Are dachshunds good family dogs?

In Breed Facts by Maria VesnaLeave a Comment

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If you are considering adding a dachshund to your family, then you are probably asking yourself, – are dachshunds good as family dogs? Is a dachshund the right dog for me?

Even though sausage dogs were originally bred to hunt ferocious badgers as well as other animals, at the same time they are active and fun-loving dogs.

The fun and loving nature of dachshunds make them excellent family dogs; they are also hard-working and well-appreciated therapy pets.

In this article we will examine wiener dogs personality and behaviour, and see what makes a dachshund the right (or maybe wrong) dog for you.

excellent family dogs

What makes dachshunds good family dogs?

The attractive appearance of Dachshunds has earned the breed many lovely nicknames including Hot Dog, Doxie, Wiener Dog, Dashie, Teckels, Dashels, etc.

Notwithstanding of its size, Dachshunds are always a delightful addition to the family. This is one of the many reasons they have been ranked at the top of the most popular dogs in the world since 1950’s.

Dachshunds are one of the breeds of dogs with the most stamina and energy. However, the Dachshund Club of America opposes Wiener Racing for Dachshunds because most Greyhound tracks see this as an avenue to draw a large crowd.

The Dachshund Club of America banned it because the DCA declared that such track events could cause a significant injury or damage to the Dachshunds’ backs due to their long spine.

Among all the traits of the Dachshund, like been curious, stubborn and independent, the Dachshund is never shy.

Apart from being an outstanding watchdog, the Dachshunds have a good sense to distinguish between friends or foes, making them perfect family pets.

In case you are thinking of getting a Dachshund as a family pet,  I can assure you that a Dachshund will steal your heart. Many people who have owned a Dachshund in the past will always have several others in the future. Also, they will tell you that Dachshunds are like potato chips, it is really hard to have just one. Dachshunds have these clownish antics with a silly look that is sure to melt your heart.

Dachshunds are good for families because of their liveliness and wittiness

“Know that dachshunds are a fascinating blend of ferocity, entitlement, and neediness… and be ready to live with a tiny clown.”

Pattie, a dachshund owner

Are Dachshunds Good Family Dogs: Are they Good with Children?

Dachshunds are loving, loyal and affectionate dog breeds. They are good family dogs and get along with children if you introduce them at an early age. However, Dachshunds can likewise be a bad choice for some families because they can be hard to housetrain.

Dachshunds are territorial in nature and can be very noisy at times. If not handled with care, the Dachshund, small and delicate dog, with its long spine, can easily injure his back. This makes the breed to be very protective and as such, can become dangerous around children.

Children with a dachshund. Dachshund makes a good family dog for families with kids.
Make sure to always supervise your children interaction with the dog

Dachshunds can also be very greedy when it comes to food. No doubt that many will not think twice before snapping the snack out of the hand of a child. With strict supervision and laid down rules on how to handle the Dachshund, they can be fun around children.

Make sure always to supervise the interactions between the children and the dog. This will go a long way in preventing any biting, tail, or ear pulling, that may result in the form of casualty.  The children should be taught to understand boundaries, when to approach and when not to do so. The kids also should be taught never to approach the Dachshund while he’s asleep as well as never to try to take the Dachshund food away while he is eating.

Sausage dogs are a right breed for children if they are brought up together. However, just as mentioned above, it is of utmost importance that you supervise their play with the kids. They should not pick up or hold the dog the wrong way.

Dachshunds are good family dogs that have an adaptable nature with a moderate exercise need that makes them appropriate for anyone. Not just only the Dachshunds, no dog breed should be left unsupervised with a child. You should always teach the kids how to approach and touch a dog.

Are Dachshunds Good In Apartments?

Some people argue if dachshunds are good to keep in the apartment. Apparently, they have some hunting instincts, which are hard to get under control. Dachshunds dig, which is exactly what they were bred to do. Nevertheless, due to the fact that they are living in a house doesn’t necessarily mean they have no more of that digging impulse. If you can, provide the Dachshund his own spot to dig in the backyard. In cases where practically nothing is provided, you will discover the Dachshund burrowing into your blankets.

Smooth haired dachshund on the sofa

Dachshunds possess a considerable amount of energy as well as strength. They really like to go for a walk or at least have fun outside along with other dogs, they as well love to hunt together and drill. 

Dachshunds are not suited to live outside or in a kennel; on the other hand, they ought to be in the house. Dachshunds may easily hurt their backs jumping on and off; therefore any time you hold a Dachshund, you should be cautious about supporting his back together with his chest.

