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Surrender Dachshund Kevin

Surrender Dachshund Kevin’s Story

Today we are looking at the story behind the surrender of a dachshund, Kevin.

Surrender Dog Kevin - Kevin relaxing on his pink blanket

Recognising the heartache and difficulty behind making such a sad decision is essential. No one goes into dog ownership with anything but the best intentions and the dream of a wonderful addition to their family.
However, sometimes it can go wrong. This is one of those stories…

Kevin first came to his owner’s attention in an advertisement. It had been a couple of years since she lost her Bichon Frise and she felt that the time was right to introduce a new dog into the home. It was December 2020 and COVID restrictions were in place.

The meeting with the breeder took place at an outside location as these were the social distancing rules at the time, however, alarm bells were soon ringing.

Kevin had no paperwork and there was no sign of the puppy’s parents. Here was an early dilemma! Leaving the dachshund behind meant exposing him to an uncertain future so Kevin was purchased and brought home to meet his new family.

Kevin’s first visit to the vet confirmed his dubious history. He was not of the age his new owner had been told, his vaccination certificate was not credible and the fact that he had a heavy worm burden confirmed that the worming program that was discussed had probably also not taken place.

At this time these findings only reinforced that she had made the right decision in bringing Kevin into his new loving home.

Everything went well for 6 months, there were young children in the home, however, initially, no issues came to the surface.

Things took a turn for the worse when Kevin was chewing on a bone treat and the owner’s 5-year-old just sat down nearby without doing anything that would suggest any need for Kevin to respond.

Kevin, however, reacted aggressively toward the young girl.
As this was the first sign of such behaviour the owner put measures in place, no more bones would be given as a treat and the children were warned to keep away when Kevin had food.

12 months went by and with the above-mentioned procedures in place there were no further issues, despite Kevin still being wary of strangers in the house he was establishing himself as a much-loved part of the family and the owner was thrilled.

However, as the weather improved earlier this year there was a family BBQ held in the garden. Everything was going well until Kevin found a bone that had belonged to a previous inhabitant of the space and a family visitor who came too close was bitten.

Once more Kevin was exonerated as the family had previously identified and dealt with his issues around food, they felt this was just a blip.

Unfortunately, two weeks later Kevin bit a child, one of the owner’s children had previously spilt yoghurt in the back garden and as she bent down nearby to pick up a piece of chalk she had been using Kevin reacted badly. The bite on her arm was quite severe.

This was the third time he had bitten, the time scale between the incidents was lessening and the aggression increasing. It was beginning to frighten the owner as to what could happen. She had to prioritise her children.

Kevin had been such a lovely dachshund who was a wonderful addition to the family, but now a heartbreaking decision had to be made.

With his biting history, the owner knew she had to be responsible and do what she believed to be the right thing. How could she potentially add this problem to another home? it just did not feel like the right thing to do, how would she feel if he bit another child?

At this point, the owner did not know that there was a breed-specific rescue or that they would take a dog with a bit of history it seemed the only option was to take Kevin to the vet to be euthanized.

This must have felt terrible in every sense, we know many tears were shed.

On arrival at the vet, the reasons behind the decision were discussed with the family.

The vet fortunately was aware of Dachshund Rescue’s work and called us, our regional coordinator was off like a shot to collect him!

The owner was thrilled that Kevin was getting another chance and rushed home to get all his favourite accessories to help him settle.

This story has a strong message for anyone purchasing a new dog and the owner has been incredibly brave in sharing her experience with us.

She urges people to research the breed properly, as her experience shows that some dachshunds can struggle to live with young children. She also wants to stress the importance of knowing where your new dachshund comes from and the need to be aware of its history.

Kevin was effectively saved from a difficult and uncertain future by the owner and she should feel that despite everything that prevailed she did right by Kevin in the first instance.

Kevin is now happily settled with one of our coordinators, and the family who had to let him go are regularly updated on his progress.

This was a tough situation to deal with for any dog owner and we were only too glad to be able to help.

In this case, the owner was a genuine lady acting as we all do in wanting to complete her family with a dachshund but found herself facing a real dilemma, something that could happen to any of us!!

