Wirehaired Dachshund FAQs

Q.  What are they like to live with?

A.  All Dachshunds are great characters, but Wires are especially 
extrovert and can be great fools.  They do have very strong characters
and need to know who the boss is, otherwise they can definitely rule
the house.  They do not need to be smacked in order to get them to 
behave; tone of voice is all that is needed.

Q. Do they have good temperaments?

A. Yes, in general.  They are more extrovert than the other 
varieties of Dachshund and full of character.  They can become very 
devoted to one person in the family - whoever they spend the most time 
with.  Basically they are fun-loving dogs who want to be involved in 
everything their owners do.  Some strains are sharper than others.  Be 
guided by the temperaments of the parents of any puppies you look at 
with a view to purchasing.

Q. Are they good with children?

A. Yes, provided they are brought up with them from puppyhood.  As 
with all breeds of dog, you should never leave one alone with any child. 
Provided you supervise your children with the puppy, your Wire 
Dachshund will become a great friend to your children and will enjoy 
joining in all their games.  They make excellent family dogs, being sturdy 
and robust in stature and are more suitable for life with children than the 
smaller miniature dachshunds.

Q. Should I get a dog or a bitch?

A. There is little difference in size and temperament between dogs and 
bitches in this breed.  Bitches have the disadvantage of coming in 
season twice yearly and dachsies are notorious for suffering from "false 
pregnancies" when they come into milk and exhibit behavioural mood 
swings due to fluctuating hormones.  Of course, having your bitch 
spayed will put an end to this, but spayed bitches can become fat and 
lethargic, and spaying changes the coat texture, making the coat much 
more "woolly" and softer.  Dogs make equally good companions and 
tend to be less "mercenary" than bitches, who, once adult tend to be 
more food orientated.  Dogs tend to be more fun-loving and want to play 
games and join in, whereas bitches can prefer a quieter life, just sitting 
on the chair all day.  Unless you particularly want to breed puppies, a 
dog makes a better companion than a bitch.

Q. Are they easy to house-train?

A. If you put the time in when the puppy is very young, then yes.  You 
must be prepared to keep letting your new puppy out to relieve himself 
every 15 minutes or so, while he is awake and playing.  As they puppy 
grows, extend the time interval.  The secret is never to let him puddle or 
mess in the house so that he learns the right habits and does not make 
mistakes.  They can become "confused" and end up playing outside in 
the garden, and relieving themselves indoors and once your dachsie 
gets into this cycle, bad habits can be extremely hard to break.  As with 
all hound breeds, they can never be classed as 100% house-trained.  
However, with consistency and reward for good behaviour your new 
pup should be well on the way to being clean in the house by about 4 
months of age.  Even as adults, make sure to let your dachsie out to 
relieve himself at regular intervals, to avoid any chance of him making a 
mistake.  Watch out when you take your dachsie visiting to friends' 
houses.  They can be keen to "mark their new territory" - and this 
applies to both dogs and bitches!!

Q. Are they destructive?

A. Yes, they can be, especially when young and certainly if they are left 
alone for long periods of time.  Dachsies can suffer from "separation 
anxiety", which basically means they dislike being apart from their 
owners and will take their frustrations out on the furniture, carpets etc. 
Provided you are only going to be out for a couple of hours, putting your 
dachsie in a dog-crate can be the best answer.  Make sure he is 
exercised before you shut him away and give him a cosy blanket to lie 
on and some interesting toys to play with.  They are not suitable pets for 
people who are out at work for long hours, although they can cope with 
part-time hours.  As the dog gets older he should become less 
destructive.

Q. How much exercise do they need?

A. About an hour's walking each day once they are adult.  They are an 
active breed and need regular exercise if they are not to become bored, 
noisy and destructive in the house.  However, avoid the temptation 
simply to turn the dog out in the garden.  They need proper exercise on 
and off the lead.  Teach your new puppy to walk sensibly on the lead 
and get him used to traffic.  Teach him to come back off the lead while 
he is still small.  However, don't over exercise young dachsies.  About 
20 minutes a day is plenty for a pup of 4 - 6 months old.  By the time 
they reach maturity at about 1 year old increase the time spent walking 
to about an hour each day.

Q.  Do they come back, if let off the lead?

A.  It depends!!!  If you let them off the lead when they are young 
puppies (after they have completed their injections), you can usually
teach them to come back by use of encouraging commands and titbits
as bribes.  However, some dogs have a very strong hunting instinct and
may never be safe to let off.

The secret is to start young and make it fun for them to come back.

Q.  My Wire is very well behaved and obedient.  Is it safe to let him off 
the lead when we are out for road walks?

A.  No.  Wires have absolutely no road sense.  However well trained 
your Wire may be, it is simply not worth the risk (and potential 
heartbreak) to let him walk near a road, off the lead.  Near a road,
always keep your dog on a short lead, never use an extending flexi-lead.

