Dachshund

The name – Dachshund has originated from Germany, which literally means ‘badger dogs.’

If you had to split the name into two halves – ‘dach’ means European badger and ‘hund’ denotes the fact that they’re hound-shaped or you can say sausage-shaped.

They are popularly known as sausage dogs or wiener dogs. In early ages, Dachshunds were built for the olfaction and hunting of badgers and various burrow-dwelling animals.

Being shaped like hounds and having smooth fur, Dachshunds play a crucial role in hunting these animals from there burrows. The rivalry between badgers and Dachshunds has been known ever since the 1540s’.

To describe a typical Dachshund, they’re long bodied which make them expert and most suitable for digging purposes, they have deep chest which gives them an in-built enhanced lung capacity with higher stamina, making them one to the best for chases.

They might appear small, but there’s definitely more to them than just their size!

Quick Facts

• Average Weight: 16 lb. (7.3 Kg) to 32 lb. (15 Kg)

• Average Height 8 – 9 inches.

• Life Expectancy: 12 – 16 years.

• Dog Group: Hound Group.

• Colours: red, cream, tan-pointed, wildboar.

At A Glance

• Size (3/5)

The Dachshund breed comes in three different sizes: standard-size, miniature-size, and kaninchen (which means ‘rabbit’, in German). In general, they are dogs smaller in size, which makes them a perfect fit for an apartment-friendly pet. They might be small, but you’d be underrating them if you’re judging them just on the basis of their size!

• Affection Level (4/5)

A typical Dachshund can be allocated as very fun-loving and entertaining. Having the hunting characteristics in their DNA, they are very adaptive and bond comfortably with human beings. They’re always happy to see you and have you around.

• Apartment Friendly (5/5)

Being in the category of shorter sized dogs, it makes them more apartment-friendly as their shorter size would require very less space in an apartment, with a couple or a small family. You don’t have to plan out a separate place for them at your household.

• Cold Weather Tolerability (2/5)

Cold weather might not suit them a lot, since they’re in the hound group they are dogs with little or no undercoat or body fat for winter protection. It is recommended for them to stay indoors during cold weather, and a dog sweater or jacket is highly suggested for walks outdoors.

• Hot Weather Tolerability

Dachshunds do much better than other dogs in heat, comparatively. Usually, dogs with a higher amount of fur and thick undercoat suffer from the issue of overheating, whereas a Dachshund has lesser body fat which makes them handle heat pretty well. Still, it is not recommended for them keep them outside the door for too long during summers.

• Barking Tendencies (4/5)

Dachshunds ever since the early ages have been for the purpose of hunting, and just like you’d expect from any other hunting dog, they bark more often. They’re highly sensitive to changes around them and hence, there more chances of them barking. As a part of being a hunter dog, they’re more receptive to stress signals.

• Cat Friendly (2/5)

Even though you might find Dachshunds as the same size as a cat. It is still safer if you keep them at a considerable distance. This breed of dogs has been known to hunt smaller animals like badgers, rodents, rabbits and at the time also cats.

If a Dachshund has been adapted since its infanthood, they’d bond easily with any other animal. But it might work the other way around if a cat has been adopted after a Dachshund has marked its territory in the house up till its adulthood.

• Dog Friendly (3.5/5)

The friendliness of your Dachshund would depend on its social experiences ever since puppyhood. If there is a more positive encounter, Dachshunds make really good friends in their own species. But if the situation is vice-versa, it might turn out to be fearful and aggressive towards other dog mates!

• Exercise Needs (1/5)

Dachshunds from their origin are known as brave, bold and a dog with an extent up to rash behavior since they are hunter dogs. They have deep chests which give them higher stamina and chasing skills.

Intensive training is not a compulsion, during their puppyhood 5 – 10 minutes of walks are recommended for them to get acquainted with traffic, other people and dogs. By its adulthood a 60-minute walk per day is sufficient, split into two times per day.

• Grooming Needs (3/5)

Dachshunds are found in three different coats, they may be – smooth haired, wire-haired or long-haired.

Smooth Haired Dachshunds

They require the least grooming, as their coats are thinner and not many things stick to their coats, just regular brushing with a soft bristle brush would do the work.

