"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
Eleanor Roosevelt
"When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true."
Jiminy Cricket

"There's no place like home."
Dorothy Gale
Home "Dreams are the touchstones of our character."
Henry David Thoreau

"Nothing happens unless first a dream."
Carl Sandburg
"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."
Walt Disney
Is a Dachshund the right dog for you?

Who can resist a Dachshund? With their long bodies, short stubby legs, adorable nicknames like "wiener dog", bold personalities and silly antics, you'd think they'd be the perfect dog for everyone. Well, not necessarily...

Are you familiar with Dachshund health issues such as dental problems and Intervertebral Disk Disease (IVD)? Do you have the financial means for pay for things like dental cleanings and back surgeries?

Dachshunds can live 18 years or longer. Can you commit to caring for a dog that long?

Dachshunds are extremely vocal. While this is a great quality for a watch dog, if you live in an apartment and leave your dog home alone for long periods of time, a Dachshund may drive your neighbors crazy with loud, incessant barking.

Most Dachshunds are not good with young children. Do you currently have young children, grandchildren or regular visitors under 7 years old, or are you planning to have children in the near future? Many Dachshunds end up in rescue after their owners have their first baby.

Many Dachshunds are Escape Artists, which means they can easily dig out of an unsecured yard or quickly dart through an open door or gate. Most Dachshunds cannot be trusted off-leash.

Dachshunds are hardheaded and difficult to house-train. If most of your home is carpeted, a Dachshund may not work for you.

Dachshunds have a strong prey drive. Many of them cannot be trusted around cats and other small pets. Wild animals like squirrels are extremely tempting to Dachshunds, which is another reason Dachshunds should not be let off-leash outside of a fenced yard.

Dachshunds, especially younger ones, have a tendency toward separation anxiety and can become destructive if left alone for long periods of time. If you are gone most of the day, are you willing to take them to doggie daycare or hire someone to check on them while you're gone?

Dachshunds are infinitely hungry and will eat as much as you let them. Overfeeding leads to obesity which contributes to back problems. If you believe in "free feeding", a Dachshund may not be the right dog for you.





Our Adoption Criteria

Please read these carefully. If you do not meet the following criteria, your application may not be approved.

You must be at least 21 years old and have the financial means (i.e. full-time job, retirement income, savings) to take full responsibility for the costs associated with pet ownership, including veterinary care, quality food, and pet supplies.

If you are living in someone else's home (a parent, for example), you must include them on the application as a co-applicant. If you are married, your spouse must be included as a co-applicant.

All companion animals must be spayed/neutered, current on vaccinations, and dogs must be on heartworm prevention. We will contact your veterinarian to confirm this. We will also ask your vet about any previous pets.

If you live in a house, you must have a fenced yard.

With few exceptions, we are hesitant to approve applicants with children younger than seven (7) years old.

While we don't have an upper age limit for applicants, we strongly encourage senior applicants to adopt adult or senior dogs rather than puppies. Dachshund can easily live 15 years or more, so please consider how old you will be near the end of your dog's expected life span.

Out of Area Adoptions

Most of our adopters live in the greater Houston area, but we will consider your out-of-area application if you are unable to find a Dachshund closer to you. Our fosters have the final say in the adoption process, however, and many of them ARE NOT comfortable with long distance adoptions. If you live more than one hour from Houston, we may ask you to provide photos of your home and yard in lieu of an in-person home visit, and you must be willing to travel to Houston to pick up your dog. We do not provide transportation for, or ship, our dogs.

We do not allow UNALTERED DOGS (puppies and other dogs not yet spayed/neutered)
to be adopted out-of-area (more than 60 miles from Houston)






Our Adoption Process

To ensure our applicants are serious about adopting, we request a $25 donation per application. It is not necessary to submit a separate application for each dog you're interested in. The $25 donation does not guarantee you will be approved to adopt from DREAM nor does it guarantee you will be able to adopt the dog(s) you want.

While our adoption requirements and procedures may seem stringent, they are in place to ensure our dogs are adopted into the best possible homes. We believe that if all potential adopters were required to answer questions such as ours before being allowed to purchase or adopt pets (from anywhere), fewer animals would end up in need of rescue. As we are all volunteers, we appreciate your patience during the process and are grateful for your interest.


Step 1: You submit your Adoption Application.

Step 2: We review your Application and decide whether you meet our Adoption Criteria.

Step 3: If applicable, we'll call your veterinarian to confirm vet care for current and previous pets.

Step 4: A volunteer will contact you for a Phone Interview to clear up any questions we might have.

Step 5: We'll schedule a Home Visit so you can show us where your new dog will sleep, eat and play.

Step 6: We all work together to find the right Dachshund for you and your family.

Step 7: You sign an Adoption Contract, pay the Adoption Fee, and take home your new family member!




Please Note

A submitted application does NOT guarantee you will be approved to adopt from DREAM.

An approved application does NOT guarantee you will be able to adopt a particular dog from DREAM. For example, the dog you're interested in might not be a good match for you, or he/she may no longer be available by the time your application is approved.

Adoptive families must agree to periodic follow-up phone calls following the adoption.

We are committed to our dogs and require that you notify us if they cannot remain in your home.

Below are our usual Adoption Fees. These are subject to change depending on the particular dog.
  • $300-$500 for Puppies (under 3 years)*
  • $250-$350 for Young Dogs (3-7 years)
  • $200 for Adult Dogs (8-12 years)
  • $150 for Seniors (over 12 years)
  • $75 for "Senior to Senior" (adopter 65+, dog 12+)
  • * In addition to the adoption fee, we now require a $500 spay/neuter deposit for all puppies too young to be altered at the time of adoption. The deposit will be returned to you after the puppy has been spayed/neutered and microchipped by a DREAM approved veterinarian.


    If your adopted dog's VETTING IS NOT COMPLETE at the time of adoption and you cannot take your dog to one of DREAM's vets, YOU WILL BE FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE for the dog's remaining vetting.

    Submission of your application confirms that you have read and understand our Adoption Criteria and Process.

    Please submit ONLY ONE application. A separate application is not required for every dog you're interested in. If you have applied before, please email us at appcomm@dreamdachs.org before submitting a new application. (be sure to add appcomm@dreamdachs.org to your safe senders list).

    If you are not redirected to the application after you've made your donation, please add appcomm@dreamdachs.org to your safe senders list, email us at appcomm@dreamdachs.org and include your phone number.


    Click "Donate" below to submit your $25 donation


    You will be directed to our on-line application after your donation is processed.


    PO BOX 591819 HOUSTON TX 77259
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    Logo Inspired By
    Dachshund Sleeping on a Dog Bed
    Jay Schmetz