Description of the Wirehaired Dachshund breed: accepted standard, character traits, color options and care rules

Character and intelligence

The Dachshund is an easy-going and peaceful companion. This dog is very lively, active and cheerful. This is a brave and courageous guard.

Dogs are very smart, their intelligence is developed not only in terms of hunter skills, but also in communication with humans. But they should not be provoked to defend themselves. Otherwise, the dog will grow up aggressive, he will bark at any sound in the house, and will begin to show his aggression towards guests.

The dog shows its hunting manners only when there is an excess of energy. If you don't walk her for a long time and don't play with her, you won't have to wait long for the consequences. The handsome man will chew his shoes and hide things scattered in accessible places. In private homes, the dog digs the ground.

It is important to know! This type of breed among dachshunds is considered the most flexible in character.

Pros and cons of the breed

Education and training

If you skip developing the puppy's character, there is a danger of getting an uncontrollable pet. Training and education should begin at an early age - 1.5-2 months.

From an early age, the dog should know the commands “fu” or “no”. The main directions in education are the direction of energy into play and entertainment, and not into aggression. The pet's character contains strong hunter qualities, but they can be easily channeled in a positive direction if you work with the dog regularly and from an early age.

Training and education should begin at an early age - 1.5-2 months

Health and illness

Dachshunds of the working category are distinguished by fairly good health, and problems inherent to the breed occur in them already in old age. Against the background of injury or obesity, the main problem is the occurrence of “swimmer’s syndrome”. With this pathology, the dog develops symptoms that are similar to the manifestations of osteoporosis. The dog begins to walk with difficulty, sways very much, and falls on its stomach. Occasionally, dachshunds develop severe allergic reactions, which are manifested by food and skin disorders.

Representatives of the decorative variety have significantly poorer health. Like all dwarf dogs, such pets often experience dysplasia of the hip and other large joints, various disorders of the intervertebral discs, and epilepsy. Ophthalmological problems are also often observed, in which the dog’s eyelash development or growth is disrupted, and retinal separation occurs. In old age, they often develop glaucoma and cataracts.

Important! Like all decorative mini dogs, dachshunds of this category are prone to viral diseases and require strict adherence to the vaccination schedule.

Lifespan

The lifespan of wire-haired dachshunds depends on their variety. Standard and rabbit pets live from 12 to 14 years. Minis can live from 11 to 15 years. The lifespan is significantly influenced by the conditions of detention, proper feeding and the innate health of the dog.

Dachshunds used for hunting purposes are injured during battles with burrowing animals and are often exposed to adverse weather conditions. These dogs live one and a half to two years less than those that live in rural areas but do not participate in hunting.

Decorative dogs kept in apartments, having sufficient physical activity during walks, will live 2 years longer than the same individuals who are not walked much, who are mainly indoors and trained to use a tray.

The correct vaccination of dogs is also of great importance. If the dachshund does not tolerate viral diseases, then its life expectancy will increase significantly. Puppies should not be bred from parents suffering from diseases that can be transmitted hereditarily. Epilepsy, joint damage, and eye pathologies are especially dangerous. Animals that inherit them rarely live to be 10 years old, even with ideal care.

Basic rules of care

An active and cheerful dog needs daily long walks and physical activity. Games, entertainment and training should be part of the daily routine of a dachshund owner. In addition to the basic requirements for caring for the ears, eyes and teeth, the wirehaired huntress requires:

• Bathing. Moreover, quite often with special care products for such hair. The beauty should be bathed once every 10-14 days.
• A haircut. Once a year, before the hot summer period, it is advisable for dachshunds to visit a grooming specialist.
• Trimming. This procedure involves removing dead hair. The frequency of the procedure is once every 6 months.

To make it easier to comb out thick fur, conditioners and special oils for pets come to the rescue.

Attention! Once every three weeks, the dog’s nails should be trimmed and given a hygienic haircut.

Maintenance, care and nutrition

A wire-haired dachshund should be kept in an apartment. In the warm season, the animal can stay on the plot around the clock, provided that it has a booth in which the pet can hide in bad weather and at night. In the dog’s house, you should allocate your own place with a bed, and also determine which things are his toys and which are prohibited from touching. It is advisable to walk your dachshund on a harness, which reduces the risk that the pet will turn out and need to be caught.

A natural diet for a dog is preferable. The dachshund should be fed lean meat, boiled sea fish without bones; buckwheat, rice and oatmeal porridge; boiled and raw vegetables and fruits. There should be clean water in the drinking bowl at all times; it should be changed at least 2 times a day. The number of feedings is the same as for all dogs, depending on their age.

Estrus, mating, pregnancy, childbirth

Dachshunds mature at 8-9 months. It is advisable to bleed dogs on their third heat. Males are ready for breeding after a year. For successful mating, it is important to record the first day of estrus and make contact on days 10-14, and then consolidate the result two days later.

