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This popular breed,
with its unique body and way of walking, is a
favorite with families. Due to needing little
exercise, this bred makes and excellent choice for
people living in apartments, smaller homes, or homes
without yard space. However, just because the
Dachshund is a smaller dog, with short legs, does
not mean your pet can get by without some training
and exercise.
As with any purebred dog, the best place to start is
with a top-quality breeder, one who will only offer
the healthy, well-socialized puppies. Young dogs
from good breeders will be energetic, active, and
curious, but at the same time, these dogs will be
comfortable around humans and other dogs because the
breeder makes sure that his system produces such
puppies. This would get the new owner off to a great
start with a Dachshund puppy.
Contrary to some
opinions, Dachshunds can be, very good pets when it
comes to obedience and training but you will
find this breed can be a bit stubborn. For this
reason, firm and consistent direction is needed.
Generally, the Dachshund carries itself with some
energy and is quite friendly. The dog is active,
even indoors, but also loves spending time outside.
Some type of open area is recommended for play and
for trotting about the yard to get exercise. This
breed has great stamina, a trait held over from
their origins as a working dog used to hunt down
badgers.
Dachshunds can be a bit difficult to housebreak and
some owners report that even after the pet is part
of the family for several years, there are times
when the dog will not go outside. Remember, there is
a stubborn streak in many Dachshunds so you need to
be prepared for this, at least to the point of
expecting it to happen and not overreacting when it
does. Puppies will take about six months to get used
to the housebreaking expectations and adult
Dachshunds, being willful, may take a little longer.
A good place to start with potty training is to set
off a puppy zone meant for use by the pet when you
are not at home, becoming a safe area where the
Dachshund could go, even when you are not around.
Having such an area or room in the home will
eliminate bigger housebreaking problems. The key to
housetraining a new puppy is to prevent the
“accidents” rather than punishment after the fact.
Some trainers and experienced owners report that
constant supervision is necessary, as well as
getting in tune with the pet’s habits.
Sometimes, a Dachshund puppy will decide to chew on
things around the home until provided with a number
of stimulating “toys” that the pet eventually
regards as its own. You would be amazed at how toys
can solve bigger problems. Remember that young dogs
explore, using the mouth and nose for this purpose.
One trainer uses a simple system of verbal response
such as “OW” when the puppy attempts to bite or nip,
trying to make sure the puppy’s teeth never touch
bare skin, even during play.
Dachshunds also love to dig so new owners should
make an effort to let them know when and where this
is okay. Some reports from owners and trainers show
that the Dachshund makes a good choice for obedience
and trial activity, if the focus is on using the
breed’s natural instincts for hunting down small
animals and for working close to the ground. Just
remember that special care should be taken to avoid
injuring a Dachshund’s back with activity not suited
to the body style and short legs of the breed.
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