How to Adopt a Dachshund in Canada | PetzLover
To adopt a Dachshund in Canada, apply to a Dachshund rescue, an SPCA or humane society, or your city's animal services, and expect an application, a wait while the group matches you with a suitable dog, and a contract and fee before the dog comes home. Ask about the dog's back history first, because disc disease is common in the breed and shapes the care it will need.
Dachshund rescues in Canada are run by volunteers and place dogs from foster homes, so they can tell you how each dog behaves with children, cats and other dogs, and how it copes with stairs and winter.
Key points
- Breed rescues such as Alberta Dachshund Rescue and Canadian Dachshund Rescue in Ontario foster dogs in homes before adoption.
- Alberta Dachshund Rescue charges C$400 to C$600 by age, with spay or neuter, vaccines and needed dental work included.
- Ask about disc disease, crate rest and surgery: eight of the 29 Dachshunds surrendered to that rescue in 2022 had IVDD.
- Rescues often will not place a Dachshund with small children, and an older dog can shorten the wait.
Where can you adopt a Dachshund in Canada?
| Where | How it works | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta Dachshund Rescue | Volunteers across Alberta foster surrendered Dachshunds and assess them | Apply online; it may not contact you until a dog fits your home |
| Canadian Dachshund Rescue | A volunteer charity founded in 2001, based in Ontario, with dogs in foster homes | No central shelter; ask which provinces it currently adopts to |
| SPCA or humane society | Staff assess dogs at an adoption centre | Often quicker; ask about the dog's back and weight |
| City animal services | Municipal shelters take in strays and surrendered dogs | Low fees, such as Toronto Animal Services |
Dachshund mixes reach rescues too, and owners sometimes place adults directly; see taking in a rehomed Dachshund. You can also browse Dachshunds for adoption by province and save the search to get alerts for new dogs.
Is an adopted Dachshund right for your home?
Alberta Dachshund Rescue says the top reasons Dachshunds are surrendered are house-training, young children, a new baby and barking. Be honest with yourself about each one:
- Children: the rescue says Dachshunds on average are not good with small children and usually does not adopt to families with them.
- House-training: many Dachshunds refuse to go outside in cold or rainy weather, so plan a sheltered spot and short trips in winter.
- Barking: the breed is a vocal watchdog; rules, structure and obedience classes help.
- Stairs and furniture: you will need ramps and gates to protect the back.
- Size: under the CKC standard, adult standards weigh 7.25 to 14.5 kg and miniatures ideally 4.5 kg, so ask what this dog weighs and what it should weigh.
How does Dachshund adoption work?
- Read each profile and message the poster with questions about health and behaviour.
- Complete the group's application, and tell your vet to expect a reference call.
- Wait for a match. Alberta Dachshund Rescue says the wait can be long and that choosing an older dog may shorten it.
- Talk with the foster carer, who has seen how the dog reacts to cats, children, men, women and other dogs.
- Allow a home visit or video tour of stairs, furniture, the yard and where the dog will sleep.
- Meet the dog, sign the contract, pay the fee and collect the records.
Shelters often move faster: at Toronto Humane Society you apply in person, have an adoption conversation and then meet the dog. Rescuers can read the companion guide on how to list a Dachshund for adoption.
How much does it cost to adopt a Dachshund in Canada?
| Where | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta Dachshund Rescue | C$600 up to two years, C$500 for 3 to 7 years, C$400 for 8 and older | Bonded pairs C$100 less than two dogs |
| Toronto Animal Services | C$185 male, C$215 female | Ask what is included |
| Toronto Humane Society | C$550 local adult, C$600 local puppy | Higher for dogs transferred in |
| Capital Regional District shelter, Greater Victoria | C$550 to C$700 by age | Spay or neuter, vaccines, microchip and six weeks of insurance |
Alberta Dachshund Rescue's fee covers spay or neuter, updated vaccines, dental cleaning if needed and most other vet care, and it says it identifies long-term conditions such as back problems, allergies or diabetes so adopters know what they are taking on. Its own costs show why: about C$5,000 or more for back surgery and C$600 to C$900 or more for dental work on a small dog. Budget for the year ahead too; the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association's 2025 survey put first-year vet care for a puppy above C$2,200.
What should you ask about a rescue Dachshund's health?
- Has the dog had back pain, disc disease, crate rest or surgery, and does it have lasting weakness?
- What does it weigh now, and what weight does the vet want?
