The Facts on the FAQs ...
Here at Aston Acres we get a lot of questions about various things, such as policy, pricing, shipping, etc. So, we thought to help our visitors out we'd post our most frequently asked questions. We still welcome any inquiries you may have! For additonal info on the breed and links to Dachshund rescues, please check out this site:
Please refer to our page, as well.
Q: As pets, what's the difference between owning a male versus a female?
A: Quite a bit! Both males and females make awesome pets, but they do differ in temperament. Males tend to be more laid-back and mellow, and, as a whole, they just want to please you. Females, well, they are "female dogs" sometimes. They can be a tad more moody and may not be quite as devoted to their people as their male counterparts. The difference in temperaments is actually not a far cry from the temperaments in human males and females. Hopefully that illustration helps, and does not insult. Anyway, if you haven't tried a male dog yet, you should! For Kristin, males are generally her preference. (P.S. they cost less, too!) Please keep in mind that we have extensive and intimate experience with males and females, so these assessments are from the heart.
Q: OK, I can see your point on male dogs, but what about marking their territory?
A: Typically, if a puppy is neutered early on (preferably, as early as safely possible), you will not have any issues with marking. Our unneutered males can be a pain sometimes, but you can curb an unneutered male's tendency to spray through training. However, if a female is in heat, all bets are off. Additionally, it takes about 3 months for testerone to leave the body after a male has been neutered. A female is generally less hormonal, too, once spayed; so spaying and neutering is a good idea for your pets (studies have shown it helps reduce the likelihood of your dog getting cancer, too).
Q: I have seen Dachshunds for only $200.00 in the newspaper, why do yours cost more?
A: Are the puppies offered with a one-year health guarantee? Do the puppies come with lifetime support from the breeder? Is the breeder willing to take the dog back at any age for any reason? Are the puppies up to date on vaccines and worming? Are the breeding lines good, solid, proven lines? Probably not. But ours are. Furthermore, even if the puppies are wormed and vaccinated, it's important to know that not all wormers and vaccines are created equally. Yes, lower quality wormers and vaccines are not as effective at eliminating worms or preventing viral infections. Here at Aston Acres we currently use Drontal for our wormer and for vaccines we use Proguard 5. These cost more than many wormers and vaccines, but we believe these products are well worth the additional cost for the peace of mind and quality that they offer. Lastly, we have carefully selected our breeding dogs and we give ample thought and consideration into our selection for breeding pairs, keeping in mind temperament and type. Our puppies are pre-spoiled before they go off to their new homes (our Aston Acres puppy buyers can attest to it!), that is to say that they are raised with all the love and affection that they deserve. We truly love each and every one of our puppies. There are many Dachshunds out there, but they are few who are quite so special as an Aston Acres puppy. We are proud of ours dogs and we will always stand by them. You are not just getting a puppy, you are getting an Aston Acres puppy.
Q: Do you ship dogs?
A: Yes, we do ship our dogs. With the cost of, well, everything going up, the price for shipping tends to be around $350.00; however, we do our best to keep costs down. Please contact us for information about international shipping.
Q: Why is shipping so costly?
A: The majority of the cost is the airfare. We do attempt to search out the best price, while always keeping the well-being of the puppy in mind. We also factor in the mandatory health certificate required to ship a dog, an airline approved pet crate, and fuel costs. Depending upon the age of the puppy and the requirements of the destination state, the puppy may need a rabies shot, as well.
Q: How come you do not list prices for puppies on your site?
A: We choose not to list our prices because we do not want to give the impression that we will sell to just anyone. We like people to first contact us because we then have the opportunity to get to know them.
Q: Do your puppies come potty trained?
A: No. Some are introduced to crate training, but they are not potty trained. If we were to potty train a puppy, there would be an additional fee. It can be tough potty training one puppy, but a whole litter is little more than we are willing to attempt. Furthermore, no Dachshund is foolproof--and you should not expect it to be--and even the best potty trained Doxie will likely need a refresher course in a new home. You should also keep in mind that potty training is best started at 12 weeks of age or older. If you start younger than that, you will find potty training to be much more frustrating because a puppy younger than 12 weeks has less bowel control and the cognitive abilities to understand what you want it to do are less developed. Please consider all of this before purchasing a Doxie!
Q: Can you guarantee the adult weight of a puppy?
A: 'Fraid not--our crystal ball hasn't been working too well lately! We can give you our best guesstimate, which is based on the current size of the puppy, its growth since infancy, and its parents' weights. Nevertheless, we cannot ensure an exact weight. A puppy may seem small to begin with, but depending on whatever genes it inherited from its parents and even its diet, it could grow to be larger than we expected or smaller than we expected. Puppy nutrition is very important!
Q: What dog food do you feed your dogs/puppies?
A: We feed our dogs/puppies Kirkland brand dog/puppy chow. We choose this brand because its first ingredient is meat--not a filler like grain. You will be hard-pressed to find a brand of dog food that does not contain a filler as a first ingredient. Although our Doxies do not always eat meat (Shenanigans loves kettle corn and Sophie loves tortilla chips), dogs are carnivores and meat is crucial in their diet. On that note, we also advocate raw feeding. It has many benefits, such as keeping your dogs teeth clean and a less smelly, more degredable stool.
Q: Are your dogs AKC registered?
A: Yes, all of our breeding dogs are AKC registered.
Q: We are only looking for a pet; do you have different prices for pets?
A: Yes, we do offer a lower price if you are seeking a puppy solely as a pet with no breeding rights. All prices given are for pet price, not breeding price.
Q: You do offer breeding rights, then?
A: In certain cases we do offer breeding rights; however, we are stringent and offer it sparingly. It is dependent upon the quality of the dog, the buyer, and, most importantly, what will happen to the dog after it is no longer able to be bred.
