Your my best friend, I’ll be with you for such a long time…

Never just a dog, but a valued family member. Worthy of your time, devotion and care.

Before investing in a companion remember they will live for roughly 10 years hopefully more. They will cost you a lot of money, yes they will need annual vaccinations to keep them safe as well as monthly tick, flea and worm prevention.

They will need neutering if they are not registered show or breeding dogs . They are bound to end up in some scrape or misadventure so set aside an emergency vet fund just in case or take out pet insurance. Dachshunds are prone to back injuries so should not jump. Surgery on an injured animal can cost thousands of dollars.

Then there is a need for good quality healthy food, such as Royal Canin dry food as well as raw meaty bones and other tasty treats.

Lets not forget a stylish halter and lead for social outings , toys or even factor in the cost of emergency kennels or house sitters if you can’t take puppy with you etc for some occasion ……it just keeps on adding up.

So, before you decide to purchase a cute little puppy do the maths and count on spending a lot of money on them.

Hopefully you have purchased your puppy from a reputable breeder who has tested for genetic diseases, breeding only from healthy parent animals. Although sometimes things can and do happen, genetic testing of the parents is the best way to ensure a well bred healthy puppy.

It’s easy to get caught up in the moment when you see a cute little bundle, but very soon that cute bundle will become very demanding and need lots of attention and training. What you put into the training of your puppy in the first six months of its life is what you can expect to get back for the rest of it.

Remember if you are leaving puppy home alone all day while you are at work, its going to get bored or suffer separation anxiety. It will most definitely bark and look for comfort by chewing something inappropriate Toilet training certainly won’t happen on a part time basis, puppies need consistency, they need love and attention and never ever violence or abuse.

If you are having an issue with your puppy you will need to take action immediately. Puppies need socialising & interaction with other puppies at Puppy Pre School classes are a great way to start. Always praise and reward your puppy for good behaviour and apart from a firm NO try and ignore the bad. Treats are the best motivator apart from cuddles.

Remember when purchasing a puppy you must consider its safety, they have no road sense and need a fenced yard. If you are renting you need to consider is this the right time to get a puppy as one landlord may allow pets but the next may not. There are so many puppies ending up in rescue due to people not being able to keep their pets in rental situations.

The purchase price of your puppy isn’t cheap. If it is then ask yourself why? However it will be just the start of a procession of outward going expenses. If you have read all this and still think you are ready for a lifetime companion then we would love to hear from you .