Are Dachshunds Family-Friendly Dogs?
- Naajamah Jones
- Nov 10, 2019
- 2 min read
The short answer is: Yes, dachshunds are family-friendly dogs. We'll be going into exactly what makes them family-friendly dogs like their temperament, aggressiveness, and personality traits.
Temperament
Dachshunds have always been described as being intelligent and independent dogs. Due to their history of hunting, dachshunds tend to be extremely independent in nature.
Their independence easily translates into stubbornness since they frequently made their own decisions as they listened to their instincts rather than their owners. Both of these traits can make training dachshunds difficult at times.
On the bright side, once they are trained, dachshunds are very loyal making them very protective of their owners and family. This is a great advantage if you and your family are looking for a safeguarding pet to add to the family.
Aggressiveness
It common for smaller dogs to be seen as extremely aggressive. Dachshunds definitely fit this stereotype, but what most people don't realize is that they are typically only aggressive towards unknown dogs and strangers.
Dachshunds are loyal pets so they tend to be a bit overprotective. This aggression from strangers can be solved by socializing your dachshund early on so they do not see strangers as threats to the family or to themselves.
Since dachshunds are independent animals, they sometimes do not take training very well which can result in aggression towards their owners. This can be remedied by not rewarding their dog for this behavior, a large amount of patience, and a variety of other techniques.
Kids with Dachshunds
Energy
Dachshunds are extremely active dogs that require exercise every single day whether it be doing zoomies up and down the stairs, digging holes in the back yard, or going for a walk around the block. Kids are also little bundles of energy so the two can entertain each other until they tire out. This high energy dog can easily promote exercise for small kids and also the family!
Size
Dachshunds are also relatively small dogs. The standard dachshund can be between 16 and 32 pounds and the miniature dachshund is bout 10-14 pounds. Parents won't have to worry about a larger dog, say like a golden retriever, running into their child our of excitement and causing some injuries. Also, when large dogs get aggressive it can be a recipe for disaster and maybe even a trip to the hospital. Dachshunds are the perfect size for small kids and for the off chance that they do get aggressive with a family member, they won't cause major injuries due to their size.
Yes, They Are Family Dogs!
All in all, dachshunds are great dogs for families of all kinds, but especially families with small children. Some key points to remember are that dachshunds can be great dogs as long as they are trained properly and small children are trained properly on how to handle these small animals. And lastly, that they are comfortable when being introduced to new people or animals, if they are not they will become aggressive.
Next Week
We will be talking about the life cycle of IVDD and how dachshund owners can detect it early or how to properly treat it if your pup already has it. See you then!
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