Questions To Ask When Buying A Dachshund Puppy

A puppy is a big commitment and not a decision that should be rushed into, especially if it’s your first-ever dog.

If you are considering buying a dachshund puppy then this article will arm you with all of the information you need to decide if a dachshund is right for you, how to find a trusted breeder, what questions to ask the breeder, and red flags of a bad breeder.

6 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Buying A Dachshund Puppy

Everyone’s situation is different so only you can decide here, but before you rush out to view some adorable dachshund puppies (and fall in love with them), you need to ask yourself some important questions first (and be honest with yourself);

1. Do You Have Time For A Puppy?

Puppies are a huge time commitment, especially when they are extremely young.

Not only will you need to spend time doing all the basic care duties for your pooch (feeding, exercising, playing, bathroom breaks), etc, you’ll also need to sink time into their training.

You need to make sure your schedule can accommodate a dachshund puppy to provide them with the best care and happiest life possible.

It’s not feasible or responsible to keep your pooch locked away in a crate/room for hours on end while you’re at work or busy with other life commitments.

If you work long hours or are not at home often, think about whether anyone else in your family can look after your puppy when you’re not around (ask them first!).

If you or your family have a hectic schedule, a dog may not be the right pet for you. 

Dog walking and daycare services can help keep your puppy exercised and entertained when you’re not around, so you may want to consider this option if you don’t think you can check back on your puppy regularly throughout the day. 

Dachshunds can get bored and destructive if left alone for too long, particularly if they don’t get enough exercise.

Questions to ask yourself;

• Do you have enough time to walk my dachshund for 30 – 60 minutes everyday?
• Who will look after the dog when I’m at work?
• Who will look after the dog when we are on holiday?

2. Is A Dachshund Right For You?

Dachshunds can make wonderful pets as they’re loyal, affectionate, intelligent, and courageous. However, the breed is also notoriously stubborn, loud, independent, and challenging to train and housebreak.

If you want a quiet, easy-going, and simple-to-train breed, the dachshund probably isn’t the right dog for you.

That said, if you’re looking for a loving, charismatic, playful, and faithful companion who will always keep you on your toes, the dachshund is the perfect breed for your family. 

Keep in mind that these dogs can live for up to 16 years, so it is quite the commitment. 

3. Do You Have Enough Money To Support A Dog?

Although the upfront costs of a dog will set you back a bit, the long-term fees can be just as, if not more so, expensive.

Not only will you have to pay for your puppy’s initial vaccinations, but you’ll also need to ensure you have enough funds for booster vaccinations and regular worm/flea treatments, as well as food.

It doesn’t end there, either! Toys, baskets, food bowls, etc, will eventually become damaged and will need to be replaced.

If your dog becomes unwell, you’ll need to make sure you have enough money saved up to pay for vet visits and treatments.

Veterinary bills are by far the priciest long-term costs of owning a dog, especially as your pooch gets older.

It’s a good idea to invest in pet insurance or save a little money each month so you can prepare for emergency vet trips, ensuring you’re not suddenly met with a massive fee that you can’t afford. 

Questions to ask yourself;

• Do you have enough money to properly support the dogs needs?
• Can you afford the pet insurance? or unexpected vet bills?

4. Is Your Family Ready For A Dog?

Although you may be ready to own a dachshund, your family may not be. It’s a good idea to check with everyone in your household to get their thoughts and feelings on owning a dog.

That way, you can ensure everyone is on the same page before you bring a puppy home.

If there is someone in your family who isn’t keen on the idea of having a dog, try and eliminate their concerns and help reassure them. 

However, if a household member is still wary of owning a dog, don’t be tempted to purchase/adopt one anyway.

This could lead to tension or animosity, which isn’t an ideal environment for both you and your dog.

Questions to ask yourself;

• Are my family ready for a dog? have you discussed it?
• Is the family ready to chip in and help out caring for the dog?

