Are Dachshunds Good with Kids? A Guide for Parents
Families want a dog that will work well with their children, so I wondered are dachshunds a good breed to work with children? After looking up some facts, I was able to come to a conclusion.
Are Dachshunds good with kids? Dachshunds are wonderful with families and children. They are loving creatures that love to play and be with families as long as they are treated right. Dachshunds can get along with children and are the perfect “childhood pet”.
Although Dachshunds are great with kids, it is important to know what exactly makes them great and how to train them to get along in a family.
Raising a Family with a Dachshund
Growing up, my grandparents always had dachshunds. The “wiener dogs” as we called them, were always playful with the children. When they saw us, they would wag their tails excitedly and follow us around for our attention. From my early years, I always felt that Dachshunds were the perfect family pets.
Dachshunds make a great family pet because they have personalities that get along with kids. Dachshunds love to play, even as they grow older they will play with you.
They love attention, which is perfect since most kids love a pet that loves them back. Unlike some cats and exclusive dogs, dachshunds will love you and continue to show you love and devotion.
Dachshunds are comforters. Dogs seem to have an extra sense of knowing when something is wrong, and dachshunds are especially keen on providing comfort when you need it. They will snuggle with you and will follow you around if you let them. This is perfect for kids, a friend that is always there no matter what. Even if a child has a hard day, it is comforting to come home to a happy, doting dachshund.
Dachshunds are protective. Although Dachshunds are great around children they are familiar with, it must also be cautioned that Dachshunds are watched when around your child’s friends. If a Dachshund feels threatened or is hurt physically, they will defend themselves. If other children are unfamiliar with how to treat a dachshund, it can result in the dog fighting back.
It is smart to teach your children about how to treat Dachshunds so that they do not get hurt. Although these dogs are loving, they can be triggered to fight back or to defend themselves if they feel physically in danger. Their long backs are prone to injury so children must handle the dogs with care. Rough play will cause the dog to bark or even bite at the child.
Dachshunds are naturally hunters so it is important to remember that they will bark when they hear or see strangers.
Dachshunds will bark at strangers or if they hear noises. I have memories of being at Grandma’s house with her “weiner dogs” and hearing them bark through the fence outside at people just walking by. This can be an annyoance to some to have the constant barking. However, it is quite comforting to know that your dog is always alert and is watchful over you.
This is a great comfort for children especially, knowing that no bad guy can come near their house because their dachshund scared them off. People who have intentions to rob homes are less likely to come to a home if they hear barking. Barking is a great tool of protection for the family.
Activities to do with Dachshunds as a Family
Dachshunds are very playful and make great companions for outdoor activities! Some activities include: playing ball, hide and go seek, or even making an obstacle course for them.
Dachshunds have high energy, especially while young. Also if they are a smaller breed of Dachshund, they will have more energy. The smaller dogs seem to have a lot of energy built up!
Toys are a must have with Dachshunds. They love games of tug a war with ropes, and anything that involves playing with you. Dachshunds are natural hunters. In fact, they are referred to as Badgar Dogs, and have a natural tendency to dig and to hunt.
Instead of ending up with lots of holes in your yard, perhaps getting a sand box to allow your dog to dig in. That or a designated area in the backyard that the dachshund can dig in. They love becoming one with their instincts!
Dachshunds need exercise daily, so taking walks as a family is a great opportunity to help everyone achieve their exercise goals. Dachshunds typically do well with going on two half-hour walks a day. Taking a walk with your dog is not only a special bonding moment with you and your dog but also you as a family. It seems to give an excuse for the family to all get up out of the house together. See, aren’t Dachshunds perfect for a family!
Is a Male or Female Dachshund Better for a Family?
Although dachshunds are great dogs, some wonder is it better to have a male or female to raise with a family? That honestly depends on which you prefer, which is why I have done some research about the differences between the two.
Both Males and Females make great pets and are both beautiful dogs. There is not one that is more dominant than the other, for both can take the role as the more dominant dog. There are sometimes Males that are dominant and more alpha and sometimes the female dachshunds are more dominant.
Females will have cycles that they go through every 6 months where for 3 weeks they will be in heat. These weeks are when it is possible for the female to get pregnant.
Males do not have cycles but can be ready to mate at any time. In order to save any worry or concern about the dogs accidentally reproducing or getting a little crazy with other dogs, the best option would be to neuter or spay the dog.
Males are usually more playful than females, even as they age. They have more energy and love playing with their owners and usually seek more attention. This can be great for
Females tend to mature as they grow older, not as playful as males. This can be a great addition to the family as well because as the children grow calmer, the female will grow calmer with them. This can also benefit the house as children start to become busy with other
Males also create strong bonds with their owners and seek this more. They seek attention from their owners more than females and this creates a special bond. Females however can be easier to handle because they will not be as playful as they grow older. They mature out and can create that bond with their owner as dog and owner mature together.
Females can be moodier than males and this can lead them to get in trouble. When it comes to getting into fights with other dogs, females tend to fight other females. Maybe this is a dominance issue, so perhaps females tend to be more dominant. Yet male dachshunds do fine with other dogs and do not seem to get in fights as often.
In some ways, female dachshunds remind me of cats. They will come for your attention, but once they have had enough attention from you, they will go back and lay down in their spot. So it depends on what level of attention you are seeking in return from your dog. Just like in life, men and women have different personality traits which isn’t a bad thing, but it just depends on what you want to work with your family.
