i got my first dog today!!!

[mrpologuy]

The fiance has been trying to talk me into getting a dog for weeks and today we got one. He is a dachsund today. He is a great little dog. He was rescued from a breeder and has been caged his whole life. We are so happy to have him. Any tips for a new dog owner?

 

[robin]

Originally Posted by mrpologuy

We are so happy to have him. Any tips for a new dog owner?
Is it a puppy, or an adult?

Anyways, basics you need to do as a responsible owner:

* Teach commands such as sit, stay, come, heel (keeping close to you while on a leash). Leash training is a must too.
* Do not let him get into barking whenever the hell he wants.
* Get him accustomed to people, kids, other dogs.
* Take him to regular vet checkups.
* Clean up after him.
* Don't let him get up to high places where he can fall or has to make a long jump down. Vet bills can be expensive for treating broken legs.

Also in case it's not obvious, light taps are fine, but no physical hitting of any kind during training is necessary (nor as a punishment). I see a lot of new owners do this and it's not productive for you or your dog. If he's been caged for long time, then he probably has some bad habits that you'll need to work out of him - just be patient and remember that it's like having a 3 year old kid.

 

[mrpologuy]

He is an adult and was used for breeding. The woman he was rescued from had humping all day long. The women we got him from had 1o adopted children living with her and was so caring. She loved any living creature. He was in a crate most of his life. I can see he loves attention and we plan on giving him a ton. He is sitting on the couch next to me and already taken over our favorite blanket.

 

[lawyerdad]

Congrats. Enjoy him. He'll soon take over far more than your blanket . . .

 

[JayJay]

Congrats!!! Robin has provided excellent tips. Enjoy!

 

[Garfieldthecat]

Congrats! We have a dachshund that we found in our neighborhood 5 years ago. One thing to be careful about is his back. Dachshund's are prone to getting back injuries from jumping up/down a lot.

Keeping you new friend from jumping too much will help him in the long run. Small ramps that you can put up against a bed or sofa to allow him to walk up/down will really help. Also, exercise and keeping him at a healthy weight will help with back problems as well.

Dogs can't eat chocolate, it actually can kill them if too much is eaten. And dogs are lactose intolerant, so no milk/cheese products.

Here's a picture of Max:

 

[rdawson808]

Yay Max! What a cute dog. He looks just like Steve, our future dachshund. And good to hear that you rescued him.

b

 

[Toiletduck]

he was humping all the time and you took him away from that? you call that a rescue? you're an animal!

just kidding, I like watching the dog whisperer and he has a book out. It should be good to read and understand what kind of mentality you should be taking on when raising a dog - and especially a rescue

 

[philosophe]

Congrats and enjoy! There's nothing like dog love.

 

[Eustace Tilley]

Awww....I love Max

 

[onion]

I think you'll be pretty happy with your dog, I know I am with mine (indoor Shepherd mix). I almost considered getting a dachshund or even a miniature dachsund, but figured I'd rather have a big dog for walking late at night. They are a bit of a pain in the beginning when you are training them and they piss all over the floor, but after a month or two they are great company.

Also I have two tips, as a fellow dog owner:

1. Never discipline him using a soft or calming voice. If you want the dog to know when he did something wrong (ie to not do it again) you always need a firm tone of voice when commanding him. While it may seem obvious, I think this is why sooo many people have misbehaving dogs that don't listen.

2. If they beg for food or a treat do not ever give them something. If you do they think they are getting rewarded for begging and will do it forever.

 

[bbaquiran]

Congratulations on your new dog! Our family has owned dogs for as long as I can remember. One of our dogs was a very intelligent dachsund mix, and my last dog was a german shepherd from working lines.

If your dachsund has been caged his whole life, he may not respond well to crate training as a means of housebreaking. You'll want to establish where he can 'go' as quickly as possible.

I recommend you get a couple of dog behavior and clicker training books or videos and maybe some dog health books as well.

 

[kakemono]

walk him... for goodness sake... walk him. Excersize is the most important part of having a good dog. Oh... walk the dog and dont let the dog walk you.

 

[robin]

Originally Posted by kakemono

and dont let the dog walk you.
Shouldn't be a problem with a 10-15 pound Dachshund.

 

[distinctive]

I suppose it will be difficult to crate train since he has been locked away all of his life. This may sound silly but I recommend reading Caesar's (dog whisperer) book. It teaches the owner to be the pack leader or dominant role. While most of us treat pets as humans, dogs are happier taking on their natural, instinctive roles. In the end, the owner will be happier as well. It's been working wonderfully with my new Corgi. However, do to the previous condition of your dog, he may have special needs like a little more attention, etc.