Salt of the Earth Dachshunds

🐾 Dachshunds & Vaccines — Why Spacing Them Out Matters! 💉 Hey everyone! I wanted to share something that came up this week with one of the puppies from our most recent litter from Kingston x Stevie that might be helpful for other Dachshund families, too. 🐶 During a recent vet visit, one of our families reached out to let us know that their puppy got both the DHPPL and Rabies vaccines at the same appointment and, unfortunately, experienced a severe vaccine reaction that required treatment. Thankfully, the pup is doing great now 🙏 — but it’s a good reminder of how sensitive Dachshunds and other small breeds can be to vaccines. Here’s a quick breakdown of why it happens and how we can help keep them safe 👇 💉 Same dose, smaller dog: Vaccines aren’t dosed by body weight like medications are. That means your 10‑lb Dachshund gets the same amount as a 100‑lb Lab! For small, sensitive breeds, that can trigger a stronger immune response per pound — and sometimes, that’s just too much for their little systems. ⚡ Two vaccines = double the workload: When multiple vaccines are given at once, the immune system has to respond to multiple challenges all at once. For a small Dachshund, that can create unnecessary stress and raise the chance of a reaction. 🐶 My Dachshund‑Friendly Vaccine Tips ✅ One vaccine per visit. Give DHPP, rabies, or lepto individually — never together. ✅ Space vaccines at least 3 weeks apart. Let their immune system fully recover in between. ✅ Keep rabies and lepto separate. These two are most often linked with vaccine reactions in our breed. ✅ Give rabies after completing the puppy series — and always alone. ✅ Check your label! Avoid the **DHPPL** combo (which includes lepto). Ask your vet for plain DHPP instead. (Fun fact: DHPP actually protects against four diseases — distemper, hepatitis, parvo, and parainfluenza — so even on its own, it’s plenty for one day!) 💬 About the Lepto Vaccine I understand the Leptospirosis vaccine is a controversial topic in the Dachshund world. Some Dachshunds do perfectly fine with it, while others are more reactive. That said, I do not believe in telling people not to vaccinate for lepto. I’m not a veterinarian, and this decision really depends on where you live. Leptospirosis is a serious zoonotic bacterial disease spread through wildlife and standing water, and the risk levels vary from region to region. Your veterinarian knows the prevalence in your area and can help you make the safest, most informed choice for your dog. 🩺 🚨 What to Watch for After Any Vaccine Most reactions happen within the first few hours, but sometimes they appear up to 48 hours later. Contact your vet right away if you notice: - Facial swelling or hives - Vomiting, diarrhea, or collapse - Trouble breathing, weakness, or extreme lethargy Mild tiredness or a small lump at the injection site for a day or two can be normal — but always trust your gut. If you feel something’s off, call your vet 💛 🩺 Quick Vet Tip: Benadryl Support If your Dachshund has ever had a reaction, ask your vet about giving Benadryl before vaccination (and every 12 hours for 48 hours afterward). Always confirm your dog’s exact dose and schedule with your vet first. I believe in vaccines — they’re crucial for protecting our dogs from life‑threatening diseases like parvo, distemper, and rabies. 🧬 That said, I personally take a conservative, science‑based approach with my own dogs. I space out their vaccines carefully, avoid combinations, and rely on titer testing to monitor their existing immunity instead of automatically repeating vaccines on a fixed schedule. This method helps ensure my dogs remain both fully protected and minimized in vaccine stress. ❤️ My goal isn’t to discourage vaccination — it’s to make it safer and more thoughtful for our small, sensitive Dachshunds. Remember: YOU are your dog’s biggest advocate. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, collaborate with your vet, and find a vaccination plan that fits your puppy’s unique needs and local risks. Your little one relies on you to keep them both protected and comfortable! 🥰

Nothing soothes an emotionally harrowing day like sweet puppy perfection 💙

🌎 Important Update for California Families 🌎 I’ve made the difficult decision to temporarily pause placing my puppies with California residents while I sort through several new state laws that impact how small, ethical breeders can sell to families in California. Over the last few years, California has passed multiple bills aimed at shutting down puppy mills and tightening consumer protections. These include: 🐾 Laws that ban pet stores from selling breeder‑sourced puppies and limit them to shelter and rescue animals only (AB 485, strengthened by “Bella’s Act,” AB 2152). 🐾 New restrictions on brokers and online middlemen, especially those who resell puppies bred by someone else (AB 519). 🐾 Expanded “pet lemon law” style protections and disclosure rules that apply to breeders and rescues who sell to California residents (AB 506). 🐾 Changes to the state’s definition of a “dog breeder,” along with stricter requirements for microchipping, vaccination, and veterinary documentation before a puppy can be placed (AB 2425). 🐾 Additional documentation and import requirements for animals coming into California, which add more layers of compliance for out‑of‑state programs like mine. I FULLY support cracking down on puppy mills and dishonest breeders/sellers, but the way these California laws overlap makes it very easy for a small, home‑based program in another state to get caught in technical violations that could be so hefty that they end our programs. The administrative and legal burden is becoming more than a one‑person, hands‑on program can safely manage without taking focus away from what matters most: the dogs. Because of that, for now, I will not be accepting new reservations from California residents. My commitment to ethical, health‑focused, carefully planned breeding has not changed. What’s changing is the legal environment in one particular state, and I want to make sure any placements that I make are fair and safe for my puppies, my families, and my program. Thank you for understanding and for continuing to support responsible breeders who put their dogs and puppy families first.

It's been a busy day today! Pheobe started stage 1 labor around 4am and my daughter and I have been a tag team all day and taking turns sitting with, comforting, and monitoring her. She had her first puppy just before 7p and her last just before 9p. Girl was an absolute trooper and is being the best mommy! She's definitely pooped and is resting while the babies are nursing like champs. I'm so proud of her! FUIJI x PHEOBE 🩷💙💙💙 ******************************* At this time ALL puppies are on hold. They will be released at 3 weeks of age and will be available to the interest list first. If there are any not spoken for after this, they will be up for discussion at that time.

11.5 weeks old 😍 Little miss is heading home in a little while and I couldn't be more excited for her and her family!

1 week to go! Miss Pheobe is large and in charge 🩷 The babies are super active a lot of the time, but especially this little one up here on the left!

Last group photo of the girls this morning 😭 We're on the road to Virginia to deliver 2 of the girls to their amazing families...I've been so busy that it hasn't quite hit me yet, but it's coming. Stevie x Kingston 10 weeks old