Wire Haired Dachshunds

They require regular brushing with a short-napped wire bristle brush along with proper combing of their hair. Their hair produces a kind of hair-fat which protects them from exterior elements, so bathing once in every two weeks is enough. Since bathing removes the hair fat, it makes your Dachshund more vulnerable.

Long Hair Dachshunds

Regular brushing is required for the long-haired ones, as there is hair at areas in their body that tend to form clots, which needs to be detangled with hand.

If not paid regular attention, the clots need to be trimmed. Consulting a dog grooming professional is what’s best for them when it comes to their cleansing processes. Blow-drying them after bathing, instead of the air-drying and regular brushing is what goes a long way with them. A comb must be maintained to comb their hair regularly to avoid tangling of hairs.

• Playfulness (4/5)

One of the most discernible traits of Dachshunds is that they’re small packets of naughtiness and entertainment, they’re highly alert and respond quickly to any playful activities that you might want to engage in with them.

Since they’re hunter dogs they are best at the game of fetching and any activity that includes chasing. It’s their innate characteristic trait.

• Trainability (1/5)

A typical Dachshund is known to be very stubborn, and if you’re considering it to be easy for you to train them, then break that myth. But if treated with patience, love and deploying enough time on them – they can turn out to be highly courageous and obedient ones as well. They are also very highly suitable to be watchdogs.

• Intelligence (2/5)

They’re ranked at number 49 in the Stanley Coren’s Intelligence of Dogs. Having an average intelligence, it might take you more time to teach and train them to follow commands, they have a tendency to follow trained commands as far as 50% of the time.

• Mouthiness (4/5)

They have a tendency to attack, growl and at times even bite if they’re being introduced to a stranger, depending on the aura of the person it is meeting. Being hunter dogs they’re not easy-going and portray a stubborn behavior. During their puppyhood, they will bite or chew a lot. But they can be trained in order to know that it’s okay to bite or chew toys, but not human skin.

• Price

An appropriate Dachshund price range would fall between $200 USD – $3,500 USD and maybe more, depending on the breeder, his or her stand in the market and purity in the breed.

About Dachshunds

Dachshund is that one breed that makes one’s eyes glitter with excitement whenever spotted somewhere on the road – with little muscular legs, the long sausage-shaped body they’re not only eye-candy but also equally delightful to have at home, as your new family member.

Dachshunds are into existence ever since the 1540s, they belong to the hound group and are hunter dogs which served the purpose of scent, chasing and hunting badgers and other smaller animals.

They are very skillful when it comes to digging and you would find them digging sofas, bedsheets and other interiors when they’re bored.

They come in different sizes: which are standard, miniature and kaninchen sizes and are grouped into three different overcoating – which are short-haired, wired-haired and long-haired.

The breed is very profound for their stubbornness and is difficult to train.

But dealing with them patiently and with commitment, they prove to be the best breed of dogs one could adopt.

Being smaller in size, it ranks quite high in terms of apartment-friendliness and it would be an amazing choice for newly married couples and even joint families.

To describe a typical Dachshund temperament, I can say they are highly playful and alert and are like tiny doses of constantly flowing fun-element throughout your day.

Where ‘Dachshunds’ Originated From?

Hypothetically, the early roots of the origination of this breed go to Egypt.

But as far as modern times concern, Dachshunds are known to be a creation of German breeders and derives its name from the term ‘Badger Dogs’ where ‘Dachs’ means badgers and ‘hund’ means hound-shaped.

Maximum researchers proclaim that it is still unknown as to where they originate from, but the breed came into existence prominently after the 15^th century and it was the short-haired Dachshunds that gave rise to both wired-haired and long-haired Dachshunds.

Size

Dachshunds are widely known in three sizes, which are – standard, miniature and kaninchen sizes.

A full-grown standard sized Dachshund weighs between 16 lb. (7.3Kg) to 32 lb. (15 Kg).

Whereas, miniature and kaninchen sizes weigh less than 12 lb. (5.4 Kg).

Irrespective of their size, there is no difference in their characteristic traits.

Trainability

These little creatures are tiny bombs of trouble making it difficult for an individual to train them to follow a command or learn an activity.

