Places and Faces
When you bring home your dachshund puppy, you should strive to take her to fifty new places and meet 200 new faces within her first two months. At first glance, those numbers seem overwhelming, and if you live in a rural area, they may not even be realistic — but try to do the best you can anyway! If you live in the suburbs or in the city this socialization goal is absolutely doable.
Adopted adult dogs should meet and greet as many people in as many new places as possible. But since the critical socialization period for an adult dog has already passed, the need is not quite as urgent. Fewer than 50 people, and not as many as 200 new places, will probably work just fine. You can set up your dachshund's socialization schedule at a slower pace; however, do work on your adult's skills.
Getting Used to Children
The one critical group of people for your dachsie to be socialized with (and many dachshunds are not) is children. Dachshunds who are not raised with children often find a baby's cry and jerky motions unsettling. A toddler's unsteady walk is disturbing, and the screams, quick motions, and loudness of young children are nerve-wracking.
Even if you are single with no plans to have children in your immediate future, or you are retired and don't have grandchildren visit very often, you will still run into children on your daily walks, at parks, and in other social settings. If your dachshund is fearful or wary of children, your beloved canine could become a liability. Therefore, while your dachshund is a moldable pup, it is critical that you seek out and find friendly, respectful children to whom you can introduce your puppy.
If you have a home with children constantly running in and out the front door, it is tempting to take the easy way out and crate your puppy. Instead, snap a leash on your pup and supervise his meetings with all your children's friends. You want your dachshund to be comfortable with all these children if they are going to be in your house often.
This goes for adult dachshunds, too. Do not seclude your dog because you don't want to work on his manners (bolting out the front door or jumping up). Find ways to work with your dachshund, and continue to have your puppy or dog meet and greet your children's friends.
The movements of babies, toddlers, and young children have been known to elicit deadly predatory drives in many different breeds of dogs, including dachshunds. The dogs at greatest risk of suffering from this reaction are dogs raised without exposure to children.
Making the Rounds
Of the types of people that you will want to make sure your dachshund meets, besides children, the following are some of the most key groups. If you can conquer this short list in your puppy's first month, you are well on your way to developing a social animal:
Neighbors
Family members
Adult friends
Babysitters, nannies, and housekeepers
Pet-sitters and dog-walkers
Letter-carriers and delivery people
Veterinarian and assistants
Groomer
As you go around meeting people, keep in mind that your dachshund not only needs to repeatedly meet the people he will be in contact with, he also needs to meet the different sorts of people you will run into on the street. Take care to introduce your dachshund to people of different races. If you don't, he may be unsettled enough by the visual differences between your race and another to respond in a fearful or aggressive manner. Do not let this happen!
Introduce your puppy or adult dog to everyone. Also be sure he comes in contact with people in hats or sunglasses so these accessories don't alarm him. Where can you meet all these people? Anywhere you go. This list of suggestions will get you started:
The school bus stop in the morning and afternoon
Public playgrounds that allow dogs
Walking in your neighborhood at popular dog-walking times (6-9 A.M.; 5-8 P.M., or later in summer)
Pet stores that allow friendly leashed dogs
Outdoor sporting practices and games
Beaches during hours allowing dogs (usually early morning or late evening)
Large, outdoor “strip” malls with wide sidewalks
Outdoor tables at coffee shops and cafes that encourage dog owners
Bank and fast-food drive-throughs (meeting people from a slight distance can be less intimidating)
Veterinarian's office
Be sure your dachshund forms good associations with the vet and groomer's offices by bringing him for social visits that don't require any strange pokings or proddings. Call the office about scheduling these visits. The staff may recommend a certain time or day that is less busy for them.
Remember always to keep your dachshund on leash while working on socialization skills, and use a fixed-length leash for more control. Also, recognize your pup's comfort levels. If he's distressed or anxious around large crowds, start him off with fewer people and work up to bigger gatherings of people as he gains confidence.
