If you decide to start a small miniature dog, then you should pay attention to dwarf dachshunds or their even smaller counterparts – the rabbit. This is an ideal option for a four-piece pet, which, thanks to its small size, will fit perfectly into a small Khrushchev and will become a devoted and playful friend.
Only, it is not necessary to reject its hunting qualities, which will have to find a peaceful application. Therefore, before starting a mini-teckel, you need to carefully study its character, learn to care for it, feed it and choose the right puppy.
Table of Contents
History of Origin
In Germany, at the end of the nineteenth century, they set out to create a variety of dachshund that could easily penetrate the holes of smaller rodents (ferrets, rabbits, foxes, badgers). To do this, it was necessary to reduce the standard fee while maintaining its hunting qualities. And the breeders did it. So, there was a dwarf dachshund, which weighed only 5 kg, almost 2 times less than its predecessor, and after its creation and even more miniature version – the rabbit dachshund, with a maximum weight of 3.5 kg. The nature of the new subspecies of the breed remained the same as their older brothers, they differed only in smaller dimensions.
Description
All dachshunds, including dwarfs, look very bright and characteristic.
**The main characteristics of the breed are the stocky and short torso, which helps the dogs to penetrate the deepest burrows.
**Another distinctive feature is the very short, but thick and powerful legs. In addition, the forelimbs are much more powerful than the hind limbs, because they perform a more important function: they dig the dachshund by digging the ground to get to their prey. The legs may be slightly crooked, but this is not a breed defect. Dachshunds run quite fast and, thanks to their good stamina, they are able to cover very long distances.
**Despite its small size, the dogs of this breed are very muscular. They have a dense body with a broad, protruding chest and a long tail.
**The Dachshund’s muzzle cannot be mistaken for any other breed either. The head of the dog has an elongated shape, tapering to the nose, large ears hanging on the sides and strong jaws.
**The weight of an adult dachshund can reach a maximum of 6 kg, and a rabbit even less – 3.5 kg. The height of the former varies from 16 to 25 cm, and the latter reaches 10 to 15 cm. Males are usually taller females.
In addition, when choosing a puppy, you need to know how at least one of his parents is looking to ensure that you did not sell the standard dachshund to the child instead of the mini.
the dachshund By color:
**Monochrome (or pure) – these dogs are uniform in color, their color can be red, chocolate or pale yellow. **Two-tone – at the same time, one of the colors always dominates and the second is lighter by several shades and is located as if in different parts of the body. The main color is usually black or brown, complemented by light areas on the tips of the legs, sides of the muzzle and chest area.
**Tricolored or patchy (most often marble or brindle) – these are the rarest and most unusual species of dwarf dachshund.
Traits of Character
Miniature Dachshunds have a cheerful, cheerful and affectionate character. They make excellent companion dogs that love to communicate with their owners and are willing to follow them anywhere, accompanying them on long walks.
Taksa for exemple requires constant contact with the owner, which is especially important in puppies, when the character and habits of the dog are formed. Therefore, if you are not ready to pay enough attention to your pet and your time, it is better to give preference to another breed. If the tax is given to itself, you will get an aggressive, temperamental and disobedient dog that will do what it pleases without recognizing the authority of the owner.
Dachshunds are very active people who need to expend their energy somewhere. Therefore, they need long walks (3 times a day for at least half an hour). During the walk, you should not only cover a fairly long distance, but also play with your pet and form teams. They also have to fulfill their hunting instinct in a way. So they like to dig holes and hunt anything that moves: birds, fish, mice.
As the hunters’ blood flows through their veins, they have qualities such as perseverance, patience, stubbornness and incredible courage. However, with improper or non-existent training, these traits can reach an extreme degree and turn into stubbornness, willfulness and total disregard for the owner’s will. It is advisable to train with your pet with a handler. You can start training with your dog at the age of 4 months.
