The Dachshund is an example of an amazing contrast between a seemingly unremarkable appearance and the perfection of its internal world of the dog.
Without exaggeration, the Dachshund is the most “charming and attractive” one among a huge number of breeds. The charm of this dog allowed it to ignore the trends of changeable fashion, remaining for more than two centuries in the top lists in popularity. Among the loyal fans of the breed, there are both avid hunters and people who sincerely perceive the dachshund as an exclusively indoor dog. The main thing is that they all have full confidence that their pets are the standards of a dog’s mind, courage, devotion, love, and beauty.
Aggressiveness: mild (3/5)
Education: bad (2/5)
Need for care: below the average (2/5)
Health: mild (3/5)
Attitude to solitude: mild (3/5)
Noisiness: mild (3/5)
Activity: mild (3/5)
Molting: below the average (2/5)
Friendliness: mild (3/5)
Owning cost: mild (3/5)
Intellect: above the average (4/5)
Security skill: bad (2/5)
* The characteristics of the Dachshund breed are based on an assessment by lapkins.ru experts and feedback from dog owners.
The Dachshund is a hunting dog intended for burrow hunting, and in this segment, it can rightfully be considered the oldest breed. Although dogs that look like dachshunds are found even in ancient Egyptian depictions, it is generally accepted that the modern phenotype began to form in the 16th century. The birthplace of the breed is South Saxony.
Ancestors of the Dachshund are the German short-legged Erdelyi Kopo. Having retained all the best hunting qualities of the latter, the dachshund was able to turn their disadvantage – short limbs – into a big plus and became an indispensable dog for burrowing hunting.
German burghers, suffering from badger raids on agricultural land, quickly appreciated all the advantages of the Dachshund. The breed did not give up its positions during the active development of cities in Germany, because it was convenient and not costly to maintenance this dog.
The Dachshund is very energetic, intelligent, and loyal. By the end of the 17th century, the breed more and more won the hearts of the Germans. Active breeding of Dachshunds began. The number of Dachshunds increased very quickly, the first kennels appeared in Germany, and soon the breed began to spread throughout Europe. There was no single approach to breeding principles at that time. Each breeder solved the problem based on his personal ideas and preferences. As a result, two main directions in breeding developed – working and decorative.
The consistent conclusion of the breeding work was the adoption of the first breed standard in 1870. The main purpose of Dachshunds breeding was indicated as hunting. Ten years later, von Bosch developed an artificial burrow for training and coaching Dachshunds, and since 1893, this structure has been used for working dog tests. Today the FCI classification distinguishes Dachshunds in a separate group with the greatest variability. There are nine varieties of the breed that are officially recognized and standardized.
In Russia, the Dachshund has been known since the middle of the 18th century, although at first, the breed did not receive wide dissemination. In 1900, the Russian Society of the Fox Terrier and the Dachshund Lovers appeared, and from that time on, specialized dog shows began to take place, and herd books appeared.
The Dachshund was gaining more and more popularity, although it was perceived by the inhabitants of Russia more as an accessory dog. Among the well-known owners of Dachshunds, there is the great Russian actress Maria Ermolova, the writer A.P. Chekhov, who was very fond of his four-legged pets named Brom Isaich and Khina Markovna. Among foreign celebrities, there is a big fan of Dachshunds, oceanographer Jacques Yves Cousteau.
The bloody XX century with its two world wars had an extremely negative impact on the number of representatives of the Dachshund breed in Russia. Only 11 dogs were presented at the dog show in 1958.
Fortunately, the situation was corrected. Today the Dachshund is one of the most numerous and popular breeds in our country.
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The main distinguishing feature of this dog breed is a long body with short limbs. There is a subdivision into varieties depending on the size and type of fur.
There are three sizes of Dachshunds:
Rabbit Dachshund chest girth is up to 30 cm, small Dachshund chest girth is 30-35 cm, standard Dachshund chest girth is more than 35 cm. The height at the withers is from 12 to 27 cm, depending on the breed variety.
