First teckel questions

[Jamie956]

Hi all
I've had/lived with Jack Russell's for over 40 years and love the little b******s, but now apparently there's a change on the horizon... and I'm a total blank canvas with them.
While the missus is searching the area for a litter that suits what we're looking for I have some questions I'm hoping you good folk can/will help me with if possible please.
Firstly I'm wondering at what age you can tell what type of coat they will have, whether it will be pin or rough etc, are there signs it will be one and not the other?
If given a choice of pup from a litter what would make you pick one over the others, health characteristics, personality?
And what prices would you expect to actually pay nowadays for KC/non KC reg pups, we're not looking for show winners?
Any advice on them in general gratefully received
Cheers
J

 

[Rake Aboot]

Invest in good Whisky, you’ll need it.

 

[Jamie956]

Invest in good Whisky, you’ll need it.

Oh, thanks for that

 

[finnbear270]

Firstly, Speak directly with a well respected Teckel breeder, I recommend Keith Edmunds on here, I have two litter brothers from him.

 

[Hawshill]

Hi Jamie,
Coat wise, I think by 5-6 weeks you can see which way they are going. Our recent litter had six who appeared quite smooth coated but by that point you could see longer guard hairs coming on their chests, ears and feet. These will be ‘standard’ wires and follow the dam. One of the litter had a longer coat from the day she was born and will be a longer, woollier coat (less desirable in working lines, needs more regular stripping).
As regards what to look for in an individual- you’ll not go far wrong with the waggiest tail and one who holds your eye contact when you make a squeaky noise.
Price wise- £1000 ish for well bred KC registered pups seems to be the current rate, but could be a fair bit more, don’t fall into the trap of buying the cheapest one you can find- a lot of people have jumped on the ‘working teckel’ bandwagon and there is a lot of crap out there.
Good luck with your search, you’ll not regret it (despite what the naysayers tell you).
Best Jon

 

[Keith Edmunds]

Hi Jamie,

Re coat - the best coat will be the pup that looks almost smooth but with wispy chest hair, longer hair on ear tips and longer tufts of hair on the underside of the pads, between the toes. If an 8-week old pup already looks like a wire with lots of furnishings, then its coat might be too soft as an adult. However, regular coat stripping from around 8-12-months-old can greatly improve a softer coat. Also, there's nothing wrong with a recessive smooth coat - maintenance-free and given the choice I would rather have a recessive smooth over a profuse and soft coat for working.

Regarding choice of a pup......That starts with the ancestry. The global gene-pool for wire-haired dachshunds is enormous and that means a great variety in size, shape and temperament. The first part is for you to decide what it is that you want?

 

[finnbear270]

Hi Jamie,

Re coat - the best coat will be the pup that looks almost smooth but with wispy chest hair, longer hair on ear tips and longer tufts of hair on the underside of the pads, between the toes. If an 8-week old pup already looks like a wire with lots of furnishings, then its coat might be too soft as an adult. However, regular coat stripping from around 8-12-months-old can greatly improve a softer coat. Also, there's nothing wrong with a recessive smooth coat - maintenance-free and given the choice I would rather have a recessive smooth over a profuse and soft coat for working.

Regarding choice of a pup......That starts with the ancestry. The global gene-pool for wire-haired dachshunds is enormous and that means a great variety in size, shape and temperament. The first part is for you to decide what it is that you want?

What it is that YOU want, WILL be decided by him or her themselves!! (Joking), but a more strong willed and lion hearted dog breed you cannot find.

 

[DavyG]

Meet “Peggy”. She has perfected a new meat cut…shredded Hock

 

[Ratel]

You are heading in the wrong direction. Hope you make the first year of possession without being sectioned.

 

[Siggy]

Firstly I'm wondering at what age you can tell what type of coat they will have, whether it will be pin or rough etc, are there signs it will be one and not the other? - Ours is pin coat but at 15 weeks you can see the guard hairs starting to come through and he has some longer hairs on his chin.

If given a choice of pup from a litter what would make you pick one over the others, health characteristics, personality? - we got the one that was left - but he was probably the one that we would have picked anyway
Any advice on them in general gratefully received - Ours is a strange mix of very easy going and unbelievably stubborn. Ours was crate trained from day one - but still takes a dump in the house if he doesn't want to get his feet wet (but usually goes out side)/
They are close to the ground so get cold really quick (only 15 weeks so I assume it will improve with time).
Can't wait to get him on a blood trail because I suspect he will track like he is on rails.
Also I hope his voice breaks soon because his bark is incredibly penetrating- especially when he is chasing the border terrier around the garden.