A sausage dog definitely will learn quickly if he is well inspired. Make use of good incentives like food rewards and also its favorite set of toys to keep their focus, also not to mention always keep training periods brief. The Dachshund is sure to be bored when the same process of exercise is repeated over and over again, therefore make the practice exciting and appealing.

House training and crate training your dachshund

Housetraining most times can be troublesome with the Dachshund. A Dachshund will most likely not see the necessity of going outside. Endurance, as well as persistence, are two major factors you must exercise if you must get a good result.

Beyond housetraining, crate training is another method to make sure that your sausage dog is not going to end up in things he should not. Similar to any other dog, Dachshunds could, in fact, make a lot of damage in you apartment as puppies. Crate exercise at their young age will help the dachshund embrace confinement in the future event that he at any time can be boarded or perhaps hospitalized.

The crate should not be jail for your doxie, so do not stick him in it all day long; he should not stay a little more than some few hours at any given time inside of it, with the exception that he is resting or sleeping at night.

Dachshunds are no doubt very social dogs. Therefore, it is essential to know that they aren’t created to spend their lives been locked up in a kennel or a crate. Dachshunds perform better as watchdogs, but keep in mind that they can be a bit noisy. Minis, most notably, are usually yappy.

You should take it into consideration,  before buying your Dachshund puppy if he will be living with you in your apartment or probably condo community.

The best way to help your dachshund live longer?
Watch our video to find out!

How Do Dachshunds Behave With Other Dogs?

Dachshunds are outing dogs, and as such, they absolutely love to go for a walk or perhaps play outside along with other dogs. Besides they usually want to hunt as well as to dig. Needless to say, dachshunds catch a lot of attention, and there are committed breed lovers that will never think or consider keeping any other dog breed.

Quite often, Dachshunds are kept in two’s or even in a pack of three,- sausage dogs are very comfortable with each other as a breed. They recognise and entertain one another, therefore sometimes it’s a better choice to keep you doxie with another Dachshund pall.

Dachshund interaction with other dogs

Dachshunds are good family dogs and in most cases great with other dogs in general, even though a Dachshund is prone to jealousy, especially when they seek attention and besides that, your little wiener dog can be very selfish of his toys.

Are you thinking about getting another pet dog? The first thing you must do is to put a stop to the jealousness and possessiveness of your sausage dog.

Dachshunds like to be with the others of their breed. In case you have a Dachshund that loves to get lots of your attention, then it is imperative you consider all your reasons why you want to get another too.

Perhaps you believe that your Dachshund wants a dog pal, or maybe it occurred to you that having a different dog paired with your Dachshund will assist him to get over his separation anxiety. Or perhaps you just came across a cute little puppy for sale. 

All of these are good reasons to want to add another pet dog to the family, but you first need to understand the work required to get two dogs of different breeds to live together in peace.

It is very likely your sausage will not get along with the new member of the family at first. Even though dachshunds are good family dogs, they are prone to jealousy and this situation may provoke your pet into a rampage mission with whatever of your belongings that come in his path.

From the other side, Dachshunds will always get along very well with other dogs of a different breed, if they are introduced to them in puppyhood. With the confident and a bit selfish personality of the Dachshund, he will often become the lead dog.

Smooth-haired dachshund puppies. Dachshunds are good family dogs
Dachshunds get along best when they are introduced to each other as puppies

Things to consider when getting another pet in addition to dachshund

When introducing a new pet member, you must first understand that dogs cannot differentiate one breed from another. Dachshunds, just like any other dog breed, can distinguish that rabbits, cats, birds as well as other animals are different species,  but they are not capable of making a differentiation between various breeds. This is one distinct difference between us, humans, and our Dachshund pets.

When choosing a dog breed to add to the family, it is essential to put a dog personality into consideration. You should consider picking a dog with the same or similar temperament with your sausage dog.

Dachshunds usually are good family dogs, they are very active and also very playful, they will get along well with the same breed or perhaps, dogs with similar personality trait with themselves.

Whichever reason it is you may have that makes you want to add another dog to the family, make sure not to be influenced by emotional decisions. There are many ways to tackle anxiety issues in a Dachshund, and this is one of them, introducing another pet dog into the family can be an incredible and valuable experience.

How Do Dachshunds Behave With People?

Even though Dachshunds are very jealous and can be very attached to one person, the little wiener dogs, with their silly devotion, playfulness, and love are sure to steal your heart. Not losing your heart to one of these cuties just is not possible. Dachshunds are categorised under the scent hounds. Sausage dogs are developed to sniff out a small game like badgers, and to cover ground.

Dachshund attachment to an owner

Dachshunds are a little different from other dogs; they always want things done their own way, and will act in a manner they want to. You will ask yourself, how then can a Dachshund be attached to a person? Like with humans, it can sometimes be very difficult to explain how this bond works.

