All about dachshunds: description of the breed and interesting facts

Story

Until the 14th century, animals were not divided into breeds. The origin story of the pet is interesting. The formation of the variety began in southern Germany. The ancestors of burrowing dogs were considered to be a similar dog - a short hound - the hunting brak. From them, dachshunds inherited a developed body. The owners took care of these individuals and did not allow the dogs to engage in fights with game.

When the popularity of burrow hunting began to go off scale, the pets began to be trained. In Germany, almost all small game was destroyed and the process of tracking wild animals was regulated.

In Russia, dachshunds were treated coldly. Preference was given to calm, peace-loving dogs. Later everything changed. Representatives of the breed began to be imported into the country en masse, and admirers of dachshunds appeared.

Description of the dachshund

Dog breeders love dachshunds for their restlessness, devotion to family members, intelligence, and unusual appearance.

An elongated body, curved, short legs, a curious look, give the breed an originality. Read about other short-legged dogs here.

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Kinds

There are several varieties of this breed.

Classification:

1. Smooth-haired. Short hair lies close to the dog's body.
2. Long-haired. Presence of undercoat, feathering in the area of ​​the ears and tail.
3. Wirehaired. The body of the dog has short stubble. The muzzle has a rich mustache, protruding eyebrows, and a beard.

Dogs with short hair are more popular in Russia.

Dachshunds are:

• single color;
• two-color;
• marble;
• brindle.

Not all color variants are recognized by the breed standard.

Non-standard colors for the breed:

Dogs of non-standard color are not inferior to other relatives. The dogs look extraordinary and impressive.

Character and appearance

Dachshunds are distinguished by their loyalty and attachment to the family in which they live. Dogs make contact with strangers. The curiosity of a four-legged friend is limitless. The dog climbs everywhere, sniffs, and strives to participate in all household chores.

The intelligence of dachshunds corresponds to the mental development of a child at 4 years old. But the animal’s independence and self-confidence complicates the education process. Dogs can be cunning and show stubbornness. At the same time, dachshunds easily adapt to the owner’s mood.

Boys' personalities are different. Males are decisive, cocky, and vindictive. These traits are not typical for girls. They are easygoing and calm.

Dimensions of an adult dog in cm:

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Despite the strange proportions of the body - the length of the body, short legs - the dog is dexterous.

The animal is small, but with well-developed muscle groups. The rounded shape of the claws makes the dachshund the best shrew. The dog digs holes at high speed - 0.5 m in 1 minute.

Education and training

There are several puppies in the dog's litter. For kids, this is a pack. The dogs grow up in it and acquire their first skills. At first, dachshunds perceive the human family in the same way. It is important to let your pets know who is in charge. Otherwise, the creature will not turn out to be a well-mannered dog.

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It is advisable to train your dog from an early age. Already at one month old, a dachshund bred in a purebred family can think better than 3-month-old representatives of many breeds.

Simply giving your pet a command is not enough. It is necessary to accompany the task with action.

When you say “Sit,” you should press the dog’s back with your hand so that the dachshund understands the request. After completing the work, you need to reward the dog with a treat.

Basic commands for dogs:

• it is forbidden;
• lie;
• near;
• voice;
• place.

It is best to train your dachshund at home at first, so that nothing distracts your pet. After 1 month, you can move on to exercising your dog outside. Every walk for a dog is an educational process. Teaching a puppy to walk alongside and run up to its owner when called is an important mission.

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Unreasonable barking and harassment of strangers must be stopped. The animal must clearly understand what “good” is.

You cannot physically punish a dog. The dachshund will harbor a grudge and begin to show stubbornness. If the dog feels the support of the owner, he will do everything not to disappoint.

Advantages

A huge advantage of representatives of this breed is that they are small in size. So a standard dog grows up to 30 cm, a dwarf dog up to 21, and a rabbit dachshund does not exceed 13 cm. For this reason, they feel quite comfortable in apartments. If the apartment is very small, then you need to walk the dog a lot, otherwise it may begin to spoil various things. Dachshunds are clean, they try to walk outside without getting dirty.

Many owners note that these dogs have well-developed intelligence and humor. They are extremely active, so they won’t let you get bored. Dachshunds become attached to their owners and love to sleep in the same bed with them. They sense the mood of their household well and do not interfere if the owner is not in a good mood. They enjoy playing with children.

Features of hunting

At home the dog behaves calmly, but when hunting, the dachshund is unrecognizable. Having discovered the hole of a forest animal, the pet is delighted and barks to notify the owner of the find.

The four-legged helper will enthusiastically take a duck out of the river, chase a hare, and lift partridges. The dog can do all this for a long time, without a break.

The dachshund is called the royal dog. The nobility, intelligence, and endurance of a dog have no equal. The animal is capable of spending a long time in a stuffy hole, struggling, driving game to the surface.

Bred as a hunter, the dog prefers to chase the animal to shoot. Other relatives behave differently and immediately strangle the prey.

