babysitting a mini dachshund

[herbi7]

Hmm, I am looking after a mini dachshund for a couple of weeks for a neighbour and I wondered if anyone has any experience of keeping a dog and a hamster in the same flat. I am making sure they are always in different rooms with a closed door between them but willow is upset to hear the dog whining in the other room when I have gone thru to play with her nd left him on his own. Do hams get used to dog noises or does it always stress them out? She doesn't seem to mind his smell on me although she is v curious and sniffs a lot

[Thin Lizzy]

The dog is whinning for your attention. And in doing that Willow is getting stressed. I'm surprised you didn't think of this happening when you agreed to look after the dog. It could be the dog is missing it's owner hence the whinning.
Is there something you could give the dog to chew on or play with?
Mini dachshunds are cute!

[DrKMcK]

Hello herbi7. Don't worry about the dog whining. He'll just have to adjust to not being allowed in that room. It is very important that the dog not get into the hamsters room. Dachsaunds were bred to hunt small animals and it would instinctively go after the hamster. While the dog is there make absolutely sure your hamster is secure. The dog wouldn't understand she's a pet and it can't be blamed for doing what its genes tell it to do. Wikipedia writes: "...Dachshund was bred to scent, chase, and flush out badgers, foxes and other burrow-dwelling animals, while the miniature dachshund was developed to hunt smaller prey such as rabbits. In the American West they have also been used to hunt prairie dogs."
and:
"Dachshunds are playful, but as hunting dogs can be quite stubborn, and are known for their propensity for chasing small animals, birds, and tennis balls with great determination and ferocity. Many dachshunds are stubborn, making them a challenge to train."

So be very aware this dog knows there is a small animal in there.
My suggestion is not to allow out of cage time for Willow unless it is in the bathtub until the dog's owner returns. Better safe than sorry.
I definitely sympathize with your situation. I took in 3 stray cats until the weather gets better. I am currently keeping them away from Yoda, my Chihuahua, who would like to make friends, :-D, and they aren't allowed anywhere near my hammies.
Both of the animals will survive until the owner returns and life can go back to normal. :-D

As for Willow getting used to the dog's noises, she may; she may not. My hammies have always known the sounds Yoda makes and they will alert if he barks. Your Willow isn't used to another animal, so she may not like this at all. But it shouldn't do any real harm. :-)

[BrainGirl]

I've looked after my chinchilla breeder friend's pomeranian and the dog's mere presence in the house was enough to set most of my animals on edge, even the chinchilla who had grown up around this very same dog! It's an understandable reaction to the smell of a predator. Given enough time with no run-ins your hamster may relax somewhat but I'm not sure if 2 weeks will be long enough. Just keep them apart, maybe keep a low radio or fan or other white noise running in the hamster's room to drown out any dog sounds, wash your hands and change your clothes (if possible) before handling Willow, and try to make it up to her when it's all over!;)

[herbi7]

Thanks everyone.
Thin Lizzy, yes I did think about it before I agreed to it altho I must admit I didn't know dachshunds were bred to hunt, that explains why altho little Sammy is gentle and biddable at all other times he is so interested in the hamster room! I thought I would see how it went as I know people keep cats and hamsters in the same house and also dogs so I thought it ought to be made to work somehow!
Dr KMcK. Thanks for the help, Sammy already seems to be relaxing and understanding the boundaries, and that I will turn up again after I disappear! He whined a lot less yesterday. I have been taking willow out to play in the bath but only when I am absolutely sure there are two closed doors between her and the dog, we played in the bath yesterday as she seems to feel secure in there and she actually fell asleep on me so I am hoping she will cope better as we go along. There were dogs in her previous home but she definitely doesn't like them! I thought u had a little dog too and wondered how your hams reacted. 3 cats! That's a handful! I have found the hardest thing is having to remember everything I need the first time round so I am not always opening and shutting doors and making sure I maintain the airlock on the landing between the door that Sammy sniffles under and the one that willow is the other side of! I may have Sammy for more than two weeks as my neighbour is having problems but it will depend how I feel willow is doing.
Good idea about the white noise, braingirl. I have a clock that makes white noise so I might put it on during the daytime as well as that's when all the barking happens!

[Thin Lizzy]

Yeah, having some background noise is a good idea. Maybe do this when you go to work. Switch on the radio.