These dogs are very touchy, vindictive and will avenge you severely for the humiliation of their dog dignity. Dachshund should have only one person, which it will consider the owner. However, it perceives all family members as its flock and treats them kindly and lovingly.
Since the dachshund is a very self-centered dog with a great sense of dignity, it is desirable that it is the only four-legged pet in the house. Otherwise, jealousy of other pets is inevitable, which can lead to serious aggression towards them. Knowing the characteristics of the dwarf dachshund, you can decide whether it is suitable for you or not.
How Many Years Do They Live?
It has been scientifically proven that small dogs have a longer life expectancy than their big brothers – their bodies wear out more slowly. Dachshunds live on average up to 12 years. But with good nutrition and care, they can overcome the 15-year mark.And if your pet is lucky, not only with the owner, but also with genetics, then he has the chance to realize even his 20th birthday.
In order to prevent viral diseases, it is necessary to vaccinate your pet annually, as well as to protect against ticks during the period of activity. Regular visits to the veterinarian and testing twice a year will identify possible disease or disruption of the work of certain organs at an early stage. After all, we know that it is better to prevent disease than to treat it later. Sterilization of women and castration of men prevent tumors of the genitals and in women – as well as the mammary glands.
One of the weakest points of the Dachshund is the spine.
Species
Mini-teckels can vary not only the color of the coat, but also its length and texture. According to this parameter, they are generally divided into three types:
short hair (or smooth hair); long hair; Metallic hair (the rarest kind).
Long-haired and wire-haired Dachshunds have a much richer hair and undercoat, which means they will need extra care – periodic haircuts and daily styling.
These two species differ quite a bit from each other. They have different hair textures.
The long hair is soft, smooth and soft to the touch, slightly curly. The longest coat is over the ears – because of this in-your-face feature, they look a bit like spaniels. Wavy “locks” hang down the sides, the chest just below the neck is also covered with thick curly hair and the tail is crowned by the body.
Wirehaired Dachshunds are distinguished by abundant vegetation, mainly on the muzzle – they have a mustache and a beard, which makes them a bit like terriers. They also have thick, hard, elongated hair on their chest and body, although their length is shorter than the previous type.
Comparison With an Ordinary Dachshund
The main difference from the usual dachshund is only in its dimensions: height at the withers, sternum perimeter and weight. They are smaller than the standard variety. It can also be noted that mini-dachshuks have a more stubborn, capricious and obstinate character than their ancestors.
How to Choose a Puppy ?
Buying a puppy should be done in the kennel, which has all the necessary documents to conduct activities on breeding dogs. Preference should be given to experienced breeders who have been working successfully on the market for a long time. When choosing a kennel, you can rely on recommendations from friends or at least read reviews about a specific tax “seller” on the Internet. You can also seek advice from dog communities.
Diligent breeder should provide the future owner all the necessary documents: veterinary and puppy passports, as well as breed dogs.Between him and the future owner of the puppy should be a sales contract, confirming the fact of the transaction.
It is necessary to get information about the parents of the puppy, it is advisable to see the mother and ask for a photo of the father, in order to know his character. Apparently, the parameters and behavioral characteristics of the parents can be judged by the state of their baby when it becomes an adult. This data is especially important if you plan to use their offspring for breeding or show participation.
And finally, the most important step is the immediate selection of a puppy:
**Evaluate the puppy’s appearance. It should be of average size: not overfed and too fat, but not skinny and bony. Choose a puppy with a well-defined, straight muscular corset, without elbows, tail or back.
**One of the main parameters is the quality of the wool. It should be silky and shiny, with a rich, brilliant color. A dull blanket may indicate health problems or a lack of vitamins and trace elements in the body. In addition, the wool should be uniformly thick, free of bald spots and dandruff. **A moist nose, clean ears and no purulent discharge from the eyes are essential components of a healthy puppy.
**Be sure to open and inspect the baby’s mouth. Normally, the gums are also the tongue of a bright pink “baby taxy”, and there should be as many teeth in the mouth as there should be at his age.