The animal quickly determines the location of the bird. In order not to spook it, the dachshund will not make a sound and will show tension, letting the owner know that game is nearby. Until the first successful shot, the four-legged hunter will not give himself away. On command, the dog will rush into the pond, make its way through the thickets and reeds, but will find the bird.

Care and maintenance of the breed

You need to prepare for the arrival of a puppy in your home and do the following for your dog:

• equip a sleeping place;
• remove electrical wiring from the floor;
• pick up objects that your pet can chew;
• limit access to shoes;
• purchase a tray;
• prepare bowls.

In order for a dog to look neat and healthy, it requires constant care. A short-haired dog should be brushed 3 times a week and wiped with a damp towel. Pets with rich hair need to be brushed every two days.

Accessories

The Dachshund loves to surround itself with a variety of little things. If you do not purchase special toys for your pet, he will begin to entertain himself with surrounding objects. There should be quite a lot of rubber balls and bones. The only thing the owner should take care of is the proper organization of the sleeping area. The rabbit dachshund especially loves comfort. Feedback from owners makes it possible to understand that a dog develops correctly only if its space is properly organized.

There are special mattresses and houses for dachshunds on sale that can be placed both in a large home and in a small apartment. The dog should not sleep on toys. Healthy sleep for your pet is of great importance. The bed should not be very soft. A hard mattress will help avoid spinal problems in your dachshund.

Nutrition

The quality of the dog's menu determines its health. The breeders split into 2 camps. Some argue that dry food is the best option, while others argue by choosing natural products.

Diet:

• wings, stomachs, lungs, hearts;
• fresh sea fish – once a week;
• semolina, millet, oatmeal;
• fruits;
• vegetables;
• dairy products.

There are cases where dachshunds of irresponsible owners weigh 15 kg. Therefore, you need to calculate the calorie content of the menu, control the dog’s weight by month, you can read about this here.

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Your pet's food should be slightly salted. This is required for the proper development of the dachshund’s body.

Those who prefer to pamper their pet with factory-made food should choose premium food. Cheap analogues will not work. The serving size is determined taking into account whether the fish is small or medium-sized, and also based on the table presented on the package.

Daily Dachshund Care

A dog's health depends on its diet. It can be divided into two types - natural and dry food. If you plan to feed your animal dry food, then you need to buy premium mixtures.

Puppies are fed 3-4 times a day. After 6 months - 3 times. Starting from a year - 2 times a day. An exception is pregnant and lactating dogs. Elderly dachshunds are fed 3 times a day.

What can you give to dogs:

• cucumbers;
• zucchini;
• carrot;
• bell pepper;
• cauliflower;
• greenery;
• apples;
• pears;
• watermelons;
• melon;
• berries;
• boiled eggs;
• lean meat;
• cereals (buckwheat, rice, oatmeal);
• sea ​​fish.

Animals can be fed porridge with meat, adding vegetables before feeding.
What foods should not be included in the diet:

• avocado;
• citrus;
• grape;
• nuts;
• mushrooms;
• dairy products;
• sausages;
• canned food;
• products with salt and spices;
• potato;
• eggplant;
• legumes;
• river fish;
• sweet.

Note! Under no circumstances should you give animals food from the table. What is good for humans is not always good for dogs.

The average serving size for an adult animal is 360 g. You can also give your dog treats in small portions throughout the day.

Under no circumstances should animals be given bones. Why can't this be done? Dogs chew them into small sharp pieces, which are poorly digested and accumulate in the stomach, injuring it. This can even lead to death. If you want to give your dog a bone, it is better to give it a thick beef or pork bone that cannot be chewed.

Dachshund health

Such a dog is born with good health and a stable psyche. But dachshunds have a risk of developing musculoskeletal diseases. The development of osteoporosis in the breed cannot be ruled out.

Some representatives of the breed suffer from acanthosis. Increased secretion of sebaceous glands is relevant for smooth-haired animals.

Poor nutrition is often at the root of the problem. Lack of vitamins and overeating result in serious pathologies and the dog begins to look bad.

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Health and illness

The characteristics of the Dachshund breed do not end with a description of the character and appearance. It is also important to pay attention to diseases. Like most purebred dogs, dachshunds have diseases that are unique to them. First of all, these are problems with the spine. Due to short legs, the load on the spine increases. Small puppies should not be allowed to go down stairs on their own.

Note! Dachshunds are prone to obesity, which leads to spinal problems and diabetes.

The most common diseases of the breed:

• Osteoporosis.
• Acanthosis nigricans.
• Cataract.
• Discopathy (displacement of vertebral discs, may be congenital).
• Ear mite.
• Epilepsy.
• Diseases of the heart and genitourinary system.
• Often problems arise with the ears. This is due to the structure of the ear. Fold-eared breeds have ears that get more dirty, so they need to be cleaned constantly.

If your animal's paws begin to fail, you need to urgently go to the doctor. Treatment may be medication, but surgery may also be required.

It is not necessary to trim the nails; during walks they wear down on the asphalt. After each walk in the warm season, you need to carefully examine the animal in order to detect ticks in time.

