Following on from a previous post about the best breed for my Mum, she has narrowed her breeds down to either a short haired chihuahua or a short haired miniature dachshund. We are going to Crufts Discover Dogs (we went to the smaller version at the National Pet Show, but these breeds weren't there).

I've had experience of quite a few different breeds but not these particular two. The new dog will spend quite a lot of time with me and my lab and lurcher, plus my children (one 14 and one adult) and will come to me if my mum cannot look after him or her anymore. Mum wants a dog that will curl on her lap, be not known to be vocal and doesn't need regular clipping. We live in a rural area with lots of field and forest walks.

There do not seem to be many decent breeders of these breeds around and a lot of the information around is based around the potential for some lines of dachshund to be noisy but doesn't say which and they are 'apparently' according to something I read, the most aggressive breed! Both qualities, if they were true would rule them out completely. I've also seen one breeder on the KC website for chihuahua's but when you go to her page, they all look almost too tiny (advertised as teacup) and are decorated in necklaces ugh with a price tag at least three times all the breeders on here! I would want a dog for my mum that could go for a scamper through the fields but live a long healthy life. I know the main breeders in my own breed but struggling with these two breeds.

Please could you give me some idea about the honest for's and against's of these breeds, all those things you had wished you had known beforehand to help us make our decision.
Thank you for any help :)

Always go through the breed clubs, for checking out breeders, not only for decent breeders but they may steer you clear of known bad ones.

In both breeds good breeders are unlikely to NEED TO ADVERTISE as litter sizes are small, and they breed primarily for themselves and will sell by reputation to those who will search them out.

The only chihuahuas I've known were fiesty little dogs, they used to scare a Great Dane regularly, and any other dogs they met!  and were very noisy too.  To me their bark is very shrill.

Of course, this is only two dogs, and a lot of this may have been down to lack of training ;-)

The miniature Dachshunds I've met (attmittedly not many) have been well behaved, and got on with all dogs.   They haven't been noisy, but their bark is surprisingly deep for such a tiny dog LOL

Of course this could be down to training (apart from the voice ;-) ), but personally I'd choose the mini Dachsie to live with.  But then, I'm not your mum, she may well prefer the Chi   ;-)

Best place to find a responsible breeder for either breed would be the Breed Clubs,  if they haven't got a puppy/breeder list, try contacting the secretary ;-)

Enjoy your visit to Crufts Discover Dogs :-D    A tip, wear your most comfortable shoes and take plenty to drink, it can get quite hot there at times.   And don't be surprised if both you and your mum get seduced by a breed neither of you have considered or heard of ;-)   

Thank you for your really speedy replies, I'm naturally veering towards the dachshund, as having a working lab, they have a very similar 'face', but I can't guide my mum with just that view lol. I will contact the breed clubs then as first point of investigation, it's so important to make sure we are looking at healthy dogs as parents, I've owned cavaliers for 20 years and will never own another due to health issues.

I love Crufts, go every year, comfy shoes and a back pack to leave hands free for shopping! The up and coming UK demonstration dog for guide dogs (the existing one is retiring) is one of the guide dog pups I walked (I've walked four), so will also be seeing her again :)

As a home boarder I did have two "regulars",  a miniature dachshund and a miniature chihuahua.  Much as I grew fond of the chihuahua I did find the dachshund the much easier dog. own My mum (RIP) had several dachsies and they were sooo easy!!!  (The chihuachua was more feisty).

However your mother will have to make up her own mind!!  I am sure either will be lovely!

Are these breeds not at DD in London next month?
I too would say contact the breed clubs and ask for the nearest breeder, even if you don't get one from them at least you can meet the dogs in the home and ask questions and actually see them interact.

Most good breeders are more than happy to have people visit to meet the breed, even for those hoping to have a pup from fellow breeders. 

It is ideal to visit breeders when there is no vested interest and especially when there are no cute pups to sway one, and you can make a decision more sensibly.

>Please could you give me some idea about the honest for's and against's of these breeds

Never owned a dachs so only giving an opinion on what I DO know.  I've had Chihuahua Long Coats for years.  I suppose I have over a dozen at the moment (it only sounds a lot, you can get them all in a Collie bed, even with my Collies already in it.)

I couldn't have that many if they were always yapping, the neighbours would object.  But I can't expect my Collies to be obedient if the toys get away with murder.  There is your key.  It is owners who make the toys snappy yappy little things. The vets at my veterinary hospital absolutely delight in seeing one of my Chi's.  They didn't know you could get them with an even temperament.  People are to blame for spoiling the breed.  Or keeping them in rows of cages.  I cringe at that.  How can they be integrated with the rest of the dogs in the household.

I did check out the Chihuahua Smooth Coat and decided they were too aloof for my taste.  The long coats tended to be more like a Yorkshire Terrier, which I am used to.  One well known exhibitor of both was happy to answer my questions, and admitted that, if she could only have the one type, then the smooths would have to go.  Sorry if any breeder of smooths is reading and disagreeing, as I said, all this is MHO.

I am proud of the fact that some owners of my pups (as pets) have taken them through to succeed and pass as PAT dogs.  I love it that it doesn't always have to be a Labrador. Not that I have anything against Labs.

Long Coat is a bit of a misnomer for my liking.  Because the coat isn't long like a Yorkshire Terrier's coat and certainly doesn't need clipping.  You could easily get away with a weekly comb if you felt like it.