Q: I heard Dachshunds are prone to having back problems; is that true?
A: Yes, a Dachshund can have back problems, which can be caused by genetics, injury, and age. Our rule of thumb here at Aston Acres is if they can't jump on it, then they shouldn't jump off it. Keep in mind, Dachshunds have extra long bodies with short legs. That means that their legs, which act as shocks, are not able to absorb significant impacts. Thus, one impact--or multiple minor injuries from prolonged jumping--can cause serious damage. A Dachshund who has a habit of jumping from a damaging distance may not show injuries directly from the jump, but her back may finally give way from twisting wrong, or a manuever that causes a twinge or that causes the damage to finally give. So, it's good to be aware and to be reasonably cautious.
Q: I have heard that it is better to not buy more than one puppy at a time because it will bond more with the other puppy rather than with me. Is this true?
A: There may be some truth to that statement, however, Dachshunds are very loyal--they love their people--and are generally social when it comes to other dogs, so we find it is nice for a puppy to have a friend (or two!). Some Dachshunds actually do better with a buddy. Besides, you're really just doubling your love!
Q: Longhair, wire hair, smooth---what's the difference?
A: Actually, there is quite a bit of difference, other than obvious difference in appearance. Surprisingly, each coat type tends to have a unique temperament. While temperament can also be attributed to genetics and environment, coat type does play a role. Here is a break down:
Longhair - Tend to be more mellow and laid-back; this is not to say that they are not playful, but they will not be bouncing off the walls like some of their wire hair counterparts. It is commonly believed that longhair Dachshunds were produced by mixing spaniel bloodlines in; so, imagine a Dachshund with more a spaniel-esque attitude.
Wire hair - Wires are often called the "clowns of the Dachshunds," and rightfully so. It is believed that Dachshunds were bred with terriers to achieve their wirey coat texture. So, you will often see terrier-like attributes in wire hairs: playful, fun-loving, energetic, and strong-willed.
Smooth - Smooths are the classic Doxie. They possess the tenacious nature (not that the other coat types do not--they're still Dachshunds!) and the bossy attitude of a true Dachshund. We often find that people who do not like Dachshunds have happened to encounter a cranky smooth Dachshund at some point and that is where they have gained that stigma. Of course, smooths are not bad dogs to own--we love ours--but a good deal of it can be attributed to upbringing. Also keep in mind that Dachshunds were bred to hunt badgers, and that is not a task for the weary of heart. And smooths do not have the benefit of being mixed with another breed to give them a slightly different nature--they are Doxie all the way.
Q: Are your dogs well-socialized?
A: Well, if you mean are our dogs raised around people and given plenty of human interaction? The answer is yes. However, if you are wondering if we take them out and about to visit with strangers, thereby introducing them to a myriad germs and potential diseases, the answer is no.
Q: I love puppies! Can I come visit yours?
A: We love puppies, too, which is why we do not allow people to visit until puppies are of a suitable age and have had a couple rounds of vaccinations. We have experienced a viral outbreak due to people coming to our property and contaminating it, so we will do our very best to prevent that from ever happening again. We have learned that nothing is worth that risk. Therefore, once it is safe for you to visit a puppy we are happy to arrange a time. In such an instance, we generally meet outdoors, as we raise our puppies indoors and do not want to compromise that area for other puppies. Additionally, a visit must be made by serious buyers. If you are looking to get a puppy fix (which we don't fault you for--they are pretty great!) but not an actual puppy, please refer to our Web site in the meantime--but do let us know when you are ready for your forever friend!
Q: So, when I come for a visit, can I bring my dog(s)?
A: Probably not. For the same reason we do not allow you to come over when the puppies are young, as a general rule we do not allow unfamiliar dogs to interact with puppies. Additionally, we do not know your beloved pooch's temperament, so we do not want to compromise the safety of our puppies or dogs.
Q: What is a soft wire?
A: A "soft wire," also referred to as a "silky wire," is a wire hair Dachshund that lacks the integrity of a wire coat. It's rather difficult to describe, but it is a coat that is somewhat analogous to a Skye Terrier, wherein the coat still has the wirey-terrier quality to it, however it is long in length as opposed to a traditional wirehair Dachshund. Sometimes silky wires are just especially fluffy, while others may have long and flowing coats.
Some people really like silky wires (and they do make for some adorable puppies!), but such a coat is not to AKC standard. Here is what the standard calls for: "With the exception of jaw, eyebrows, and ears, the whole body is covered with a uniform tight, short, thick, rough, hard, outer coat but with finer, somewhat softer, shorter hairs (undercoat) everywhere distributed between the coarser hairs." Many wires do not possess a natural coat that conforms to the AKC standard, so the coat must be stripped, this however is not possible with soft/silky wires.
To produce soft/silky wires, both parents must possess the longhair gene and one or both must bear the wirehair gene.
For pics, you can check Steve Bell's Web site, www.bellsdoxies.com. Steve has a number of softies with coats that are reminiscent of SilkyPup, the dog of Lady Lovely Locks (a little '80s trivia for you!).
Q: Do Dachshunds bark?
A: Yep. Please keep in mind that although small, Dachshunds are hound dogs--and hound dogs bark. Dachshunds are well known as excellent alert dogs, and this reputation can be given to their barking propensity. A Dachshund will protect his home and his family, which means he will alert you to any suspicious sounds (even ones that you cannot hear!). If you are looking for a dog who does not bark, probably no dog is the dog for you, but a Dachshund certainly is not.
Q: I have heard people say, "Dachshunds are addictive," is this true?
A: In a word, YES! So, watch out!
