Living Spaces
The biggest dangers to dachshunds in the rest of the house are electrical cords, toys, socks, various knickknacks, and poisonous plants. Electrical cords, when there is voltage running through them, can carry quite a jolt to the unsuspecting, chewing dachshund. A half-eaten cord also presents a serious risk of fire. Keep cords hidden from your dog — computer and office stores sell this kind of protective equipment — and be sure to check cords and cables frequently just to make sure they're intact.
Kids' Stuff
Children's toys and action figures that aren't picked up are fair game for the dachshund, and they usually wind up minus a limb or two. Also be sure to put away CDs, DVDs, glue sticks, pens (especially those with permanent ink, which seem to be the most fun to chew), and any other item that your dachsie can steal and run off with to chew.
These precautions aren't just to prevent ruined toys. Unfortunately, many of these items can shatter into sharp shards, which, when swallowed, can cut or puncture your dachsie's stomach or intestines.
If you plan to allow your dachshund to sleep on the furniture, consider using a throw or slipcover. It's much easier to wash a piece of cloth than to scrub dog oils and grime off a cushion or to haul your king-size comforter to the Laundromat on a regular basis to rid the bedroom of that doggie smell.
Your Stuff
Socks, a particular favorite chew item, can be swallowed and block a dog's gastrointestinal tract. Knick-knacks commonly displayed on low-lying coffee tables or shelves may also be quite hazardous to your pup's or dog's health. Crystal, glass, and ceramics can all break into sharp pieces, which are potentially very dangerous when swallowed. Be sure that you keep everything picked up and out of reach of your dachshund. In areas where you can't or prefer not to clear problem items out of your dachsie's reach, start using baby or dog gates to keep the dog away.
Smokers! Want yet another good reason to kick your habit? Your cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco are all very toxic to dogs, as is the ash. If your dachsie eats any of these substances, she will wind up very ill. If you can't kick the habit, make sure you keep your ashtrays spotless and your smokes locked up and out of reach.
Poisonous Plants
Most people know that poinsettias can be toxic to dogs, but a multitude of other plants that are frequently grown indoors or found in floral arrangements can also make a dachshund quite ill or even be deadly to the smallest of wiener dogs.
The following are a few of the more common houseplants that can be dangerous for the inquisitive puppy or ravenous adult:
Amaryllis — Eating the bulbs can cause vomiting or diarrhea.
Anthurium and raeanum — Eating a very small quantity of any part of this popular houseplant can cause blistering and swelling of the throat.
Caladium (angel's wings) — Eating any part causes severe irritation to mouth, throat, and upper gastrointestinal tract.
Dieffenbachia (mother-in-law plant or dumbcane) — Contains the toxin calcium oxalate in all parts of the plant, consumption causes painful swelling of the mouth and throat. Once used to torture humans.
Hedera helix (common English ivy) — Leaves contain three different toxins, and eating them can cause vomiting, diarrhea, paralysis, and coma. Contact with the leaves can cause watery blisters, too.
Kalanchoe daigremontiana (mother of thousands) — Dogs have an affinity for the little plantlets that form on this houseplant; however, they contain toxins in the leaves and stems and have been shown to cause death in laboratory chicks and mice.
Monstera deliciosa (split-leaf philodendron) — The calcium oxalate found in the leaves of this common houseplant (or any other member of the philodendron species) causes immediate and painful swelling of the mouth and throat, loss of voice (dog would not be able to whine, cry, or bark to express severe pain), blistering, and itching (scratching).
Solanum pseudocapsicum (Jerusalem cherry) — If the berries are ingested, the dog can suffer severe gastrointestinal pain and vomiting.
For a complete list of poisonous plants, check Cornell University's poisonous plant database.
If you have any of these plants — or others on the poisonous plant list — you must either keep them out of reach of your dachshund or remove the plant from your home. Some indoor plants are quite poisonous, and it takes even less of the plant to poison a dog with a low body weight. In other words, a single leaf could cause serious problems for your miniature dachshund.
