Pet Care
Caring for your Dachshund
Category Hound Origin Germany Date of origin 1900s First use Badger flushing Use today Companion Height Miniature and standard 13-25cms (5-10in) Weight Miniature 4-5kgs (9-10lbs) Weight Standard 6.5kgs-11.5kgs (15-25lbs) Size Medium Lifespan 14-16 year - Other names Wiener, sausage dog, zwergteckel (miniature), normalschlag (standard)
The Breed
The Dachshund is an instantly recognisable breed with its short legs and elongated body. H L Mencken said “A Dachshund is a half-dog high and a dog-and-a-half long!” The name Dachshund literally means “badger dog”, and this was their original use.
Health
The breed is prone to spinal problems due to the length of the spinal column. They should be discouraged from jumping and using stairs. Being very close to the ground they do seem to be skin allergies as well.
Varieties
The Dachshund comes in smooth-haired, wire-haired and long-haired varieties. The short-haired Dachshund has a glossy, short and dense coat. The long-haired variety was probably created by crossing the smooth-haired with a short-legged Spaniel such as the Field Spaniel or the Sussex spaniel. The hair on the back is short, with long feathers on the hocks and underside of the body and ears and tail. The wire-haired Dachshunds have a thick wiry coat with a soft downy undercoat. They also have a distinctive beard with makes them different to other Dachshunds. They were created by crossing rough-haired pinschers with the smooth-haired Dachshund. Further breeding with the dandie Dinmont increased the size of the head. The Long-haired variety was developed from crossing the smooth-haired standard Dachshund and short-legged Spaniels. Dachshunds tend to have an even-balanced temperament and make good family pets. They are loyal, affectionate and playful.