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Dachshund: Training, Temperament, Exercise Needs & Health (Doxie, Weiner Dog)

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About Dachshund

Country of Origin, History of Dachshunds

The Dachshund originates from Germany and it was originally called ‘Teckel’. It is thought that it took roughly one hundred years for the breed to develop and its original purpose was to hunt badgers. In fact, the meaning of the breed's name in German is "badger dog" - from "Dachs" (badger) and "Hund" (dog). Despite their size, even the smallest Dachshund is a keen, fearless hunter! The breed has been a favorite in the United States since the 1950’s and they still continue to grow in popularity today

Dachshund Tools

Breed Selector Tool - is the Dachshund the right breed for you?

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Dachshund Calorie Calculator

Do you know how many calories your Dachshund needs every day and how many cups of food you should be giving it every day? Click here to use our Dachshund Calorie Calculator.

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Description of the Dog

Otherwise known as a ‘sausage dog’, the Dachshund is well known for its extra long body and tiny little legs. There are two main sizes of the breed, either miniature or standard, and within those two different sizes, there are three different types of coat. These include the short haired Dachshund, the long haired Dachshund and the wire haired Dachshund.

The head of the Dachshund is tapered and it has almond shaped eyes which often hold an energetic and pleasant expression. They have long ears which hang down the side of their heads and they have rounded tips which frame the face. The muzzle on this breed tends to be slightly arched and they have a black nose with well open nostrils.

The body is very muscular and the neck is also slightly arched and it flows smoothly into the shoulders. Their front feet have arched toes, thick nails and tough pads. This was to help them dig out badgers from their sets when they used to be used to hunt them. Their back legs are parallel and their thighs are really powerful and strong. The gait of the Dachshund is quite fluid and smooth.

Weight

Male: The Standard weight is 20 pounds and the
Miniature weight is 8 pounds.

Female: The Standard weight is 20 pounds and the
Miniature weight is 8 pounds.

Height

Male: The Standard Dachshund is usually between 14-18 inches and the
Miniature Dachshund is up to 14 inches in height.

Female: Again the Standard Dachshund is usually between 14-18 inches and the Miniature Dachshund is up to 14 inches in height.

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Dachshund Personality Traits

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Temperament of Dachshund Dogs

The Spanish Water Dog is an extremely intelligent, fearless, ever-active, strong, attentive, happy and well balanced versatile working dog with strong herding, hunting and guardian instincts. It is a devoted companion. It is reserved, not shy, with strangers. They can be protective and territorial.

Are they suited to families with kids?

Most of them are good with children and other animals if properly socialized.

Training

Training can be difficult at times due to the fact that the Dachshund is a very stubborn breed. However, with firm and consistent training, Dachshunds can become quite well trained..

It is important to note that this breed can be a little sensitive to firmness so be sure that your Dachshund is not too scared of you whilst you are training. The easiest way to train a dog is to make it fun and exciting. Your Dachshund will be reluctant to train again if it is traumatized by the experience.Dachshunds generally respond better to a variety of different training methods.

Generally food tends to encourage Dachshunds to train as they are particularly food driven! Overall it is better to be understanding, firm but gentle, and consistent with your training methods. However hard they may be to train, they can be trained if you are persistent and patient.

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Dachshund Activity Level

How active is the breed?

The Dachshund does tend to be quite active both indoors and outdoors. Indoors they may become destructive if they are not given plenty to do or if they are not taken out for a walk during the day.Exercising them as often as possible will help to tire them out. Two walks a day should be sufficient to tire the Dachshund out enough throughout the day. However, really the breed only needs one walk per day.

Exercise Needs

Puppies do not need as much exercise as adults do. Playing with a few s with your puppy should be enough exercise for them. However, when they get into adulthood they do need a little more exercise, but overall they are not an overly active breed.

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Training your Dachshund can be fun and a rewarding experience for both you and your dog. Get step-by-step tips on Dachshund Training – now.

How to take care of a Doxie Puppy?

It is important to establish a routine with your Dachshund. Make sure you feed at least three small meals per day and ensure that they have fresh drinking water available at all times too. Like all puppies, your Dachshund will need plenty of rest and quiet time in order for them to settle and grow.

Overall they do not need any different care compared to other breeds other than the fact that you should not over feed them.

Do not over-feed your Dachshund as they are prone to gain weight easily and extra weight can lead to various health problems.

If you have a Dachshund dog or puppy at home and you want to train it into the most loving pet, Sign-up for our Free Dachshund Training Course.

Grooming

Each different variety of Dachshunds needs a different amount of grooming. The long haired variety for example, needs a lot more grooming than the short haired variety. Longer haired dogs tend to shed more often and they need daily grooming with a firm bristled brush.

The wire haired variety also needs daily grooming with a bristled brush in order to stop any tangles from forming in the coat. The smooth haired variety only needs its claws trimming regularly, and it simply needs to be wiped over with a damp cloth a couple of times a week. All varieties will need their ears checked daily for any signs or irritation and inflammation.

Grooming your dog yourself, at your home and at your convenience will help you build a strong bond with your Dachshund. You will not only save yourself the hassle of taking him to a groomer regularly, you save some money too.

With the short haired variety the coat is quite shiny. The coat of the wire haired variety tends to be rough and thick and it has a smooth undercoat too. Finally the long haired variety tends to have a slightly wavy and it seems to be longer on the chest and at the neck.

Generally the Dachshund comes in a wide variety of colors and the only color that doesn’t seem to be apparent is white.

Coat

Dachshunds come in three types of coat – Smooth/Short-haired, Long and Wire. Smooth are the most common, and have a dense, shiny short coat. Long-haired Dachshunds have a very soft silky coat with fringes on the underbody, chest, legs tail and ears. The coat pattern is similar to that of an Irish Setter!

Wirehairs have short wiry coats which are very dense and have a dense undercoat. They have a beard, bushy eyebrows and usually prominent ridges of hair above the eyes.

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Health and Care

While the SWD seems to be a very healthy breed there are some issues that the SWD have, just like all other breeds. There are cases of Hip Dysplasia in the breed, so choose your breeder carefully.

All breeding dogs should have their hips tested, either by OFA or PennHIP. There have been a few cases of PRA reported in Europe so it is advised that all breeders should test their breeding stock for PRA and other such genetic eye diseases with a yearly CERF exam. A responsible breeder will be able to produce the results in writing.

Like other Water Dogs and related breeds, they grow hair in their ear canals and can be prone to ear infections. The ears must be kept dry and clean. . Because these dogs are (as a general rule) so active and energetic as puppies, they may seriously injure themselves from too much running and jumping when their skeletal structure is still developing.

National Breed Clubs

Life Expectancy: About 10-14 years.

Group: Hound

AKC Popularity Ranking: 12

Also known as: Standard Dachshund, Miniature Dachshund, Rabbit Dachshund, Teckel, Sausage dog.


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