had him potty trained in 3 weeks, the only accidents were when my husband was in charge. Always easier to train any kind of dog than the husband!! The recall is slow- they tend to stand and look at you for a minute then come. I taught them Whoa- they stop instantly and I can go get them or call them. Very lively fun personalities. Both LOVE people and kids and cats but if you are a bug or a mousie Watch out!! I have a long haired male and a silky wirehaired female- very long hair and beard. They are different- the male is a handsome hard body, not “cuddly” but affectionate and wants to be with you. The female is soft and squishy and loves to sit on your lap or be held. Very sweet soft personality. Both together are fabulous hunting team.
I got them from a breeder (2 different ones) I said I wanted a family pet, not the dominant pup but not the meekest one. The breeder gave me the perfect pup. With the female she was the last female left and once I saw her that was all she wrote!! They make me laugh hourly, very very fun!!
They are often quite “opinionated”. Howevr, usually their opinion of the owner is a good one 
Get insurance. #1 breed for herniated discs/paralysis. 90% of the time surgical decompression can make them walk again, but so many owners do not have the $ to offer it to them.
Ugh. Is all I can say. But I am a Great Dane enthusiast, so…
[QUOTE=SquishTheBunny;7689370]
Get insurance. #1 breed for herniated discs/paralysis. 90% of the time surgical decompression can make them walk again, but so many owners do not have the $ to offer it to them.[/QUOTE]
Many times, pet insurance will not cover breed-specific maladies such as this. Although, it does depend on the company. When I was working at the vet school, the disc surgery would often cost north of $4k. So do be prepared for that.
I am owned by 2 dachsies…both rescues. Both smooth coated tweenies.
Dachshunds tend to be strong in personality, but loving and sweet with their owners. Difficult to house train, but will do anything for food. Yes there are land sharks out there, but socialization at a young age helps very much.
Of the 4 in total that I have had 2 of the four had to have spine surgery 3 times…yes…2 dogs each have had 3 surgeries each. Always I have and ramps, steps onto furniture, they are /were not overweight at all. Save your money or marry a veterinary neurosurgeon!
I will never be without one.
Lisa
The ones I have known were not from reputable breeders but were still very sweet and easy going dogs. Bad for back trouble, my in-laws lost one at 7 to herniated disc with no feeling left. KEEP THEM THIN! That was their problem, she was really long and overweight. Don’t let them jump up or down. Watch their teeth, not the best mouths.
Not my cup of tea, I need active athletic farm type dogs, you know pit bulls! They are the breed of my heart, or any good rescue that is bigger.
The only mini dachshunds I’ve ever known have been mini Wirehairs bought from excellent breeders. And they were fantastic dogs. Big personalities in very small packages, but they were adorable and fun and quite intelligent. The ones I knew best were owned by people who showed another breed and through the show circuit fell in love with the MWH and ended up getting one, which they showed in both the breed ring and the obedience ring with great success.
They were each charmers that everybody fell in love with.
I’ve been told that the different coat varieties have different personalities, so I guess my post is no help to you since you’re looking for a long coat…
The ones I have been around have been sweet dogs, but almost all have had an issue with house training and or dribbling pee when excited. I would honestly never own one b/c of this issue.
We had one - the most loveable little man e.v.e.r. He was dumped on us by a couple who could not keep him and came to dog heaven. Everybody loved him and we have a lot of customers.
I’ve knows a few, gravitated to lots, and the best ones were imports from Germany - especially the wire-coated once (3) were very good.
Sure, they are opinionated, bit yappy, but not hysterical or hyper, and don’t really fetch your slippers, but for a t.v. companion they are tailor made to fit your lap, for a car companion, nothing better, a visitor dog, they can hardly be unwelcome if they are well behaved.
Ours wasn’t - I had to keep him leashed because he was not trustworthy enough not to cock his leg on someone’s furniture - therefore I much prefer females.
We have had some come here that were cranky, and a bit snappy - something to look at, and to socialize the dog everywhere. Judge the parents.
Can’t think of a small dog I would prefer because these are real dogs, not floor mops.
We had one stay with us for her summer holidays. She had wiry hair, and came from a good breeder apparently.
She was a hoot, very personable and lively, a terrible sand-tray-surfer :eek: and a big bully with our own dogs. She could jump like nobody’s business - she could jump on to the kitchen table…
She wasn’t yappy at all.
I’ve known others, and they’ve been sweet and cheery. Fun dogs.