Q.  Does my garden need to be "dog-proof"?

A.  Yes.  Wires (and all Dachshunds) can be great escape artists; they
love digging.  Your garden needs to be completely dog-proof, with a
good fence all round.  Make sure any gates are clearly marked so that
visitors shut them properly.  Your Dachshund will "be off", given the 
slightest opportunity and they have no road-sense whatsoever.

Q.  Do they bark much?

A.  In general, they are a noisy breed, but some "lines" are more noisy 
than others.  They can become persistent barkers so you do have to 
work hard with them as puppies to ensure they know when to be quiet.

Q. Do they moult?

A. No - because they have wire coats which require "stripping" (or 
clipping if it is a soft coat), they do not shed hair like normal dogs.
They also do not smell "doggy" either.

Q.  How often will I have to strip the coat?

A.  It depends on how good a coat your Wire has.

A "pin-wire" coat may never need to be stripped; merely tidied up from
time to time (especially if you are showing him).

The "average" coat will probably need to be stripped 2 to 3 times a 
year.

If you are unlucky enough to have a really "soft and fluffy" coat, you
may need to strip it more frequently!

Q.  What is the earliest age you can tell a wire is going to have a 
good coat?  Are they born with a double coat?  I've read the coat
gets harder with age.

The earliest age you can tell if a Wire is going to have a good coat is
between 6 to 8 weeks old.  The smoother the coat looks, the better it will
be as an adult.  If the puppy has lots of whiskers & beard at 8 weeks, the
coat will be softer.  The ones with the best coats don't have any whiskers
until they're about 6 months old.

They don't appear to be born with a double coat.  Usually they get darker in
colour and by about 8 weeks you can just see the yellow undercoat beneath
the black top coat (on brindles).  It is less easy to see the double coat in
red puppies.

I'm afraid the coat does not get harder with age.  In fact, on a few of them
the coats appear to get softer with age.  In general I would say that what
they have in the way of coat at 8 weeks is about the type of coat they will
have as adults.  Of course you can tidy them up to make them look better.
Quite often we find that you get a range of coat types in a litter and it is
very difficult to predict from the parents as to what the puppies' coats
will be like.  You don't always get what you imagine they will be like.

Q. How much grooming do they need?

A. Apart from stripping the coat 2 - 3 times a year, your pet wire will need 
a thorough brush and comb each week.  This is a good chance to 
check all round health.  Make sure his ears are clean, eyes free of 
discharges and feet free of mud-balls between the pads.  It is as well to 
get your dachsie used to having his teeth brushed with a toothbrush 
and "doggy" toothpaste as this avoids health problems with tartar 
accumulation and associated gum disease.  Regular grooming and 
general handling will make your wire easy to cope with if he has to visit 
the vet for any reason.

Q. What if I want to breed from my bitch?

A. You have to be sure that you have enough enquiries for good 
homes, as this is quite a specialist breed and can be difficult to sell
if you don't have "contacts" in the breed.  On average only 250-300 Wire 
dachshunds are registered each year (UK), and enquiries for new 
homes tend to be from people who have already had one of the breed 
and are looking for a replacement for an old dog who has died.  They 
can have quite large litters of 6 - 8 puppies and if new owners are not 
forthcoming you could be faced with keeping this number of extremely 
active (and hungry) pups beyond the age of 8 weeks until suitable 
homes become available.  Have you the time and the space for such a 
commitment?  

Perhaps it would be better to get another puppy from a specialist 
breeder if you want a companion for your pet.

Q.  Are they healthy as a breed?

A.  Generally, Wires are very healthy dogs and, given a good balanced 
diet, plenty of exercise and mental stimulation, should be no more prone
to ill-health than any other dog.

Q.  Are there any particular health problems to look out for?

A.  As with all Dachshunds, back injuries can occur more easily than 
with more "normal" shaped dogs.  Simple precautions like not allowing 
them to climb stairs and supporting their backs when you pick them up 
really are important.

Some Wires can be prone to itchy skin or grass allergies.  Here, the only 
real solution is to keep them off the grass (usually early in Spring).  
Always seek the advice of your vet if you are worried.

There are no particular inherited diseases that are currently causing 
concern in the Breed.

PLEASE NOTE:  Always consult your Vet for the latest advice on 
potential health problems in the Breed, prior to buying a puppy (or older 
dog).

Q. Should I have two?

A. Dachshunds love the company of other Dachshunds, but you need 
to think carefully about getting two...

Two dog puppies, growing up together, will almost certainly fight when
they are older in order to decide who will be top dog.  You may need
to get one, or both, neutered to help avoid this.  Generally, we don't 
recommend people should have two dog puppies.

Two bitch puppies probably won't fight and are likely to grow up well
together.

Be careful if introducing a new puppy to an older dachshund.  Both 
older dogs and bitches can be a bit snappy at first, but should learn
to get on well enough.  Introducing a dog puppy to an older dog may
result in fights for dominance as the younger dog reaches maturity.  
Great care will be needed in this case.  Introducing a puppy of either
sex to an existing bitch is less likely to lead to dominance fights.
The guide is...  be careful and ensure they are well supervised while 
they get to know each other.

Don't forget... two dogs = twice the noise and potential destruction!!!