Dog: Dachshund - Facts, Origins, Features, Character, Care, Education, Considerations, Health, Body, Photo, Video

Everything you need to know about the dachshund

Although it can be easy to get carried away by its cute figure, the dachshund is a smart animal. We review the different types of Tackle, as well as their behavior and the care they require.

Its physical characteristics make it a unique and fun dog. Once you know him, you will not be able to close the doors of your house, or your heart. Do you know who we are talking about? It cannot be other than the dachshund! It is a dog that, normally, everyone likes. They are fun, they have a funny look and a way of walking that does not go unnoticed. Dachshunds have many other quirks that not everyone knows about, but are worth noting.

Fun facts about the dachshund

Dachshunds need to have control over their diet to avoid being overweight

Its real name is not that of a dachshund. This was a loving nickname that he received over time, it is obvious why. Its real name is Dachshund, Teckel or Dackel.

Its peculiar shape is due to a genetic mutation called Bassettism. This mutation makes the extremities very small in relation to the rest of the body, as in the case of the dachshund.

The origins of the dachshund

Although the Dachshund had been known for a long time and had performed at various exhibitions in Germany, the first club of this breed was not founded until 1888, when it was officially recognized as a pedigree breed.

They became famous quickly, because their different and ‘rare’ shape made them so original that it calmed the eccentricity cravings of the main monarchs from all over Europe; For example, Queen Victoria showed a special predilection for this type of animal.

Dachshund Features

It is true that its physical characteristics are obvious, but it never hurts to review them. These are the traits for which the dachshund is so recognized and distinguished:

Her body

The Dachshund's body is elongated and much larger than its limbs. Its muzzle is long and narrow and its ears droop. The state of the latter depends a lot on the hygiene that is given to them, since when they are down they need to be checked continuously to ensure that there are no infections or dirt.

Your size and your weight

Its weight is around 9 kilograms. There are three sizes of dachshunds, depending on their chest circumference:

Standard: Its body circumference is about 35 centimeters.

Miniature: its body circumference is 30 centimeters.

For rabbit hunting: due to the speed necessary for this task, its circumference is less than 30 centimeters.

Their hair

The three previous varieties can present two types of hair:

Short: This type of coat is thick, shiny and smooth. It is very close to the body and there is almost no need to comb it or give it special care. It can be presented in these colors: chocolate, black and gold.

Long: in this case, the hair short and close to the body will grow from the ends, which will produce a mane that will require brushing and good care.

"The peculiar shape of the dachshund, whose real name is Dachshund, Teckel or Dackel, is due to a genetic mutation called Bassettism"

Dachshund character

The dachshund has a calm character. Although there are those who say that it is a difficult race to educate, that is not entirely true. When we see a small animal we tend to sympathize and want to cover all its whims; we overprotect it. This is what frequently happens with dachshunds.

If we fill him with whims, it is logical that when we get tough to want to teach him something, he ignores us or rebels. The Dachshund is a very intelligent dog; do not forget, even if he is small, he is not helpless or sick.

Furthermore, like other dogs, he wants to be the leader. But remember: you are the leader of your pack, so if you want to make it easy to educate your dachshund, you should make it clear who is in charge from the start.

Special cares

The type and color of dachshunds can vary

The Dachshund does not require complicated care, although it can present problems related to its spine, due to the fact that it is so long.

So even if you can't avoid having an accident, it is important to try to avoid being overweight, as this could otherwise cause great damage to your spine. It is of utmost importance that you have a balanced diet, low in fat and rich in protein.

Like all dogs, the dachshund also needs to exercise, but remember that its short legs will set limitations. Don't force him to do more than he really can.

Dachshund

The dachshund (in Spanish), also called dachshund, Viennese dog or dachshund, is a breed of dog. Its peculiar appearance is due to a genetic mutation known as bassetism, which provides specimens with short limbs in relation to the size of the body. Depending on its size and weight, it can be classified into standard (9kg-11kg), miniature (4.5kg-6kg) and Kaninchen, the latter not only characterized by lower weight and size, but also with different physical features. In addition, the dachshund differs depending on the type of hair, it can be hard hair (usually gray), short hair and long hair, the latter two can be black with fire red, chocolate brown and gold

Background

The first club of the breed was founded in Germany in 1888, when the first standard was written, although specimens of this breed had already been presented years earlier at dog shows in England.

The popularity of the dachshund has been largely due to being one of the preferred breeds of European monarchies, including that of Queen Victoria, who was particularly keen on this breed.

The FCI decided to create Group IV only for this breed, since despite being a burrowing dog, its character and constitution are far from basset hounds.

Characteristics

Its shape is long and low, with a long tail and a stretched snout, long and drooping ears, short legs and black nails. These short legs are perhaps the most recognized characteristic of the breed and those that facilitate hunting in burrows, which was its main activity within the hunt, where it is shown as a tracker and very brave, and that will not hesitate to confront a fierce wild pig.

Engraving of a Dachshund couple.

There are three varieties, depending on the chest circumference measured at the age of 15 months:

Standard: maximum weight of 9 kg and a chest circumference greater than 35 cm.

Miniature: chest circumference between 30 and 35 cm.

Dachshund for rabbit hunting: circumference less than 30 cm.

Each of the size varieties can present three types of hair:

Short-haired.- The hair must be short, thick, shiny, smooth, well attached to the body, strong and hard; it should not show hairless areas. The tail with fine and bushy hair.