I wouldn’t get one myself, but she was fun for a while!
I have a 17 1/2 year old male dachshund. My stepdaughter bought him at 8 weeks from a flea market. We inherited him at 4 months, skinny and not housebroken due to her neglect. He has jumped on and off couches and beds all his life gradually stopping over the last year and a half. I know we’re lucky not to have had back problems.
I love him, he’s my favorite despite or because of being stubborn and semi-obsessive. He has never bitten or threatened to bite, he’s the one dog I’d always put my face up to without concern.
[QUOTE=oliverreed;7688593]
I want one. A long hair. Not right now - going to wait until I retire. I want to get a puppy from a very reputable breeder. I am not a person who has had a lot of experience with dogs - more of a cat person. I did have a dog when I was a kid, a smallish one. I enjoyed training her - we used the AKC field obedience trial guidelines, she was awesome. You could leave her in a down stay and go inside and make a sandwich and go back out and she’d be right where she was supposed to be, it was tons of fun.[/QUOTE]
Dachshunds are great little dogs, but they have been bred for the purpose of following badgers under ground. That makes for a big dog in a little body.
but they CAN be trained. Although they can be stubborn little Sh*ts…
Yes, do research your breeder well. SIL used to bred them, I would have not given a penny for her product. They were not socialized worth a dang.
[QUOTE=JBD;7690453]
I, he’s the one dog I’d always put my face up to without concern.[/QUOTE]
JBD I have to remark on this quote, isn’t it funny how there are some dogs you will just do this with and not even think about it? I was just telling a friend about my former foster and bait dog Petunia, she had had a rough start in life and yet to be loved by people was her greatest wish in life. Every night before I put her to bed, Petunia always got a kiss on top of her head. When she was adopted this past February I got to give her one last kiss on her head and she licked my nose as a good bye. I cried all the way home and will still cry about her today just because this little dog (45 lbs, short squat bred for fighting bait dog) has such a huge heart and desire to please people even though she should not have, scars and broken teeth, split ear (fixed when she was spayed) HW+, used as a breeder, abused and neglected yet she is the ONLY dog in all of my years of owning dogs that I have done this with. Here is Petunia, BTW she loves clothes!
Fwiw, longhairs are general are a bit softer in temperament than the other two varieties. Disc disease can be genetic in origin so it’s important to get a pup from a reputable breeder. A dog with proper ribbing and keel length is much less likely to develop disc disease than a “herring gutted” dog. Dachshunds are quite athletic and compete successfully in field trials, obedience, and agility. Last time I checked there were more dual champion dachshunds than any other breed and there are several dachshund triple champions.
Thanks, everybody! WW, that’s one of the reasons I want a longhair - the temperament. Also just fell in love with the looks and personality.
My grandmother and grandfather had doxies when I was a little kid, I always loved their personalities.
We’ve got three and owned one before. I was not interested at all in a wiener until our first one walked into my apartment and decided to stay, and I fell in love. Sylvia was a longhair. She was very overweight and sore and cranky at first, but then once the weight was off she was the sweetest dog ever. She loved absolutely everyone–got her therapy dog certification and used to bring her to the nursing home and in to school to read with my students. She developed pancreatitis this winter (had chronic issues with gastroenteritis) and passed away at 14.
We also have Seamus, who is a shorthair, and is all-around awesome. He’s around 10 or 11 now, but still does agility, goes hiking, etc. He is also a sweetheart to everyone he meets.
Alice is the longhair we got in May; she’s 8. She’s from a puppy mill/breeder hoarder situation, so she started off very timid and still spooks easily, but she is also a total sweetheart. She just wants to be loved by everyone.
Aengus is the newest; we got him at the end of June. He’s a 2-year-old wirehair from another puppy mill. He’s a little crazy and very fearful, but also is trying really hard to be a good boy. Any of his craziness seems more easily attributed to the puppy mill and lack of socialization rather than the breed. My friend also just got a wirehaired female (she fell in love with Seamus while dog-sitting him, and has been looking for her own dachshund for ages) and her dog is a fabulous little dog with a really great, clown-like personality.
They are stubborn, have big dog personalities in little dog bodies, and can be difficult to housebreak and can be noisy. It is some work keeping them in good shape and avoiding back problems. But I absolutely love them–they’re such fun dogs, and the longhairs really are total sweethearts.
This is Alice, with Seamus in the background, with her typical relaxed expression:
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