Many thanks.....
I've been through various internet sites but without too much success so...does anyone have any information on Dachshund breeders, preferably in the Zurich region although this is not a must.
The Schweizerischer Dachshund-Club, the breed club of the SKG, can be found here:
Under 'Zuchter' you will find a list of the member breeders, sorted by type (long hair, short hair, Zwerg, et.)
If a breeder has a litter now or is expecting puppies soon that information will be on the breeder's notice.
The club has a Zuchtwart, an official responsible for keeping track of all litters. If none of the breeders has a listing now or in the near future, contact the Züchtwart to register interest.
Be aware that responsible breeders do not have litters very often, and as Switzerland is such a small country there are not that many breeders. Unlike in other countries, because not too many puppies are born each year you often need to plan ahead. Most good breeders have a waiting list.
The waiting list serves two purpose. First, keeping a list of potential buyers means that the breeder knows there will be homes available for all the puppies born. Second, and even more important, the waiting list is an opportunity to get to know potential buyers, to learn about how the buyer views dog ownership, to ensure that the buyer can give the dog the right kind of home. Yes, it's a screening process.
But you should be screening breeders, too. You should read the breeder's websites and then contact those whose ethics, whose breeding program, whose early socialization program ticks all your boxes. Propose a visit, even if there are no puppies now. You want to meet the breeder, learn about his or her operation, meet the breeder's dogs, well in advance of a mating let alone a litter.
This is a typical process in Switzerland. Take a read through this thread:
https://www.englishforum.ch/pet-corn...e-breeder.html
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While you might get lucky and find a responsible ethical breeder who has a pup available now (sometime reservations fall through), be a tad cautious of anyone who allows you to simply rock on up and hand over cash no quesitons asked. Chances are that isn't an SKG breeder, but rather a battery farm.
Unfortunately Switzerland is a target for this execrable trade, as the country has an unfortunate reputation of very wealthy but naive consumers. Chances are the battery farmer you contact isn't even a breeder but rather a dealer, and chances are that dog was bred in unspeakable horror in some hell hole in another country and smuggled into Switzerland. Be aware that there are sadly also BYBs in Switzerland just a step up from those battery farms. There is little oversight outside the SKG breed clubs, the 'dark side' is gaining ground in Switzerland.
The dark side of the puppy trade is everywhere. Where there is money to be made, there will be exploitation. You must do your due diligence and stay away. The only way to stamp out this horror is to stop funding these evil barstewards.
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The SKG breed clubs, while perhaps not perfect, are your best bet. The breed club sets an ethical standard that all members are supposed to adhere to. This refers not only to mating practices but also early socialization and proper homing.
Be aware that unlike the kennel clubs in other countries, under the SKG both parents must be angekört by the club, that is, judged fit for breeding in terms of health, temperament, and breed standard, in order for the offspring to receive a club pedigree. Puppies of parents who are bred outside the Ankörung are cannot be registered with the club.
While you might not care about pedigree, be aware of how the process works. There are unscrupulous folks out there selling puppies 'with papers' that are complete frauds - and charging very large sums for those 'papered' puppies.
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In a dachshund temperament is very important - we sometimes see teenage dachsies dumped in shelters because the owners can't handle temperament issues. Health is critical, especially back issues.. A good breeder chooses a pairing with health and temperament at the forefront - and makes sure you understand what you are getting into and that you are committed to live up to your responsibilities to the pup for the next 15+ years.
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I'm not into the breeding world, rescue is my thing. But nonethless I harp on about the importance of good breeding and early socialization, I always recommend someone looking for an XYZ puppy to go to the official kennel club because I see the fall out of bad breeding and worse, poorly thought-out purchases and irresponsible ownership. Going the route of working with a responsible ethical breeder, who ensures that you have thought through the commitment you are taking on, who has decided that you are 'good enough' for his dogs, who puts health and temperament first means that there is less chance that one of these dogs will end up needing rescuing.
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Because there are relatively few SKG breeders in Switzerland, you might look at breeders in Germany. The FCI club in Germany is the VDH, the dachshund club is the Deutscher Teckel Klub EV, here:
http://www.vdh.de/welpen/zuechter?id=460
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And as rescue is my thing, I'll just mention that from time to time dachsies come into rescue - and not all because they have been dumped for having problems. (Dogs getting dumped says more about the owners than about the dogs, IME.) Often older dogs need rehoming when the owner goes into a nursing home or dies. If you could consider homing an older dog, do keep your eye on the Tierdatenbank, the Switzerland-wide database of homeless critters:
All the best with your search.
ETA:
Oh be still my heart...
Found on the database today:
Tier ID 18044, Pepper, a 4-5 year old Dachsie. In the Zürich area.
And Tier ID 11424, Snow and Snoopy
Two 3-4 year old Dachsie mixes (who look very much like full Dachsies if that matters), need to be rehomed together. At Tierhiem Surber in Zürich.
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Rescue is my thing too.....
It can be more work rehoming a dog with "history" but I think these dogs are grateful to be given a new home and the effort you must put in is outweighed by what you get back in return. At least that was my experience.
Snow and Snoopy will likely be more complicated than Pepper.
Hear, hear. Would love to have a puppy one day- but that is never going to happen. Each dog bred means one less dog finding a good home, sadly.
PEPPER ... you had a PEPPER He was our first dog- found injured on the streets on Leicester. Black and white collie cross, white bib, 3 white paws. We had him 17 years (so was about 29/20) when the time came to say good bye. He was the best dog ever for our family, and so so loved.
Thank you very much for taking the time to reply.....
Thank you all for your replies....