Getting Started Your puppy's visit to the vet ... the first step with a new puppy is to bring him or her to a veterinarian for an initial checkup. Your breeder should provide you with which shot and de-worming procedures have been administered. Initial vaccinations alone will not guarantee your puppy's immunity from disease; the entire series of vaccinations must be completed in order to ensure your puppy's good health. An added precaution at this time is to keep your puppy away from other animals not current on their vaccinations. Puppy-proof your home ... only you can make sure poisonous substances stay out of your new dog's reach. Common household "poisons" such as insecticides, household detergents, and household plants are all dangerous to your puppy. Some indoor plants such as English ivy, dieffenbachia, philodendron, and caladium are poisonous if eaten; so don't let your puppy chew or play with these leaves. A veterinarian can give you a complete list of hazardous plants and other toxins that could adversely affect your dog.   Feeding your puppy ... Unfortunately, we've found that veterinarians, pet shops and pet food stores are NOT the ideal source for food information regarding your new puppy. Ask your breeder or another experienced breeder what type of dog food is best for your puppy. Also, your puppy needs a quiet place to feed and rest. It is vital to find an area where your puppy will feel safe and free from traffic and drafts.    Handling your puppy ... Keep in mind that initially your puppy will require plenty of rest, so handling and playtime should be kept to a minimum. If you have children, be sure to instruct them on the proper way in which to pick up and hold the puppy; a puppy should never be picked up by its front legs or neck.   When you are consistent and patient with your puppy; it will reward you with unconditional love and companionship. Housing Before considering housing accommodations, determine the environment which is best suited for you. If your Miniature Dachshund will be kept indoors, choose a permanent place away from the flow of traffic.   A garage/basement makes a suitable home, or if you have the space, assign your dog a room of it's own.   A dog crate can be utilized as a bed or an indoor doghouse. It should be large enough for your dog, providing sufficient room for standing and moving about. A crate can also be a very effective method for in-house training. If you keep the door of the crate open at all times and allow the dog to come and go as it pleases, your Miniature Dachshund will soon become familiar and comfortable with the surroundings.   If your dog will be outdoors, provide it with a well-built house that ensures protection from the weather. It should be made of water-proof materials and be well insulated. In order to maximize warmth and provide protection from drafts and cold temperatures, your dog's sleeping area should be away from the entrance of the doghouse. The house should be cleaned on a regular basis.    If you have a fenced-in yard, your Miniature Dachshund should have plenty of exercise space if given access to roam about freely. Of course, the yard must be maintained and excrement removed daily. If cleanup is a problem, you can fence off a smaller portion of the yard surrounding the doghouse. This will provide exercise space while minimizing yard maintenance. If the doghouse is not within the confines of a fence, you should provide your dog with additional room for mobility by attaching a run to the doghouse. This would enable your dog to get the additional space needed for play and exercise.   When purchasing a bed, look for one that will provide enough room for your Miniature Dachshund. The bed should be replaced as the dog grows. It is important to clean and disinfect the sleeping area to prevent parasites such as fleas, lice, and mites; so choose bedding that facilitates cleanup. Place the dog's bed in a warm and dry, draft-free location, away from the feeding and toilet area. Keeping it near family activity will allow your dog to become accustomed to the everyday routine of your household.   Some dogs, especially puppies, like to chew apart bedding. Chew toys will help alleviate this problem. A blanket or towel can also be placed over the bedding to further protect the bedding and provide a soft surface for your dog to snuggle. Housebreaking Housebreaking requires consistency and much patience. If your puppy has not been trained prior to your ownership, it is important to begin immediately. A puppy needs to relieve itself approximately six times per day. Since a full stomach puts pressure on the bladder and colon, begin training your dog to eliminate after each meal. One method of training your Miniature Dachshund puppy is by using its kennel crate: At night, place the puppy in its crate; most young pups will wake up barking or whining early the next morning, indicating a need to relieve itself.   Take the puppy outside to the area where you want it to eliminate. If successful, provide the puppy with plenty of praise and allow it to play inside while preparing its breakfast.   Carefully supervise the puppy when indoors; do not allow it to run in the house until fully trained.   After playtime, take the puppy outside again, and repeat the elimination process; then put the puppy back into the crate.   Wait one hour and repeat the process.   By the end of the day, the puppy will realize that when taken out of the crate, it should eliminate. However, if the puppy is not successful after 10-15 minutes, bring it back inside and place it in the crate. After 30 minutes try again. This sequence can be repeated until the puppy is fully housebroken. If your Miniature Dachshund puppy will be an indoor pet, you may prefer to use newspaper in the training process rather than the crate method: Lay newspaper in a corner away from its feeding and watering dishes.   Take the puppy to the newspaper after meals. Remember to encourage/praise it when it does its 'business'.   Change the newspaper sheets each time, putting the bottom sheets onto the top with new ones underneath.  This helps reinforce the purpose of the newspaper by sight and smell, and will increase the possibility of it using that same area again. We do not like this method, but if it is your choice, than there are a lot of new products on the market to use other than newspaper. You can also use a litter box train a dog, too. It is important to remain consistent when house-training your Miniature Dachshund. Since your dog wants to please you, do not confuse it by letting it do something one day and then punishing it for doing the same thing on another day. Remember, no form of physical punishment is as effective as praise and encouragement. Training The training of your Miniature Dachshund should begin as soon as you acquire the dog. You can do the training yourself, or you can hire a professional trainer to do the work. Local dog training classes are usually available; they will be listed in the newspaper, or your breeder can recommend a trainer. There are two types of training:  Behavioral training corrects bad habits your Miniature Dachshund might develop such as begging, chasing cars, jumping on people, and so on. It is important to be consistent during the training process. Obedience training sessions should be short, but frequent; 10 to 15 minute sessions, two or three times a day will be sufficient. If your training sessions are too long, your Miniature Dachshund will become bored. The best training time is before meals. If you work with your dog before it eats, it will begin to associate its meal as a reward for the training sessions. Before giving a word command to your dog, speak its name to get its attention.   Next, speak a one-word command such as 'sit', 'stay', or 'heel'. Do not get impatient. This will not happen on the first try. You will probably have to repeat the command many times.   Never use negative reinforcement; do not call your dog to come to you for punishment because this will teach your dog not to come on command.   Some of the specific commands are 'sit', 'stay', 'heel', and 'come.'   When speaking the commands, say them loudly and clearly, repeating them often. The dog may have to hear the commands over and over, but will soon begin to associate the word with its meaning.   When your dog responds correctly, remember to praise it; this will provoke your dog to perform correctly the next time.