I’ve been a Dachshund sitter for 10 years. Whereas I often watch different small canines, I select to specialize on this particular breed.
Why?
Properly, there are numerous causes, but it surely’s primarily as a result of:
- I’ve been a Dachshund proprietor for over 20 years and I’m obsessive about the breed
- Dachshunds and have distinctive behaviors and traits that I perceive and cater to willingly
- I perceive that Dachshund house owners usually deal with their canines like their “infants” and anticipate an virtually human degree of care.
Dachshund house owners are sometimes very apprehensive about leaving their canine with a sitter and are nervous that their canine is doing okay with out them whereas they’re gone.
I get it. I’ve needed to depart my Dachshunds with a canine sitter every now and then after I journey.
Frankly, it’s excruciating.
I waffle between worrying they’re having a horrible expertise and inflicting a number of frustration and envisioning them pleased, frolicking, and having fun with each minute of their “sleepover”.
The truth is someplace in between. I do know this as a result of I’ve watched round 100 Dachshunds over time.
I wish to suppose mine are particular. That they’re higher adjusted than most. That they’re completely behaved and don’t let a unique state of affairs throw off their routine.
However I do know that could be a bit delusional.
I’ve had canine sitters report that “they have been nice” after I know my canines.
Truthfully, they aren’t even nice the entire time at my very own home with me. Ha, ha.
Whereas I completely get the will of canine sitters to provide house owners the impression that their Dachshund had a good time and a seamless expertise – as a result of who needs to go away their canine the place that they had a foul expertise final time? – I additionally suppose it’s crucial to be sincere and set life like expectations.
So there’s a actuality examine on some issues that your Dachshund will probably expertise at a canine sitter’s home that your canine sitter could also be leaving out of the dialog (probably omission, not deception).
Sure, Your Dachshund is Pressured When You Depart
Whereas some Dachshunds are solely anxious for about quarter-hour, most are burdened for the primary few hours, and even the primary day, they’re away from you.
That’s regular, particularly for those who spend nearly all of your time with them, work at home, take them with you wherever you go, or they’ve separation anxiousness.
The worst case I’ve skilled lasted virtually every week. However the Dachshund regularly turned much less burdened every day.
It wasn’t that the Dachshund was a nervous basket case the entire time, he simply didn’t fully settle till about 7 days in.
Your Dachshund Might Not Be Enjoying With Others
I get it – I wish to envision my Dachshunds taking part in and having a grand ol’ time with the brand new pals they meet on the canine sitters.
Or possibly you’ve seen movies of canines taking part in with one another at your canine sitters home, so that you assume that your individual canine has “joined the occasion”.
The factor is, the inclination of a canine to play is exclusive to their character.
Some canines don’t play with different canines in any respect, some will play provided that the opposite canine’s play fashion matches theirs, some gained’t play with one other canine till they’ve been in the identical home with them for at the very least every week.
As a result of sitters solely watch a canine for every week at a time, many Dachshunds are individuals oriented and aren’t inclined to play with different canines, the possibility that your canine is taking part in when you’re away is lower than 50%.
In my expertise, solely about 20% of the canines that I watch often have interaction in play.
Your Dachshund Might Not Eat For the First Day or Two
When a canine is burdened, they’re unlikely to eat. Even when they’re extraordinarily meals motivated.
About 30% of the Dachshunds I’ve watched flip their nostril up on the first meal that I provide them.
As a result of there are a number of canines in the home, I can’t depart the dish of meals down for them to graze so I decide it up and provide it to them once more later.
If a canine nonetheless isn’t all for consuming the second time that the meal is obtainable, I attempt to make it extra attention-grabbing.
I could attempt to hand feed them.
It’s stunning what number of canines will take meals from my hand however not eat it from the dish.
I could add some sprinkles of dried lung, liver, or meat-based canine treats that their mother and father despatched with them.
In the event that they nonetheless gained’t eat their meals, I provide real-meat treats all through the day so that they at the very least have one thing of their abdomen.
Virtually all canines will eat on the second day they’re right here as a result of they’re hungry.
Your Dachshund Might Change Their Potty Habits
Whether or not or not it’s as a consequence of stress, or confusion a few new home structure or yard, some Dachshunds gained’t go potty for the primary day, even after I know they should go, or they might have an accident in the home.
It might sound gross – and I’ve been requested by house owners how I’d really feel if their canine peed in the home – however I don’t care if a Dachshund has an accident in our home.
I imply, in fact I do however I’ve additionally accepted that it’ll occur. It’s not an enormous deal and I simply clear it up.
Normally, it’s partially my fault anyway.
The alerts a Dachshund provides when they should exit could be very delicate. And they are often very distinctive.
Till I’ve spent a while with a canine, I could miss their cues that they should exit.
And since my home is new to them, they might not perceive the place the proper” door to “sign” at is positioned.
We Can’t Observe Your Actual Routine
Considered one of my “specialties” is following a Dachshund’s regular house routine as intently as attainable.
However that isn’t 100% attainable.
My home is completely different. My routine is completely different.
As a result of I’ve 3 Dachshunds of my very own, I’m managing 4-5 Dachshund personalities at a time.
I can’t level out each element that may fluctuate however some frequent ones are:
- In case your Dachshund free-feeds at house, that gained’t be attainable at my home as a result of I can’t depart meals down the entire time.
- When you ship your Dachshund’s favourite toy, they might not get to play with it as a result of 1) I don’t need any fights over it and a pair of) I don’t need the opposite canines to destroy it.
- Their regular supper time could change, as a result of I’ve to strike a steadiness between my schedule, when my very own canines anticipate their meals, and while you usually feed your canine.
Whereas it’s probably that your canine sitter will do every part they’ll to maintain your pup’s routine the identical, particularly since that may make their job simpler, do know that every part can’t go precisely the way in which that you simply do it… and your canine shall be okay.
Last Ideas
Like I mentioned, your Dachshund sitter probably isn’t leaving this stuff out to be misleading.
It’s simply that there are numerous causes these subjects could not come up or that the sitter needs you to really feel like your canine’s keep was simple and pleasurable.
I get that. I at all times lean in the direction of a “good report” after I discuss to house owners after their Dachshund stays with me.
Nevertheless, I additionally suppose it’s essential to be sincere and clear a few canine’s expertise in order that an proprietor could make a extra knowledgeable choice sooner or later or deal with any points that got here up.
Ultimately although, there may be most likely nothing {that a} educated, skilled Dachshund sitter can’t deal with in order that your pup has a great expertise.
In different phrases, know that there shall be an adjustment interval in your canine and the sitter, however that your canine shall be completely high quality while you’re on trip.
