marshallsmama
New Member
Hello everyone,
I'm looking for a bit of specialised advice from people who know the daxie breed well. I am a dog trainer, however have only trained one mini in my career as they're not a particularly popular breed in my area. I know of the breed type and the standard for temperament, however I'd like to know more about how this differentiates from dog to dog.
I currently have a Golden Retriever, (almost 4, neutered, male) and I've come to realise that I am incredibly lucky with him. He is very laid-back, bomb-proof with socialising and very smart to boot. The last thing I want is to go in to getting a new puppy with the false hope that I'd be this lucky twice!
I've decided I definitely want a female puppy, for pet/companion only but she will come to hobby obedience/fun and games training classes with me weekly. My most important things I'd be looking for are:
Sociable: I've heard that daxies can be snappy around children, strangers and other dogs, though I will be doing extensive socialising with all types of people and animals to combat this anyway. Is this something that is more down to a lack of training, or is there a definitive predisposition to this kind of behaviour? I'd really like a dog that would be happy to accompany me on walks with a large group of dogs, and wouldn't be stressed out if we had visitors round the house. A happy-go-lucky attitude to everything is sort of what I'm looking for, which brings me on to the next point...
Easy-going and calm: Of course, all dogs need exercise and puppies are nutty. I'm not expecting a little cherub of a furbaby! My current routine with my dog Marshall is a late afternoon/early evening walk for around an hour, off-lead, in a dog park of a few acres. During the day, he has full run of the house and a large (by London standards) garden. Every once in a blue moon, I get super swamped and Marshall doesn't get a walk for a day or so. Would a daxie go stir crazy from this? I know they're not quite as lazy as Golden Retrievers, but I'm hoping with a big brother to play with and a garden to run around in, her little legs will get tired out.
Affectionate: Ideally, I'm looking for a portable lapdog. Marshall is a wonderful dog to take on hikes and go river-swimming with, but I'd really enjoy having a little companion that will accompany me while I run errands and is happy to snuggle up on the sofa after a long day. A velcro dog would be perfect, as she'd never really be away from me, and when I have to leave her home she'll have Marshall for company. Are daxies too independent and spritely to be carried around and cuddled?
Intelligent:I've heard dachshunds are hard to train, which is fine - I am used to stubborn dogs! But I do love teaching my dogs new tricks, and watching them learn and figure things out for themselves. Hard to train I can deal with, but are daxies smart? Do they enjoy learning?
I think those are my main concerns, however I would appreciate anyone coming along with other things I should consider, such as just how hard the house training is, or any other quirks of the breed i.e. I'd tell someone just how bloody much Goldens shed, and that they have a penchant for eating poop as puppies. The last thing I want is to rush in to a breed without truly knowing what I'm getting myself in for.
Thank you in advance for all responses!
I'm looking for a bit of specialised advice from people who know the daxie breed well. I am a dog trainer, however have only trained one mini in my career as they're not a particularly popular breed in my area. I know of the breed type and the standard for temperament, however I'd like to know more about how this differentiates from dog to dog.
I currently have a Golden Retriever, (almost 4, neutered, male) and I've come to realise that I am incredibly lucky with him. He is very laid-back, bomb-proof with socialising and very smart to boot. The last thing I want is to go in to getting a new puppy with the false hope that I'd be this lucky twice!
I've decided I definitely want a female puppy, for pet/companion only but she will come to hobby obedience/fun and games training classes with me weekly. My most important things I'd be looking for are:
Sociable: I've heard that daxies can be snappy around children, strangers and other dogs, though I will be doing extensive socialising with all types of people and animals to combat this anyway. Is this something that is more down to a lack of training, or is there a definitive predisposition to this kind of behaviour? I'd really like a dog that would be happy to accompany me on walks with a large group of dogs, and wouldn't be stressed out if we had visitors round the house. A happy-go-lucky attitude to everything is sort of what I'm looking for, which brings me on to the next point...
Easy-going and calm: Of course, all dogs need exercise and puppies are nutty. I'm not expecting a little cherub of a furbaby! My current routine with my dog Marshall is a late afternoon/early evening walk for around an hour, off-lead, in a dog park of a few acres. During the day, he has full run of the house and a large (by London standards) garden. Every once in a blue moon, I get super swamped and Marshall doesn't get a walk for a day or so. Would a daxie go stir crazy from this? I know they're not quite as lazy as Golden Retrievers, but I'm hoping with a big brother to play with and a garden to run around in, her little legs will get tired out.
Affectionate: Ideally, I'm looking for a portable lapdog. Marshall is a wonderful dog to take on hikes and go river-swimming with, but I'd really enjoy having a little companion that will accompany me while I run errands and is happy to snuggle up on the sofa after a long day. A velcro dog would be perfect, as she'd never really be away from me, and when I have to leave her home she'll have Marshall for company. Are daxies too independent and spritely to be carried around and cuddled?
Intelligent:I've heard dachshunds are hard to train, which is fine - I am used to stubborn dogs! But I do love teaching my dogs new tricks, and watching them learn and figure things out for themselves. Hard to train I can deal with, but are daxies smart? Do they enjoy learning?
I think those are my main concerns, however I would appreciate anyone coming along with other things I should consider, such as just how hard the house training is, or any other quirks of the breed i.e. I'd tell someone just how bloody much Goldens shed, and that they have a penchant for eating poop as puppies. The last thing I want is to rush in to a breed without truly knowing what I'm getting myself in for.
Thank you in advance for all responses!