Dachshund Care: Creating a Dachshund-Friendly Home with the Weenie Dog Pack
Meet Allie and her four Dachshunds - Sophie, Louie, Remy, and Evie.
Over the past 3 years, Allie and her Weenie Dog Pack have captured the hearts of thousands of TikTok users with their adorable videos.
As a dedicated Dachshund owner, Allie’s videos are not only entertaining, but informative too - especially when it comes to sharing how she goes above and beyond to care for her long-bodied, short-legged pups.
In fact, when Allie and her husband moved just last year, they used their knowledge and experiences to Dachshund-proof their new home.
So if you’re a Dachshund owner (or considering becoming one), read on to learn more about Allie’s story and discover how she incorporated Dachshund-friendly interior design elements and accessories to create a home that caters to her dogs' needs.
Dachshund-Friendly Interior Design Elements and More
Built-In Dog Gates
Since Dachshunds have a higher risk of experiencing back issues, doggy gates are a must in homes with stairs.
Rather than opting for any sort of temporary fixture, Allie and her husband decided to design 3 built-in doggy gates made out of high-quality materials that would match their new home's aesthetic.
After drawing up a few simple sketches during the construction process, their builder was able to help bring their vision to life.
Currently, Allie and her husband have 2 white sliding gates that are over 50” long for the wider openings to their game room and their dogs’ room. Despite their length, they do not get in the way when not in use since they can be easily slid back and placed snug against their walls.
Their final built-in gate can be found at the bottom of their stairs, and it was designed to not only match but to also look like a seamless extension their stair railing. It has special hinges that allow it to swing in both directions too. As a result, it remains easy to use whether you’re heading up or down.
This third gate prevents the Weenie Dog Pack from using the stairs altogether. Thus, protecting their backs from any extra strain the stairs may have otherwise caused.
Indoor Dog Ramps
No Dachshund’s home is complete without dog ramps.
And Allie and her husband chose DoggoRamps Solid Hardwood Dog Ramps for the Weenie Dog Pack as they are sturdy, durable, and high-quality ramps that feel like a real, intentional piece of furniture too.
At the moment, the Weenie Dog Pack uses the DoggoRamps Couch Ramp with safety rails and the DoggoRamps Large Bed Ramp (the large bed ramp’s wide platform and higher weight limit can comfortably accommodate a larger group of small dogs).
When it comes to both of their DoggoRamps, Allie shared that the anti-slip PAWGRIP surface is her favorite feature. It provides her pups with incredible traction, and since she has had a senior Dachshund before, she knows how essential good traction is, especially as a dog ages.
To further illustrate her preference for the PAWGRIP, Allie wrote:
“The previous ramp we had didn’t have good traction, so they had to get a little run… to make it up the ramp or they would start sliding backwards. Therefore, I will ALWAYS be an advocate for the pawgrip that is used on the DoggoRamps products.”
Beyond the ramp’s surface, Allie also appreciates the safety rails on both ramps as they prevent her pups from taking shortcuts and jumping partway off their ramps. The rails also help stop the Dachshunds from accidentally bumping each other off their ramps when they all choose to use their ramps at the same time.
Allie also likes moving the Weenie Dog Pack’s sturdy yet lightweight Couch Ramp from room to room - allowing them to safely access the couch, enjoy other pieces of furniture, or even get a better view out the window!
Selecting Pet-Friendly Flooring
With their clever but stubborn personalities, Dachshunds have a reputation for being difficult to housetrain.
While all 4 members of the Weenie Dog Pack are fully potty trained, indoor accidents happen every now and then.
In order to make it easy to clean up any potential accidents, Allie and her husband wanted to stay clear of carpeted flooring in their new home as much as possible.
Instead, they opted for engineered hardwood floors, which can be treated with water-resistant finishes.
The Weenie Dog Pack in their living room.
For the one room that has carpeted flooring, the Dachshund parents made sure to choose a brand that offered a lifetime pet soil warranty.
Currently, Allie and her husband are on the hunt for pet-friendly runners to provide their pups with better traction in high-traffic areas of their home too!
Creating a Safe Space to Relax
When considering different ways to Dachshund-proof their new home, Allie and her husband came up with the idea of creating a designated room for the Weenie Dog Pack.
Since the Dachshunds were already used to being crated when home alone, Allie and her husband decided they would like to provide their dogs with a little more freedom and space in a safe area whenever they had to step away.