It emphasises the importance of several things

This was a tough situation to deal with for any dog owner and we were only too glad to be able to help. There are some really important points to note though, most of which are obvious, but probably worth highlighting :

A puppy with no paperwork and/or no sign of the parents is an immediate red flag. (the lady in this case obviously recognised that in fact, it’s probably the one thing that thankfully helped her decide to take Kevin on).
This shows the value of doing a little research on the breeder. Most are genuine and want to do things properly, unfortunately, there are still some around that are focused on profit more than the care of the dog.
It’s also important to research the breed, something emphasised by the lady in this example. Some of the behaviours experienced in this case are not uncommon in dachshunds, forewarned is forearmed as they say.
Most dachshund rescue organizations, have rules around where they will rehome a dog. These can include things like; the age of children in the family, the presence of other dogs or pets, the amount of time an owner can spend with a dog, having a private garden etc. Though often not popular, a situation like Kevin’s story above, emphasises the need for these. Any rescue has a duty of care, not only for the dog, but also for the people taking on a rescue animal.

If you’re considering surrendering your dachshund, feel free to chat with one of our regional coordinators. You’ll find their contact details here.

Being a UK charity, all of our work is funded by our fundraising efforts and the generosity of donors and supporters.

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Rehome my dog – if at first, you don’t succeed …

Rehome my dog – Bertie’s Story

Earlier this year Bertie was surrendered to the charity. It is rare that we would consider a crossbreed and he clearly had Jack Russell in him, but this was an emergency.

He had begun to show aggression and had bitten. He was becoming increasingly protective of his male owner as the lockdown ended and children were coming into the home as his wife was a nanny. For obvious reasons, it was necessary for them to let Bertie go.

There was no immediate home available and so he was put into temporary foster. Within 24 hours he was showing aggression again and had bitten his foster carer’s partner.

Bertie had to be removed immediately and one of our coordinators was able to collect him and take him home. It was clear he was incredibly stressed and needed time. His issues meant it would be difficult finding him the right home.
He was very reactive to noise and reacted badly initially to any visitors. Barking was also a problem and much of this was anxiety related.

He settled in with the coordinator’s family and was fine with her 2 dachshunds. She would have kept him, but his youthful exuberance was too much for her older dogs who enjoy the quiet life!!

Eventually, a new home was found after much searching and off he went.

It did not go well 😔 The new owner’s dachshund did not react positively to the new addition and was overly aggressive towards Bertie.

Within 48 hours it was apparent poor Bertie would have to move again. Fosterers were found and yet again he was moved.

Of course, this was not what anyone wanted, and it was devastating for everyone who wanted this lovely boy to find the happy future he deserved.

So back to the drawing board and the search resumed.

A couple were found who were prepared to give Bertie a chance, so a week later he travelled to his second new home. Surely this was going to work!!

Bertie tried hard but again there were problems. He started guarding one of his new owners and became aggressive towards her husband and their Labrador. After 2 weeks they couldn’t continue to keep him and again he would have to be moved.

Back to our adoption applications and all the coordinators were looking out for the home that would suit him. We had to get it right. All the moves between homes were not helping Bertie’s issues and he needed an experienced owner who would be able to give him time and the proper training.

Eventually, one application became known that sounded perfect. A quiet home with lots of space and land for Bertie to release all his youthful energy plus, another young dog in the household, who was receptive to other dogs in the home.

Luckily, a family related to a dog trainer was available to offer help and support. They were told EVERYTHING about Bertie’s history and his problems, and they were thrilled to be considered and eager to give Bertie his opportunity.

rehome my dog - berties story a dachshund jack russell cross sitting on a young girls knee

Their 14-year-old daughter put in a great deal of work creating a training programme to support him as it was clear Bertie was a highly intelligent dog who would respond well to new challenges.

This was Bertie’s sixth placement, and it took place just a few weeks ago!!!!

We are delighted to tell you he has settled in brilliantly. He is learning new tricks and revelling in his new environment.