Long-haired.- The coat is provided with an outer layer of smooth, shiny hair well attached to the body, lengthens under the neck and in the lower part of the body, protrudes at the ears and presents at the back of the extremities clearly longer feathered hair.

The longest hair is at the bottom of the tail, where it forms a flag.

Of hard hair.- With the exception of the snout, the eyebrows and the ears, it has throughout the body - mixed with the inner layer of hair - an outer layer with hair attached to the body, thick, rough and thick. On the muzzle he has a well-marked beard. The eyebrows are bushy. In the ears, the hair is shorter than in the body, almost smooth. The tail with well developed, uniform and very close hair.

They are affectionate, sociable and playful dogs, they love to spend time playing regardless of age and for this reason it is not recommended to leave them alone for a long time, as they can cause damage such as breaking furniture or other objects. Also when they are alone they tend to feel sad, therefore, they no longer want to spend time with other people and they do not want to eat.

The same colors are allowed in all three hair varieties:

Unicoloured dogs: Red, red-yellow, yellow, with or without black mottling. White is not desirable, but in the form of small spots it is not eliminatory. The truffle (terminal part of the nose) and nails are black, although the reddish-brown color is allowed.

Two-color dogs: Deep black or light brown, all with rusty red or yellow fire marks above the eyes, on the sides of the snout and on the lower lip, on the inner edge of the ears, on the sill, on the sides Inner and posterior limbs, on the feet, around the anus and from here up to a third or half of the lower part of the tail.

The truffle and nails are black on black dogs; in brown dogs, they have this same color. White is not desirable, but small spots are allowed. Excessive fire marks are not desirable.

Spotted dogs (harlequins, brindle): The basic color is always a dark color (black, red or gray). Irregular gray or beige stains are desirable. Neither dark nor light color should predominate. The tabby color has darker stripes on a red or yellow background. The truffle and nails are like in the case of single or two-color dogs.

Education

It is greatly exaggerated when stating that the dachshund is stubborn and does not allow himself to be educated. However, there may be some reason to judge it this way, perhaps its small size leads to taking care of it more than it should and to compromising with its whims, the same that most puppies have, which then in popular language translates into proverbial dachshund "stubborn", which occur in almost all puppies. Apart from this, the education of a dachshund is not more difficult than that of any dog, on the contrary. The dachshund is a very intelligent dog, which learns very fast, and as a puppy, just as stubborn as other breeds. Once they understand the rules of coexistence and are properly educated, they are loving, protective and at the same time very playful dogs, even collaborating in household chores.

Considerations

The dachshund, with good lines of work, is not a hound in the strict sense of the term, but since its excellent sense of smell comes from this, it can do the work of a hound in its own way and according to its small size. He is not a terrier per se, but he works perfectly underground in the burrow, as a terrier would, he is not a pointer per se, either, but he can do his job, according to his size.

There is no need to match one hunting dog to another, they all have their advantages and disadvantages, their specialties according to their size, hair, etc. The dachshund gathers qualities of almost all hunting dogs and in the hands of a good hunter who knows how to train them well and who has a hunting ground of hair and feather and perhaps some burrow, brambles, rockrose, bushes, a puddle nearby and some step of wild boars, will have in the dachshund a small hunting dog that will lift any piece, will put a fox within range, inside or outside the burrow, will trace the blood trail of: wild boar, roe deer, deer, or another piece of It hunts for miles and miles, so it is convenient that, in this case, they are tied long, because due to their stubbornness, the dog will follow the trail constantly, with the risk of getting lost, even if he always returns to the starting site, returning on its traces, but it can be many hours or even days, when the master is no longer there.

It is advisable to train the dachshund for big or small game (only one of them), since if we go small game and detect a trail of wild boars, deer, roe deer, deer, it will follow the trail until we lose sight of it, neglecting the pieces minors. And vice versa; In big game, you will not hesitate to follow the trail of hares, rabbits and partridges until you locate them. Given that it is a dog suitable for both hunts and that instinct is going to lead it to follow any trace of both, it must be educated to specialize only and exclusively in the type of hunting that we are going to dedicate.

Health

The breed is known for its spinal problems, due to its extremely long spine and short ribs. The risk of injury can worsen if you are overweight. To prevent damage, it is recommended that these dogs do not jump or climb and descend stairs. It is becoming increasingly apparent that these problems are hereditary, and breeders are working to improve the breed.

However, it is known that these dogs, with a correct sports education, would not present problems in this area. Especially if they are animals that enjoy large spaces where they can run and jump freely. They are very agile dogs with exceptional reflexes, which, however, do not reach high speeds due to their short legs. In general, they are dogs that are not prone to diseases as long as the owner takes good care at the time of an illness, as well as taking it to the vet, as following their instructions.

On the other hand, the feeding of the dachshund or dachshund is of utmost importance. If too much food is provided, the dog will gain weight and have difficulties with its mobility, resulting in back pain and over the years serious problems with the spine and herniated discs.

Although this breed consumes meat like any other dog, this does not mean that it should only feed on it. It is highly recommended to feed dachshunds with balanced foods rich in protein and vitamins, which help them grow in a healthy way.

This breed is also distinguished for being excellent domestic dogs, especially suitable for living in small residences due to their small stature and good temperament.

Dachshund photo :