The Dachshund is a very popular breed of dog today. It is often referred to as the sausage dog or hot dog due to its unique shape and size. Dachshunds make great companions and are so easy to care for!
This dog is originally from Germany. It was developed to hunt badgers there hundreds of years ago. “Dachs” means badger in German, which is how they got their name. Dachshunds have short legs and long bodies to be able to enter badger burrows and remove prey. Later, the miniature dachshund was bred to hunt hares and stoats. However, today this breed is kept primarily to be a companion.
The dachshund’s coat comes in three different types: straight coat, long coat, and wire coat. The long-haired variety has long, straight hair. The straight-haired variety has short, straight, straight hair that is the same length all over the body. The wirehaired variety has coarse, coarse and coarse hair. The coat comes in many colors, such as sable, cream, red, black and tan, chocolate and tan, gray and tan, fawn and tan, or brindle. There are also three different sizes of the dog, standard, miniature, and toy. The standard size generally weighs around twenty pounds; the miniature size generally weighs around nine pounds and the toy size generally weighs around eight pounds.
The Dachshund is very lively, affectionate, daring, curious and mischievous. These dogs are very intuitive and intelligent. Because of this, they may attempt to train their owner rather than the other way around. This makes them quite difficult to train. They can be stubborn when you are training them, so make sure you are firm and consistent. Dachshunds love to bark and actually bark quite loudly, despite their size. If you leave this dog outside, you will have to keep an eye on him because dachshunds are obsessive diggers.
Dachshunds love to be around people. They are very friendly and outgoing. Also, they are never aggressive or shy. However, due to this dog’s love for people, he can easily get jealous. The Dachshund is not recommended for young children, but it will do well with older children. They will usually get along with other pets as well, but be careful if you have a large dog because the dachshund can easily get hurt.
The biggest health risk these dogs face is obesity. A dachshund gains weight very easily and if he is overweight this puts too much pressure on his little body. You need to be careful to make sure they don’t overeat. Some other common health problems for this breed are spinal disc problems, heart disease, diabetes, and urinary tract problems. Try not to let this dog jump too much so he doesn’t hurt his spine.
The Dachshund is very lively, but it doesn’t really need that much exercise. A short walk once a day or a play session is sufficient. They tend to tire very easily, so try not to go out for a walk or play for a long time. Dachshunds will do well without a yard, so they can even be kept in apartments.
If you have the long-haired variety of this dog, you will need to brush it every day. The wire hair variety should be professionally trimmed twice a year. The straight-haired variety only needs to be rubbed with a damp cloth every now and then.
Overall, the Dachshund is a great dog to have. They are very funny and very loyal to their owners. Just make sure they are right for you before you buy one.