What Is the Demeanor of a Dachshund?

Dachshunds can live comfortably on big acreages or in small apartments, as long as their needs for companionship and exercise are met. This flexibility makes them a popular pet, and with a life expectancy of 12 to 15 years, they can be a long-lived family member. Dachshunds have strong personalities with good characteristics, but some qualities that not all owners will enjoy.

  1. Training

    • Dachshunds need humans to become the pack leader. If humans do not take the lead, dachshunds will be difficult to train and will have problems with housebreaking. Other problems that can arise in poorly trained dogs include guarding furniture, obsessive barking, separation anxiety and snapping at adults or children they do not know. Taking the time to properly train this dog will help prevent these issues.

    Loyalty

    • Dachshunds are good family dogs, but they have a tendency to belong to one person. They are considered a one-man dog, picking a favorite in the family. They will still be friendly to other family members, but younger children may get discouraged by this behavior. The person needs to be prepared for the dog to be with them as much as possible. This dog will follow its owner around from room to room, looking for companionship, which can be an annoying trait to some dog owners.

    Temperament with Children

    • Dachshunds are not recommended for families with young children, because they will snap at children if they play rough. They tend to be standoffish to strangers, so people who entertain may not like this dog. Children who are older and can take care of and play with dachshunds will have no problems. Dachshunds are good watchdogs for protecting children, because even though they lack size, they have a loud and strong bark.

    Hunting

    • Dachshunds were originally bred to hunt, and even though they are no longer used for that purpose, hunting traits are active in their personality. Dachshunds will hunt whatever they can smell, and some will even stalk other family pets. They love to dig and chew things. Courage is also an important trait in a hunting dog, and dachshunds are known to challenge animals much bigger in size.