 

[wytonpjs]

Meet “Peggy”. She has perfected a new meat cut…shredded Hock

Watching my Teckel drag a roe doe across a field (at distance) by its haunch was a "surprise". A week later - pulled the tail off a muntjac!

Interesting breed - good luck

 

[Rake Aboot]

Pup


Dog



Not much rules about what a pup will turn out like

That dog was identical to my older dog as pups but they are completely different as adult dogs

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Devils incarnate.
My pal a German vet takes his everywhere including the bedroom.
They never obey what you tell them to do but when sitting next to you on a high seat they make thermals redundant with their nose.

 

[muddy42]

Do not ever let them get the taste for hunting (by this I mean pretty much walking anywhere not at heel). Get them used to walking on the lead and keep using it.
Teckels are fantastic dogs, but they don't have that social desire to please their owner that other dogs (esp labs) have.
Keep their lives calm try and stamp out on any barking (not easy)

 

[RiverTestKeeper]

I have a brace of Teckels, one I adopted and later purchased his granddaughter. Dog and bitch.
Whilst they are incredibly stubborn, head strong and argumentative. They are fantastic things. My adopted dog Benny (8yrs) tracks, picks up and rats well - however when i took him on, he was trained - i only had to house train him, which took a long time.
I’ve had his granddaughter from a pup, she’s 18 months old now. She was testing for the first year, but after a while everything clicked. I found having a biddable Labrador as well to teach her recall and to not do certain things was very helpful.

 

[wytonpjs]

Our first Teckel after 7 Vizslas came from a stalking buddy and we chose the quiet one - his litter companion was a right individual and I dread to think what his owners went through. House training was a right PITA until past 2 and now aged 4, we never have any issues in the house. Initially, recall was a problem and I invested in a Garmin Tracker (search Garmin and me and you'll find a particular memorable disappearance) but now he will come back when summonsed and if out of hearing, will do so anyway after a very short while. Thankfully, the days of chasing fallow over fields and fields are behind him. It has taken to now to stop him running into the shot without being on a leash and he will willingly trot at heel whilst stalking with one of my Vizslas. As soon as the rifle goes on the sticks though, he's 120% "stoked" and is on a hair trigger. Sadly, at such times he lets out quiet whimpers of excitement but will shoosh! At home, he's not too shouty but he does have opinions and does communicate them to us!

Unfortunately for both him and us, his balls failed to descend so these were surgically removed at 12 months. As a consequence his coat has markedly changed since then and he's now more smooth (shaggy) than wiry. Parts of his coat do remain wiry but sadly not a lot. He feels the heat in hot weather and his haircuts cost more than the wife's!

We would not be without him though.........................

 

[Jamie956]

Thanks for the advice and pointers folks keep it coming. To be honest until I find more stalking the only work I'd planned doing with it for now is a bit if tracking incase I lose one so it will mainly be a pet and companion for us to take out and about with us, and we have kids who are keen for another dog again.
Cheers
J

 

[Keith Edmunds]

Thanks for the advice and pointers folks keep it coming. To be honest until I find more stalking the only work I'd planned doing with it for now is a bit if tracking incase I lose one so it will mainly be a pet and companion for us to take out and about with us, and we have kids who are keen for another dog again.
Cheers
J

That' probably a good pace to start anyway. Far too many people hurry with pups, get them too hot, too keen then have an uphill struggle forever onwards - I am speaking from experience! My current pup (2 yrs old) is steady as a rock, I very rarely take her out stalking atm but she's off lead on my stalking ground every day. I let her play with a few heads evey few weeks but...........I know there's no hurry for what I want from her.

 

[Jamie956]

Thanks, I'd planned leaving them in the car depending where it will be parked and then going for them after the shot to have a go, or even popping home for them if on local ground, and kidneys seem to be a common reward for their efforts?
We want 95% pet really and I wasn't going to work it on rats/rabbits etc like other terriers.
What's your thoughts on desensitisation, ie if it likes barking at postmen going and sitting outside the local sorting office for an hour or two
And I've also in the past, on one dog in particular, carefully used an electric collar to help sort the little witch out, whats people thoughts on them for teckels, and the legality?
Cheers

 

[wytonpjs]

And I've also in the past, on one dog in particular, carefully used an electric collar to help sort the little witch out, whats people thoughts on them for teckels, and the legality?

I wouldn't! Patience, perseverance and establishing the proper relationship is key IMHO.