Look at all the babies and choose a puppy that is energetic, playful, fun and courageous, but does not show aggression towards your siblings. A puppy with strong leadership qualities can cause you a lot of problems with his stubborn and obstinate character – you need to spend more time, energy and nerves on training him.
How to Take Care of it ?
Taking care of your dachshund should be complete. It must necessarily include regular brushing. This is an unpleasant procedure for dogs, so you should start as soon as possible to get your pet used to it. The teeth are cleaned to remove plaque and prevent cavities and tartar. This is done with special veterinary medication at least once a week.
The care of the dachshund wool is also very important, especially if it is long. The hair should be regularly combed with a special comb. They first follow in the direction of hair growth, and not only their back, chest and abdomen are scratched, but also their legs and tail, then brush it in the same place, but against the coat. Such a massage will not only help to prevent the appearance of mats and remove dust and loose hair, but also improve blood circulation and remove excess sebum.
If the dog’s coat has stopped shining and has started to fall out heavily, this is a reason to see a doctor and get the necessary tests. The reason may be an unhealthy diet, lack of nutrients, as well as various diseases.
Once every 3 months, the animal must be treated against internal and external parasites. Since dachshunds, especially short-haired ones, are very thermophilic, they must walk in cold weather with warm clothes and waterproof clothing. It is not recommended to wash small dachshunds under six months of age. If you suspect an ear mite, contact your veterinarian immediately. Since dwarf dachshunds and rabbits are mini-dogs, they can be taught to walk at home in the tray.
What to Feed?
This is one of the main questions facing the man who created an animal.If they become a dwarf dachshund, you must take into account that this breed has a greater tendency to obesity. This means that you can not overfeed in any case, because excess weight leads to shortness of breath and other serious health problems.
First of all, you have to decide on the type of food: whether it will be “dry” or natural food.
If you choose dry foods, look for premium brands. Inexpensive foods contain mostly flavoring dyes. Expensive foods contain more protein and other ingredients needed by dogs.
If you decide to feed a natural four-legged animal, “naturalka”, it does not mean that you should feed it from your table. Salty, peppery, spicy and fatty foods are not recommended for dogs. Therefore, for your four-legged pet, you will have to cook it separately. Taxons require a large amount of protein – they can be derived from meat (chicken or beef) and lean fish, but you can always give cottage cheese, eggs and dairy products.
It is better to boil meat, because raw contains at least more protein, but at the same time more helminths, because of which the pet worm stock will have to be more often. Pork for dogs, especially for dwarf dachshunds, is a prohibited product, because it is very fatty. Tubular bones can also not be given to dogs – they can damage the sensitive esophagus of small dogs. In addition to protein, the dog’s diet should include energy sources – carbohydrates. They are contained in grains, it is best to choose buckwheat, oats or rice, you can even mix them. The grains are cooked in water or meat broth. The last option for dogs is the most preferable – such a porridge will smell like meat.
It is necessary to give fruits and vegetables to the tax – either in its natural form, or in the form of vitamin and mineral supplements, sold in pet stores. Sweet for a dwarf dog is contraindicated. You can not feed his cookies, candy, chocolate.
be aware to give the food to your dachshund immediately after cooking – It must be slightly cooled so that your pet does not burn his mouth and throat. The food must be fresh. Once your four-legged friend has eaten, the food cup should be removed. But water should be in constant access.It is enough to feed an adult dachshund 2 times a day – in the morning and evening, but at the same time. And it is advisable not to do so before, and after the walk, it will be much more difficult to walk on a full stomach.
Puppies under 6 months of age need 5 meals a day, which is closer to 6 months.
Any dog needs to communicate with the owner and the Dachshund dwarf because of its nature – in particular. If you give attention, care and affection to a pet, it will repay you with incredible love and devotion.
In the following video, you can take a look at the dwarf dachshund in motion.