- Has it had dental work, and are any teeth still a concern?
- Any allergies, diabetes, eye problems or medication, and what does that care cost each year?
- How does it walk on stairs, slippery floors and snow?
Alberta Dachshund Rescue says IVDD is not a death sentence: treatment may be medication and strict crate rest or surgery, and some dogs recover fully. Ask how and when an imported dog arrived; since September 28, 2022 the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has refused commercial dogs, including rescue dogs for adoption, from countries at high risk for dog rabies, and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association recommends examination and testing by a Canadian vet.
How do you help an adopted Dachshund settle in?
Many rescues describe three days to decompress, three weeks to learn the routine and three months to feel at home.
- Set up ramps, gates on stairs and a crate or bed in a quiet corner before the dog arrives.
- Use a harness and an ID tag from day one, and lift the dog with support under the chest and rear.
- Restart house-training: take the dog out often, clear a patch of snow, use a coat in deep cold and praise every success.
- Feed measured meals and keep the dog lean to protect its back.
- Book a vet visit in the first week, move the microchip record into your name, and license the dog with your city or, in Quebec, register it with your municipality.
If you would rather raise a puppy, read how to buy a Dachshund puppy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to adopt a Dachshund in Canada?
It depends on the group and the dog's age. Alberta Dachshund Rescue charges C$400 to C$600, Toronto Animal Services C$185 to C$215, and Toronto Humane Society C$550 for a local adult dog. Fees usually include spay or neuter and vaccines.
Is there a Dachshund rescue near me?
Alberta Dachshund Rescue is run by volunteers across Alberta, and Canadian Dachshund Rescue is based in Ontario; ask each which provinces it adopts to. Elsewhere, SPCAs, humane societies and all-breed rescues place Dachshunds, so save a search for Dachshunds for adoption to hear about new dogs.
Can I adopt a Dachshund with IVDD?
Yes, if you can give it a calm home with ramps, controlled exercise and a vet you trust. Ask the rescue for the dog's history and treatment plan, and get an estimate from your own vet before you sign.
Why is the wait for a rescue Dachshund so long?
Rescues match each dog to a home that suits it, and young, healthy Dachshunds draw many applicants. Alberta Dachshund Rescue says choosing an older dog may shorten the wait.
Will a rescue place a Dachshund with young children?
Often not. Alberta Dachshund Rescue says Dachshunds on average are not good with small children and usually does not adopt to families with them. Families with older children should say so on the application.
What if my adopted Dachshund does not work out?
Contact the rescue or shelter first. Most contracts require you to return the dog to them, and they would rather help with advice than see the dog passed on.
Helpful guides
Pet for AdoptionHow to List a Dachshund for Adoption in CanadaWrite criteria that fit the dog (children, stairs, time alone, barking), set a fee that reflects the vet work done, disclose any back history, screen with the same questions for everyone and use a contract with a return clause.
Pet for SaleHow to Buy a Dachshund Puppy in CanadaPick the size and coat first, then buy from a breeder who shows the parents' test results, talks openly about back disease in the family, supplies CKC papers at no extra cost and lets you meet the puppy with its mother before you pay.
Pet for SaleHow to Sell Dachshund Puppies in CanadaBreed only from tested parents with sound backs, never pair two dapples, keep puppies until at least eight weeks, register them if you sell as purebred, and hand each one over in person with a written agreement.
Pet for RehomingHow to Take In a Rehomed Dachshund in CanadaAsk about back trouble, weight, teeth and behaviour, meet the Dachshund at home, check the breeder contract, collect the records and microchip transfer, and give the dog a calm first few weeks with ramps and a winter routine.
Pet for RehomingHow to Rehome Your Dachshund Responsibly in CanadaCheck whether your breeder or rescue must take the dog back, ask a Dachshund rescue for help, disclose every back, health and behaviour issue, ask a modest fee and hand your Dachshund over in person with a signed agreement.
Pet WantedHow to Respond to a "Dachshund Wanted" Ad in CanadaMessage the poster first, ask about their home, stairs, children and back care, verify them by video and in person, refuse overpayments and shipping, and hand your Dachshund over with its records and a written agreement.
Pet WantedHow to Post a "Dachshund Wanted" Ad and Get Replies in CanadaSay which Dachshund you want (size, coat, age, sex), give a realistic budget, describe your home, stairs and winter routine honestly, and meet any dog in person before paying when you post a Dachshund wanted ad in Canada.