Short-legged little balls of hair with a broad body and a long tail, the dachshund is irresistible. You’ll find them in long or hard hair , miniature size or normal , with short, of one or two color, spotted…
With all these characteristics and his funny and tenacious temperament, we can say that he is a small warrior in a world of giants.
You thought you already knew everything about dachshunds? Here we share with you some other information that you may not have known about the famous sausage dog.
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The Intrepid Kings of Escape
The incredible sense of smell of these little beasts as well as their enormous courage and self-confidence make them very elusive when unleashed.
When they find a trail, they focus all their attention on it and it is very difficult to get them back on the right track. Therefore, it is important to teach them the rules early on to avoid big scares.
We recommend that you train him little by little and walk him with a 5, 10 or 15 meter leash. With this leash, he will have the freedom to move around and respond to your calls if necessary, thus avoiding runaways during training. Because of course, one of the best experiences for dachshund owners is to see him run free!
Why Do Dachshunds Have Such a Sensitive Back?
The origin of the problem comes from the gene that gave them their short legs: a type of dwarfism that causes a slowing of biological growth. This same gene also causes calcification and hardening of the interdiscal gel of the spine, resulting in a loss of elasticity and a degradation of its ability to absorb shocks.
This disease is more commonly called Herniated Disc and makes the dog very vulnerable to the point of causing irreversible damage if you do not act in time.
For this reason, we recommend that you do not let your Dachshund go up or down stairs. It is better to carry him if you want to put him on a sofa or a bed.
Adapt your home to your dog as much as possible to avoid jumping. In some homes, it is even advisable to invest in a baby gate to block your furry friend’s access to the stairs when you are away.
Also, pay attention to your dog’s weight. Indeed, any excess weight could cause abnormal tension in the vertebrae and discs and make the situation worse.
If you notice that your Dachshund feels pain when you pet him, that he walks abnormally, that he doesn’t want to move, etc… consult a veterinarian urgently because these could be symptoms of a possible injury.
It is very important to know how to carry your dachshund properly. Never hold him by the armpits as you would a baby. You should pick him up by sliding one hand under his upper body to support his chest and thorax, and the other hand under his rump to support the end of his body. This way, you will distribute the weight of both parts of your dog’s body in your two hands and avoid back problems.
The Dachshund and Overweight
Because of the genes passed on to him by his predecessor, the wolf, the dog cannot control the amount of food he eats. You must therefore ration his food to avoid overweight, and this even more so if you have a Dachshund, as we have already mentioned.
The Dachshund’s Favorite Game
Thanks to their prodigious nose, these pooches love to play Hide and Seek.
Teach him to look for a game, a sock or anything else: you’ll have a great time together hiding things around the house. The best way to teach this to a dog is with a bait. You can find them in pet stores, but you can also use a simple eyeglass case for example. Fill it with treats and teach him to “fetch” and bring it back to you. He’ll learn to bring it back to you so you can open it and give him the treats inside.
Over time, you can hide anything you want from him and simply by saying the word “seek”, he will go looking for it until he finds it.
With his incredible olfactory capacity, we have no doubt that he will be able to find all those socks that always mysteriously disappear!
Dachshunds and Barking
For years, humans have taught and trained the Dachshund to warn the hunter by barking when a badger is nearby. So it’s no wonder he’s considered a very barking dog.
After all, barking is nothing more than a form of communication that our dog friends possess. Learn to listen to his barks so you can understand and differentiate them.
