Dachshunds E-Book

Jane Eastoe

• Herausgeber: Batsford
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Serie: Illustrated Dog Care
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 107

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

A beautifully illustrated guide to Dachshunds, packed with tips and tricks to keep your furry friends happy and healthy. Dogs are one of the most popular pets in the world, and the doe-eyed Dachshund might just be one of the most lovable of all. But there are many things to consider when you bring a dachshund into your home. • How often should I walk them? • What health issues should I look out for? • How much training will they need? • Are my favourite foods poisonous?  Written from the perspective of your dog, this playful and informative book takes a fresh look at the wonderful world of Dachshunds. It's an all-inclusive guide covering everything you need to know about this scent hound turned companion, while celebrating their courageous and cuddly personalities. The challenging puppy months, diet and training are covered along with advice on grooming, maintaining good health and identifying illnesses.  Richly illustrated by Meredith Jensen and packed with adorable photographs of beloved pets – dog lovers, owners and enthusiasts will adore this playful celebration of Dachshunds. 

Leseprobe

Contents

Introduction

Puppies

Training

Diet

Grooming

Tiny Companions

Health and First Aid

Introduction

Guten tag! I’m a dachshund, fondly dubbed a sausage dog, dixie, dackel or wiener, depending on where you live. Short in stature, but with a giant personality, I’m one of the sweetest, most loving and devoted dogs you could wish for.

Mentions of my breed can be traced back to 15th-century Germany, and though there are theories out there, our origins, and the crossing of breeds that produced the dachshund are uncertain. Our breed was recognized by the Royal Kennel Club when it was founded in 1873, and the American Kennel Club followed suit in 1885. We were popular with Queen Victoria who was introduced to us by her German husband Prince Albert.

From the 1950s onwards we dachshunds have become increasingly popular as a breed, consistently making the top ten rankings. According to the Royal Kennel Club, miniature smooth-haired dachshunds were the fourth most popular pedigree dog breed in 2022, and in the same year the American Kennel Club ranked the dachshund at number nine in the USA.

The name dachshund translates as ‘badger dog’. The clue is in the name – the breed was developed to hunt badgers. It’s therefore no surprise that we’re feisty, determined and independent.

I’m incredibly loyal and loving. We dachshunds like nothing better than curling up on your lap or beside you. I worship the ground you walk on, and hate being separated from you. Most dachshund owners will admit that their dogs sleep in their bedroom, and often on (and indeed in!) their bed.

We are also sensitive, vocal and will bark at anything; other dogs, squirrels, the postman, the neighbours, when we’re excited, when we’re being protective, when we’re left alone, to get your attention. You can train me to understand the ‘quiet’ command, but I will never be silent. We have selective hearing and are slow to train, so you’ll need persistence to get us to do what you want.

I’ve real character and will amuse you endlessly as I race around the house. I may be small, but I’ve a lot of energy and no sense of physical danger. I should not climb up things, or jump down from heights, but I will. Dachshund owners frequently get ramps to enable their dogs to nestle beside them on the sofa so they can access this nirvana without needing to jump.

I’m playful, and you’ll have to be constantly on your guard. I will chew anything and everything I can get my teeth into – an electric flex is irresistible, but toys are favourite amusements. Mealtimes are my favourite time of the day. I’m greedy, which helps with training, but don’t overindulge me as I’m inclined to obesity.

Dachshunds can make good family pets given the right circumstances. We are best introduced to children as puppies, otherwise we will view them with grave suspicion. We may look like a soft toy, but we will not enjoy being treated like one. Children must not pick us up and carry us around. Nor must they chase us, drag us out of our beds or get in the way at mealtimes. Because we’re small, we can be easily frightened and get defensive, and then we might be inclined to snap or nip. If you see us shaking, cowering or baring or teeth near children, this means that we’re struggling. Children must be taught to treat us with respect and we in turn will learn to respect and love them.

Digging is my great passion, and I’ll dig with enthusiasm throughout my life. I’ll dig up your lawn and sniff out anything that a squirrel has buried and eat it. I will dig up your bulbs to see if they are tasty – be careful what you plant around me, as some bulbs such as daffodils and hyacinths, are poisonous to all dogs. I’ve a keen nose and will seek out and find ANYTHING that smells interesting to eat, without thinking about the consequences. It doesn’t help that dachshunds have a delicate stomach and are prone to gastric upsets, so you need to be on the alert in the garden and when you take me out and about.

Digging aside, I’m a clean dog, though my low-slung silhouette means that I get splattered with dirt and my tummy gets wet. I don’t like the rain; coats help but you may find I simply refuse to go out – fortunately I’m portable.

Our distinctive characteristics include a deep chest, long muscular body, short legs and a long whippy tail. The breed was refined for hunting purposes to produce a dog that used its nose to scent and track, combined with a robust physique that enabled it to enter burrows to flush out prey. We were originally much larger and heavier than today’s standard dachshunds. Miniature dachshunds were bred to chase after smaller prey such as rabbits and hares.

Further selective breeding, believed to be with spaniels, produced a dachshund with a long coat, suitable for colder climates; these long-haired varieties tend to be a little gentler and more relaxed. Breeding with terriers produced the wire-haired variety, that could cope with thorny undergrowth, and which is lively and loud.

While we’re the sweetest companions who hate to be separated from you, don’t mistake us for a lap dog. At heart we’re hounds – albeit small ones! We are lively, determined hunting dogs who won’t think twice about taking off after prey. We don’t need long hours of exercise and are happy in a small house or a flat with a little garden. But we’re most definitely a DOG, and as long as you understand that we will get along fine. Once a dachshund owner, always a dachshund owner!