5. Have You Considered Your Other Pets?

Dachshunds were initially bred for hunting small animals like badgers and rabbits, so housing them with small pets can be tricky.

Their high prey drive can cause them to chase, harass, or severely injure animals like rabbits, guinea pigs, cats, etc if they are not properly trained.

Additionally, some dachshunds can never live with small animals no matter how much you train them.

If you own other pets, it’s important to think about their safety and wellbeing before you bring a dachshund into their lives. 

Forcing your other animals to coexist with a dachshund when they’re stressed or on edge all the time isn’t fair, so make sure you think carefully about whether your existing pets will be comfortable with a dog living with them.

Alternatively, if you own another dog, consider whether they are a good match for a dachshund.

The breed normally gets along with other dogs, particularly those of a similar size. However, large dogs could injure or harm your dachshund, even accidentally.

Dachshunds can also be fearful or anxious around big dogs, which could lead to stress and behavioral issues.

5. Do You Have Enough Space For A Dog? (Inside+Outside)

Despite being small dogs, dachshunds still need a decent amount of space inside and outside to move around freely.

Additionally, think about whether you have enough room for your dog’s belongings, such as their basket and toys.

These dogs can do well in most apartments, but if you live in a single room, this may not provide enough space for your pooch, especially if you don’t have a backyard.

Although a backyard isn’t vital for a dachshund, at least some outdoor space like an enclosed balcony or small patch of grass is ideal.

If you don’t have any outdoor space, be prepared to give your dachshund regular walks throughout the day to allow them to exercise and relieve themselves.

6. Beware of Possible Dachshund Health Issues

Something that you need to be aware of with dachshunds is that they do have a tendency to develop health issues with age, more so than many other breeds.

One of the most common issues is IVDD, a spinal issue, and one in four doxies will develop these issues. If surgery is required, it could cost you up to $8,000. 

Dachshunds are also susceptible to other health issues. The reality is that you need to get health insurance for your dog before it develops conditions or have enough money set aside to cover any unforeseen medical events.

Dachshund or otherwise, dogs need medical care too, and medical care costs money. You need to plan for any such issues. 

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How Do I Find A Trusted Dachshund Breeder?

Alright, so now that we have gone over the most important tips for buying a dachshund puppy, it’s also important for you to know exactly how to find a trusted dachshund breeder, so let’s talk about this now.

Tip	Reason
1. Word Of Mouth	One of the best ways to find good dachshund breeders is through some simple word of mouth, especially from others who already have dachshunds. Most people who have doxies already did their own homework and research, and most will be more than happy to share that information with you. You can ask in online forums, ask your neighbors who have doxies, and so on and so forth. If there are bad or unethical breeders around, dog lovers will definitely let you know to stay away from them.
2. Research Reviews	Just like with word of mouth, online reviews are pretty telling of how trusted and ethical a breeder is. Now, you of course cannot always take reviews at face value, because yes, breeders will write their own reviews and sometimes get others to do so as well.  That said, if you find a breeder that has nothing but positive reviews, and people only have good things to say about them, then chances are pretty big that the breeder in question is indeed ethical and trusted. People are more than willing to share their experiences online with anyone willing to listen, so you may as well pay attention to what they have to say.
3. Check The Local Kennel Clubs	Perhaps the best way to find a legit and trusted breeder is by contacting or even joining official kennel clubs. Now, in North America, this could be the American Kennel Club or the Canadian Kennel Club. Depending on where you live, there are most likely also a variety of dachshund kennel clubs around too.  Every good breeder is going to be registered with a member of a good kennel club, so this is a great way to tell. Kennel clubs are usually very strict with who they deal with and who they allow to join. Puppy mills and unethical breeders are not allowed to join, and if they do by chance, they won’t last long. People in kennel clubs are usually extremely serious about the health and happiness of all dogs involved in breeding.
4. Check Breeder Websites	Now, everything we have talked about so far relies on the people you talk to being honest. While in an ideal world everybody would be honest, you know better than that. People aren’t always honest, and you can’t always take them at face value. Therefore, you do also want to rely on your own judgement and common sense when analyzing this situation.  For one, any good breeder will have a website, an extensive site with all of the info you need to make a decision. These sites should have plenty of pictures, info about the parents, all of the info about genetic testing and health guarantees, and tons of other info too (how long the puppies stay with their moms, how they are raised, whether or not they have their shots and have been dewormed). The more of these things you find, the bigger the chances that the breeder in question is the real deal.
5. Research Breeders Thoroughly	Just contact the local breeders to get a feel for them. See how friendly they are, how much they know about dachshunds, how much they seem to care about the wellbeing of their dogs, how pushy there are in terms of trying to sell you a puppy, and more. When talking with breeders, ask for health guarantees, contracts, videos, and pictures of the dogs. You want to look for any signs that the breeder in question is not legit.

