Dachshund

Is a Dachshund right for you?

The Dachshund is a hunting terrier with a long body and short legs, widely known as the "sausage dog". Bold, curious, and surprisingly strong-willed. Behind the endearing appearance is a determined dog bred to hunt badgers.

The most important condition for adopting this breed is placing spinal health at the centre of daily life. Disc disease is not an exception here but a widespread reality.

Before you adopt

Spinal health is at the centre of breeder selection in this breed. Rather than individuals with extremely long bodies and extremely short legs, prefer lines with more balanced proportions.

Ask the breeder for the parents' IVDD (disc disease) screening status, eye examination, and PRA genetic test results. Some countries run x-ray screening programmes that measure disc calcification; a breeder who does this screening belongs to the most responsible part of the breed.

Merle warning: breeding two merle dogs together produces deaf and blind puppies. If you are buying a merle puppy, confirm that both parents are not merle.

The puppy must have stayed with its mother for at least eight weeks. Dachshund mixes are common in shelters; adoption is a serious option.

Temperament

The Dachshund is bold, curious, and strong-willed. It was bred to face a badger underground on its own, which explains its determination and independence.

It is very attached to its owner and usually picks one favourite person. It is wary and vocal with strangers; it makes an excellent alarm dog.

It is stubborn. It is intelligent but knows what it wants and negotiates with you. Training requires repetition and consistency.

It loves to dig. Digging holes in the garden, burrowing under the duvet, and scratching at cushions all come from the same instinct.

Its prey drive is high; care is needed with cats and small animals.

Health issues and lifespan

Average lifespan is 12 to 15 years. A long-lived breed, but spinal problems determine quality of life.

• Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD): The breed's most serious and most common problem. The chondrodystrophic gene that produces the long spine and short legs causes early degeneration of the discs. A significant proportion of this breed is affected at some point in life. Signs: sudden pain, trembling, arching the back, refusing to climb stairs, weakness or paralysis in the hind legs. It is an emergency; if paralysis has begun, the first 24 hours are critical.

- Prevention: weight control (the single most effective factor), preventing jumps off sofas and beds (use ramps), limiting stairs, using a harness, and not encouraging the dog to stand on its hind legs.

• Obesity: Excess weight directly increases the load on the discs. Weight in this breed is an orthopaedic issue, not a cosmetic one.
• Patellar luxation: Common in small breeds.
• Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA): A genetic test exists.
• Cushing's disease: Excessive drinking, a sagging abdomen, hair loss. Seen in older dogs.
• Dental disease: Crowded teeth in a small jaw; regular brushing is needed.

Feeding

An adult Dachshund (standard 7-14 kg, miniature 4-5 kg) eats 100-180 g of small-kibble dry food per day.

• Puppy (2-12 months): Small-breed puppy food, three meals a day.
• Adult: 22-26% protein. Portion control is a medical requirement in this breed; every extra gram loads the spine.
• Senior (8+ years): Calories reduced, joint support added.

The ribs should be easy to feel, and a clear waistline should be visible from above. There is no "slightly chubby" category for a Dachshund.

Grooming and coat

Three coat types require different care:

• Smooth: A rubber brush once a week. The easiest type.
• Long-haired: Brushing two to three times a week; check behind the ears and on the leg feathering for matting.
• Wire-haired: Brushing once or twice a week; hand-stripping or trimming two or three times a year.

Shared care:

• Check ears weekly; drop ears do not ventilate.
• Teeth several times a week; dental disease is common in small breeds.
• Nails every three to four weeks.
• The chest and belly are close to the ground; wiping after walks is useful.

Training and exercise

Daily requirement: 45 to 60 minutes of walking on level ground. Avoid jumping, stairs, and sharp turns. Swimming is excellent exercise for this breed; it builds muscle without straining the spine.

Priorities:

1. Spinal safety habits. Using ramps, supporting the body with both hands when lifting (never lift by the chest alone), preventing jumps off the sofa.
2. Harness. A neck collar loads both the trachea and the cervical vertebrae.
3. Barking control. A "quiet" cue; start early in this breed.
4. Socialisation (8-16 weeks). Important because of its wary nature.
5. House training. This breed is considered difficult to house-train; consistency and patience are needed.
6. Redirecting digging. Setting aside a digging area in the garden saves your flowers.

Punishment does not work with this breed; a Dachshund digs in. Set up short, enjoyable sessions with food rewards.

History

The Dachshund was developed in Germany to hunt badgers. The name says it: "Dachs" means badger and "Hund" means dog. The short legs and long body allowed the dog to enter a badger set and move through the tunnel; the loud voice was selected so the hunter could hear where the dog was underground.

The standard size was developed for badger and wild boar, the miniature for rabbit and weasel. The three coat types are answers to different terrain: the wire coat for thorny ground, the long coat for cold, the smooth coat for speed.

The breed became popular in European courts in the 19th century; Queen Victoria's interest spread it in England. During the First World War it was identified with Germany and provoked a backlash in Britain and America, where its name was changed for a period to "liberty hound".

Waldi, the mascot of the 1972 Munich Olympics, was a Dachshund and the first official mascot in Olympic history.