My Mini Dachshund | Puppy Advice

So my plan had originally been to introduce my puppy when I introduced myself, but It happened that he wasn't around when I took the photos for the post... Which was probably a good thing, as that would have made my last post very lengthy. But luckily I have him back in my clutches now, so I can give you your daily dose of puppy pics.

This post is going to tell you a little bit about how I ended up getting him, the breed and an insight into the struggles of actually owning a Dachshund puppy (Or puppy in general). I hope it helps in some way, maybe you've been thinking about getting a puppy and this will clear a few things up, or maybe just seeing pictures of a puppy will make your day a little more magical!

THE BEGINNING

So getting a puppy was something I'd always thought about doing but had put in the box of 'adult things' for when I had my own place. I had many fears, ranging from the puppy restricting my personal life to me failing as a parent.

I'd been in a rather low place for a considerable period of time and getting a puppy, amongst other changes, ended up being my attempt to move towards more positive things. Backed by the rest of my family, I felt confident that I could give a puppy the life that it deserved.

Getting him definitely cheered me up and amongst many other benefits, I have learnt so much in such a short amount of time. He has taught me so much responsibility but he has also taught me how much I could love, I'd never known my heart could be so big.

THE BREED

"Dachshunds are scent hound dog breeds who were bred to hunt badgers and other tunnelling animals, rabbits, and foxes. Packs of Dachshunds were even used to trail wild boar. Today their versatility makes them excellent family companions, show dogs, and small-game hunters" (dogtime.com)

The name Dachshund translates to Badger dog as traditionally Dachshunds were bred to hunt badgers. However I can't imagine the miniature kind being particularly useful in a face-off down a badger hole, although Moss is definitely a brave little boy.

MARKINGS

So I knew that, as cute as they are, the more generic Dachshund colourings just weren't for me; I've always loved animals that don't quite fit the norm. I'd heard of dapple Dachshund before, but realised when looking for a puppy that they weren't the easiest to find. At first I decided I wouldn't settle for anything other than a silver dapple, but when I saw Moss I instantly broke that rule. He is a chocolate dapple and he is peculiar and awkward, but he is beyond awesome! So if you were wondering if he had some sort of skin condition, I can assure that that is not the case, he just has funny looking fur patterns.

BEHIND HIS NAME

'Prepare to put mustard on those words, for you will soon be consuming them along with this slice of humble pie, that comes direct from the oven of shame, set at gas mark 'egg on your face'. - Moss, The IT Crowd

I hope that as soon as you saw the name Moss, the first thing that came to mind was, 'oh, like the IT Crowd' but considering how many people I meet in person that just don't get it, i didn't have high expectations. But maybe the Steemit crowd are a little cooler than the people I see everyday, so I'll try not to hold you all accountable for the crimes of others. That is if not watching such an iconic British tv show is a crime. It should be...

So if none of that nonsense made sense, which I doubt it did, what I was trying to say is that I named him after one of my favourite characters in my favourite tv show. But if you'd prefer, we can all pretend he was named after a species of forest flora. (Pictured Below)

THE GOOD

This may not always be recommended and I appreciate any conflicting opinions on this matter, but I let Moss sleep in my bed most nights. The reason for this being that he is the perfect hot water-bottle and unbearably cuddly. I get very cold when I sleep and due to his size and the fact that dogs bodies are a few degrees hotter than our own, he is the perfect solution to this problem.
He is a sweetheart but he is also the perfect alarm, he sleeps just as many hours as I am supposed to and stops me from staying in bed and being late. His squeaky yawn is usually enough to wake me up but if that doesn't do it, licking my face always will.
As a breed, mini dachshunds are obviously fairly small and this is very useful. Especially in situations where he needs to be stopped or is about to get himself into a pickle as you can just whisk him off his feet and cradle him.
The best thing about him, is how much love he has to give. When I get back from a day at work or an hour at school, no matter how much time has passed, he is beyond excited! Alongside his impressive greetings, my favourite thing about him is that he would spend the whole day curled up on my lap. I can work at a table or sit watching tv with him curled up like a cat, keeping my knees lovely and toasty and making adorable noises in his dreams.

THE BAD

It turns out that Dachshunds are particularly stubborn, which can make certain elements of training somewhat difficult. Potty training is one of those things, made harder by the fact that he can't get down from the deck to his 'potty place' and hasn't quite learnt how to ask to go outside. Other than that, another problem is when he is focused on something much more interesting than myself, even food can't really tempt him to look in my direction. However this is not the case all the time, he is a master of the 'sit' command and will go to his bed when he is told to, we just need to spend a little more time on some of the harder things.
The only other negative and this is not something limited to his breed in particular, is the excessive chewing. He's teething a lot, as all puppies do but the main problem is that he isn't interested in his teething toys and only wants to gnaw on rugs. This is a problem as he swallows the fibres and it makes him unwell, as well as destroying some fairly expensive furnishings.
This point is part of the latter. He is also very mouthy as most puppy are and doesn't understand yet that biting people doesn't make them want to play. However on this front he is improving and I'm certain we will get past it.

MY ADVICE

I don't want to tell you to get a puppy, that would be bad advice. Considerably better advice would be to suggest that you do whats right for you and your current situation. Just because you can't get a dog right now doesn't mean that you won't be able to in the future. You may never want the responsibility of owning a dog and just want cuddles, in which case you could always visit friends with dogs, dog sit or volunteer at a local shelter.

But I must stress that if you do decide to get a puppy they do need an awful lot of time commitment, management and training. So you need to make sure you can give them all of that and the life that they deserve. The initial novelty will wear off after a while of cleaning up messes or discovering destroyed clothes and I think its important that everyone understands what they're getting into. I have enough time to spend with my puppy, he is rarely alone for even an hour of the day, but thats because I have help when I need it and have a life where I can work from home a lot.

Having a four legged companion is a wonderful thing and they should be forever cherished!