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 lots of causes, however it’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 homeowners typically deal with their canines like their “infants” and anticipate an nearly human stage of care.
Dachshund homeowners 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 occasionally after I journey.
Frankly, it’s excruciating.
I waffle between worrying they’re having a horrible expertise and inflicting lots of frustration and envisioning them glad, 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 prefer to assume mine are particular. That they’re higher adjusted than most. That they’re completely behaved and don’t let a special 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 all the time at my very own home with me. Ha, ha.
Whereas I completely get the need of canine sitters to provide homeowners 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 assume it’s essential to be sincere and set reasonable expectations.
So there’s a actuality test on some issues that your Dachshund will seemingly expertise at a canine sitter’s home that your canine sitter could also be leaving out of the dialog (seemingly omission, not deception).
Sure, Your Dachshund is Confused When You Go away
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 should you spend nearly all of your time with them, earn a living from home, take them with you wherever you go, or they’ve separation anxiousness.
The worst case I’ve skilled lasted nearly every week. However the Dachshund step by step grew to become much less burdened every day.
It wasn’t that the Dachshund was a nervous basket case the entire time, he simply didn’t utterly 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 mates they meet on the canine sitters.
Or possibly you’ve seen movies of canines enjoying with one another at your canine sitters home, so that you assume that your personal canine has “joined the get together”.
The factor is, the inclination of a canine to play is exclusive to their persona.
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 folks oriented and aren’t inclined to play with different canines, the possibility that your canine is enjoying whilst you’re away is lower than 50%.
In my expertise, solely about 20% of the canines that I watch frequently have interaction in play.
Your Dachshund Could 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 go away 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 involved in 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 canines 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.
Nearly all canines 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 or not it’s resulting from 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 homeowners 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, after all I do however I’ve additionally accepted that it’ll occur. It’s not an enormous deal and I simply clear it up.
Generally, it’s partially my fault anyway.
The indicators a Dachshund offers 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 proper” door to “sign” at is situated.
We Can’t Observe Your Precise Routine
One in all my “specialties” is following a Dachshund’s regular dwelling routine as intently as doable.
However that isn’t 100% doable.
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 can differ however some widespread ones are:
- In case your Dachshund free-feeds at dwelling, that gained’t be doable at my home as a result of I can’t go away meals down all the time.
- In case you 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 pair of) I don’t need the opposite canines to destroy it.
- Their regular time for dinner could change, as a result of I’ve to strike a stability between my schedule, when my very own canines anticipate their meals, and while you usually feed your canine.
Whereas it’s seemingly that your canine sitter will do every part they’ll to maintain your pup’s routine the identical, particularly since that can 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 will likely be okay.
Last Ideas
Like I mentioned, your Dachshund sitter seemingly isn’t leaving this stuff out to be misleading.
It’s simply that there are lots of causes these matters 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 speak to homeowners after their Dachshund stays with me.
Nonetheless, I additionally assume it’s necessary to be sincere and clear a couple of canine’s expertise in order that an proprietor could make a extra knowledgeable resolution sooner or later or deal with any points that got here up.
Ultimately although, there’s most likely nothing {that a} educated, skilled Dachshund sitter can’t deal with in order that your pup has a superb expertise.
In different phrases, know that there will likely be an adjustment interval in your canine and the sitter, however that your canine will likely be completely fantastic if you are on trip.