Everyone involved in this story could not be more thrilled with the outcome of this emotional rollercoaster. It took a long time but all the time and commitment to Bertie has been worthwhile.

We will ask Evie to let us know how his training is going and update you on his progress in a few weeks. We love a happy ending 💜💜

When we get a call to “rehome my dog”, we’re always willing to help. As you can see, it’s not always as straightforward as we’d like. It’s great to see that our team of voluntary coordinators were able to work together to provide a successful conclusion and a new permanent home for Bertie.

If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of needing to rehome your dog, for whatever reason, feel free to reach out to your local Dachshund Rescue coordinator. We have a UK-wide team. You’ll find their contact details here

Being a UK charity, all of our work is funded by our fundraising efforts and the generosity of donors and supporters.

Surrendering Your Dog

Surrendering your dog – Cello & Florences’ Story

Surrendering a beloved pet is hard for any caring owner, even more so when you have a pair of beautiful, brother & sister, dachshunds.

Surrendering your dog. Cello and Florence a pair of smooth haired dachshunds relax on a leather chair

Cello and Florence were surrendered to Dachshund Rescue earlier this year under sad circumstances.
Their owners had to return to working away from home which meant leaving their dogs alone for long hours.

They both knew that they would have to make a heart-breaking decision as Cello and Florence meant the world to them. They were brave enough to put the dogs first and with heavy hearts took them to meet their local Dachshund Rescue coordinator, Michelle, who would find them their new forever home.

Many tears were shed by everyone involved as Cello and Florence were handed over to Michelle.

Michelle searched through our database, knowing that these beautiful dachshunds deserved to be in a lovely home.

She knew how loved they had been and how difficult it had been for their owners to surrender them. Michelle wanted them to know that their dogs would be safe and well cared for.

She found a wonderful couple who were thrilled to get Michelle’s call and who immediately welcomed the siblings pairing into their home and they quickly became a part of the family.

Michelle helped give them guidance on all parts of their lives. From playing with toys to sleeping through the night to ensure they settled into their new environment as quickly as possible as Cello and Florence had come from a loving home.

The couple recognised the help and support of the Dachshund Rescue team and were especially grateful to Michelle for making them feel like the best parents and giving them confidence.

Soon the siblings began to relax in their new situation and felt they deserved a new adventure.

Just 2 weeks later the newly formed family went on holiday to Scotland. Cello and Florence had the best time splashing in the sea and playing in the sand having the best time and revelling in the beautiful Scottish coastline. It felt like the family was complete.

Back at home Cello and Florence have become part of the local community and are admired by the neighbours. They have made friends with new dogs of different breeds and other dachshunds who live nearby.

A lovely story and we wish Cello and Florence a wonderful future with their new adoring parents 💜💜💜💜 We love a happy ending xx

While it’s always difficult to let go of beloved pets, it’s heart-warming to see owners putting the needs of their animals first. In this case, we were able to work with Cello & Florences’ previous owners which helped us to find an ideal new loving home for them.

If you find yourself in a situation where you’re unable to keep your dachshund, for whatever reason, whether temporarily while you sort something out, or if you need to find a new permanent home. Speak to your local Dachshund Rescue Coordinator to see if we can help. You’ll find their contact details here.

Join our Facebook Group. It’s open to anyone with an interest in our favourite breed.

Rehoming a miniature smooth dachshund – Dexter’s Story

Rehoming a miniature smooth – Dexters’ Story.

Rehoming any dachshund can involve many twists and turns. some of our adopters find the first few weeks difficult as the new addition settles into their potential forever home.

Occasionally, after rehoming a dachshund, for all sorts of reasons, the dog does not meet the expectations of the family. What we’ve found though, is that with time and patience amazing results can be achieved and wonderful relationships developed.

This is how Dexter found his happy place after a difficult start.

Dexter is a miniature smooth who was rehomed initially at 6 months old due to serious separation anxiety. His new home was lovely, and his issues began to settle down after some hard work.

When a new baby arrived on the scene, however, Dexter’s anxiety returned and became more exaggerated as he began to show signs of aggression towards children and other dogs. It was clear he would have to move again, and his owners had to make the sad decision to surrender him back to the charity.