The Dachshund has a graceful and wedge-shaped head. The skull is flat from above. The muzzle is slightly hooked, long. The transition to it is not abrupt and smooth. The lips have a small crease at the corners. The nose is large, brown or black, depending on the color of the animal.
The Dachshund has large and strong teeth, which are in a complete set of 42 teeth. The breed has only a scissor bite and strong jaws.
The ears of a Dachshund are of medium length, hanging, and rounded. They situated high and close to the back of the head. The front edge should touch the cheek.
The neck is muscular, tall, and pretty long. The nape is slightly convex.
The line of the back is straight or sloping towards the croup. The chest is long, well-muscled, and wide. The sternum is rounded, drooping to the middle of the shoulder. The withers are well defined. The abdomen is moderately tucked up.
Forelimbs are straight when viewed from the side. Shoulders are short and vertical. The elbows are directed straight back. The limbs are very muscular with strong bones. Paws are tight, well-arched, well-padded, and with strong claws.
The Dachshund has hind limbs that are in proportion to the length of the forelimbs, muscular, and with strong bones. The angles of the knee are well defined. Paws are oval-shaped, well developed, with healthy pads. Paws are parallel to each other.
The tail of Dachshunds is set not very high. It is held along the topline and can have a saber-shape.
There are three types the Dachshund fur.
Dachshunds have a yellow-red and pure red color of various shades, black, gray or brown, rusty-red or marble. For wire-haired Dachshunds, is “boars” color is typical – from light to dark shades.
Any deviation from these points is considered a defect or a disqualifying sign, depending on the severity. A detailed list of defects, faults, and disqualifying signs is given in the description of the FCI breed standard, group 4, Dachshunds.
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“With a sense of dignity, with a strong character and therefore arousing such sympathy,” reads the inscription on the emblem of the German Tekel Club. This phrase can be safely considered one of the most accurate and capacious characteristics of this animal.
Fearlessness, a pronounced individuality, amazing ingenuity, and independence in decision-making, which indicates high mental abilities – all this is typical for the Dachshund.
Some owners note a certain stubbornness and disobedience in the behavior of their pets. It is not far from the truth, but we should not forget that the Dachshund is a hunter, moreover, it is a hunter for a burrowing animals. And not only the success of the hunt but also its life depends on its ability to make the right decision without the commands and prompts of the owner during a fight with a badger or a fox in a narrow burrow. And the Dachshund is not stubborn because of harmfulness – the dog just understands this situation better than you, as it thinks. If your opinions coincide, then the command will be executed accurately and without delay, which is why it is so important to establish close contact and mutual understanding with the pet. With a good, caring owner, the Dachshund is always responsive and obedient.
Despite the small size and original appearance of these dogs, they are distinguished by self-confidence and, in modern language, the absence of complexes. The Dachshund will never forgive a rude disrespect to itself, the reaction will be adequate. Disobedience, sabotage, doing out of spite – it will be used by a dog to assert its “ego”. The basis for building good relationships can only be mutual respect.
Some of the people are struck by the discrepancy between the size of the Dachshund and its voice. Powerful and loud barking can mislead not only a fox hiding in a hole but also an uninvited guest who has approached the door of your house.
This dog is very fond of walking and will be happy to accompany you even on the most distant hikes. Dachshunds are great connoisseurs of comfort. In the house, they choose the warmest and most comfortable corners for themselves, they like to relax, climbing under the blanket or on the knees (or even on the neck) of the owner. They gladly accept affection from household members.
The character of the Dachshund is an amazing combination of integrity, strength, tenderness, and love for a person.
The Dachshund is an intelligent and quick-witted dog. It will quickly understand that permissiveness and connivance on the part of the owner are very cool, so the owner needs to start raising his pet from the very first day of their acquaintance. Training can wait a bit, but the owner must accustom the dog to the nickname, diet, place, to explain to the puppy about good and bad things right away. Success in upbringing can be achieved only on the basis of establishing close contact and mutual understanding with the animal.
