I’ve been a Dachshund sitter for 10 years. Whereas I often watch different small canine, I select to specialize on this particular breed.
Why?
Properly, there are various 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 canine like their “infants” and count on an nearly human stage 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 go away my Dachshunds with a canine sitter from time to time after I journey.
Frankly, it’s excruciating.
I waffle between worrying they’re having a horrible expertise and inflicting loads of frustration and envisioning them completely satisfied, frolicking, and having fun with each minute of their “sleepover”.
The fact is someplace in between. I do know this as a result of I’ve watched round 100 Dachshunds through the years.
I prefer to assume mine are particular. That they’re higher adjusted than most. That they’re completely behaved and don’t let a unique scenario throw off their routine.
However I do know that may be a bit delusional.
I’ve had canine sitters report that “they have been nice” after I know my canine.
Truthfully, they don’t seem to be even nice all the 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 desires to depart their canine the place they’d a nasty expertise final time? – I additionally assume it’s crucial to be sincere and set life like expectations.
So there’s a actuality examine on some issues that your Dachshund will possible expertise at a canine sitter’s home that your canine sitter could also be leaving out of the dialog (possible omission, not deception).
Sure, Your Dachshund is Careworn When You Depart
Whereas some Dachshunds are solely anxious for about quarter-hour, most are careworn for the primary few hours, and even the primary day, they’re away from you.
That’s regular, particularly in case you 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 nearly per week. However the Dachshund steadily turned much less careworn 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 Could Not Be Enjoying With Others
I get it – I prefer to envision my Dachshunds enjoying and having a grand ol’ time with the brand new buddies they meet on the canine sitters.
Or perhaps you’ve seen movies of canine enjoying with one another at your canine sitters home, so that you assume that your personal canine has “joined the social gathering”.
The factor is, the inclination of a canine to play is exclusive to their character.
Some canine don’t play with different canine 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 per week.
As a result of sitters solely watch a canine for per week at a time, many Dachshunds are folks oriented and aren’t inclined to play with different canine, the possibility that your canine is enjoying whilst you’re away is lower than 50%.
In my expertise, solely about 20% of the canine that I watch usually interact in play.
Your Dachshund Could Not Eat For the First Day or Two
When a canine is careworn, 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 canine in the home, I can’t go away the dish of meals down for them to graze so I choose it up and provide it to them once more later.
If a canine nonetheless isn’t fascinated by consuming the second time that the meal is obtainable, I attempt to make it extra fascinating.
I’ll attempt to hand feed them.
It’s shocking what number of canine will take meals from my hand however not eat it from the dish.
I’ll 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 in order that they at the very least have one thing of their abdomen.
Virtually all canine will eat on the second day they’re right here as a result of they’re hungry.
Your Dachshund Could Change Their Potty Habits
Whether or not it’s as a consequence of stress, or confusion a couple of new home structure or yard, some Dachshunds gained’t go potty for the primary day, even after I know they should go, or they could have an accident in the home.
It could sound gross – and I’ve been requested by house owners how I might 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 a giant deal and I simply clear it up.
Typically, it’s partially my fault anyway.
The alerts a Dachshund provides when they should exit might be very refined. And they are often very distinctive.
Till I’ve spent a while with a canine, I’ll miss their cues that they should exit.
And since my home is new to them, they could not perceive the place the best” door to “sign” at is positioned.
We Can’t Comply with Your Precise Routine
One in all my “specialties” is following a Dachshund’s regular house routine as intently as potential.
However that isn’t 100% potential.
My home is totally different. My routine is totally 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 potential at my home as a result of I can’t go away meals down all the time.
- If you happen to ship your Dachshund’s favourite toy, they could not get to play with it as a result of 1) I don’t need any fights over it and a couple of) I don’t need the opposite canine to destroy it.
- Their regular supper time could change, as a result of I’ve to strike a stability between my schedule, when my very own canine count on their meals, and if you usually feed your canine.
Whereas it’s possible that your canine sitter will do every little thing they’ll to maintain your pup’s routine the identical, particularly since that may make their job simpler, do know that every little thing can’t go precisely the best way that you simply do it… and your canine shall be okay.
Remaining Ideas
Like I mentioned, your Dachshund sitter possible isn’t leaving this stuff out to be misleading.
It’s simply that there are various causes these subjects could not come up or that the sitter desires you to really feel like your canine’s keep was simple and pleasing.
I get that. I at all times lean in direction of a “good report” after I discuss to house owners after their Dachshund stays with me.
Nevertheless, I additionally assume it’s essential to be sincere and clear a couple of canine’s expertise in order that an proprietor could make a extra knowledgeable choice sooner or later or handle any points that got here up.
Ultimately although, there may be in all probability nothing {that a} educated, skilled Dachshund sitter can’t handle in order that your pup has an excellent expertise.
In different phrases, know that there shall be an adjustment interval on your canine and the sitter, however that your canine shall be completely effective when you are on trip.