With average intelligence, they tend to grasp the teachings at a steady pace and show infiltrated characteristics of stubbornness.

Nevertheless, 600 years back and even now they’re a highly brave, active and agile breed of dogs with mastery in the skill of eradicating burrow-dwelling animals from their livelihood.

They show aggressive behavior when there are changes in the surroundings or if they get a vibe of threat from a stranger, they are sensitive that way.

Grooming

Having a dog is a responsibility, and grooming is one of the major responsibilities that need to be taken care of from day to day.

Dachshunds are categorized in three different coat types: smooth, wire-haired and long-haired.

• Smooth Dachshunds:

The most classic Dachshund is the one which requires the least maintenance, with a typical luster on their skin as that of the sun bouncing back.

An occasional brushing, nail clipping and teeth scrubbing as frequently as twice in every two weeks would serve the purpose.

• Wire Haired Dachshunds:

As far as the shedding is concerned, wire-haired shed the least.

But they undergo a renewal of their undercoat, while the existing undercoat dies off which is also a protective layer from outer elements.

Excessively frequent removal of their dead undercoat might make them more exposed.

But still, they need brushing, combing, occasional bathing, nail clipping, and teeth scrubbing.

You can either do it yourself or hire a professional dog groomer.

• Long Hair Dachshunds:

Long hair Dachshunds are a little ball of fur delighted creatures, who appear aesthetically most profound.

But, their beautiful appearance comes at a cost – you have to regularly brush and comb their fur in order to avoid tangling of hair and a more frequent bathing routine has to be employed.

Common Diseases

Targeting The Bones

Majority of Dachshunds are prone to IVDD (Intervertebral Disk Disease), this is due to their shape which is extremely long spinal cord and short rib cage.

A Dachshund should never be allowed to get obese since it’ll make your Dachshund more vulnerable to IVDD.   Rough exercises and handling should also be avoided and activities that put more stress on the vertebrae.

20 – 25% of Dachshunds are prone to have IVDD in their lifetime. This is one such breed, even though there are small chances they are prone to Patellar Luxation, where the kneecap tends to be dislodged.

They are also open to the chances of Osteogenesis Imperfecta – the brittle bones disease.

Targeting The Nasal Cavity

Diseases in the naval cavity might or might not occur in a Dachshunds since they have deep chests and regular activities from their puppyhood is what will keep them away from any sort of nasal cavity disease by the time they reach their adulthood.

One setback which is common in dogs is the nose and sinus inflammation, which majorly depends on their hereditary, which can also be a problem with Dachshunds.

But consulting a veterinarian as soon as after spotting extreme symptoms, and constant care will keep them safe.

Targeting The Skin

Skin related problems are the second most common factor that takes dog owners to the vet.

Wirehaired and long hair Dachshunds are more open to the problems related to skin and require more care and grooming.

The symptoms can be itchy skin, dry scalp, hair loss or scabs.

As a part of owning a Dachshund if we undertake some precautions, skin diseases can be avoided, I’m listing down a few measures which is more applicable to wire-haired and long-haired Dachshunds:

• Regular brushing and combing, in order to detect and remove any exterior particles or ticks and lies.

• Excessive bathing can make their skin very dry, as the oils produced from the body gets washed away and reduces the pH level.

• Environmental factors also play a role, there are chances of them getting eczema or other skin related abnormalities, due to toxic elements in the environment or if they get rubbed by the chemically sprayed plants.

Many skin related issues may also arise due to genetic inheritance, and in that case, immediately consult a vet is highly recommended.

Targeting The Eyes

Eye-related diseases are more prominent after Dachshunds reach their old age.

There are three diseases your Dachshund might be vulnerable to at his old age: Glaucoma, Cataract or Dry Eye:

• Glaucoma:

It is a very painful disease which occurs in dogs and in people too, which eventually leads to blindness.

Symptoms can be – watery eyes, blue traces in the cornea, redness in the white region of the eyes.

• Cataract:

It is a very common old age disease in Dachshunds, where the lenses appear to be more opaque – in other words, there is cloudiness in the black area.

