Should I get 2 puppies?

Most breeders will not sell a pair of dogs or a pair of bitches from the same litter. There is a risk that they will fight once they grow to maturity. 2 sibling bitches are much more likely to fight than 2 dogs but non-sibling bitches may also fight. Once this happens, it is usually very difficult to get them to live happily together again.

If you have decided that a second Dachshund would be right for your family, wait until your first one is 9-12 months old. By that time, he/she will be mature enough to be seen as the "top dog" by a new puppy. There will then be less chance of any challenges by the new puppy.

Bear in mind that if you get a second puppy that is the opposite sex you will have to keep them apart (typically for up to 2 weeks) whenever the bitch comes in season. You won't want to risk an accidental mating.

Please read our infographic, below. Don't buy a second Dachshund if you think it will solve any behavioural problems that your current Dachshund has. It may just make things worse.

A paper published in 2020 concluded that aggressors were a mean of 16 months younger and 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) heavier than recipients. Factors associated with a poor outcome included pairs of the same sex, history of bites that broke the skin, and aggression on sight of the recipient. And: "Owners should be advised to avoid same-sex pairs".