Adopting a Dachshund in Bristol: rescues, rules and costs

The live figure under the short answer counts every Dachshund and Dachshund cross with the rescues we cover within about 25 miles of Bristol, and our Bristol Dachshund page links each one to its rescue. If you would consider another small breed, our Bristol small dogs page widens the search.

Dachshund Rescue UK's criteria apply to every applicant, and it turns down applications that don't meet them:

The usual reasons are the owner's: Dachshund Rescue UK lists divorce, bereavement, illness, a change in family life and behaviour problems. Plenty come in worried and unsettled, and separation anxiety is common, which is why the charity favours adopters with time at home to help them recover.

Patience helps. Even with hundreds of Dachshunds rehomed each year there are more applicants than dogs, so your form stays on file for 12 months while you wait.

A rescue fee buys vet work already done. Forest of Dean Dog Rescue neuters, chips and vaccinates while a dog is with it. Males are the gap at Dachshund Rescue UK: it chips and vaccinates every dog and spays females (or agrees a spay with you), but castration of males is not routine, so check before you budget.

Buy a puppy and the price, £400 to £3,000 on Blue Cross's figures, already includes a chip, because breeders must microchip by 8 weeks. Neutering, boosters and insurance come later, out of your pocket. An adult also comes with a known back history, which a puppy can't offer.

Variety matters for backs. When the RVC asked owners of 2,031 Dachshunds in its DachsLife 2015 survey, 24.4% of standard smooth-haired dogs had had IVDD against 7.1% of standard wire-haired ones, and 15.7% overall. IVDD, intervertebral disc disease, is a disc bulging into the spinal cord, rather like a slipped disc; Dogs Trust says the breed is predisposed, that the back legs usually suffer first, from wobbling to paralysis, and that care can mean rest, painkillers, physio, hydrotherapy or an operation. Insure on day one, then ask the rescue:

• Has its back ever been a problem? Any weakness, wobbling or reluctance to jump matters. The Royal Kennel Club runs an IVDD screening scheme for breeders, but a rescue dog's screening history is rarely known.
• Which variety is it? Coat (smooth, long or wire) and size (standard or miniature) make six types, and the figures above show how far the back risk swings between them.
• Eyes. A miniature smooth-haired dog's parents should have had eye exams and the cord1 DNA test, which picks up one form of progressive retinal atrophy, The Royal Kennel Club advises.

The breed charity's FAQ works on threes. Keep the first three days calm, with no guests, trips or even walks; keep the next three weeks to a plain routine with no holidays or celebrations; and allow about three months before the dog feels fully at home. Forest of Dean Dog Rescue likewise suggests someone at home most of the day for the first couple of weeks.

Before the home check, look for gaps in fences and gates, add stair gates and ramps for sofas and beds and cut down on steps where you can. Exercise is not a big ask: short daily outings suit the breed better than marathons, says Dogs Trust, and The Royal Kennel Club gives a miniature smooth-haired dog up to an hour.

Most Bristol searches for a Dachshund are shopping for a puppy, yet no rescue sells one. You apply, the rescue decides whether you suit one of its dogs, and a fee follows the match. The Dachshunds on our Bristol Dachshund page are all for adoption, mostly adults, since puppies are scarce in rescue.

If you buy, ask to see both parents' IVDD screening results, and ask your vet about a pre-purchase consultation, which Dogs Trust says some practices offer. The Royal Kennel Club's "Find a puppy" lists registered litters. If an advert looks like a scam, report it to Report Fraud, which took over from Action Fraud.