Daschunds, the Weenie Houdinis

[mga416]

I just got a daschund and I have never had one before. Are they prone to eating anything they come in contact with? I have always had yorkies (Angus is 10) so I am not familiar with this breed. I can't recall that Angus ever got into stuff. This puppy, Peti, has already ingested plastic and styrofoam and cost me over $200. in emergency vet bills. I don't know where he got the plastic but he found the styrofoam cup in my teenage daughter's room. I know you all must be wondering why I would let the 8 week old puppy wonder the house. Well, we have a crate and a baby gate for him but he can escape from both!!! He is the Weenie Houdini!! I guess I will have to bury the fencing 6ft under to keep this rascal in the yard! Is this breed naturally good at squeezing through small places? Thanks for any advice!

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Hehe...my old Dachshund, Todo, ate everything! Then again, most young puppies do. Is the baby gate locked? If its locked, I think he would have a harder time "escaping".:)

[micki76]

Originally posted by mga416
He is the Weenie Houdini!! I guess I will have to bury the fencing 6ft under to keep this rascal in the yard! Is this breed naturally good at squeezing through small places? Thanks for any advice!

Ha ha ha!! The Weenie Houdini! I love it!

I don't know about this breed, but we had to bury our fence about 12 inches in the ground, because of Chester. He likes to try to dig out :rolleyes:

[cocker_luva]

maybe he climbs over the gate. my brothers pit bull (when she was a pup) used to climb over the gate to greet people when they came over. :)

[robinh]

Yes, they will eat anything. Our 8+ year old Max, used to eat some of the craziest things. He finally grew out of it, but I don't remember when. We're putting on a new deck and the new puppy Muffin keeps getting ahold of pieces of treated lumber - very bad news. So we constantly follow her around to find out what she's picked up now.

You are right mga416, they are masters of escape! We've called Max the "Houdini Weenie" for years. He is the fastest dog I've ever seen when the door is open - he is outside and GONE!! I've chased him down I don't know how many times. The only saving grace in this now is he's fat enough I can catch him. At our old house we had a chain link fence and Max (when he was small) would go running across the yard and it seemed like he would just duck down slightly and zip underneath the fence to run down the street like crazy. We used to have to use 3 people to corner him and catch him.

We do have 2 baby gates for the little dogs. An expandable bar type one keeps them from falling down the open basement staircase and an adjustable pressure X-mesh one keeps them out of rooms when we clean, paint or move furniture. The pressure one works about the best and they come in regular and tall heights.

For our yard, we finally don't have to bury the fence, but we live in the country and do have an unusual fence - not sure the name but it starts out at the top with 4"x4" spaces and that decreases down to 1"x4" spaces. So far it's worked fairly well since neither dachshund can get through it.

They are great dogs once they get used to the rules - I'm sorry - once they get you used to the rules. We have found they are worth their price in laugh value.

Here is Max and his baby sister, Muffin
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid65/pcd315cda283d32c0d90c17082959330c/fbf66df3.jpg

[mga416]

thanks for the encouragement! We are enjoying our puppy very much. I guess I will have to read up on dachshunds! Your pictures are very cute. Peti looks just like Muffin. I will try to post pictures soon.:)

[Mich]

Oh!.........what a photo ! ! ! ! Makes my heart ache, as we had one when I was a teenager ( I'm old now). His name was "Beau". and he was the best dog. Congrats in having them.

To all who have one of these dogs, love and care for them, but don't think they won't protect you, as they are small in statue, but not of heart.

[Mich]

Well, all puppies are the same. I did not know of crates until I began talking to americans. We don't house train our dogs like that........it is all hard work for the first couple of months. Every 15-20 mins, take them outside and wait till they do their business, and praise them. At night, some people lock them in the laundry or bathroom etc, but I never did. I had them next to me in their basket and took them outside when they atirred. It did not take long to train them. As for eating bad things......well I been through that, and broken bones, and etc, etc,........

As one dog passes and you get another, you don't make the same mistakes. I have had 9 dogs.......not all from pups, but they taught me and I taught them....

A Dachshund is a very intelligent dog, so train the little pet, as it will reward you.

[Airedalekisses]

I puppysat a Weenie Houdini, Scooby, fastest thing on four little wrinkled legs, she actually took the clips off the screen to hold it in the door and out she went.I was in hot pursuit at 6:00am in a bathrobe uncombed hair yelling Scooby, Scooby where are you? all over the neighbourhood. The movie had just come out -It's a wonder I wasn't locked up in the local asylum. Scooby, also, can squiggle out of a harness.Don't want to have it too tight lest she resembles a trussed sausage. I must tell her mother about the weenie Houdini, oh and yes she ate an entire collection watercolour paint tubes-no harm; but the droppings were quite colourful!! I think they grow out of it-I hope for your sake they do!!