So while you may well decide on the dachs, don't rule out a decent long coat Chihuahua.  Before anyone makes assumptions, I do not have puppies for sale.  In fact, one knowledgeable breeder has hit the nail on the head.   Very astute Barbara.  When most litters are only 1 or 2 pups it is so easy to keep them all.  :-)

They are far, far easier to toilet train than Yorkies.  But you have to remember that any toy breed takes longer to train than larger dogs.  Sorry if this is too lengthy, but you did ask for personal experience.

By the way, advertised as T cup IS NOT a reputable person.

It may have been said in the previous post, toys are not really suited to anyone who has mobility problems or anyone unstable on their feet. This probably does not apply to this lady but I felt it worth mentioning

Thank you, that is all really brilliant advice and very much appreciated, I had honestly not realised that there was such a difference between the long and the short haired chihuahua's in personality. Mum has decided that she does not want a dog that needs regular clipping (ie every 6-8 weeks) so it looks like we have narrowed it down further between a miniature dachshund or a long haired chihuahua if they do not need much grooming then :) thank you.

We cant make London, as we live in Cheshire, so will wait for Crufts in March. However, I have typed an email to both breed clubs tonight (thank you for that suggestion) saying a bit about us/my mum, the sort of life a dog would have and my experience as well, together with the fact that we have been researching health and any advice or breeders they could put me in touch with would be appreciated. So hopefully, something good will come of that, as we are looking far enough in advance that we might even find the breeder that is planning a litter and may consider us next year.

My mum has only just retired, so is still completely mobile as we have discussed the 'tiny dog/in the future' scenario and if there ever came a time when she wasn't, then we have already agreed that the dog would live with me, I live less than half a mile away and the dog will be part of my family too :) tried to think of everything to safeguard any potential issue, after all thats exactly what any decent breeder will ask us. :)

>My mum has only just retired, so is still completely mobile as we have discussed the 'tiny dog/in the future' scenario and if there ever came a time when she wasn't, then we have already agreed that the dog would live with me, I live less than half a mile away and the dog will be part of my family too :-) tried to think of everything to safeguard any potential issue, after all thats exactly what any decent breeder will ask us. :-)

Just to say that, years ago, a couple came to me asking about mum in law having a pup from me.  I wouldn't even discuss it without meeting mum in law.  This couple had obviously done a lot of research as they had come an awful long way to see me.  And had a decent drive to pick up MIL and bring her along to see a litter, although they couldn't leave home yet.  This lady had lost her husband the year before, and was lonely.  She was a lovely lady, even saying she would call a boy Sonny, as he would bring some sunshine into her life.  Who could ask for more? 

I consider being a decent breeder means asking questions, even if they are uncomfortable ones.  It has to be done when homing puppies.  I said that part of my contract asked for a pup to be returned to me if the owner died.  This lady was wonderful, and we exchanged Xmas cards for years.  Until I had a letter from the husband and wife telling me that MIL was terminally ill with cancer.  They asked if they could keep Sonny, as he got used to them as they visited MIL often.  They were lovely people, and have since been back for a friend for Sonny.  So you have already thought about what a breeder will want to know.  :-)

I'd say it's more an older dog problem, but find out what backs are like in the daxies. Some lines seem to "go" more at 5/6/7yrs (and then again later), and I don't know if regular exercise in fields etc would strengthen the muscles or make them more prone. It's usually muscular sprains but can be slipped or damaged discs.

From that POV I think a Chi would cope better? Maybe Jean can advise?

Just to agree with jean although I have almost no experience of long haired chi in comparison. My one long haired pomx long haired chi mix is no problem with grooming I just coomb her coat as and when it more or less keeps it self and that with a pom mix n there ( mum)s
The only downside of our little mia is that she  is noisy , like to tell you about everything in the whole street , no county ! probably partly my fault as I had no idea of how vocal they can be until it was rather entrenched. german sheps and falt coats my other two dogs are quiet by comparison.
I have no experience of daxis but would thoroughly recommend long haired chi's for a loving companion pet

>would thoroughly recommend long haired chi's for a loving companion pet

I would agree, and I'm not in the least biased.  My trick is to start teaching to bark on demand when they are 5 or 6 weeks old.  Or whenever they have their first bark.  Once they will do this it is easy to teach stop on command with very tasty treats to make it worth their while.

I was never keen on chihuahua's as always thought they were snappy, nervous little things. That was until March this year. I was offered an 18 month old long haired chihuahua which had been kept in a rabbit hutch along with his brother (i have no idea why) anyway I was his 4th home. When he was brought in he went for my dogs and my staff his upstairs for the rest of the day. He now gets on with all three of my dogs but has a special bond with my shih tzu. He is very fear aggressive with other dogs and goes ballistic every time he spies one while out for a walk so has to be kept on a lead unless no dogs around but he is the sweetest little thing with people and has completely changed my thinking on chihuahua's. He has a lovely silky mostly white coat which seems to keep clean even when out in muddy fields and is so easy to comb doesnt seem to knot at all. His name is Marley but he doesnt look like one so have been calling him Mr Frufru and he cames to both lol. I am so pleased I took him in and a friend of mine has rehomed his brother.

A rabbit hutch!!!!

That is so, so sad.

I know. They were on a balcony in the hutch while the owner was at work and she had to rehome them due to people complaining about the yapping.