Thinking of adopting a dachshund from a rescue organization

[cabot]

Anyone have one? Are they good apartment dogs? Anyone have any "tails" to tell?

[Lochloosa]

1. Great dogs. Make sure it has plenty to do so it's not bored when your gone

Extremely intelligent. Very loyal

[cabot]

2. Thanks!

A friend suggested putting peanut butter or something else in a kong and letting them play with that - and to leave the TV on. I don't live too far from where I work so he/she won't be alone more than 7 hours.

[blueamy66]

9. Kongs are great.

Wish I could find it!!! 😄

[csziggy]

11. Check out this thread in the Pets Group

Homemade KONG filling for you buddies!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/116117410

I liked the idea of filling the Kong and freezing it before giving it to the dogs. Many hours of enjoyment for the pups.

[femmocrat]

3. Great for an apartment, but still need to exercise.

They are usually very devoted to their humans. I knew one that was a biter... but that doesn't mean they all are.

Best wishes!

[Lochloosa]

4. They will want to sleep with you...all curled up.

[Arugula Latte]

5. I'm no expert

(always have cats, not dogs), but I've heard that dachshunds like to "burrow" (like under covers and such). I guess it's their tunnel hunting instinct ... Maybe you could provide yours with some sort of tubelike thing to burrow into.

[OriginalGeek]

6. From 1st grade until I graduated high school and moved out

Hildy (Hildegard) was my best friend. I was glad I was moved out of the house when she passed as I don't think I could have dealt with it in person. Mini red short-hair. I'm surprised she lived as long as she did as she would ferociously defend me and my little brothers when our step-father was beating the shit out of us.

ETA~ All the Dachshunds I've had had a little problem with excitement pee - just a little dribble here and there when they get worked up. BUt that could easily be a training failure on my part rather than something inherent in them.

[UncleYoder]

7. Go for it.

Very loyal and smart dogs. Don't be fooled by their cuteness. They were bred to hunt badgers.
Any dog willing to dig out and face down one of those is OK in my book.

[Aristus]

8. They have courage to spare.

I grew up with dachshunds in the family. On several occasions, they would charge the neighbor's dog (a German Shepherd) when it got too close to our lawn boundary. The Shepherd, four times larger than our dog, leaped away as if it had taken an electric shock, and then slunk away back to his doghouse on the neighbor's property.

They're highly intelligent, loyal, and beautiful dogs.

[sarge43]

10. Very protective, loyal, loving, lovable, smart and stuborn n/t

[HeiressofBickworth]

12. We have a chiweenie

a chihuahua and mini-dachshund mix. Generally ok, however he has some very strong territorial issues. He barks at anyone in our yard, the neighbors' yards, across the street and positively goes berserk over the mail deliverer who comes right up to the house to put mail in our box. He gets what I've named a "rage ridge" right down the middle of his back where the hair stands up when he is barking really hard. When he is in the back yard (not allowed in front) he barks when he hears the other dogs in the neighborhood barking, he barks at squirrels, birds, sounds from the neighbors' back yards. I have a friend who comes over for movies on Friday nights -- most Fridays the rest of the family is home and they take control of the dog. However, last week, I was the only one home. The dog barked very threateningly at my friend. I had given my friend treats to give the dog, to make a good impression. The dog stopped long enough to eat the treats and went back to barking. While we were watching the movie, as long as my friend didn't move, the dog didn't bark, but any change in position or trip down the hall to the bathroom brought new waves of barking. Couldn't put the dog out because he will damage a door trying to get back in. Likewise, putting him in another room -- he would damage the door trying to get out.

So, is his territorial behavior a result of the Chihuahua or the Doxie in him? I'd surely look at the breed traits before committing to any dog, particularly if it will have to be left alone during the day. Neighbors wouldn't welcome a barker.

[mnhtnbb]

18. My experience is that small dogs very often are barkers

and certainly dachshunds are included in that group.

I have a neighbor--in an apartment building--with a doxie and that dog barks EVERY time I walk by with my dog.
EVERY time. Apparently, it's not just my dog triggering the barking, either, because there is another
neighbor two doors down in that apartment building with a dog and she has commented to me that the
doxie is always barking at something.

[LiberalElite]

13. Here's a site that sells daschund toys etc.

http://www.whatsupdoxdachshundshoppe.com/Doxie_Toys_Chews_Treats.html

(I haven't ordered from it - I have 5 cats LOL.)

[pinboy3niner]

14. Do they have free shipping?

[mopinko]

15. basically terriers. ground dogs. vermin dogs.

expect it to kill things.
if that is a good thing in your book, get 2. i have rat terriers, and they are invaluable. but i have work for them.
terriers, hunters, need either work or play.

or a sofa to chew.

good luck.

[vanlassie]

16. Do it! They are lovers.

[Rhiannon12866]

17. Be sure to post photos!

My friend has two, brother and sister, and they are adorable and affectionate.

[LibertyLover]

19. Friends of mine have 3 of the little guys

and adore them to bits. They are cute and adorable and very intelligent. They can have problems with their backs like slipped discs that make walking difficut, but you can put them in carts and they do very well.

[hamsterjill]

20. Kudos for adopting from a rescue.

Thank you very much! Rescues are always looking for good homes for their animals. And, in fact, when you adopt from a rescue, you actually save TWO lives. Because by you adopting the one from the rescue and freeing up space, that allows the rescue to take in another from a kill shelter or other bad situation.