It is not difficult to accustom a puppy to a nickname. The owner should call his dog by name, caress it, treat it with something tasty. Do not forget to encourage if the animal, reacting to its name, runs up to you. Little Dachshunds are very cute, and you will have to show a certain firmness of character, accustoming you to a place, because you really want to take this miracle to your bed or let the dog lie on a chair. It will be almost impossible to wean a dachshund from such behavior, so it is better to stop such attempts right away, gently and accurately each time bringing the dog to its rug, while repeating the command “Place!”. Don’t be afraid to express your displeasure with your puppy’s misbehavior in a clear and understandable way.
Dachshunds are very clean, so it is not difficult to train your puppy to relieve itself in the special tray. You just need to take the puppy to the toilet on time (after sleep, after eating, or if the dog starts to behave restlessly). It is clear that he must stand in a specific place. When you start walking outside, the tray can be removed. At the same time, attempts (especially successful ones) to go to the toilet in the apartment to evaluate negatively (in no case punishing), and to encourage the same actions on the street in every possible way.
It is very important in raising a small Dachshund to adhere to the regime in feeding, playing, and walking.
Dachshunds are intelligent dogs and can be trained well. The training is carried out according to the principle “from simple to complex”. Achieve the execution of the basic commands “Sit!”, “Next!” or “Lie!” it will be easier if you can get your pet interested. The choice of method largely depends on the temperament and character of the puppy. Considering that Dachshunds are real gourmets, training gives good results, when your favorite delicacy is used as an incentive.
The Dachshund is a dog that, by its nature, actively reacts to external stimuli, therefore it is important to transfer your activities to the street from the age of three months so that the puppy gets used to extraneous noises and learns to respond only to your commands.
The training process should not contain any elements of violence. If the dog is tired and ignores you, reschedule the train.
The Dachshund training is fun, and how far you want to go in the process is entirely up to you. Basically, you can teach your pet almost all the skills and abilities that a dog’s mind can do.
The Dachshund is perfect for home keeping, and caring for it does not require any excessive effort from you.
Before you bring the puppy into the house, you need to do some preparatory work, including:
You will also need a claw clipper, a tape measure up to 5 meters long, products for bathing, care for the eyes and ears of the animal.
The Dachshund bed should be located in a warm, cozy place, away from drafts and heating appliances. A soft fleece blanket covered with a sheet that can be washed as it gets dirty is best.
Basic rules for caring for the Dachshund.
Warning! The owners of these cute dogs should know that:
It is very important not to overfeed the animal. Excess weight is the enemy of the Dachshund, as it creates an unnecessary load on the spine.
The dachshund menu must include such products as low-fat cottage cheese, cereals (oatmeal, rice, buckwheat), which can be boiled in meat broth or added to the dish with pieces of meat (beef, lamb, chicken, or turkey), although dairy products will be preferable for puppies. Vegetables are also useful in the diet, twice a week you can give Dachshunds eggs, mixing and grinding them with cottage cheese. It is perfectly acceptable to give fish (sea and boneless) once or twice a week. But milk in its natural form will not bring benefits to the dog: it simply cannot be absorbed by the animal’s body.
Do not forget about mineral supplements, especially powdered clay, which is very useful for Dachshunds. You cannot give the dog food from a human table, especially sweets, spicy and spicy dishes.
Dry mixes are best for an adult dog. In this case, premium food is a perfectly acceptable alternative to a natural diet.
Canine illnesses, which are common in most breeds, can manifest themselves to varying degrees in Dachshunds, and the methods of their treatment are quite traditional and typical. However, there is one specificity that should please the future owner: these pets very rarely get sick. And this is an indisputable fact.
There are two diseases that only occur in this breed. The first is a disease called the “swimmer effect”. It occurs at an early puppy age and outwardly manifests itself in the fact that monthly puppies cannot get up on their paws in any way and move by crawling, making “swimming movements” with their paws. In most cases, this is a temporary condition that does not affect the health of grown Dachshunds in any way, so they stand on their limbs and walk perfectly. However, the negative development of the disease sometimes suddenly re-express itself. As a preventive measure, you can recommend not overfeeding babies and make sure that they are not on slippery surfaces, where it is difficult for their weak legs to find support.
