Darling Dachshunds - Barkers in Balance

Darling Dachshunds

Despite their size, dachshunds are known for their courageous nature and will take on animals much larger than themselves. Some may be aggressive toward strangers and other dogs. As family dogs, dachshunds are loyal companions and good watchdogs. They are good with children if treated well. They are also commonly known as either the sausage dog or the hot dog and this is due to their elongated appearance. Other names by which this breed is known include Weenie Dog, Wiener Dog, Bassotto, Sosis, Perro Salchicha, Jamnik, Badger Dog, Tax, and Takca. Which name is used often depends on the location as they have different names in different countries.

Did you know?

They love to burrow
They come in 2 different sizes & have 3 different coat types
They are a symbol of germany
They have a long lifespan – between 12-16 years generally
They were originally working dogs

Here are some stories from some of our lovely sausage dogs that have attended our puppy classes or good manners classes over the last couple of months!

MY NAME IS OSCAR.
I’m a Dachshund and I’m 8 months old. A few things have happened in the world and in my home life to make me overly-attached to my human. This has resulted in me barking and panicking even when I think she is going to leave. I may be only pint-sized but the neighbours have complained about the big noise I make when I’m left alone. This week we had a lesson to learn some new techniques to help me cope better with solitude, starting first with tiny doses. I’m only young; plenty of time to learn to be a big independent boy!

MY NAME IS TED

the Mini Dachshund, 2.5 years old. Sadly I’ve joined the ranks of anxious, reactive dogs, due to unprovoked dog attacks. When will people learn:

1) that there is only one place for off-leash dogs and that is in a designated off-leash area?

2) that “Don’t worry; my dog’s friendly” just doesn’t cut it?

3) that “under adequate control of the owner” means exactly that?

4) that a bomb-proof recall is essential?

Anyway, back to me….I had a lesson this week so my human and I could practise exercises to engage my focus, make me feel better about seeing other dogs and work towards making me more confident on the street again.

OUR NAMES ARE PIPER AND OSCAR. We are Dachshunds, 3 and 4 years old. We know we are cute but we have a lot of difficulty relaxing on the lead, especially around new things and other dogs. We’ve started some exercises to reduce some of the fear we feel in such situations. Although we love food, we don’t want to feed off each other’s anxiety on the lead. For this reason we’re starting with short exercises in quiet places to build up our trust and focus separately.

MY NAME IS THEODORE.
I’m a REALLY well trained Dachshund but that doesn’t stop me from being reactive on the lead. You see, before I came to Barkers in Balance I had been attacked in two different incidents. My human and I started some “emotional repair” work and then between Lessons 2 and 3 I was set upon by a neighbour’s off-leash Staffie! In last week’s lesson I practised remaining calm and settled on my own mat, a safe area. They exposed me at a distance to things that could worry me (moving things and fake dogs). Although I barked a little at each new exposure I showed my human that I was able to regain my composure and practise calm observation of these potentially scary things. Next week I’m going to start attending Growly classes so that I can practise calm behaviour around a small class of other dogs just like me!

MY NAME IS ELLIE.

I’m a Dachshund, 12 months old. I’m a very anxious young dog, working slowly and calmly through behavioural exercises to help me cope better with the world. At this stage it doesn’t matter where the anxiety came from as long as those triggers are no longer in my environment. My human has me practising short sessions only where I feel comfortable. In between she helps me relax with activities such as a snuffle mat.

We hope you enjoyed some of our stories about our latest lovely sausage doggies !