I really don’t know what else to do…
The last several days and nights I have been reading about your lives with your doxies. I love to read how you pet them and call the dogs sweet, loving names. They sound like wonderful babies to be fussed over. I became aware of The Hotdog Blog by your wonderful friend, Frostdox. I needed advice and she was so kind to tell me what she could. My new life with my new mini dachshund, Frankie, is getting worse and worse. I retired in March on Disability from degenerative joint and disc disease and live alone. I bought Frankie March 31, miniature longhaired cream male dachshund. He was only 5 1/2 weeks old. Now I know that was mistake No. 1, he was too young. The breeder didn’t tell me otherwise. He started biting me the second day. We began obedience school. With everyday he gets worse. Now he growls, the hair on the back of his neck stands up, he lunges and bites me. I can’t hold him or pet him. The only time he is all right is when I take him for a walk. That’s not really true. By the end of the walk he is turning around to growl and bite at me. I have bled from bites everyday since Frankie came into my life. I had him neutered and nothing has changed. He eats well and sleeps all night. Maybe he just doesn’t like me. I really don’t know what to do. I would love for my life with Frankie to be like some of yours. I named him after my daddy and his looks remind me of my mother.
Thanks for sharing your blog…
Joanna
June 26, 2008 @ 10:36 pm
Hi Joanna! I am so glad you found this site! I am so sorry that none of my “tips” worked for you. Maybe you should contact the breeder and ask them the temperments of Frankie’s parents. I really think an obendience class might help along with trying to socialize him with other dogs.
Please feel free to call me anytime. Little Frankie has some issues for sure. But you have such a sweet voice, maybe he does not take you seriously. You are a sweetie!!!
We may have to plan a playdate and see how he will do with some of my doxies. I still think he was just too young to leave his mama.
Hope all goes well love!
Darlene
June 26, 2008 @ 10:44 pm
Hi Joann!!!! Welcome to the HDB!!!! I am sorry that you are having a hard time with Frankie. Darlene is a very smart lady, I think she has given you some great advice. I do not have much advice for you, but I know that we have some great members on here that may have some ideas for you. Darlene sure does know what she is doing, so I think that taking her ideas is great! Please keep your faith and soon you will be telling us some great stories about you and your doxie Frankie!!!! I just know that things will work out for you.
~ Heidi
June 27, 2008 @ 5:30 am
I’m so sorry to hear about this Johanna. Just try to remember that a dog will feel so much more secure knowing that you are the pack leader. Try not to be too soft, a stern ‘NO’ and then ignoring the dog should help with the nipping. All puppies try to chew fingers in the beginning but they just have to be taught that it is unacceptable.
The growling is slightly more worrying. Is it a growl like she wants to play or a really aggressive growl? I hope someone has a solution for that. If the worst comes to worst you might have to get a behavior specialist in.
What I do when my Lady is being naughty is hold her down while she’s on her back until she stops wriggling. This shows that I am the dominant one and she mustn’t try to take over. The trick is to not loose your temper or loose control but also be very stern. Frankie needs to feel as though he has someone to count on who is in control.
How old is Frankie now? Make sure he is also getting enough play time with fun toys, dachshunds can be boisterous when they are younger and just need to be tired out.
I hope everything works out for the best and you and Frankie get to be best of friends with lots of snuggles.
June 27, 2008 @ 5:35 am
I also wanted to add that if you feel as though you really can’t cope you could think about maybe giving Frankie to a family that can handle him. I know this is devastating, but only you know if you can carry on like this or not. This of course would be the last solution once everything else has been tried.
If this had to happen I would think about adopting an elderly dachshund for company. One that has been trained and doesn’t have so much puppy energy.
June 27, 2008 @ 8:48 am
Joanna,
I am so sorry for your problem with Frankie. Doxies are really such sweet animals and very loving. I think Darlene’s suggestion to contact the breeder and see what his parents and other siblings are like may give you a clue. Also, watch the Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic channel he gives good tips on training dogs. His name is Cesar Milan if you do not have that channel and he also has good books out. You do have to let Frankie know that you are the alpha around the house. Good luck!!!