[Shannonmcn]

I know the first time I met my Grannies spaniel Indy, Butts didn't move for 20 mins after I came into the room. She KNEW dog smell and it was hard to calm her down after. Cc isn't as bad, she was fine when I came home after being thoroughly licked by my best friends new Jack Russell (rodent hunter extraordinaire). I think it probably depends on both ham and dog but keeping a door or two between them and washing hands/arms is the safest thing. Maybe even keep a dog-hoody and a ham-hoody? I'm designated pup-sitter for the JR so I'll be watching thread responses anyway :)

[herbi7]

Hello everyone, thanks.shannoncmen last night I did a full change before I went in ti see willow, I now have indestructible dog jumper and indestructible hamster jumper and tracksuit trousers for both! It actually worked much better last night and willow was happy to play in my clothes again. I don't think she knows dog smell but just hates it if I smell a bit different. I wore the same jumper for the first month I had her for taming until I really had to wash it and she was grumpy and wary till she had put her smell back on it. I put the fan on in the bathroom and it definitely helped to calm her down, she fell asleep again after playing. She is now immune to me lugging her cage about from room to room, last night she slept in.the bathroom as there are more doors between her and the pup. Poor.little girl. Doing my best but b glad when.we are back to normal as the concentration and extra effort is killing me!

Think lizzy, yeah I am going to do the white noise thing today. I can't work as I have ME so the animals have me to themselves all day :).

By the way, DrKMcK, very interesting what you said about the stubbornness of dachshunds. This little guy is gorgeous and very gentle and 95% of the time is willing and wants to.please me. The other 5% he has other ideas and its usually when there is an interesting smell or he doesn't want to come back inside.

[DrKMcK]

LOL. My best friend for 50 years had a dachshund, Shotzy, when we were kids. That was a great little dog. A wonderful protector of her family, and a marvelous mama to her 2 litters. Shotzy got loose twice while in heat and had the most bizarre pups. She mated with a big dog the second time and he literally "scooped" her up to get the job done. I remember one pup was very long, but short with shaggy fur and a big head. I think she 9 pups that time...all went to good homes. Being such a good mama, Shotzy decided that my friends hamsters were her adopted puppies. She would keep them on the blanket when the family let the hamsters out on the floor. It was amazing to see. Her mothering instincts took over from her hunting instincts, although I wouldn't recommend doing this today. :-D
That dog was also a champion chewer/digger. It's good you are home because Shotzy was kept in the bathroom as a puppy until everyone came home from school/work, because she chewed things. Well, one day they came home and the dog had chewed/scratched/dug her way right through the bathroom door. Another amazing feat!
Dachshunds are very smart, Shotzy, exceptionally so. Some people in the neighborhood were afraid of dogs and would run across the street from Shotzy. I was always amazed that adults would run right into the street from this little yappy dog, nearly getting hit by cars, but the dog would stop right at the curb, never going into the street. :-D The wonderful world of Dachshunds. :-D

[Thin Lizzy]

Herbi sorry to hear you have M,E. I used to work with someone who had it, he could have really great days and then be in a wheelchair for days. He ended up having to give up work as it got so bad. He used to be so active before it happened with cycling and running. If only they could find a drug to take away the constant fatigue.
So how did it go with some background noise?

[herbi7]

Thanks thin lizzy yeah the illness is a pain but its nice to have the furries around the place anyway! It went well with the background noise willow is a lot calmer today and more confident about exploring again which is a mixed blessing, ha. I was sad to see her subdued but she was a lot easier to handle :)

DrKMcK thats so funny about ur friend's dog I am still smiling at the funny shaped pups and her mothering instinct. Bless her! I think the independent nature must b typical of that breed, Sammy is definitely his own little person. He is a sweetie and has a responsible, protective nature but he tends to make up his own rules!

[Thin Lizzy]

Great to hear the background noise went well! Willow will be back to normal soon!

[herbi7]

Update... Doggy has gone home now and willow bounced back to her normal self in 24 hours... Relieved! Although she is now a bit scared when I have the oven on because it makes little creaky warming up noises that sound like a dog whine!. All in all we survived fine and no harm done. Thanks for the help n bits of advice!

[BrainGirl]

Oh good! It always amazes me how sensitive they are to their environment. If someone was hiding a dog near me I probably wouldn't know about it unless the dog escaped and I tripped over him:p

Glad to hear she's settled down again anyway:)

[Thin Lizzy]

Great to hear your dog sitting duties are over and Willow is settling!
My oven makes funny noises too!