The second disease, classified as hereditary, poses an incomparably great threat to the life of a dog. We are talking about dysplasia of the intervertebral discs. The rather high incidence of this disease is associated with the characteristic structure of the body of the dachshund. Problems with intervertebral discs can lead to infringement of the spinal cord body, deformation of the nerve trunks, and, as a result, paralysis. Statistics show that the most critical age for the onset of the disease is 5-7 years, although earlier cases of diagnosing this disease are known. In this regard, it is very important to strictly control the intensity of physical activity and properly feed the animal, in no case allowing excess weight to be gained. This will greatly reduce the stress on the spine.
Diseases transmitted in Dachshunds at the genetic level include papillary-pigmentary dystrophy of the skin. Against the background of a violation of the secretion of the sebaceous glands, the integuments begin to thicken, become covered with age spots. The characteristic changes most often appear on the chest and abdomen of the dog, on the inner surface of the ears, and in the armpits. The disease belongs to the category of rare, but when it occurs, it cannot be effectively treated.
There are also known cases of seizures of idiopathic epilepsy in Dachshunds, which are characterized by impaired coordination of movements of the hind limbs and then forelimbs as well as vomiting. Attacks lasting from 2-3 minutes to half an hour go away on their own. No outside intervention is required. Most often, such phenomena were observed in animals of two to three years of age.
All of the above diseases are hereditary, and it is impossible to completely protect the dog from its appearance. Due to proper care, attentive attitude to the state of the Dachshund, you can significantly reduce the risks.
One should also not forget the general preventive and curative measures. Timely vaccinations, deworming, periodic check-ups with a vet will ensure the good health of your pet.
If you decide to have a Dachshund, then you need to start choosing a puppy even before it is born. First of all, it is worth deciding whether you want to have a working or decorative dog. It depends on where you should go: to the exhibition or to the field in order to appreciate the qualities of the parents of your future pet.
It is good if you have the opportunity to observe how the pregnant female is kept. In many ways, the quality of a puppy depends on the conditions of intrauterine development.
It will also be useful to inquire about the breeder, especially if you are buying a puppy not from a kennel, but from a private person.
So the puppies were born. You will pick up your new friend at the age of one and a half to two months. It is advisable to agree in advance with the breeder about the cost of the animal. It is important to decide in advance whether you will choose the dog yourself or the breeder will find it for you.
When choosing a puppy, pay attention to such points as:
As for the color of the dachshund: it will fully manifest itself only by the year, but some patterns should be taken into account.
The condition of the animal’s fur, ears, and eyes is assessed traditionally. For example, they must be silky and without secretions and unpleasant odor. The Dachshund puppy should be moderately well-fed and heavy enough. It is not fat, but heavy. A healthy puppy is playful and active, shows a keen interest in the surrounding space, and has a good appetite.
Dachshunds very early show individual character traits, so take a closer look at the dog with what temperament you would like to see at home.
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If you have decided to buy a Dachshund puppy for your soul and do not plan to participate in dog shows, trials or hunting, then the option of buying through the Internet or even on the market may suit you. The price, in this case, will not be too high only one hundred dollars. As a rule, such Dachshunds do not have documents, and you consciously assume all future risks to the health of your pet, whether its appearance meets the requirements of the standard. It is possible that today’s cute puppy, when it grows up, will turn out to be either not quite, or not at all a Dachshund, either in character or in appearance.
The price for a “legalized” puppy, which has all the necessary documents, has undergone age-appropriate vaccination, and meets the requirements of the standard, will start from the amount of 250 dollars. Do not be surprised at such a serious figure. Even such a price, in most cases, rarely covers the costs of a responsible breeder associated with breeding itself, providing proper care for a pregnant mother of your future puppy, and preparing all the necessary documents.