Beware of Online Scammers

There are plenty of people out there who put ads on various online sites, with Craigslist being one of them, and Facebook being another, that are nothing more than scams.

There are plenty of scammers out there who set up fake sites and profiles to try and bamboozle unsuspecting victims out of hundreds or thousands of dollars.

It’s best to stay away from these places, but if you are tempted, there are some signs of a scam to look out for.

If they want to ship the puppy even though you live close, if the person talking to you has bad grammar, or if they ask for a deposit, they could be trying to scam you. 

Keep Away From Pet Stores

One of the biggest tips to follow here is that reputable breeders don’t sell their puppies in pet stores. Don’t buy any puppy from a pet store, doxie or otherwise.

Pet store puppies usually always come from puppy mills, huge commercial operations that don’t care about the health or wellbeing of any of the parent dogs or puppies.

The chances that these dogs are unhealthy, genetically unsound, or just mistreated at the very least, are very high.

You just want to stay away from pet stores, and of course, from puppy mills too. 

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12 Questions To Ask A Dachshund Breede

Once you have done all of your homework, and you have found a breeder that looks like the real deal, then next thing you need to do is to get in contact with that breeder.

Like we said, just remember that you cannot always take people at face value, but that said, there is a big list of questions you should be asking the breeders.

Based on their response, you can figure out for yourself how legit and ethical they are, as well as how healthy and genetically sound those puppies will be.

1. How Long Have You Been Breeding Dachshunds?

Of course, knowledge and sound practices often come with experience, so the longer the breeder in question has been at it, the better.

If you can find a breeder that has been in the business for at least a decade, then you are on the right track.

That said, you cannot automatically discount a breeder if they have only been doing it for a short amount of time.

After all, people have to start somewhere, although experience does obviously count for something. 

2. How Many Breeds Do You Sell?

One thing that you always want to find out is how many breeds the breeder in question sells.

A super dedicated, trustworthy, and legit breeder will focus on one single breed and no more, maybe two breeds sometimes.

Breeders who have many different breeds may be puppy mills or breeders that don’t have the best interests of the dogs at heart.

It’s like anything that is mass produced for profit. When a breeder sells so many different kinds of dogs, it’s a big sign that profit is their number one goal. 

3. How Old is the Dam (Mother Dog)?

Figuring out how old the mother dachshund that is being bred with is should be done as well.

Female dogs that are used for breeding that are younger than two years old may experience serious complications.

Breeding at such a young age is not good for the mother, and it isn’t good for the potential puppies either.

At the very least, a dog needs to be 18 months old to be bred with, although two years is the ideal. 

4. How Often Is The Dam Bred With?

You definitely want to figure out how many times per year the mother dachshund is bred.

If the answer is anything more frequent than once per year, then it can have serious consequences on the health of the mother.

Dogs that are bred with way too frequently may develop serious health issues and often die at very young ages. 

