Breed Description

Dachshunds are a member of the hound group and are a short legged, long bodied breed. The were initially bred for the purpose of chasing the scent of badgers and flushing then and other animals from burrows, with the miniature of the breed used to hunt rabbits. Dachshunds are playful, fun dogs who love to chase small animals, birds and balls alike. Although not incredibly respondent to training, with persistence it can be achieved. You must train them however, as it is said that a Dachshund that is not trained by its owner will reverse the role. Left unsupervised in the garden you may find the Dachshunds natural instinctive behaviour dictates and large holes will appear in grass and bedding areas. Their barks can be particularly loud, which is great if you are looking for a guard dog, but not so much for the neighbours if the dogs is to be left unattended. Dachshunds form a close bond with their owners and become devoted and loyal pets however, do not always take well to strangers. If the Dachshund is to be left alone for long periods it may be beneficial to invest in two or another pet as separation anxiety is known problem with Dachshunds and causes them to become stressed until they find companionship. The Dachshund, although tolerable of children may not be the best suited to a family with younger children or as a first dog. Dachshunds hereditary health problem, IVDD (intervertebral disk disease) due to its extremely long spinal column, rough play, being carried and some activities could cause this to worsen or even be fatal to the dog. Young children if made aware of this and supervised could own a Dachshund, however, another breed my be more suitable.