Dachshund
Understanding the Breed Dachshund
A good beginning to understand the breed would be to dissect their name: “dachs” meaning badger and “hund” meaning dog. This breed is famous for hunting badger and other burrowing animals. This dog breed is well equipped to pursue their prey above and below ground. The Dachshund is the 16th most popular purebred dog in America.
There are different types of Dachshund ranging from three coat varieties, smooth, wirehaired, and longhaired. This breed weighs approximately sixteen pounds or more. There are also six different colors; red, black and tans, chocolate, wild boar, gray and fawn, and dapple. This breed is known for its low maintenance and can be groomed with ease. Due to its minor shedding and minimal grooming, this breed is loved by most.
The Dachshund is a dog known from Germany, although its lineage comes from Western Europe. There are however some belief that the Tekel Dog on the Egyptian tombs could be ancestors of the breed.
For more information on the dachshund breed please read this comprehensive Dachshund Book.
Typical health problems range from disc disease which can result in paralysis. You should NEVER let your Dachshund jump down from furniture, beds, cars, and the like. Because of this type of problem you should keep an eye on your dog and at the littlest change in the way they walk or change in behavior you should have him/her checked by a vet. The faster they can be diagnosed the better the treatment. Teeth and gum problems are the next problem from this breed. This problem can cause other health problems from kidney failure, heart problems, eye and sinus infections, and dental issues. It is recommended that this breed get yearly dental cleaning by the vet and regular brushing at home.
This breed is known for being fearless, courageous, and having a tough personality. At the same time this breed can be loving and caring to those who care for him/her. This breed is happier when it is around people, that is why it is known as the companion dog. When looking for a place to lay a Dachshund is happier on a lap of someone or burring under a blanket.
Typically this breed ends up in animal shelters. Some of the reasons for this happening are: excessive barking, hard to house train, separation anxiety, and excessive burrowing. If you are thinking about getting this breed be aware of this and research ways to hinder this behavior. With every breed there are issues that you need to be aware of, so have your eyes and ears open.
Children should never be left alone with this breed because children do not have proper dog etiquette and dogs do not understand a child’s behavior. Due to this breed having back problems, if a child should throw the dog or mishandle it, then the dog would have medical issues for the rest of its’ life. Because of this issue, each child and dog relationship should be considered when picking a breed for your family.
Socializing this breed is a necessary requirement to be a successful Dachshund owner. This breed enjoys all types of outings and loves to travel. A dog who is not socialized dog will become aggressive and growl and bite at strangers. This breed is generally a happy, fun loving, and outgoing dog who are fast at showing affection with a kiss and a hug. With the right guidance, love, and socializing this breed will make the perfect pet for your family.
For more information on the dachshund breed please read this comprehensive Dachshund Book.