5. Can I Meet The Puppies Parents?

Something that you need to ask is if you can meet the parent dogs.

You want to meet the dogs so you can see what their temperament is like, as well as if they look healthy.

Apples usually don’t fall far from the tree, so to speak, and this applies to dogs just like humans.

If the parent dogs are aggressive or have a bad temperament, then chances are that the puppies will too.

Also, you want to meet the parent dogs to make sure that they are actually purebred dachshunds too. 

6. Have The Parents Been Genetically Tested?

You do also want to make sure that the parent dogs have been genetically tested to ensure that they have no genetic health defects or severe recessive genes that may cause health issues in the puppies.

Even better is if you can actually see the genetic testing paperwork for yourself. 

7. How Long Do You Keep The Puppies?

Always ask how long the breeder keeps the puppies for before releasing them to the buyers.

If the answer is anything less than 8 or preferably 10 weeks, it’s a sign that something is wrong.

Puppies should not be taken from their mothers when they are so young. 

8. Have The Puppies Been Genetically Tested?

Just like the parent dogs should have been genetically tested, although not all breeders will do so, it definitely helps if the puppies have been genetically tested as well.

This way, you can ensure that they are healthy as possible.

9. Have The Puppies Been Vaccinated And Dewormed?

One of the most important questions to ask here is whether or not the puppies have been vaccinated and dewormed.

We aren’t going to go over all of the necessary vaccinations, but there are a few very important ones that all dogs should have, and all reputable breeders will give their puppies all age necessary shots.

They should also have been dewormed and regular intervals to ensure that they do not have any parasites.

10. What Is The Puppy Being Fed?

You also want to find out what the puppy has been fed. This really has nothing to do with how ethical the breeder is.

Rather, you want to feed the puppy the same food, because changing food too fast will cause upset stomachs and other such issues.

You want to stick with the same food, and then very gradually switch over to new stuff. 

11. Where Do You Keep The Puppies?

The other thing that you should ask a breeder is where they keep the puppies.

The best breeders out there raise the puppies inside of their own homes. This helps to ensure not only that they live in acceptable conditions, such as with heat, air conditioning, and so on and so forth, but also that they are well socialized.

Puppies that are raised in outdoor kennels, not only might not have access to the best amenities and be kept in less than optimal conditions, but they also won’t be used to other dogs and people, which can be problematic once they get to a new environment. 

12. Ask Questions About The Lineage

The further back in the lineage you can look, especially in terms of health, genetics, and pedigree, the better.

The more you know before buying a specific puppy, especially about the parents, grandparents, and more, the better your chances of getting a happy and healthy dachshund puppy. 

13. Do They Have Registration Paperwork?

Of course, not all dogs will come with paperwork, but the best breeders out there should supply you with it.

At the very least, it helps if the puppies are registered with either the American Kennel Club or the Canadian Kennel Club, depending on where you live.

If the parent or breeding dogs are also registered, even better. 

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Red Flags Of A Bad Dachshund Breeder

Before we call it a day, let’s just go over some of the biggest red flags that indicate that a dachshund breeder is not ethical or legit, or in other words, just downright bad.

