Highly independent & intelligent. Like to make their own decisions rather
than having a human tell them what they can & cannot do.

Can be difficult with eliminating in the house. Its not a training issue
but a conscious choice to disregard the training.

They grasp most training attempts very quickly and like to impress with what
they know.

They bark...alot. They are great alarm dogs but they also just like to bark
for the hell of it. If you deny them something they will *tell* you about
it. If they want something they will ask & ask until you give in (not
unlike a 4yo child and "are we there yet?" or "but why?"). They bark just
to hear themselves bark at times. Pebbles' favorite noise is her own voice.
Some, obviously, are more verbal than others but it wouldn't be untrue to
generalize the breed as barkers.

They want attention on their terms & on their schedule and bedamned to those
who have other things to do at the time. When a Min. Dachshund wants
attention he/she demands it and doesn't stop until the human gives in. When
the human is in the mood to give attention its not uncommon to be tolerated
for a second or two then given the cold shoulder.

Did I mention they were independent (read that as hard-headed,
strong-willed, stubborn)?

Generally the males are born with a Napoleon complex and the females born
with something akin to that but more protective. I've yet to meet a female
Min. Dachshund who didn't think she was 150lbs of menacing dictator. Let's
put it this way, there's yet to be a single Boxer, of any gender from a
shelter or other situation, who has entered this house and not been scared
of Pebbles. The big dogs won't mess with her and will immediately stop
whatever they are doing, drop whatever yummy they have, or move from
whatever piece of furniture they are on if Pebbles decides she wants what
they have. I promise you that I am not exaggerating.

They are loyal to a fault, very protective, very loving.

They are good with other dogs, generally good with cats but keep all birds,
hampsters, gerbils, snakes and any other "other" category pet you can think
of away from them. I wouldn't put it past a Min. Dachshund to take on a
pot-bellied pig if that tells you anything but they do generally go after
things smaller than themselves and they don't do so to harm but to kill.

The three major health issues seen in my state are spinal injuries, joint
injuries & skin disorders. Mine has had all three at some point or another.
Started with a herniated disk at the base of her neck, then we had the ACL
tear last year and now we're doing the skin dermatitis thing. Prone (as
many dogs are) to senior onset of hearing & vision loss. Tail injuries &
resulting deformations are not uncommon either. Pebbles' tail is so crooked
its ridiculous. She wasn't born that way, each knot/bump/hump has been
formed over the years from banging her tail on things.

Good with children in the home, tolerant of strange children, completely
intolerant of being handled by kids in many cases. Alot of Min. Dachshunds
don't like to be held or picked up. They will not hesitate to snap & growl
at a person who causes them pain or anxiety although they are not natural
biters.

They love to dig, dig & dig some more. If you have moles, mole crickets,
snakes or anything else that may be hiding under your yard then you can bet
a Min. Dachshund will get to work until the culprit is caught & killed.

Honestly, they are funny, active, independent little dogs who think they are
10' tall and royalty. They can be total pains in the butt at times, make
you so frustrated you want to pull your hair out, but then look at you and
act like *you* are the one out of line and you just need to go in timeout
and get over it.

--
Tara