Whenever we rehome a dachshund, we make sure to match the needs of the dog with the environment of the new home. In Dexters’ case, this meant that his potential new home would have to be free from young children and other pets. This limited his options but eventually, a lovely couple was found.

The adoption had to be completed quickly as things were becoming increasingly difficult for everyone. Dexter was handed over to his new owners and their home check was completed at the same time, not the usual practice but this was an emergency.

Despite being made aware of Dexter’s history his new owners still faced some surprises.

They did not expect him to take a dislike to the man of the house, John (although we knew from his previous owners that Dexter was more used to female company!). They also believed, quite naturally, that walking Dexter was the natural thing to do, ensuring he was being exercised.

It was becoming a struggle and things weren’t really going to plan.

Their Dachshund Rescue coordinator recognised help was needed and so our behaviour trainer was asked to support the family.

She advised that they stop the walks and allow Dexter time to get used to his new home environment and to accept all that this involved, before bringing in any further factors. The support continued and hard work and dedication were required.

After 9 months there was great progress, and it was recognised that much of Dexter’s aggression came from being a scared little boy. His behaviour is still not perfect, but reassurance and love have been the key to helping Dexter gain confidence and to alleviate his fears.

There have been many difficulties with Dexter, but his new owners accept him for who he is and at no point would even consider giving him up. It is clear this dachshund has found his forever home and some very patient and understanding parents 💜💜💜

Rehoming a Dog – Franks Story

This is the sad story of Frank and how we found ourselves rehoming a dog who’d already been rehomed.

Frank came into the care of Dachshund Rescue a year ago due to some very upsetting family circumstances after his owner sadly passed away.

Her daughter could not help as she was expecting a baby and knew this would not be the best place for Frank to be as he was already anxious.

With great sadness, Frank was surrendered to the charity and rehomed.

However, it soon became clear that Frank was struggling to settle in his new home and his worries were exacerbating.

After Christmas 2021, Louise Van Vuren became the new coordinator for Frank’s area and he was immediately brought to her attention.

Louise soon realised that poor Frank needed to be moved again. He was beginning to develop behavioural issues due to his anxieties, so his new home needed to be right.
This was her first rehoming a dog challenge too, so her skills and experience would be tested.

Louise lived near Frank’s current owners so she was able to go and assess his nature and character first-hand. She found a very handsome standard dachshund with lots of potential.

Louise quickly found a lovely lady called Eleanor and identified her as a possible adopter for Frank. She had experience of the breed too which is important in these difficult circumstances and she was ready to take on a new addition to her home. But this was just the start!!!!

It was evident Eleanor would need some support with Frank and so she was put in touch with a dachshund specialist trainer who works with us when we’re rehoming a dog in a special situation.

Frank was brought an Adaptil collar and was prescribed some garden exercise for a few days to help reduce his stress levels.

Eleanor was given some guidance on separation anxiety too. Frank’s past experiences had left their mark 😔😔

Eleanor responded positively to the advice and put into place all the ideas she had been given.

She worked very hard and within weeks began to notice a difference. She started to recognise what was triggering Frank’s anxiety and took steps to avoid these situations.

Frank’s confidence has grown so much now and Eleanor is thrilled with his development. She gets pretty emotional thinking about how well he has done.

Frank is by no means the finished article and the hard work continues with support from our trainer.

He is now a much happier dog who is settled and thriving in his new environment.

Thank you Eleanor for giving him the security he needed and a wonderful new home 💜💜💜💜

Rehoming a dog

Could you provide a loving home for one of our rescued Dachshunds?

We provide UK-wide support for Adopting, Rehoming and Fostering via our network of regional coordinators.

If you’d like to find out more head to our Adoption page.

Join our Facebook Group. It’s open to anyone with an interest in our favourite breed.

Adopting a Dachshund – A Dog with a Criminal Record

Adopting a Dachshund can be a rewarding experience.

Today we are sharing Alfie’s Story……. from the point of view of his new owner.

Adopting a Dachshund – Alfie’s Story

The Police kennels had asked Dachshund Rescue about the possibility of finding a new home for him.