Red Flags	Reason
Too Many Breeds	If the breeder breeds more than two breeds at the most, it’s an indication that it could be a puppy mill that is primarily focused on profits. The fewer breeds the better.
Releasing The Puppies Too Early	If the breeder in question releases the dogs before they are 8 weeks of age at the very least, it’s a sign of a bad breeder that is profit oriented.
Not Vaccinating or Deworming The Puppies	Every good breeder should provide their puppies with all age-appropriate shots and parasite treatments. Those who do not clearly don’t have the best interests of the dogs and the buyers at heart, and shows that they are profit oriented.
Breeding The Dams Too Young	Breeding dams before they are 18 months old, or even better, 2 years old, is another sign of a bad breeder. They are putting their own profit goals ahead of the health of the breeding females.
Breeding The Dams Too Often	On that same note, a breeder who breeds dams more than once per year also clearly does not have the best interests of the dams at heart. Doing this more than once per year is not good for the mother or the potential pups.
Genetic Testing	A breeder who does not perform genetic testing on the dogs is a bad breeder no doubt, especially when it comes to genetically testing the parent dogs they are breeding with. Those who forgo genetic testing run the risk of breeding some very sick puppies with big health issues.
No Vet Check	Any breeder who does not perform at least one health check on the puppies through a legit veterinarian probably doesn’t have the dog’s or your best interests at heart.
No Health Guarantee	Every good breeder should also provide you with a genetic health guarantee. Some breeders will offer one year guarantees, some two years, and the best ones sometimes even have lifetime health guarantees, especially in terms of genetic conditions. You want a professional that stands behind their work and is willing to right wrongs.
No Return Policy	On a related note, every good breeder should provide you with a decent return policy so you can return the dachshund in the event of serious medical conditions, especially those related to genetics. If you don’t have a return policy, it shows that the breeder only cares so far as their profits are concerned.
Limited Information Available	If you see that a breeder has very limited info available, particularly about how they raise the pups, health checks, and everything else we have talked about so far, it’s a bad sign. Good breeders share all possible info with anyone who is interested.
Outdoor Kennels or Bad Facilities	The best breeders raise their puppies indoors to ensure that they are well socialized. Now, just because a breeder keeps puppies in outdoor kennels doesn’t necessarily mean they are bad, but then those facilities do need to be top of the line. Simply put, good breeders keep their dogs in good conditions.
A Lack of Registration	The best dachshund breeders are all registered with their local kennel clubs. A big one to look out for here is of course the American Kennel Club, as well as the Canadian Kennel Club. A lack of any kind of registration is an indication that something less than ethical might be going on.
Bad Reviews	Word of mouth is always a great way to find out whether a dachshund breeder is legit. As we’ve mentioned, people are usually more than willing to share their experiences online, and in person too, especially bad experiences. If you see a bunch of bad reviews, you can usually count on the fact that the breeder in question isn’t all they’re cracked up to be. Offers Super Unique Color/PatternsBreeders that offer tons of different color and pattern options, although not always bad, may very well be, especially if they cross into the danger zone by breeding dachshund with recessive genes, such as the ones that result in piebalds, dapples, and double dapples. Double dapple dachshund are at a massive risk for developing a variety of genetic conditions, and most agree that breeding them is a huge no-no.
Charges Way Too Much	If the breeder charges an absurd amount of money for their doxie pups, although not necessarily a sign that they are a bad breeder per say, at least not in terms of ethics, but it does clearly demonstrate where their priorities lie.

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How Much Should You Pay For A Dachshund Puppy?

Most breeders will charge between $500 and $1,000 for a dachshund puppy, although depending on the location, breeder, availability, coat type, and pattern type, the price can range from $300 all the way up to $3,500.

However, anything more than that, and you can rest assured that you aren’t getting the best deal. 

Make Sure You Get What You Pay For

There are plenty of mixed breeds out there, and if you aren’t paying attention, some people will be more than willing to sell them to you under the guise of being purebred.

The issue is of course that it can be hard to tell exactly what a puppy is until it grows a bit.

So, make sure that you have seen both of the parent dogs first. 

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Conclusion

If you have made it this far then well done, you should now have a great understanding of what exactly to look for when buying a dachshund puppy, and the signs of a trusted and reputable breeder.

There is a lot to remember so it’s certainly not a bad idea to make a list as a reference, most trusted breeders will likely quiz you too, making sure you are ready and can provide the best environment for the puppy (this is also a great sign of an excellent breeder).

Dachshund Breeders by state;

Alabama	Kentucky	South Carolina
Arizona	Illinois	Texas
California	Michigan	Virginia
Colorado	Missouri	Wisconsin
Florida	Ohio