June 27, 2008 @ 8:51 am
When my dad went over the rain bow I thought I had it mad Went a little nuts well one day “Pal” walked by me and i thought he was to close to my space, So growled and snaped… Well in less than a sec I was on my back and “Pal” was growling at me then he sad bad dog and put me in my crate…
I was there for what I thought was forever,It was time to go out I heard the Bell saw every one headding for the door And then my door opened we went out when we came in,nothing was sead “Pal” acted like nothing had ever happened.. That was a long time ago and I have never done it again “Pal” can have the job…lol
also think about getting an elderly Doxie for company. As we get older all we want is our tummey rubed and treet’s oh a few Bobo’s around..
well whet ever you do,will be right for you…
Love & Paw’s Buddy & family
I would give you Runner my live in she’s cool..
June 27, 2008 @ 10:13 am
I dont want to sound dumb or ridiculous but when I brought Bella home(at 4 years old not socialized much) and she bit my son I well…. picked her up held her firmly and bit her hard on the ear. Of course I made sure she couldnt bite me back either. She got the hint that it that it isnt acceptable. Two times of this and she never bit again. So yes I bite my dogs but I feel it is something they understand in their language. I am alpha and that is not acceptable. Porter has never bit anyone. My very first doxie was possesive of me and bit my son and daughter when they were very young. I bit him too and it worked like a charm.
Oh and I growled while I did it too!!!! Ok in reading this I sound “WEIRD” but oh well maybe I am. LOL
June 27, 2008 @ 8:37 pm
I got my Ali from what I now know was a dog broker. I had not purchased a puppy for 25 years. My dog lived to be 19 and I did not have another for several years due to health issues. So when I retired I got a Doxie. Oh boy, I thought she or i was psycho. She would bite and growl at me. The hair would stand up on her back. I talked to the Vet and was hoping they would suggest Prozac. They didn’t. I didn’t know what to do and no one seemed to have any advice.
She would not walk into the kitchen. She would poop hiding behind a bush, she would not go for a walk, she seemed to be afraid of the world and me. Finally we worked it out. When she would nip it was because she wanted to play and did not know how to get that done. I started playing ball and ball and ball to wear her out, it wore me out. If I had to be gone she was crated, but even now at 14 years she has never been left for more than 5 hours. When I would come home we played ball until she was worn out enough to sleep. If she nipped at me, whatever we were doing stopped. Oh she would even bit your lip if I tried to kiss her.
I could write a book. The answer was consistency, patience, maturity, chicken, love. The answer lies in pack leaders, walking not just sauntering along but a tiring march. She had to learn that she could trust me and I would never hurt her. I still do not take her around kids or other dogs. We never got that far. She is now the smartest dog I have ever owned. She is a velcro dog though. I accept her as she is. She is super smart, she learned to love and she learned tricks rewarded with chicken.
I think you should talk to your Vet and get a recommendation for a Dog Behaviorist, drugs may be appropriate or you may need the drugs HA. Contact your local Dachshund group and go to a meeting and see if they could recommend someone. When you meet a behaviorist ask about their methods. If you don’t like it move on.
Check on some books by New Monks of Skeet and Dr. Patricia McConnel. Dog Whisperer is good too. He can make it look simple though and it can take time.
Does your Breeder have a clause that if there is something wrong with the dog they will take it back?
I hope some of this helps, just know that not all is bliss. Not all puppies are perfect. There are some clunkers on occasion, I do not believe in hurting a dog ever ever ever.
I love dachshunds and I will always have a dachshund but I should have done more reading about pocking a Breeder and a puppy before I did. After all how hard could it be.
Maybe having this pup around a confident older dog might get some issues addressed. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
June 28, 2008 @ 10:30 am
A good idea would be to learn how a mother “teaches” her pups to behave and be respectful, emulate that. There are alot of great breeders on this sight that could help you.
The most important thing is to become Alpha quickly without feeling guilty. The older the dog becomes the more difficult it will be, especially with a strong willed dachshund. Remember that the punishment must fit the crime with dachshunds though because it could backfire.
Good luck and be patient but be Alpha patient.