Alfie had been put into the kennels over a biting incident and he had been there for nearly a year.

I first heard from Dachshund Rescue back in September 2021 about a 3-year-old male Dachshund called Alfie.

Little was known about him, but the police told us that in his time with them there’d been no biting. They said in fact that he was a sweet boy.

Luckily, Dachshund Rescue was there to help.

We were told he was a large Standard and that was confirmed when we saw the photos of him.

Alongside this, we noted he was very food orientated and he loved to spend time with humans.

Taking on a dog who’d been known to bite was a bit of a worry. However, we soon discovered his kind nature, and our worries were over.

Within 3 weeks we had picked him up and took him home to start his new life with us. Now, 4.5 months later (at the time of writing), Alfie has settled down nicely.

He is comfortable enough that he wags his tail and barks when in a deep sleep, and he’s starting training classes in the hope that it will help him gain a few doggy friends.

We’re hoping to improve his recall too so that he can be let off the lead.
Currently, he is quite headstrong, so most of the time he ignores us calling him.

He’s had plenty of adventures including beach and wood walks enjoying walks around the local towns and villages too.

A family holiday shortly will bring opportunities for further walks.

So far, he’s managed to bite through 2 leads and a harness within minutes, so these are firmly tucked away now!

His cheeky side is starting to come out and he’s gained enough confidence to start playing (aka, tearing his toys to shreds).

With the help of my family, we are still working through a few problems.
I know that there is no quick fix., but now I can’t imagine life without him.

Adopting a Dachshund can be a rewarding experience. Could you provide a loving home for one of our rescued dogs?

We provide UK-wide support for Adopting, Rehoming and Fostering via our network of regional coordinators.

If you’d like to find out more head to our Adoption page.

Remember, as with any breed, you should do a little research on the breed first to check if a dachshund might be right for you and your family. Here’s a good place to start.

Join our Facebook Group. It’s open to anyone with an interest in our favourite breed.

Having to Rehome My Dachshund

Having to rehome my dachshund

I had to give my Dachshund up 5 years ago. I knew then that having to rehome my dachshund was always going to be tough.

Due to the horrendous situation, I was in, I had little choice.

I’d had dogs all my life and have never ever had to give one up before.
So, I knew that rehoming my dachshund was going to be tough.

Taking the steps to initiate the process was one of the hardest decisions I’d ever made. I contacted Dachshund rescue, and they were lovely.

I knew I that couldn’t keep him, but he had to go to the right home before I could let him go.

They phoned to say they had a lady who would like him and so we arranged to meet. We were so lucky as she turned out to be perfect. She lived on her own and was retired and lived in a lovely area with trees and parks.

As soon as we met, I knew that my boy would be happy.

I stay connected and ring or visit every year to check that all is well. He’s the most loved and spoilt Dachshund going.

We realise how lucky we were that it turned out so well and I will always be grateful that he’s loved and happy.

Hopefully, I will never have to be involved in rehoming my dachshund again.

However careful and considered your actions are, putting a little soul who you love and who has always given you unconditional love, into an unknown situation is just awful.

Rehoming | Adoption | Emergency Fostering

Even though it had a happy conclusion I found it hard to really forgive myself.

Thank goodness for organisations like Dachshund Rescue they are brilliant, and I would highly recommend them.

If you own a dachshund and ever find yourself in a situation where you need to rehome your dog, either permanently or temporarily, for whatever reason, get in touch.

We provide UK-wide support for Rehoming and Fostering via our network of regional coordinators.

Find contact details for the nearest to you on our Contacts page.

Christine Furneaux

Christine Furneaux – An Announcement

It is with deep sadness that Dachshund Rescue has to announce the passing of our Chair for many years, Christine Furneaux.

Founded in 1972, Dachshund Rescue was the result of the collaboration of several Dachshund breed clubs.

Later Chris became responsible for Daxaid, a small organisation providing foster care.

She was a very proactive lady, nothing stood in the way of what she wanted to achieve in her life!

In 2014 Chris led us to achieve charitable status for Dachshund Rescue, finding new Trustees and Coordinators.

