I feel you. Summit is the biggest drama queen and fireball out of all of the Dachshunds I have owned. I love her for it but it can also be trying at times. Not for the faint of heart for sure!

I have a Minnie ,13 this year, never ruined anything, not an agresive bone in his long body , he is a registered support dog, loving very trustworthy, I am 70 and deaf disabled he alerts me to noise in my seroudings,I ware a cochlear implant and am not connect all the time , we have been through alot together, now he is having some health issues ,and I am heart broken, he used to sleep with his bum to me , guarding position, now he is facing me and needing more cuddles, I was not a dog person but he was a gift that just keeps on giving 💙 love him so much💕

Hello. What your describing is very interesting and unique to me. The fact that she is friendly toward others seems like a really good thing to me. It’s definitely better than the opposite. If you want her to stay closer to you, and more focused on you, try bringing training treats with you and giving them to her when she focuses on you. The other thing is to perhaps change your thinking on her bahavior. While it’s certainly ideal if she still obeys you with others around, perhaps think about her attention on other people as a gift to them. Maybe they need that kind of joy in their life and she is happily providing it. That might help you not feel so jealous.

I got mine for 2+ years now and she’s going to be 3 yrs old soon.

Loyalty is the most frustrating part to me.
When I’m with my family or friends my Dachshund becomes super exited and focus on them, which is just normal and great, but she tends to focus on some specific people in the group and it’s like I don’t exist anymore. She focuses on a friend (or Mom as example) like he’s god, following everywhere and licking him like a piece of meat.
No more attention or listening to me, then I can become upset (and jealous I guess). In addition if one friend disappears from the environment to take a walk or something else she’s like dying until he’s back, like a sheepdog who lost a sheep. Do you share this kind of situation ?

This could be frustrating to me as it lasts hours, days or any time I’m with other people and I would have expected some more “loyalty” from my dog.

This is more a psychological challenge, sharing is caring and this makes me work on myself and not being too possessive or jealous. But to give everything for my dog and see her dedicated to some other people for long periods of time can be annoying and hard to pass by.
Furthermore at the beginning of her life I used to live with roommates and went to parties with her so she’s 200% sociable with humans, which is great to me.

Maybe you would have some advice for me ? 🙂

I’m 71 and I want to adopt a senior Doxie. Thanks for the information.
Nita

Ha, ha. Dachshunds definitely run the show! My older girl has a high prey drive but, interestingly, isn’t a bit hunter in our back yard. On the other hand, Summit spends hours hunting snakes (which I try to spare) and chasing grasshoppers. Neither has ever brought me something that big though.

Hi Don. I’m glad you found my blog and thanks for sharing your story.

Hi Lisa. Thanks for coming back to comment. I definitely agree that Dachshund owners should be aware IVDD/paralysis is a possibility. Unfortunately, so many don’t, which is why part of my mission is to study the condition rigorously and pass that information on to people through my blog. Researching what is available in your area ahead of time is an excellent idea!

Pat and I presently have three: Lulu Belle (12), Harley (11) and Winnie (6). Harley is a certified therapy dog with the Alliance of Therapy Dogs and is very special — unlike most dachshunds, he loves everybody.

Your disc comments are right on. We have had 12 dachshunds in the 56 years we have been married (always 2 or 3 at a time, average live span 15.5 years) and have had 3 major back operations.

best wishes, Don.

I actually did come back to publicly apologize to you because I did not take the time to read more of your posts. And I didn’t notice the link back to the other information or I would have gone to it before I posted my thoughts. I can’t say that they would have been different, just more thought out. I don’t have the years of experience you have or know as many people as you do. All I have to go on is when my girl went down. The vet that diagnosed her was no help. I had to educate myself. There is not a doubt in my mind that I didn’t process some of the information as it was meant to be. When she was diagnosed, I had never heard about IVDD, that there are precautions I could’ve taken to lessen the risk of IVDD, that there is a general age range when it is most likely to present – and yes I know it can put in an appearance at any time, and what the earliest symptoms are. Whether it’s hereditary or not, it’s not anything to not be aware of. And I urge anyone who knows a dachshund or is considering one, to educate themselves about the possible problems that doxies & their “parents” may face and maybe even help with researching the options for treatment, what treatments are available in their area, the average cost, if it is something daschie “parents” can be taught to do themselves & to locate a vet before hand that is knowledgeable about the problems / diseases that dachsies are prone to.

