It is hard not to smile when you see a Dachshund; there is just something so entertaining about their long bodies, their big ears, and their bright eyes. This is truly a dog with an amazing personality and temperament, but training and socialization will be important as with any breed.
To help determine if this is the right breed for you, a closer look at their personality and temperament will be helpful. Typically, if you ask anyone who has been a Dachshund owner, you will find you get a very positive review. Keep in mind that each dog is slightly different, but in general, you can expect the following traits to be present.
Likes People
A Dachshund is a devoted dog to his or her family. They are really a “people” dog when socialized. However, an unsocialized Dachshund can become very wary of strangers and can become a challenge to manage. They can also become possessive of their toys and food, so it is important to work with them when they are young to prevent these issues.
Even though they are a people dog, the Dachshund is a very alert watchdog. They do have a higher pitched, short bark that can be persistent. They will certainly alert you to anyone approaching the home or property, but they are not prone to any type of overtly aggressive behavior. Barking needs to be carefully controlled as it can become a concern in urban areas or in apartments.
Some Dachshunds can become possessive of their family or of a particular member of the family. This can be problematic and should never be encouraged or rewarded. Having other people interact with the dog and not isolating the dog with the owner is always an important consideration.
One of the endearing qualities of the breed is their clownish or puppyish behavior that will continue on well into their senior years. If they find something that makes an owner laugh, they quickly learn to do it over and over again. They are natural pleasers, but it does have to be on their own time.
Likes Other Dogs
The Dachshund is a dog-friendly breed by nature. Many owners have two or more of these dogs, and they will play and interact with each other all throughout the day. They will also get along well with both large and small dogs, but they can be rather yappy and may rush at other strange dogs. This can result in the other dog becoming defensive, which can be a concern.
Personality
The Dachshund is independent and is known to completely ignore an owner if they have something better or more interesting to do. This is often one of the traits the dedicated Dachshund owner appreciates even though it can be frustrating at times.
This is a breed that will work for treats, but they are not a dog that will do the same trick over and over again. They can be prone to weight gain, which puts strain on their long back, so use healthy, small snacks for training.
You will find the Dachshund is a loving dog. He or she will want to spend time physically close to the people they love. As a breed, they are active and enjoy going for walks, but they also love to dig and chase, so watch out for flower gardens, cats or other small pets in the home.
They need an owner with patience and the time to spend with the dog. They are not a dog that enjoys spending time alone and would prefer to be with their families than left by themselves.