Attention! The duration of pregnancy is 60 days.

Dogs give birth safely at home. But during the first birth, assistance from the owner or specialist may be required. Dachshunds are very fertile, the average number of puppies per pregnancy is up to 12 babies.

Dachshunds are very fertile

Breed standard wirehaired dachshund

The breed was originally intended, even before human intervention, for hunting. This is evidenced by the amazing constitution of the individuals - shortened limbs and muscular torso, which helped the dogs emerge victorious from fights with cunning and strong opponents.

The cute, narrow face has a deep, powerful jaw. Representatives of the breed have a clearly defined gender identity - females are more elegant and graceful, but they are not inferior to males in terms of working qualities. There are three breed varieties that differ in size:

• wire-haired dachshund “standard” is the most common type, the minimum height of individuals is 35 cm, weigh from 7 to 9 kg;
• dwarf – height 30-35 cm, weight varies from 3 to 5 kg;
• rabbit - height does not exceed 30 cm, weight from 2.5 to 3 kg.

If a dachshund weighs more than 10 kg, even if it is physically well developed, it will not receive the highest score, since it is not considered as a working dog.

The standard describes wire-haired dachshunds as follows:

1. The head is wedge-shaped, without a point, with a well-developed occiput; the beard makes the head appear rectangular. The arches above the eyebrows are practically not prominent, but are emphasized by the eyebrows. The stop is poorly expressed, but thanks to the coat it is well defined.
2. The ears are triangular in shape with rounded corners, large, and actively move.
3. The bridge of the nose is straight, without a hump, and gradually narrows towards the lobe. The cheekbones are flattened, with developed muscles, the area under the eye sockets is well filled.
4. The lips are of medium size, “dry”, the mouth is deep, with strong and powerful teeth that close tightly, without gaps.
5. The lobe is oval, painted black or, conversely, lightened (brownish), the nostrils are well developed.
6. The eyes are oval, the iris is a rich brown shade. But there are individuals with lighter, even amber, and blue eyes - doggies with a blue merle coat color.
7. The body is massive with an elongated format, the neck has a developed scruff, and the withers are quite muscular, which is especially pronounced in males. The chest is elongated, oval, not very wide, descending below the elbow joints.
8. The line of the back is sloping, starting from the withers to the croup, or runs straight. The lumbar region is elongated, passes into the croup - muscular with a pronounced bevel. The abdominal line is smooth, not saggy.
9. The limbs are strong, the joints are well developed. The forelimbs are parallel to each other, the elbows are pressed to the chest, the wrists are placed under the body, because of this the paws seem to be curved. The hind ones are spaced wider apart than the front ones.
10. The tail is straight or curved like a sickle, set below the back line. The dog carries its tail freely, and when excited, it rises. He never lies down on his back or stands upright.

Head

The dwarf wire-haired dachshund (photo in the article) has a wedge-shaped skull. The occipital part of the head is clearly defined. There are no sharp points, all lines are smooth. Unlike smooth-haired individuals, this species has a characteristic beard. Because of it, it seems that the dog's muzzle has the shape of a rectangle. The brow ridges are weakly expressed. The ears are quite large and drooping. The shape resembles a triangle, but with rounded corners. Surprisingly, dogs' ears, despite their size, move quite actively.

On the muzzle there are shrewd but kind oval-shaped eyes. The iris can be of different colors. The most common are brown, but soft amber and blue (in merle colors) are also found. The nose is small, but with well-developed nostrils. The lobe shape is oval. Color – black or brown.

The animal's teeth are quite strong. The mouth closes tightly. It is deep in size. Lips don't droop. The muscles on the cheekbones are well developed.

Description of the breed

Currently, many dachshunds do not even know what a hole is and do not know how to hunt. However, this is precisely what the breed was bred for. Naturally, this affected the appearance of the individuals. The muscular elongated body is not proportional to the small short legs, so it looks very funny. But it is precisely this that allows the animal to crawl into the hole of a badger or fox and win in a fight with a stronger opponent.

It is quite easy to distinguish females from males. Girls are more graceful and elegant. They have a smaller muzzle, but it is just as cute as that of males.

The rabbit wire-haired dachshund is the smallest of all species. Large individuals reach 3 kg in weight. And their height does not exceed 30 cm. The dwarf species is medium. Representatives are slightly larger than rabbits. The maximum weight of individuals is 5 kg. In height they can reach 35 cm.

Paws and tail

The dwarf wire-haired dachshund, like other species of this breed, has rather short legs. They are not proportional to the body. However, they are well developed and strong. The forelimbs are slightly longer than the hind limbs. They are located strictly parallel, so the elbow joints are in contact with the chest. But the hind legs are set wider.