It could be the way the person touch the dog or the voice of the person that makes the dog very comfortable around this person. There are many good reasons why your sausage dog can get attached to you. Notably, they include:  you are in charge of his care, he sleeps alongside you or probably spends most of his time with you.

Smooth-haired dachshund with his owner.

A good number of Dachshunds will bond most with people who cared for them during the socialization period; this period is between the time of their birth and the first six months of their life. Within this period of their life, they are the most open-minded and as such, have a very receptive memory.

The experience they get from this very young age, influence them in many ways for the rest of their lives. For this reason, it is good to expose your sausage dog at such an early age to positive interactions with different people and places. However, do not forget that continued socialization matters a lot in this process.

Showing physical affection can also solidify the bond between you and your Dachshund. Giving your sausage dog attention, taking him for a walk, giving him a lot of massages and filling his bowl whenever he needs to eat or drink is likely to do the bonding magic between you and your little wiener pal.

Over-attachment in dachshunds

It is an incredible feeling when a Dachshund lovingly bonded with you. However, be careful not to allow the bond to reach the point where he develops separation anxiety whenever you are away or out of his sight. Generally speaking, two kinds of separation anxiety exist in dogs. Some dogs get stressed whenever the person they have a bond with is away. Still, they are able to cope with other people.

In the other case, the dog gets so attached that when his owner is away, he feels stressed and is not able to cope even when he is with other people.

The first step to solving the over-attachment problem with the dog is to acknowledge the fact that it is an issue.

When the Dachshund display a sign of stress anytime you that you are going away, then the bond is said to be dysfunctional because they will feel lost without you around.

It does not imply that you should stop loving or cuddling them; but you have to deal with it on your own terms, do not allow the egotistic personality of the Dachshund to take over.

Signal the Dachshund and let him understand while petting him that the interaction is done for the day. Do not run to him every time he whines, and you should encourage your Dachshund to sleep at a specified distance away from you. You can as well make use of baby gates to instill discipline in your sausage dog.

Are Dachshunds Good Family Dogs In Terms Of Personality?

Dachshund personality traits

Determination is one of the most common words describing the breed. The breed has been characterized by the dachshund standard as lively, courageous and clever to the very point of being careless.

Size makes no matter when it comes to a dachshund; he never gives up. Never insult a Dachshund by calling it cute because it is small,- a mini Dachshund is no less courageous.

The dachshund is a lot of things, that makes it a good family dog. It is persistent, eager and self-reliant and never shy. It courageously goes out to meet other breeds and as well as battle foes. The wiener dog is an exceptional watchdog and has no problem with friends who visit.

Dachshunds have a voracious appetite as they always want to eat. When presented with the opportunity, they can eat until they become sick. Though dachshund is capable of three to four miles of walk over hill and dale; they require a considerable amount of exercise of about half mile walks per day.

Dachshund temperament in regards to their coat type

Though all dachshunds are courageous and fearless, each varies in their personality. For the wire-haired dachshunds, they are terrier-like when it comes to temperament, as well as with a clownish attitude and with a higher chance of getting into trouble. The wire-haired dachshunds are the ones you will see with one end of the toilet roll running around the house with it.

The Longhaired dachshunds are known to possess the softer temperament among the breeds, a temper that matches their silky coat. Just as active as the two other breeds, they are more quiet and elegant.

The For the Smooth, he is not as crazy and wild like the Wire-haired dachshund, and not as quiet as the longhaired Dachshund. He is mischievous and moderate is his other name.

Long-haired Dachshund puppy. Dachshunds are good family dogs.

Training and exercise requirements

The dachshund is a versatile dog and as such will enjoy tracking rodents in field trials as well as partaking in a number of earth dog trials involving tunneling after rats. So, taking walks isn’t the only way to exercise the breed. Dachshunds dig because that is what they are born for.

Training a Dachshund to be obedient can be very problematic and required a lot of patience. A dachshund that is not obedient can result in a competitor in obedience trials, as well as in other dog sports activities. Finding what motivates your Dachshund can sometimes do the magic. Food can work at times, but Dachshund can be unpredictable. They always have and want to do things their own way no matter what you have offered them.

Training them requires quite a lot of consistency, patience and a good sense of humour. You can housetrain a Dachshund, but it is not totally reliable. At times, when it rains outside, they may not see reason why they should go outside to pee when they can just do it inside the house.


Despite their complex personality, dachshunds are good family dogs. They are energetic , affectionate and very loyal. With the right training and guidance , a dachshund can be just the right dog for you!

If you would like to find out more about dachshund personality, read our detailed article about doxie’s temperament and personality traits.

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