Waggin' Tails Miniature Dachshunds

Contact Us

If you have any problem with the form, please email me at z_paws4fun(at)embarqmail.com (note: there is an underscore after the letter "z") OR paws2luv(at)gmail.com and I will send the questions to you via email.


Thank you very much for your patience and understanding.

Best regards,

Jan Harris


If you belong to any kind of "spam service" which requires people to go to a website and fill out a form in order to respond to you - do NOT use that email address for me to contact you.



We have the misfortune of living in an area where the only DSL offered is Embarq, whose email service is becoming increasingly worse, both sending and receiving.

I answer every submission the day it was sent, unless I receive it after 6 pm - then it is answered the next day. If you have not received a response from me in that time frame:

1.  Your spam service (or spaminator) has blocked my response from getting to you, or

2.  I never received your submission

If you have a spam service, either turn it off, or contact me using an email address which will not hold up my response to you.

If you do not have a spam service, wait 24 hours and resubmit, or, contact me at z_paws4fun(at)embarqmail.com (note: there is an "underscore" after the "z") OR paws2luv(at)gmail.com.

Best regards,

Jan & Mel Harris






If you are interested in a puppy, please fill out the below form completely. I promptly respond to all submissions. Please be aware that we screen applicants heavily. Our babies are very precious to us, and we want them to have the best possible homes.

HOWEVER, please proceed ONLY if all the below are acceptable:

1. Having puppy "accidents" in the house while the puppy is learning housetraining

2. Having holes dug in your yard

3. Having an escape-proof & tunnel-proof fence, OR being able to be with the Dachshund at all times when outside

4. Preventing young children from using the puppy as a toy

5. Valuing your Dachshund more than your belongings

6. Being prepared for the expense of emergency veterinary treatment. There is NO excuse - none whatsoever - which justifies withholding or delaying medical treatment for an animal who is in pain.

7. Being prepared to read (in their entirety) the following pages on the website (BEFORE filling out the questionnaire): Purchasing a Puppy, FAQ Doxies & Dogs, Puppy Proofing, Bringing Puppy Home, Body Language, Housetraining Your Puppy (especially important), Separation Anxiety, Obedience Training, Dog & Owner Supplies, Kenneling and One Puppy or Two.  They contain information which I consider extremely important. If you do not have time to read them, then you do not have time to raise a puppy. I will require potential puppy owners to discuss the contents on those pages. Please do NOT contact me if you have not read ALL those pages in their entirety. Many folks (particularly current or former Dachshund/Dog owners) think they don't NEED to read those pages; but they do - in order to get an idea of our requirements for homes.

8. Responding PROMPTLY (within 1 or 2 days) to my emails. I feel it is not only my obligation to respond promptly to emails, but common courtesy; and I expect the same from current and future puppy owners.

9. Form MUST be filled out by head of household (parents or adults -  not children). Unfortunately, I've had multiple instances of children filling out the form (some pretending to be their parents) without their parents' knowledge or consent.  

If you do NOT agree with any of the above, please do not apply. And please remember that no one owes you (or your child) a puppy. I am not overly-thrilled with the "entitlement" attitude which seems prevalent these days. Folks who want our puppies have to prove to us that they have researched their decision to have a Dachshund, that they are knowledgeable about Dachshunds (which they can accomplish by reading the information on this website), and that they will provide a proper loving home. The welfare and happiness of our puppies is our PRIMARY concern, it has to come FIRST with us.


*If you do not live within driving distance (in or near Ohio), have you read the Shipping details on the Home Page?
Yes
No
*Will you be purchasing this puppy for a gift?
Yes
No

*Will you be purchasing with the intent of reselling?
Yes
No
*Are you planning on breeding the puppy?
Yes
No
If you do plan on breeding this puppy, have you read the AKC/CKC Registration stipulations on the "Female Puppies"/"Male Puppies" page?
Yes
No
*Do you breed (or have you ever bred) dogs?
Yes
No

*Do you have a fenced yard?
Yes
No


*Is everyone in the household in agreement of having a Dachshund puppy?
Yes
No
*Is anyone in your home allergic to animals, or does anyone have asthma?
Yes
No



*Has any child/family member in the home ever been bitten by a dog?
Yes
No








*Have you ever had an animal run away?
Yes
No

*Have you ever had an animal stolen?
Yes
No









*Do you have a swimming pool OR a pond on your property?
Yes
No







The main reasons puppies & dogs are given up are because:
  • Owners did not anticipate how much time and work a puppy requires
  • Children have gotten tired of the puppy
  • Owners are having another child and have no time for the puppy/dog
  • Owners are moving and can't take the puppy/dog
I just want to make sure that folks are aware of the above and take them into consideration before bringing a puppy into their home; and also to try to anticipate if any of those instances are probable in the foreseeable future.

