Quick answer: Dachshund downsides centre on eight items: IVDD risk, alert barking, stubborn training, easy weight gain and food obsession, shedding, sensitive skin in light-coloured coats, heatstroke risk in summer, and separation anxiety. Each has a corresponding management method, and the most important thing is to start from day one. This article is not here to talk you out of it, but we do not recommend getting one without reading to the end.
Want to know more about dachshunds? Keep reading the series below.
1. Downside summary: eight items to face, with responses and cost direction
| Downside | Common signs | Response | Cost direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| IVDD risk | Jumping off the sofa, back pain, hind-limb weakness | Non-slip flooring, ramps, harness, weight control | Examination to surgery, can reach thousands to tens of thousands |
| Alert barking | Barks at door sounds, corridor sounds | Sound-source desensitisation + 'quiet' cue | Training classes / acoustic soft furnishings |
| Stubborn training | Ignores recall | Short sessions, high rewards, change of scene | Training class fees |
| Easy weight gain and food obsession | Waistline disappears, begging | Measured feeding, no table food | Food costs slightly up |
| Shedding (more obvious in long coats) | In coat-blowing season, sofa, clothes and trousers are covered in hair | Daily brushing, detangling comb | Grooming supplies, lint roller |
| Sensitive skin in light-coloured coats (cream dachshund) | Licking paws, recurring red marks | Moisturising, avoid sun exposure, check allergens | Dermatology follow-ups |
| Heatstroke risk in summer | Worse panting, drooling | Walk morning and evening, carry water | Emergency hospitalisation fees |
| Separation anxiety | Whining when alone, destructive behaviour | Gradual alone-time practice, mental exercise | Puzzle toys, daycare |
2. The number one downside: the spine is a lifelong issue for this breed
The dachshund's signature shape — long spine, short legs — carries a higher risk of disc problems (IVDD), which is documented in several breed databases. The typical deterioration path is very subtle: one jump off the sofa, one incorrect carry by a child, or long-term excess weight slowly turns into reluctance to jump, cautious walking, and in severe cases hind-limb weakness or even dragging. Dragging is an emergency, not something that gets better with two days' rest. The four-piece prevention kit: non-slip flooring throughout the home (especially tiles), ramps for getting on and off furniture, a harness instead of a collar, and keeping weight at a level where you can feel the ribs but they do not stick out. Home protection is the most cost-effective insurance for this breed — the price of a non-slip mat is far less than one back accident.
There are also two high-risk actions you do every day that need to change: carry the dog supporting the chest and abdomen, do not pull the front legs, and avoid letting the dog jump on and off bunk beds by itself long-term. Spine care starts with these details, and only then can you protect the back for a dozen-plus years.
For the full version on back protection, weight control and lifespan management, see the Dachshund breed guide.
3. Barking and stubbornness: personality downsides can be managed, but will not go to zero
Dachshunds do not bark for no reason; they are doing sentry duty: corridor footsteps, the lift arriving at the floor, the doorbell — all must be reported. Three management approaches — record the trigger sounds and start desensitisation from low volume, teach a 'quiet' cue so stopping earns a reward, and provide enough daily sniffing and mental exercise to reduce boredom alerts. Be honest about expectations: the goal is 'bark less, bark when it's worth it', not silence; if the whole household needs a zero-barking environment, a dachshund may not be the best choice. Stubbornness is the other side of the same coin: a hound's obedience is conditional, and low-motivation cues get filtered out. Training cost lies in the 'method' — short sessions, variety, high-value rewards; if the socialisation window (around three to twelve weeks of age) is missed, wariness of unfamiliar dogs in adulthood is much harder to reverse.
4. Coat, colour and skin: long-haired, short-haired and cream each have their own troubles
Smooth-haired dachshunds have the lightest care, but they still shed; sofas and black trousers are disaster zones. Long-haired dachshunds need regular brushing and detangling, with the armpits, behind the ears and groin most prone to mats; if the coat stays damp and is not blow-dried, skin problems will follow — especially during Hong Kong's humid spring. Cream dachshund downsides are mainly skin and eyes: the colour itself is not a disease, but light-coloured individuals are generally thought to have more sensitive skin, and red marks after sun exposure, constant paw licking and obvious tear stains are common; besides the rare-colour premium, remember to ask whether the parents have eye and skin check records. By the way, shedding and skin problems are mostly linked to three things — diet quality, weight and parasite control: measure every meal, deworm monthly, brush weekly are the three lowest-cost long-term investments.
5. Two amplifiers in the Hong Kong setting: noise and extreme heat
Hong Kong flats have average soundproofing, so a dachshund's alert barking gets amplified into neighbour complaints; long alone time (eight hours at work to start with) amplifies separation anxiety, and the two feed each other — a dog that barks a lot is chronically highly aroused, so anxiety is heavier. The solution is the same set: exercise and sniffing before leaving in the morning, leave a chew or sniff mat, practise gradual alone time (starting from a few seconds, calm exits and returns); if it is already severe enough to cause self-harm or coprophagia, seek a veterinarian behaviourist rather than waiting for it to 'grow out of it'. Extreme heat is the second amplifier: the long body and short legs have limited cooling efficiency, and dark-coloured individuals absorb heat faster; going out at midday, hot asphalt and leaving the dog in the car are all standard heatstroke scripts — this downside needs double management in Hong Kong.
6. Are smooth-haired or long-haired dachshunds easy to keep: an honest conclusion
Whether a dog is easy to keep depends not on coat type but on lifestyle match. Are smooth-haired dachshunds easy to keep? The least grooming, but the downsides are just as many. Are long-haired dachshunds easy to keep? You must accept brushing and blow-drying duties; the reward is less shedding in coat-blowing season. Three suitability conditions: the home has non-slip flooring and ramps, someone can respond the moment barking starts, and you accept a dozen-plus years of spine management. Three unsuitable signals: seeking zero barking, seeking 100% recall, and a budget that only covers buying the dog but not medical care. Downsides will not disappear because you do not look at them, but they will shrink because you prepare early — the rewards this breed brings (clinginess, humour, small size) are generally thought to be as vivid as its downsides. Of the eight-item list, six can actually be kept very small through environment and habits; only the spine and weight are true long-term battles — and those two happen to be a few minutes' work each day. The above is general husbandry advice; for health issues please consult a registered veterinarian.
Key points
- ✅ Eight downsides: spine, barking, stubbornness, easy weight gain, shedding, sensitive skin, heat intolerance, separation anxiety
- ✅ The spine is a lifelong issue: non-slip flooring + ramps + harness + weight control, the four-piece kit is non-negotiable
- ✅ Barking and stubbornness are breed traits; the goal is 'bark less, bark when it's worth it', and the method is desensitisation + high rewards
- ✅ Coat type only affects grooming load, not spinal risk; cream light-coloured dogs need more attention to skin and eyes
- ✅ Two big Hong Kong amplifiers: barking complaints in average soundproofing, and heatstroke risk in extreme heat
- ✅ Whether a dog is easy to keep depends on lifestyle match, not coat type; downsides shrink with early preparation
Related reading
- Dachshund price Hong Kong 2026: buying and adoption cost guide
- Dachshund Hong Kong keeping guide: law, climate and home care
- Dachshund intelligence and personality analysis
- Dachshund lifespan and health guide
- PetChill pet supplies: non-slip mats, spine-support ramps, detangling combs and low-fat treats — every downside has a corresponding tool
