Dachshunds are famous as a bit stubborn but what about the wire haired dachshund temperament – how well-mannered and trainable are they? Does their terrier-like beard betray a terrier’s personality? Or are they actually more trainable and obedient than the other two types of dachshunds?
Wire Haired Dachshund Temperament
Dachshunds are individualists first and foremost, so take any generalization we say with a grain of salt. This, of course, applies to all breeds but is especially true for hound breeds like the dachshund. Whereas sporting and gun dog breeds are often bred and trained for their obedience and trainability, hound breeds are bred to hunt by following their noses and eyes and ignoring any and all distractions around them.
In short, the wire-haired dachshund temperament you can expect to face is that of a willful, self-driven, food-motivated, and sometimes outright stubborn dog – same as smooth and long-haired dachshunds.
At the same time, however, the wire-haired dachshund’s temperament also includes lots of love for its owners, a very affectionate and gentle nature, and a playful personality. Dachshunds tend to bond with one family member in particular but still have more than enough love to give to everyone, even in large families.
Wire Haired Dachshund Trainability
As you might have guessed, the strong and willful wire-haired dachshund temperament means that they are not exactly easy to train. Some take that to mean that dachshunds just “aren’t as smart as other dogs” but that’s far from the case. Dachshunds of all coat types are highly intelligent, they just don’t have the same obedience instincts as other breeds.
This doesn’t mean that obedience training a dachshund is a lost cause, however – on the contrary. Such training is especially important for willful breeds like the dachshund if you want to have a good relationship with your dog for the next decade and a half. This will also make it much easier to potty train and crate train your dog, with all three of these types of training usually meant to happen simultaneously.
Learn more about: Why Are Dachshunds So Stubborn And Is There A Quick And Simple Way To Train Them?
How Social Are Wire Haired Dachshunds?
Doxies of all coat types can be perfectly social and outgoing dogs if they’ve received adequate socialization growing up. This is neither a guard nor a watchdog breed so, as long as it learns to trust people and other canines early in its life, a dachshund should be very well-mannered around new dogs and people.
Getting along with non-canine pets such as cats can be slightly problematic due to the dachshund’s strong prey drive. However, cats never really were a part of the dachshund’s hunting list, so even a cat can get along with a properly socialized dachshund.
So, Is The Wire Haired Dachshund Temperament Identical To That Of Other Dachshunds?
Mostly but probably not completely. The three dachshund coat types – smooth (short), long, and wire-haired – do have slightly different ancestry.
The smooth or short-haired dachshund was the first Doxie breed to be developed in Germany 6 centuries ago by mixing a wide assortment of other scent hounds and pinschers. Soon after, long-haired dachshunds were developed by mixing the original Doxies with other long-haired breeds such as spaniels. Similarly, wire-haired dachshunds came to be after mixing dachshunds with some rough-coated terriers.
Has this mixed lineage led to some differences in these dogs’ personalities? Only slightly, as it seems. Long-haired dachshunds are said to be a bit more mild-mannered thanks to their spaniel lineage, for example. Meanwhile, the wire-haired dachshund temperament is believed to be a bit more laid back but also more willful when it wants to be. Such differences seem minuscule, however, and all dachshunds are individualists first and foremost.
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