Most often, the tail of representatives of the species is bent inward. The shape resembles a sickle. Located below the back line. The animal never lifts it vertically or presses it to its back. In a state of excitement, the dog can only lift it slightly.

How to feed?

An adult dog should be fed twice a day and should never be overfed.
A natural dachshund menu should include the following products:

• lean meat;
• boiled fish without bones;
• porridge (buckwheat, oatmeal, rice);
• boiled and raw vegetables;
• fruits;
• chopped greens.

NOTE!

If preference is given to ready-made food, then you should choose premium or super-premium brands.

Price range and choice of nursery

Prices for wire-haired dachshund puppies range from 5 thousand rubles to 40-45 thousand rubles. It all depends on the class of the puppy and its characteristics.

As for choosing a nursery, this is no less important step than choosing a puppy. After all, the health of your dog depends on the integrity of the breeder.

What you should pay attention to when choosing a nursery:

• number of animals in the nursery;
• conditions for keeping dogs;
• breeding frequency;
• number of show dogs;
• availability of prizes and diplomas;
• reputation of the nursery;
• personal qualities of the breeder.

IMPORTANT!

Good breeders always monitor the fate of their pets, are interested in them, they don’t just make money, they really love dogs.

Photos from miniature dachshund owners

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How to choose your future pet?

Key parameters to pay attention to:

• the puppy’s body should be dense, elastic, strong with correct proportions;
• the baby should be active, energetic and inquisitive;
• the back must be straight without bending or sagging;
• the eyes of healthy babies are clean, clear, and there is no discharge;
• ears are clean without discharge;
• The weight of a two-month-old baby should be at least 3-4 kg;
• A purebred puppy must have a mark in the belly area, the number of which is indicated in the entries in the animal’s card.

Torso

The wire-haired dachshund has a very elongated body. It's quite massive. The withers are muscular. This feature is more pronounced in males. In the stance, the falling line of the back from the withers to the croup is clearly visible. It is less common to find individuals in which it runs straight. The belly of dachshunds does not hang, the line is smooth, slightly arched. The chest is well defined. It has an oval shape, not very wide, but elongated. The lumbar region is elongated. It smoothly transitions into a muscular croup.

History of the origin of the species

Dwarf Dachshunds, of course, descended from their older relatives, who were bred in Germany to hunt burrowing animals. Hunters needed a smaller version of the dog so that it could crawl into the smallest passages and quickly dodge wild animals.

In the 60s of the 19th century, under the leadership of dog handler Engelman, selection work began to develop a new breed line. The classic Dachshund was crossed with the Miniature Pinscher, but the result was not pleasing. The dogs had the right size, but lost their hunting abilities.

It was decided to find another way. The smallest puppies were selected from Dachshund litters and crossed with each other to arrive at a single miniature size. Despite the fact that smaller dogs produced fewer heads, enthusiasts were able to achieve the perfect appearance by the end of the 19th century. In 1880, the first breed standard was published, which included the Dwarf Dachshund.

Wool and its structure

The coat is quite hard, wire-like and very dense, especially on the belly and body. The beard is slightly elongated, stiff as bristles, bushy, feathering is allowed on the front legs. The dog has a very dense undercoat.

The coat is straight, but not long. The length of the hair shaft should not exceed 3 cm.

Expert opinion

Kozhevin Semyon Kirillovich

Expert dog handler.

A distinctive feature of the wire-haired dachshund is its coat, which should be smooth, shiny, very soft, and thick, with a very dense undercoat that lies close to the body. This means that care must be appropriate. This includes bathing, combing and trimming. Visiting grooming salons is a mandatory procedure. This should be done at least once every 1.5 months, especially if you plan to participate in exhibitions.

Taking care of your health

Dachshunds are genetically prone to diseases of the musculoskeletal system, so you need to carefully monitor your pet’s health.

An animal of this breed must have its own house or high bed to protect the dog from drafts. The activity of the dachshund requires a long daily walk, so it is necessary to stock up on special clothing for your pet to protect against dirt, rain and cold.

Otherwise, caring for a dachshund is no different from other dogs: bathe when dirty, periodically clean the ears, comb out the hair during shedding, regularly check the eyes and ears.

Feeding

Dachshunds are not too picky when it comes to food. They are prone to overeating, so the owner will have to monitor their diet. Adults eat no more than twice a day after a walk. But wire-haired dachshund puppies should eat 5-6 times up to 4 months of age. Then the number of feedings is gradually reduced. By eight months, the puppy should eat no more than four times.

You can feed your pet food. However, it is advisable to select special types so that it receives all the necessary nutrients. Natural food is also suitable for dachshunds. However, we must remember that obesity will inevitably lead to disorders of the cardiovascular system and problems with the spine.