Jip

Owned by Tom & Denise | Lives in Rotterdam, The Netherlands | @dachshund_jip

Jip is a sweet, social and funny rabbit dachshund. When she’s not asking for playtime or cuddles, she’s looking out of the window on neighbourhood watch.

Puppies

Dachshund puppies are bundles of energy that have two speeds: GO and out for the count. Remember we push to get our way, so you’ll need to take control right from the start. Our owners can be inclined to baby and spoil us, but we need to be treated as dogs! I understand all too well that I’m hard to resist, but it’s essential that you kindly and gently teach me how to behave right from the start.

When you come to meet us for the first time you’ll be questioned carefully by our breeder as to what you want from us. Do you want a show dog or a pet? What kind of a pet do you want, loving or lively? According to your answers you may only be shown a couple of puppies to choose from that best suit your requirements.

You should meet my mother and possibly some of my other relatives too. My father might not be around to see as he may live some distance away, but you should see a picture of him at least.

A litter of dachshund puppies is adorable, but speaking dachshund to human, let me give you some words of wisdom: even if you plan to have two dogs eventually, don’t get them from the same litter at the same time, no matter how great the temptation. Dachshund puppies are a handful – we’re playful, strong, boisterous, we chew anything and everything and need masses of attention. If you take me and one of my siblings, we will become reliant on each other and pay you little heed. What’s more, as we mature, we may fight to determine which is the dominant dog in the pack. A pair of female dachshunds are likely to get territorial, which can cause no end of problems. So if you want two sausage dogs, start first with one and only get a second when the first is well trained. The first dog will lead the way with all the basic training techniques.

Home Preparation

Once a sale has been agreed you should make a few preparations.

Arrange to take a good chunk of time off work to help your puppy settle in. The more secure I feel from the start, the better your chance of limiting my separation anxiety. If you can’t take much time off work, you’ll need to arrange for someone else to be with me.

I’m an escape artist! As a small puppy I can, and will, wriggle through tiny holes or gaps. Check that your garden has adequate fencing, and repair as required or plug small holes with logs or chicken wire.

You’ll probably find that a big adult bed may overwhelm me at first, so initially it’s good to have one with soft sides so that I’m protected from draughts, and this will also stop me slipping off in my sleep. Soft cloth doughnut beds with tall sides and a cushion inside will help to keep me calm, and make sure there are blankets for me to burrow under. Dachshunds sleep a lot, and the message is ‘Do not disturb’ when I’m sleeping!

Get me a crate, not to keep me in, but to give me a safe bolthole. I will appreciate it if you cover this over with a blanket to stop draughts, put my bed in it and a heated pad to simulate the warmth of my siblings. If you put paper or a puppy pad on the floor of the crate I can relieve myself in the night. I won’t usually soil my bed, but accidents happen and when small I will need to pee during the night. Please check my bedding in the morning to make sure it’s dry, and wash it if it’s wet – we like to have clean bedding. You should also purchase a supply of poo bags – compostable bags are available.

You can shut the door at night, after I’ve been out for a pee. Then you can sleep easy in the knowledge that I can’t run around in the night. In the daytime, it should not be used as a cage, although you can shut me in for short periods if you are going out.

Leave both a food and a water bowl for me the whole time. Stainless steel is durable and easy to keep clean.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE toys. If I start to nibble or nip your fingers, you can give me a toy to chew on instead – my teeth are like needles! I will get the message that one is acceptable, and the other is not (see the training chapter for more advice). Soft toys are particular favourites, though they will get destroyed, and harder toys are helpful for teething.

You may want to get me a lightweight puppy harness and a lead, even though you won’t be able to take me out for a walk for a few weeks. It’s not safe for me to mix with other dogs, or to be anywhere that other dogs have been, until my vaccinations kick in. However, it’s important to take me out and about for socialization. Carry me around and you’ll be mobbed like a film star because I’m so cute, but bear in mind that attention can be overwhelming.

Stair Gate

Containing your puppy initially can be useful. Restrict them to a room with hard flooring so that accidents can easily be cleaned up. If you live in a house with stairs a stair gate is a must, as climbing and jumping is particularly harmful when we’re young. I also feel safer in small, confined spaces.

Things to hide out of sight:

• Shoes, socks

• Electric wires, plugs and cables, mobile phones, TV remote controls

• Children’s toys

• Medicine or chocolate in your handbag or briefcase, or lying around

• Slug pellets, mouse traps and garden chemicals

• Cleaning products – plastic bottles are tempting to chew

• Your underwear – highly embarrassing if I turn up with a pair of your pants in my mouth, plus I may eat them!

House Rules

It’s a good idea to agree house rules in advance of my arrival. Am I going to have the run of the house, or only be allowed in certain rooms under supervision? Am I going to be allowed on the sofa or the beds? If so, you’ll need ramps that enable me to climb up and down safely. Can you live with this?

Please scour the house in advance for things that could be harmful. I cannot be trusted to be sensible, possibly for the next two to three years!

Training Basics

Training starts from day one, but before you leap to that chapter, make sure that everyone in your household is familiar with the basics. Agree as a household what specific training words you’ll use in advance; I will grasp clear one-word instructions much faster. Use sit – not ‘sit down’, down – not ‘lie down’, wait if you want me to stay in one place until summoned, stay