Potty Training a Dachshund with Kids
Dachshunds,
Potty training can be a great activity that the children can be a part of! It can teach them to do hard things…because potty training is not always easy.
To start potty training, start with choosing whether or not the dog will go outside or inside. Preferably the ideal way would be to have them learn to go outside, however, if this is not an option, there are other ways.
Begin by taking the dog outside many times, especially after they have eaten food. Wait for the dog to go potty or do its thing, then give them praise for it. Teach your kids to give the dog words of congratulations and other
If the dachshund does his business inside where he was not supposed to, teach your children to never hit or punish the dog. Right after it is done, words of shame can be said to the dog but never physical harm. To build trust in a relationship with a dog, there must be kindness. Physically hitting the dog or pushing, ect will cause your dog to fear you and not trust you.
Tell him that it is not a good decision to go to the bathroom inside and then clean up the mess. It is a good idea to move the dog away and small children after the deed is done. This can also be tricky if there are toddlers wobbling around that could accidentally wobble into the dog’s accident.
Ensure that the dog is placed outside and that small children are moved while cleaning up the mess. Older children can help with the clean up. Although it is an unfortunate event, it is a great learning opportunity to show them what cleaning material should be used and how to properly clean up after the dog.
Once the children know what cleaning materials to use and where to find them, they can clean the mess up on their own when you are not there.
Continue taking the dog back outside after every meal to do his business. If he does not go immediately after eating, make sure to continue taking him outside every hour until he does so, then always remember to give him praise!
Dachshunds do great with treats and awards. Something that may be fun for your children would be to let them give your dog dogie treats. After they go potty outside, the children can give them a treat. When there is a reward, the dog is more likely to want to do it again.
If potty-training inside, it is best to do it in a designated area on paper. Set out newspaper on the ground with your children. Then have the dog come and
What will also help him go in the same spot again is smelling where he left his mark. Dogs typically will go do their business in the same place as they did before from smelling where they left their mark.
After dogs have gone potty on the newspaper, replace the newspaper with new paper but leave one paper behind from the past. Not the paper they did their business on, but one of the surrounding newspapers near it which will have a familiar scent.
This familiar scent will lead them to come back to this same spot, thus creating a routine. Remember, always give praise and help teach your kids to give the dog praise for good behavior. It is also important to never physically hurt your dog after a mistake, especially with Dachshunds and their sensitive backs.
It is best to scold them directly after the event, but not anytime later. If they are scolded later for the same event, they will get confused as to why you are scolding them.
Your dachshund needs to know what is right and wrong when it happens and not latter on. Holding grudges against your dog longer after it happens will not result in any changes and will not help your dog go to the bathroom in the right spot.
Maintaing Dachshund’s Optimal Health as a Family
Before taking in a dachshund, remember that not only do your kids’ teeth, hair, and ears need to be maintained, but also a dachshund’s! Weekly maintenance is key to keeping your dachshund looking good, smelling clean and healthy.
Dachshunds also have bacteria that grow on their teeth. For optimal health, it is best to brush their teeth 2-3 times a week. (Nice break from brushing your kids’ teeth 7 days a week, right?) By brushing their teeth regularly, it ensures strong, healthy teeth and fewer visits to the vets for teeth problems.
Teaching your children how to brush the dog’s teeth can be fun too! As long as they are gentle with the dog, and have your help, it can be a great learning moment for them to see what is the best way to keep healthy. If they see that it’s healthy for the dog to brush their teeth, then maybe they’ll be more excited to brush their own teeth!
Hearing is an important sense that Dachshunds need to protect you with and obey your orders with, thus why it is important to maintain a watch over how their ears are doing! Since they have floppy ears, this can be an easy target for parasites or infections to enter. By having a doctor check out your dachshund, it can provide for the best service. They can also teach you how to clean your dachshund’s ears weekly. Ear Cleaning once a week will result in a happy, healthy dachshund you will want to keep!
Grooming Dachshunds with Kids
There are three different types of dachshund hair types. These three hair types are smooth haired, wired-haired, and long haired. The good thing with all three is that they do not shed much. This makes it convenient and easy for children to take care of.
Smooth haired dachshunds require the least amount of work because you don’t need to even brush them! You can use a wet cloth or even a sponge to clean keep them looking great. Low maintenance is great for kids because owning a dog is already a big responsibility.
Taking away the responsibility to brush the dog weekly will be a relief and another thing to take off your to-do list. Especially as a parent with your already busy filled schedule. These dogs also only need a bath when they actually need one, there is no mandatory weekly bath routine needed.
However, if you want your children to have a little more responsibility, wired-haired dachshunds are next on the list for a little more maintenance. They need to be brushed every week with a bristle brush. As far as baths go, they only need one every so often.
The type of dachshund that requires the most work is the long-haired kind. These dachshunds need their hair combed regularly to avoid their hair knotting or getting tangled up. Not only do long-haired dachshunds need baths often but they also need to be blowed dried after the bath. Gotta keep that long hair looking great!
Related Questions:
How expensive are dachshunds? Dachshund puppies range from $200-$1,000 depending on where you purchase them from. It is best to choose a good breeder where you know information about their parents. Information about the parents will let you know about your own dog’s personalities and to know that it is a breeder you can trust.
Are Dachshunds loyal to one person? Dachshunds stay loyal to their owners. They love to create bonds with people and seek for love and attention from them. They will bark at strangers or strange noises, always there to protect you.