How much room do two small dogs need to be comfortable?

[Moochie]

We're thinking of keeping our two mini dachshunds in our smaller front yard (there's two that are divided by our driveway) so then we can have more space for our birds and my mom can expand her garden. We're down to two turkeys because our oldest one got on top of the duck house roof and unfortunately flew into the backyard where the dachshunds are and didn't make it even though I saved him. The duck area takes up 1/3 of our backyard, our backyard is about an acre of land too. Our tom's wings were clipped too but I guess he wanted the grass in the backyard, the ducks' area used to have grass but they ate it all ever since we moved them in there. Also my dogs bark a little too much at the birds, so maybe moving them where they are far away from poultry will be better for them.
I spend a lot of time with my dogs too and cleaning up dog poo will be much easier since searching for poop won't be difficult. I want my dachshunds to be comfortable too so that's why I need to know how much room they need to be comfortable. Their dog houses, blankets, beds, toys, and their wading pool (for the hot summers) will also be moved into the smaller yard. I don't have an exact measurement of the yard but it's the roughly the size of a suburban backyard. There's plenty of room for them to play too.
I just want to get a second opinion on here..

 

[GreatPyrLover]

Dont mean to sound ugly or rude

, but I am a big dachshund person and I really dont believe in dachshunds being outside dogs....please tell me that you dont keep them outside 24/7??

They are very personable dogs and really need to be inside....they dont have enough hair for the winter and they are very cold natured.

 

[mickey328]

I'm with you, GPL! Unless they're sled dogs, sheep dogs, guard dogs or hunting dogs...I think they need to be part of the family. Personally, I would never have an "outside" dog...they're pack animals and need others...either other dogs or people.

If we're talking a "run" for letting them out for potty breaks or a couple hours at a time, that's a different story...I agree that a confined area makes poop scooping much easier! However, if you're willing to invest the time and effort, they CAN be trained to potty in the same general area. If they're going to spend more than 10 or 15 mins out at a time, you simply MUST provide clean water and shade/protection from rain.

 

[Moochie]

Dont mean to sound ugly or rude

, but I am a big dachshund person and I really dont believe in dachshunds being outside dogs....please tell me that you dont keep them outside 24/7??

They are very personable dogs and really need to be inside....they dont have enough hair for the winter and they are very cold natured

Well every dachshund is different, ya know. My two LOVE the outside. Angel is allowed inside sometimes but all she does is sleep inside, when she gets outside that's where all the action starts. It doesn't snow here, it doesn't get very cold during the winter, my doxies have enough fur for the winter so I don't know what kind of bald dachshunds you have.. Also Lucky pees on everything, we didn't get him as a puppy and he does fine outside. My doxies are friendly too

They also have alot of blankets in their dog house so they're fine.

 

[Moochie]

I'm with you, GPL! Unless they're sled dogs, sheep dogs, guard dogs or hunting dogs...I think they need to be part of the family. Personally, I would never have an "outside" dog...they're pack animals and need others...either other dogs or people.

If we're talking a "run" for letting them out for potty breaks or a couple hours at a time, that's a different story...I agree that a confined area makes poop scooping much easier! However, if you're willing to invest the time and effort, they CAN be trained to potty in the same general area. If they're going to spend more than 10 or 15 mins out at a time, you simply MUST provide clean water and shade/protection from rain.

My dogs do have clean water, shade, and protection from the rain. Since we got Lucky when he was already 3 years old, what's going on in my family right now, we don't have the time to potty train him although we have tried in the past. I didn't ask on how to let dogs do their business, I asked if putting them in a smaller yard than what they're used to will be okay for them.
My dogs ARE part of my family, as are all of my animals, but that doesn't mean it's necessary for them to be inside 24/7. When I'm not inside doing my home school stuff online I'm outside trying to give all my animals equal attention and care. I have to refill the dog water, change their wading pool, change their smaller water bowls, give them food, take them on walks (best part of the day), play with them, wash and dry their blankets, feed all the birds, water all the birds, pump out and refill the duck pond, pet the birds, and go inside and do whatever.
I take my dachshunds out for long walks usually into the desert and the hills out here. They love it and I can have Lucky off-leash, he only goes so far ahead and will run back to me if I'm too far behind. I always bring water for me and the dogs too.

 

[Moochie]

Just because someone doesn't do it your way doesn't mean it's the wrong way. I understand you're concerned but my dogs are fine. The shelter where we got Lucky does a thing where they look at your home to make sure that the dog isn't going to a pig sty, they check for a proper environment to ensure the dog is going to a good home. It just annoys me when people think you're doing something wrong when you're doing nothing wrong at all.
Plus if you didn't have an answer to my thread question then what's the point of posting at all...?

 

[mickey328]

I apologize for having offended and you're quite right..."my way" isn't the "only way" I was primarily responding to GPL's response.

You didn't mention dimensions, but as long as your dogs have enough room to move about and "explore" some, and particularly since you walk them regularly, a smaller space should be fine...especially since they're small dogs and have each other for company.

 

[hollyclyff]

If the yard is the size of a typical suburban backyard it sounds like it should be fine. Especially since you said you walk them. I too have a dachshund that prefers to be outside most of the time. When I bring her in she just gets restless and wants back out after 15 - 20 minutes. And she's not the only one I've ever had like that. I guess it's just much more fun to chase squirrels, dig holes and bark at the neighbors' dogs than follow me around in the house. She does sleep inside, but she spends most of her day outside unless the weather is bad. And it's by her choice. My other dachshund is the complete opposite and prefers to follow me around or sleep on the sofa all day. And the one that prefers the yard is the older one! She's 10 but she acts about 2. I let them both live the way they prefer.

 

[wyoDreamer]

As long as the new area is secure for them, they should be OK. Some of my co-workers have a mini dachshunds and although they are indoor dogs, they all have fenced yards for the dogs. One has about 12' x 10' fenced for the dogs, and they stay out there all day and it seems to be big enough for two of them. Love the wading pool for the dogs - my setters have a sheep tank (14" tall, 2 feet wide and 4 feet long) for cooling off and they love it!

Dachshund's were bred originally as a hunting breed, so I am sure they really enjoy being outside! A friend had a couple of mini's and they sure kept the yard pest free. They dug up the yard really bad, but there wasn't a gopher to be found on their side of the fence.

One concern that I would have about keeping dogs in a front yard is PEOPLE. There are people who have no qulalms about reaching into a yard to pet dogs. Are your dogs really friendly? becuase someone may decide to take one home, or even just let them out as a prank.

 

[Moochie]

We have a 7ft tall bamboo fence on the outside of the chain-link front yard fence so I don't think anyone will reach their hand into the yard. Right now we have turkey poults in there and the bamboo fence (I think it's dried bamboo) is supposed to keep them from flying out. (They have their wings clipped anyways.) I won't move the dogs right away, mom wants to wait about a month or so until her or I start doing work again.
My dachshunds have the kept the mice population down in the backyard. They get them at night.. I can hear "squeek squeek" and the dogs moving around outside the kitchen window.