Advantages and disadvantages

It is impossible not to love dogs of this breed. Dachshunds have many advantages.

Advantages of the breed:

• courage;
• mind;
• devotion;
• sociability;
• endurance;
• hunting instinct;
• cleanliness;
• loveliness.

Disadvantages of the breed:

• touchiness;
• stubbornness:
• hereditary tendency to diseases;
• jealousy.

Weighing the pros and cons, the roughness of the dachshund’s character fades into the background.

Main advantages

Positive character traits and behavioral features of dachshunds include:

1. Simplicity of content. Dachshunds do not need any special care. These dogs are unpretentious either in maintenance or beauty.
2. Small sizes. For people who live in city apartments, dachshunds will be an excellent pet option.
3. Developed intelligence. All representatives of this breed have a lively mind, resourcefulness, and intelligence. Like any hunter, they love and know how to make independent, and most importantly, the right decisions. Cunning and ingenuity are also not alien to these dogs.
4. Devotion to man. They have extremely positive feelings towards their owner. Attachment does not go away over the years. These pets perceive moving to another family extremely negatively.
5. Sociable character. Dachshunds easily find a common language with all family members. They make friends with children and get along with the elderly. Animals that grew up with them also become best friends and play partners.
6. Hunting instincts and protective qualities. You can and should go hunting with dachshunds. And if necessary, they can also be assigned the role of house guard.
7. Ease of learning. These dogs are quite easy to train and raise. Even someone who has no previous experience with animals can take a dachshund into their home.

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Selection rules

When buying a puppy, you need to carefully examine it, feel its joints, head, and belly.

Skin, fur, eyes, ears must be clean. Nose is wet.

You need to take an active puppy. It is better not to buy lethargic individuals out of pity. This may be a sign of poor dog health.

The seller is obliged to provide documents for the animal, information about vaccinations, and answer all questions asked.

Puppy cost

You can buy a dachshund for 5 thousand rubles.

In this case, one cannot count on the purebred of the individual. There will also be no guarantee of perfect health for the puppy. And it is difficult to determine the age of an individual. Negligent traders underestimate it if they did not manage to sell the dog in a timely manner.

Read the article: What determines the price of a dachshund puppy and where to buy

Responsible breeders offer animals for sale with the necessary documents and vaccinations. The average price of such a dachshund puppy varies between 20-25 thousand rubles.

Interesting facts about the breed

Whether dachshunds are smart or stupid – there is no need to speculate. Definitely, this is one of the wisest breeds.

When the owner changes, the dogs suffer; for many years they cannot forget the previous owner. They realize that they have been abandoned. The new family will have to show great care and love.

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Representatives of the breed have a weak spine. Dogs are prohibited from jumping even from the sofa, not to mention at greater heights.

A dog can demonstrably seek the owner’s attention and be jealous of his children. But a dachshund is not capable of offending children, which is emphasized in every description of its character and characteristics.

Dachshund Character Traits and Behavior

Their positive character traits include:

1. Devotion;
2. Friendliness;
3. Lack of aggression;
4. Attentiveness;
5. Sensitivity;
6. Playfulness;
7. Energy;
8. Equilibrium;
9. Intelligence;
10. Cheerfulness.

Negative traits in the breed:

1. Willfulness;
2. Stubbornness;
3. Cunning;
4. Persistence;
5. Vocality.

Neutral ones include love of adventure and sociability. They are not without a sense of purpose. Puppies are always more active and inquisitive.

With proper training and moderate workload of dogs, negative traits can easily be turned into positive ones. They are necessary for hunting.

When working in a hole, the dachshund not only performs its functions, but also protects life and health. She needs to make her own decisions in order to emerge victorious from a brutal battle.

Reviews

Ekaterina Lobova: “Dachshund is my favorite breed. The dogs are very smart, physically strong, and sociable. For an active family - the best option. True, without receiving attention, dogs begin to get bored and jealous of everyone.”

Vitaly Krylovich: “This animal is the most energetic, hardy, and kind. The dog is incredibly clean. The dachshund will endure for a long time, waiting for the owner to come, but will not relieve himself at home.”

Evgeny Arsenyev: “I have 3 dachshunds. All are large. There is no better breed than this. Dogs are very intelligent, easy to train, if not stubborn. Dogs detect the mood by their eyes and adapt to it.”

Representatives of the breed have stupid energy, love, and sincerity. The dog is always ready to defend its owner and protect it from aggressive people.

Reasonableness, strength, devotion are the main traits inherent in such dogs.

Dachshund in the apartment. Host reviews

Reviews from people who have a dog in an apartment are very varied. Those who have a small home say that the breed is optimal for such an apartment. The dog is particularly careful. She will never tear up wallpaper or shit under the sofa.

The dachshund always wants to be close to its owner. Therefore, it does not matter whether she lives in a country house or in a city apartment. But the dachshund does not tolerate small spaces. When organizing a place for a pet, the owner must take into account that the dog likes to spend time actively. The exception is the dwarf dachshund. Reviews about this breed indicate that the dog feels great even in a small room.