At the moment, the Dachshunds’ room consists of a giant Dachshund-themed rug with a washable pad underneath in case any accidents occur.
It also has numerous dog beds scattered throughout the space, and the Weenie Dog Pack loves spending time in their room, especially after breakfast when the area gets direct sunlight for the dogs to sunbathe.
Nothing like soaking up the sunshine!
Instead of having a narrow doorway that fully closes up the space, Allie and her husband chose to keep it open and airy with a wide entryway and added one of their three built-in doggy gates to secure the room whenever needed.
A Dachshund-Friendly Yard
Creating a Dachshund-proof home doesn’t end indoors. Outdoor areas need to be taken into consideration too!
When the Dachshund owners learned that there would be a high drop off from their back porch to the ground, they asked for extra dirt to be moved around to the porch while final excavation work was taking place.
This significantly reduced the height of the drop off, and they no longer have to worry about it being too dangerous for the Weenie Dog Pack to manage.
They have also placed a DoggieLawn under their covered back porch for the pack to use on rainy days. As many Dachshund owners know, having the breed go outdoors in the rain isn’t always an easy feat.
Designing a Dachshund Friendly Home: Allie's Story
Ever since Allie can remember, she has always been a “dog person” - more specifically, a “Dachshund person”. Growing up, her friend's parents were Dachshund breeders, so she had the opportunity to get to know the breed years before she got her first pup.
In 2006, after graduating high school, Allie’s first decision as an adult was to get Kenzie, a chocolate and tan miniature Dachshund.
Kenzie would be there with Allie throughout college, marriage, kids, and so much more. For Allie, Kenzie will always be her soul-dog. The bond she shared with her first Dachshund deepened her love for the breed and is the reason why she has her Weenie Dog Pack today.
In 2020, Sophie, a smooth-coated cream Dachshund, would come into Allie’s life after Kenzie’s passing, quickly followed by Louie, a piebald standard Dachshund. Around a year later, Remy and Evie, both miniature Dachshunds, would join the pack too.
So when Allie and her husband got the chance to influence the design of their next home, they decided that they wanted to make it as Dachshund-friendly as possible as they now had a Weenie Dog Pack of 4.
From choosing pet-friendly flooring, designing built-in features to help keep their Dachshunds safe, and finding the right pet accessories, Allie and her husband have truly created a beautiful, comfortable, and Dachshund-proof space for the Weenie Dog Pack to call home.
Why Dachshunds Require Special Care: Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD)
Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) is a common spinal condition among Dachshunds. In fact, it affects about 25% of Dachshunds.
IVDD occurs when intervertebral discs, which act as shock absorbers for the spine, begin to degenerate and lose their elasticity. This makes it easier for a disc to bulge or burst.
When this happens, the herniated or ruptured disc can compress a dog’s spinal cord, which can cause severe pain, weakness, and even paralysis. Treating IVDD often involves expensive surgeries and/or a long period of recovery.
For Dachshunds and many other long-bodied, short-legged breeds prone to the condition, IVDD flare ups can occur at a young age. They can be triggered by an injury or a hard impact experienced from a seemingly harmless day-to-day activity, such as jumping off furniture or even using stairs:
This is one of the biggest reasons why bringing a Dachshund home requires careful planning and consideration.
Allie shared that after their move, the Weenie Dog Pack was quick to settle into their new home and is enjoying having more space to explore, run, and play. They are truly living their best life!
Moving forward, she hopes to continue creating videos that showcase her Dachshunds’ personalities, make people smile, and keep connecting with other Dachshund owners and fans of the breed. Engaging with her community is the highlight of her day!
To discover even more about the Weenie Dog Pack and follow their adventures, make sure to follow them on TikTok at @a_double.l_i_e (Allie_WeenieDogPack)!
The DoggoRamps Team would also like to extend a big THANK YOU to Allie for giving us the opportunity to share her and the Weenie Dog Pack’s story.
To learn more about DoggoRamps, check out:
- The DoggoRamps Couch Ramp (holds dogs up to 150lbs.)
- The DoggoRamps Small Bed Ramp (holds dogs up to 50lbs.)
- The DoggoRamps Large Bed Ramp (holds dogs up to 200lbs.)
- The DoggoRamps Step-Ramp (holds dogs up to 200lbs.)
-The DoggoTeam
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