• Dry Eye:

It is also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca or KCS, where there is a decline in the amount of tear produced by tear gland and the eyes of your Dachshund won’t stay moist which makes it more prone to eye related problems.

Targeting the Nervous System

Dachshunds are prone to neurological diseases depending on their genetic history.

Symptoms are seizures, imbalance, tremors or excessive sleeping.

Two major neurological disorder Dachshunds are prone to are:

• Epilepsy:

This disorder is usually inherited in Dachshunds and wouldn’t occur if it isn’t genetic.

Episodes of seizures begin between the ages of 6 months to 3 years.

• Narcolepsy:

Is an excessive sleeping condition, which is more common in the dogs during their puppyhood.

A Dachshund puppy might fall asleep suddenly while playing or walking.

It is an inherited condition and is not harmful.

Feeding

To remember something about Dachshunds, you need to know that they are innate foodies, so as a Dachshund owner you must know whether your sausage-shaped friend is eating right.

Dachshunds are highly recommended to not gain excess weight since it increases the stress on their vertebrae and is more exposed to spine related disorders. The standard weight of a standard sized Dachshund should be between 16 – 32 lb. whereas for a miniature size, it shouldn’t exceed more than 11 lb.

A Dachshund puppy should not eat more than four times a day, keeping in the mind the quantity and nutritional contents. Moist food is best recommended for puppies.

One pound of food per pound of weight is the ideal feeding paradigm for adult Dachshunds. At ideal weight, you are supposed to be feeling the ribs without poking through the fat layer.

Suggested: Senior Dog Food

Vaccination And Care

In order to protect your Dachshund from any disease before it infects is the standard way – you must vaccinate a Dachshund puppy at the age of 6, 10 and 14 months to prime them with antibodies and neutralize infectious organisms.

At six months of age female dogs are recommended vaccination of ‘spay’ and male dogs are suggested for ‘neuter’. This is the ideal time to ‘spay’ or ‘neuter’ is because all the adult teeth are grown by this time, and any remaining milk teeth can be extracted.

Yearly vaccinations must be scheduled for your Dachshunds for DHPP and Rabies, and a monthly check up and consultation is mandatory for wire-haired and long-haired Dachshunds in case of any parasite or ticks infestation.

Monthly Expenses Estimation

Even though Dachshunds are the most apartment friendly pets, they still require an estimated expenditure plan on their medical and other care-taking costs.

For a Dachshund puppy, initial bills might range between $300 – $400 USD.

You need to consider fixating an amount ranging between $500 – $1000 USD per month and even more at 6 months of age considering vaccinations, consultations, full–body checkups, and situational health related problems.

Behavior With

Children

These little sausages are difficult to train since they’re of average intelligence.

But building a constant habit from their puppy phase to give them a judgment of what’s right and wrong is necessary.

They might be slow, but at the same time turn out to be very obedient with time and also bond really well with children.

Dogs

Being in the category of hunter dogs, they don’t show very friendly behavior towards dogs.

But if they are incorporated with social habits in the initial stages, they bond really well with dogs and other animals as well.

Cats

Dachshunds have the in-built trait of being aggressive towards small animals and were specially bred for the purpose of eradicating burrow-dwelling animals.

So, if you’re planning to bring a cat after you already have a Dachshund, it is better if you keep them at a safe distance.

But on the counter-part, they tend to show very friendly behavior if they are accustomed to cats or any other animal during their puppy stage.

Overview

If you’re living by an apartment alone or with your partner or maybe, if you just have a small family – Dachshund is that one breed you ought to think of having as a pet.

With sausage shape, quirky character and adorably small height they tend to fill up the gap in a household with their presence and peppiness.

You’ll never get the time to comprehend how your day ends.

Dachshunds are one such example of ‘size is not everything’, they are far more brave, courageous and alert and qualify equivalently as other hunter dogs.

They just need intensive attention regarding their weight management, obesity often targets their spinal cord and increases the risks of vertebral diseases.

Apart from that, they’re amazing to have around and are always up for playful sessions and fill your days with entertainment and positivity.

Hey!

So that was us about the Dachshund, tell us what you think about the breed or something related to your pet in the comment section below.

Do share it with people who have this sausage dog or who want to get this German breed!

Happy Petting To You Guys!