The dachshund, often nicknamed “sausage dog” is a dog very easy to recognize, thanks to its elongated body and short legs. Her personality is friendly and affectionate, so you will love it if you are looking for a nice little partner.
The breed has all the signs of megapopularity: maximum number, long-term “experience”, is widespread and loved on all continents. Other breeds go through booms and bumps, and the dachshund ignores fashion – it just feels good.
Dachshund photos
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Physical characteristics
The main distinguishing feature of dogs of this breed is a long torso on short limbs. There is a division into varieties depending on the size and type of coat.
The dachshund is the only breed represented by nine varieties. Their main difference is the height and type of coat.
By size, the breed is divided into:
- Standard Dachshund. Height: 20–27 cm, weight 10–15 kg, chest volume at least 35 cm.
- Mini dachshund. Height 10–15 cm, weight 3–5 kg, chest volume up to 30 cm.
- Dwarf dachshund. Height 1–21 cm, weight 5–9 kg, chest volume 30–35 cm.
Depending on the type of padding, there are:
- Smooth haired dachshund
- long haired dachshund
- wire-haired dachshund
Distinctive features
- Head: The skull is flat. The stop is smooth, slightly pronounced. The muzzle is elongated, wide.
- Jaws: Scissor bite. The teeth are strong, complex, that is, 42 teeth.
- Ears: The ears are rather large and rounded. Tied high, the front edges close to the cheekbones.
- Eyes: The eyes are medium sized, oval. Wide. Eye color ranging from yellow-brown to almost black, depending on coat color.
- Frame: The chest is deep and oval when viewed from the front. The back is straight, strong. Smoothly passes through the muscular lower back. The belly is well proportioned.
- Limbs: The legs are short, muscular, have strong bones. Elbows to the rear Hocks dry. The legs are oval. The fingers are compressed into a tight ball, the pads are elastic, soft. Nails are short and strong.
- Coat :
- Dachshunds can be smooth-haired, wire-haired, or long-haired.
- The color is different:
- Plain (red, fawn, red-brown),
- Two-tone (black or brown with red-yellow or fawn),
- Marble and brindle.
Character and behavior
The dachshund has a very strong personality, and tends to bark when it does not get what it wants. In addition, it is more complicated to educate than other breeds for its tenacity and stubbornness, even if this can be done by starting to educate the dachshund puppy. It is a good playmate for children and very affectionate with adults, although it can be wary of strangers.
He has a great ability to adapt to most circumstances, so he can live in different environments without any problems. Due to its size, it is recommended to live in small apartments, but as long as it is guaranteed that this dog will be able to perform all the exercises he needs to feel good physically and mentally.
A tip for anyone who has a copy of the breed, is to try not to pamper him too much and to educate him firmly as a puppy. Otherwise, the dachshund will be spoiled, showing this innate stubbornness which has sometimes been named as an impossibility of educating it.
With the children
Representatives of the breed get along well with children of all ages, they are always ready to play with them. Dachshunds of the breed are excellent nannies for children, they will never offend the small owner.
With other animals
Representatives of the breed do not get along well with other animals. Those who are small will be perceived as prey. Dachshunds get along well with cats, but only on the condition that by the time the puppy appears in the house, the cat is already living in the family. Conflicts with cats will only occur if the cat is clearly trying to dominate the dog.
Health
Like other dogs, the dachshund is prone to certain diseases, including genetic ones. This list contains:
- Discopathy;
- Osteoporosis;
- False pregnancy;
- Obesity – leads to heart problems, kidney and pancreas diseases, do not let the dog overeat and accumulate excess weight;
- Black acanthosis;
- Epilepsy.
Life expectancy
The life expectancy of dachshund dogs is 12 to 15 years.
Care
Rules for taking care of the dachshund:
- Long-haired dogs should be brushed daily, short-haired dogs with a special glove a few times a week. Bathe the dog as needed with a special shampoo. Short-haired specimens can be wiped with a damp towel.
- Adults grind their claws as they walk. For puppies under 1 year old, it is best to trim them carefully, you can contact a veterinary clinic for help with this.
- You can clean his ears with cotton pads previously soaked in hydrogen peroxide.
- It is necessary to regularly care for the teeth of dogs, using a special toothpaste and brush.
Important
The dachshund must be handled with care, so as not to harm the animal, follow these recommendations:
1. Do not let the dachshund jump even from the minimum height.
2. Don’t grab dachshund puppies by the scruff of the neck. When picking up a dog, place one hand under the chest and support the hind limbs with the other.
3. Do not take the dog under the paws so as not to injure the elbows.
4. As friends for a pet, it is worth choosing animals of the same size.
5. Dachshunds are vulnerable, do not let the puppy come into contact with other animals until all vaccinations have been received.
Fun facts
- Each variety of the breed has its own legion of followers, so it’s easy to maintain the diversity of characteristics over time.
- There is a statue associated with an ancient pharaoh from Egypt where you can see a dog named Dachshund, which has the most distinctive characteristics of the breed.
- Dachshund, one of the names by which it is known, means German badger dog, which defines one of the pastimes of the breed.
- According to the first inscriptions, it was much more common to find dachshunds with short hairs than long or hard hairs, although at present the number of copies is more balanced, as is the case with sizes.
History of the breed
What each dachshund has in common is its origin. We know that they are descendants of former German dogs called Deutsche Bracken, small animals that were used in badger hunting for their capacity as excavators. The crossing of these animals with others, of terrier type, and the successive generations, is at the origin of the dachshund as we know it today.
This breed is very old, as evidenced by the illustrations and sculptures from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries where certain specimens fulfill their function as badger hunters.
Although its origin was in Germany, the dachshund was much more famous in Britain, as evidenced by the fact that the first dachshund club founded was the British, in 1881. Years later, in 1888, the Deutscher also was founded Teckelklub, and both are still active today.
He is one of the few dogs to have his own group in the Fédération Cynologique Internationale because of its importance and its unique characteristics. In this category would include all varieties of the breed, without division by size or by variety of hair.