Here is more about the hereditary nature of IVDD from UC Davis, the college trying to develop a reliable test to detect the gene that can cause spinal issues: https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/unraveling-genetics-disc-disease-dogs

Hi Lisa. I’ve been studying IVDD for 15 years and have had several discussions with Dodgerslist in the past. I can guarantee you it is hereditary. I have written many articles on my blog explaining more. Here is a good example of the thorough explanation: https://youdidwhatwithyourweiner.com/the-truth-about-dachshunds-and-back-problems/. I linked to it from this article but I am assuming that you didn’t click to read it. In short, a Dachshund has a long back and short legs due to the dwarfism gene. Certain variants of the dwarfism gene carry IVDD disease risks with it. Since genetics are, my nature, hereditary, yes, it is a hereditary disease. You are spot on with the surgery and second opinion advice though. I personally know dozens of Dachshunds ( I run a 1,000+ plus member Dachshund club) that have successfully recovered with conservative treatment even when surgery was the recommendation. Sadly, many vets say, “surgery or put them down” and I’ve seen many owners make the latter choice because they thought that was the only option they had. Part of what I do on my blog and social media is try to spread the word that it’s not the only option. One should definitely get another vet if theirs tells them that.

so cute

Yes, indeed he will! Thank you for taking him in and giving him a good home.

I took Moe because he looked a lot like my Wookie! I’ve had him 2 months. I had not read about Dachshounds at all, until now!! Yesterday, he was barking and “crying” like crazy! Went out to see what on earth was going on! Could hear him, not see him! He was inside a raised planter bed that had bushes. Looking over them, there he was…had killed a huge RAT! It was half his size!

So, if he has a mix of Terrier, Dachshound, and Schnauzer (his face, bushy eyebrows and beard) then he’s going to kill anything he can get hold of….and he’s FAST!

My shorthair double dapple is 11 years and is neither blind nor deaf.

Hi Maya. I’m glad you found my blog helpful. I don’t have any information about breeding on my site because I am not a breeder and don’t have any experience with it. It’s a serious matter that should only be taken up by people who know what they are doing. I believe in breeding only to preserve a dog breed as intended and between two genetically sound purebreds. I suggest you join the Facebook group Dachshund Breeding Basics and ask there. You can find the group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Dachshundbreeders

Thank you for all the info. I’m about to rummage around on your site some more. Very good information, although I had very little trouble like you mentioned with potty training. I’m hoping to find something about birthing on your site, unless you can recommend a really good site for whelping doxies. I’m going to let each have one litter, then get them fixed. I just adore my girls.

You also might want to seriously consider looking at Petco their brand of dog litter is the best and they make litter box for dogs usually for small Audreys miniature Docksin works perfect my dog now right at the present uses his litter box and this is the first docs and I’ve had that is 100% range and he’s been that way since I got him it’s very easy.

I couldn’t find a place to put a fresh comment so I’m replying wherever I could find one. that’s a great article with lots of tips and they’re all very true I’ve had a miniature long haired dachshund for the last 40 years I’m on my third right now and it gets better and better and just a couple little things I want to share I. Knew nothing about dogs when I bought my first at the mall. That no longer happens but it worked out. It was tough at first until the crate if you want to potty train them the crate works like magic and the other thing is consider a litter box. I’m not getting any younger and going outside down three flights of steps from my bedroom in my house is not exactly my idea of training him I found out they make litter for dogs in a litter box and he loves it. when he was a puppy he played in it when it was fresh and then he started to Insist that I clean and change the litter every time he used it. not a problem it was a good reminder that he did use it so it’s the easiest way I’ve ever had to train a dog. Batu is the only dachshund I’ve had who is 100% trained. I can take him in the city to the bank other little stores that will let him in. I am not worried that he’s going to do anything on the floor. I can’t say that for my first two boys. I flew halfway across the country and back to get him when it was time and it was well worth it. Especially in this time of lockdowns he keeps me sane.

Thanks for the tip Mary. The ice cubes probably slow down how much your pup is able to swallow at once.

My dashound chokes when drinking water..now I put ice cubes in his water dish ,enough that there is just a bit of water,if the iced cubes are in his water and he drinks,he never chokes on the water ,that way ,I always try to have ice cubes in his water dish..we are retired my husband and I so we are home a lot,others might find it harder to keep ice cubes in the water dish .

Hi Janice. It’s hard to say for sure. It could be something she grows out of but, because there was no training involved and you didn’t discourage her not to go potty in the house (by putting pads in the bathroom), she may not understand that going potty in the bed is not acceptable. The only way you will know for sure is to try.