A Dachshund is an adoring, loyal, and highly entertaining breed to have as part of the family. Oftentimes these little guys are used to being the baby of the family and can get quite the shock when a new human baby comes along.
How are they going to get along?
Dachshunds are mostly good with babies if they are properly introduced and your dog is well-trained and socialized.
In this article, we will cover all the bases of a Dachshunds relationship with babies and kids, how to prepare your pooch for a new arrival, and safely introducing them so they can get their lifelong friendship off to a great start!
Are Dachshunds Good With Babies?
By their nature Dachshund are loving and loyal family dogs. They can learn to accept and love babies of the family too but some may have more difficultly with this.
The best time to introduce a Dachshund to a baby is when it is also quite young. Puppies are still learning about the world around them and will find babies more curious than something that poses a threat.
Often when introducing a dog to a baby this is not the case. Usually, a baby is a new addition to a family that already has a Dachshund that is settled in as part of the family. Or adopting an older dog.
Dachshunds are notorious for being stubborn creatures and older dogs can get stuck in their ways and may have more of a challenge adjusting to a new baby,
All dogs are different, your Dachshund may simply love the new addition or become jealous and irritated. With proper preparation and introductions, you can make sure your Dachshund will tolerate a baby.
Preparing Your Dachshund For The Arrival Of A Baby
Preparation for your Dachshund will ensure they have some of the tools they need to deal with the huge change of a baby coming into your family. Here are some of our top tips for preparing your Dachshund for meeting a baby.
- Introduce them to other kids and babies – some previous exposure to other young humans will ensure your Dachshund isn’t totally caught off guard
- Gentle command – if you are adept at training basic behaviours then you can teach your dog the “gentle” command. To do this use toys or treats and positively reinforce when your Dachshund takes them gently. Adding in the verbal command “gentle”
- Perfect obedience – lots of training is always the key. You need to ensure your Dachshund will listen to you no matter what.
- Station training – train your Dachshund to go to a certain place on command, such as “Go to bed”. This way you can ensure they won’t get in the way while you tend to the baby. Some expert trainers have gone as far as training their dogs to go sit on their bed when they hear a baby cry!
Introducing Your Dachshund To A New Baby
The key to successfully introducing your Dachsund to a new baby lies with the way you approach it. It’s vital you remain calm and patient. Even more important always respect your dog’s space. Never force any interactions between dog and baby, let your pooch approach in its own time and move at its own pace. Forcing interactions may result in a fearful or aggressive dog.
Check out our tips for introducing your Dachshund to a new baby:
- Start with scent – dogs have an excellent sense of smells and use this to communicate with each other and interpret the world around them. Bring an item with the baby’s scent on it home first and let your Dachshund thoroughly investigate it. Placing a blanket with a scent on it in their bed may help them start positive associations with it.
- Supervision – even if things are going well you should never leave a dog alone with a baby. Always supervise their time together.
- Positive reinforcement – use a positive voice and plenty of treats when your dog is calm and gentle with the baby, it will soon learn that is how it should be acting.
- Station training – as mentioned above, have a place to send your dog when you need to tend to the needs of the baby. They need to learn to stay out of the way when it’s baby time.
- A place to escape – create a space that is baby-free for your dog. Keep it cozy, safe and full of toys and your Dachshund will have a space to retreat to when it wants to be alone.
- Quality time – spend some decent one on one time with your Dachshund so it still knows it is loved and appreciated
Are Dachshunds Good With Kids?
Babies are one thing, children are another. Babies end up growing into children that will interact differently with your Dachshund. Your Dachshund may like your baby when it doesn’t move but their relationship may change as kids get older. Some Dachshunds may not like kids due to their rough behavior, while others may enjoy having someone with just as much energy as them! Respect is key.
How To Teach Kids To Treat Dogs With Respect
If children know how to be kind to dogs, then they can get along great and actually form deep bonds through play and affection.
Ensure kids know how to treat a Dachshund with respect.
- Don’t run – running around dogs can get them all excited and trigger their prey drive, someone might get hurt!
- Gentle touch – petting gently and only in comfortable spots with the grain, not agaisnt it.
- Don’t pull at them – pulling at ears, tails, feet can greatly irritate dogs and cause them to become aggressive.
- Learn cues – it’s important kids know the signs of a dog that wants to be left e.g growling, showing teeth, running away. A majority of dog bites on kids happen when kids cannot read the signs of an upset dog,
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