It was the beginning of Dachshund Rescue as we know it today.

At this time Chris also initiated and managed the amalgamation of Daxaid and Dachshund Rescue.

Covering the whole of the UK, we now have; 4 Trustees, 14 Coordinators, over 40 volunteers, a team of mobile physiotherapists and a Dachshund trainer.

We have also established working relationships with various referral clinics across the UK. In 2021 the Charity found forever homes for 190 Dachshunds

The amount of energy and dedication Chris had for the welfare of Dachshunds was tremendous, and she grew a very successful charity over many years.

She was an extremely determined lady with very strong values and ethics which she instilled in each and every member of the Charity.

These values remain in place today and we are all very proud to honour these vital components which are instrumental in the rehoming work that we do.

Chris had a great love of Lawn Bowls which she attended two mornings a week for many years. Nothing interfered with her bowling mornings and the socialising that went with them.

We all quickly learned which mornings were bowls mornings. There became an unspoken rule that Chris was not to be disturbed at these times!

Wildlife was a great love of Chris’s and whilst sat at her desk for many hours carrying out the rescue work, she would watch a special little bird that sat on the hedge outside her study, watching her.

The last few months prior to Chris stepping down as Chair of Dachshund Rescue saw the beginning of the pandemic. This brought in a massive change in the way we would work to rehome Dachshunds.

This she did with great aplomb, as always leading her team successfully through these unprecedented times.

She was, however, not a great fan of technology, and as our meetings could no longer be face-to-face, we all had to get to grips with Zoom.

Chris found this very frustrating, to say the least but her determination to master the situation resulted in a very strange login to our first Zoom meeting, culminating in us all pulling her leg that she was using a stolen iMac!

She roared with laughter and from then on we all had great fun with her adapting successfully to Zoom life.

Chris also held various other positions, all Dachshund related of course.

She was on the committee of the Southern Dachshund Club Association for over 20 years and the committee of the Dachshund Club, holding positions of Membership Secretary as well as Chair for a couple of years.

Due to ill health, Chris stepped down from Dachshund Rescue in December 2020.

The knowledge and experience of Dachshunds Chris possessed were enormous. We feel very privileged to have worked with her.

Chris will be hugely missed and the Dachshund breed has sadly lost a great Ambassador.

Sponsorship of QVSH Cambridge University

We are delighted to announce two major collaborations at the Queens Veterinary School Hospital (QVSH), University of Cambridge.

3-year Training Position

Dachshund Rescue UK are fully funding a three-year training position for a veterinary neurologist, beginning in July 2021.

The position attracted many high-quality applicants. Eventually, the team decided on Bruno Scalia (pictured here).

Bruno Scalia of QVSH Cambridge University — Bruno Scalia

Bruno is an Italian veterinary surgeon who came to the UK to fulfil his ambition of becoming a neurologist.

He visited QVSH Cambridge University prior to the pandemic and made a particularly good impression.

Gaining valuable experience at a busy private referral hospital, Bruno has already been published in a leading veterinary journal.

The team is confident he will be an outstanding neurologist.

Bruno’s aim is to find evidence for a surgical treatment to reduce the frequency and recurrences of ‘disc disease’ in our breed as, well as others.

1-Year Research Project

Our second sponsorship is the funding of a one-year research project.

The successful candidate is a veterinary surgeon from Colombia, Viviana Rojas (pictured here).

Viviana Rojas of QVSH Cambridge University — Viviana Rojas

This is a potentially life-changing opportunity for Viviana, who will begin her research in October 2021.

Working as part of Paul Freeman’s research group, she will be looking at various aspects of intervertebral disc disease.

The group at QVSH Cambridge University has already made some exciting advances in the understanding of the disease.

We are sure that Viviana’s work will add to the pool of knowledge, eventually leading to novel treatments and/or preventative measures in the future.

We’re extremely excited about this partnership, and to further developing our relationship with the team at QVSH Cambridge.

The results from the work at QVSH Cambridge University will benefit our breed, but also of course the welfare of all breeds which suffer from neurological disease.