You must be willing to understand and be able to live with a Dachshund's temperament.
 
Dachshund puppies are extremely impressionable, and look to their new owners for guidance. The first few weeks in their new home are absolutely critical because it establishes their habits and the personality they will have for the rest of their lives.  If you want a Dachshund to be good in the car - start taking the puppy for rides immediately - and often. If you want a Dachshund to be friendly with lots of people - take the puppy with you everywhere. Some Dachshunds are friendly with everyone, some can be standoffish with strangers. Although you can do a LOT to shape their personality when they are puppies you can't MAKE them be friends with a person or pet they don't want to be friends with; you can work with them, but ultimately THEY choose whom they will be friends with.

Dachshunds are 100% in tune with their owners, and they reflect their owners' personalities uncannily. If the owners are tense and unhappy - so are their Dachshunds. If the owners are happy, gregarious people - so are their Dachshunds.

Dachshunds like a set routine. They can be stubborn if they think they are right and they are not afraid to show you they are upset (by barking, whining or even being destructive) if they think they are being treated unfairly. They enjoy their food. They enjoy their sleep. They are extremely intelligent. Dachshunds have an exuberance for life that is utterly contagious. They try to have as much fun as they can, whenever they can and wherever they are. They are very playful and have an incredible sense of humor. They love to show affection to their family and friends.

Dachshunds need a LOT of attention - which includes interaction, play and training. They know their own minds. They are not wishy-washy or devious - what you see is what you get. They might not be the easiest breed to train, but once they learn something - it's set in stone. I admire all of those traits; which is why I absolutely love the breed.

A Dachshund is NOT for you IF:
  1. You want a little robot of a dog that's very easy to train.
  2. You want a dog that will automatically be friends with the people YOU want him/her to be friends with.
  3. You want a "toy" or playmate for your young child (Dachshunds are generally NOT a breed for toddlers)
  4. You want a dog that you can leave alone for long periods of time.
  5. You want a dog that you don't have to spend a LOT of time playing with, interacting with.
  6. You want a dog that doesn't want to be right with you all the time.

Dachshunds are little dogs with BIG hearts and they show their love and affection constantly. They want, need actually, to be an integral part of your life - nothing makes them happier.

Are Dachshund puppies the easiest breed to raise? - no.
Are they the most fun? - You betcha!


Be SURE a Dachshund fits your criteria before getting one.



*Have you read the below listed website pages?
Yes
No
  1. Purchasing a Puppy
  2. FAQ Doxies & Dogs
  3. Puppy Proofing
  4. Bringing Puppy Home
  5. Body Language
  6. Housetraining Your Puppy
  7. Separation Anxiety
  8. Obedience Training
  9. Dog Supplies
  10. Kenneling
  11. One Puppy, or Two?

If you have any questions, please submit them on the below form.

Please click on the "Submit" button above to send.

"Entitlement applicants" who become upset when I bring up concerns which I believe need to be addressed, or who become upset when turned down for a puppy: these people all adhere to practices which we feel are detrimental to the happiness and well-being of puppies (and which are explicitly detailed in our required reading pages).  I'm not sure if the people hadn't read the pages (and just claimed they did), and/or thought that our requirements shouldn't pertain to them.

As stated over and over on the website, we screen applicants heavily. To applicants whose practices differ than ours, I politely address concerns which I feel need to be discussed.  “Entitlement applicants" who dismiss our concerns as inconsequential and act as though we are obligated to sell them a puppy will be ignored. I do not have the time, energy or inclination to repeatedly respond to an applicant - saying the same thing over and over, while he/she avoids discussing the concerns I have and tries to convince me that he/she is a wonderful home. Our guidelines and requirements are ALL stated on the website. If your beliefs and practices do not coincide with ours (and you have no interest in changing) DO NOT APPLY.

IF you are open to discussing the concerns and willing to try alternatives, I am MORE than happy to spend time corresponding with you.

But do NOT email with the attitude "I want a puppy, I deserve a puppy, and you should sell me a puppy - no matter what" - and ignore or dispute the requirements we have set and the concerns that I raise.  I will no longer respond to emails with that tone.

Honest-to-goodness, up to 75% of applicants seem to have that “entitlement attitude” which, I admit, I find extremely arrogant and abhorrent. The BEST homes NEVER have that attitude – never. The "Waggin' Tails family" (folks who have our puppies) are the most polite, intelligent, loving and "non-entitlement" people that I've ever met. The loving care they give to their pets is absolutely extraordinary; and we will not settle for anything less for our puppies.