For many years, piebald dachshunds have been popular among dachshund enthusiasts. Their white background with solid color patches makes them famous among dachshund lovers. Like any dachshund breed, piebald dachshunds occur in three coat types: smooth haired, long haired, and wire haired. Their eye appearance is not like a dapple dachshund usually comes with a black eye, not blue in a dapple dachshund. Today, in this blog, we will know everything about the Piebald dachshund, including temperament and the reason behind their unique type of coat.
What is a piebald dachshund?
A piebald dachshund is a type of dachshund with a unique coat pattern that comes with white fur with a solid color fur. The word piebald refers to a color pattern, not a separate breed.
Piebald dachshund temperament
Loyal and affectionate
Like any other dachshund, piebald dachshunds are also known for their strong bond with their owner. Their loyal and affectionate nature made them not only pets but good companions for humans. Suppose your dachshund tends to exhibit behaviors like following you everywhere, sleeping or napping close to you, protective behavior, bringing you a toy, and getting excited when you come home. It is a pure sign of their loyalty and affection toward you.
Alert and protective
Dachshunds were bred to hunt; their hunting instinct made them protective. They are alert and protective of their home and owner they bark when someone stranger comes into their house. This is caused by their alert and protective nature.
Playful
Dachshunds are playful by nature; they want to play with you every time they approach you for a play session. Their playful nature can be a source of fun for their owner.
Clever but stubborn
They are very clever dogs, but a bit stubborn; their stubborn nature makes them a little hard to train compared to other dog breeds. They may refuse our command while training, also their stubborn nature made the training process challenging but also rewarding.
Curious and brave
They are very curious and brave dogs because they were bred for hunting, and curiosity and bravery are their identity, a confident, fearless attitude. Curiosity is important for hunting. Curiosity helps them find prey by smelling their smell and hearing sounds.
Energetic
They are known for their energetic nature, which energetic nature made them requires high exercise. Sometimes, their energetic nature may also show behavior problems like excessive barking and aggressiveness. That’s why we need to provide them with daily exercise to reduce their many behavioural problems.
Nutritional requirements of the piebald dachshund
The nutritional requirement of a piebald dachshund is the same as that of other dachshunds. Here are the most important nutrients for the piebald dachshund to support their healthy coat pattern and overall health.
Protein
Protein is most important to their diet. Protein helps in maintaining their muscle mass, keeping their muscle strong. Strong muscles are most important for their balance and spinal health.
Vitamins
Vitamins are most important to their overall health; they need a small amount of vitamins, but it’s crucial for their overall body and brain function. Also helps in healthy metabolization by normalizing enzyme activity. Vitamin B helps your dog’s brain. Vitamin D strengthens the bones, which is also beneficial to the spine. Vitamin A helps to keep their coat and immunity strong.
Minerals
They need minerals like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. They help in their healthy bone development and other body functions.
Grooming needs of the piebald dachshund
A pet’s grooming needs depend on their coat type; the piebald dachshund comes in three coat types (smooth-haired, long-haired, and wire-haired). The wire-haired and long-haired need slightly more grooming than the smooth-haired type.
Exercise requirements of the piebald dachshund
Like any other dachshund, they are very energetic dogs, requiring high activity daily. Their exercise needs are similar to other dachshund varieties. Generally, adult piebald dachshunds need 30-60 minutes of exercise daily, while puppy needs 5 minutes of exercise daily per month of age. You can split your puppy’s exercise into many sessions to avoid overexertion and fatigue.
How rare is a piebald dachshund?
Piebald dachshunds are not extremely rare, but they are less common than standard color varieties like red or black and tan.
Health problems in piebald dachshunds
Piebald dachshunds are prone to many health issues like other dachshund varieties, from their back issue to deafness caused by a gene. Here are some dachshund health issues that dachshunds are prone to.
Deafness
This usually happens in a double piebald dachshund, having a higher risk of being born with deafness in both ears. This is caused by a lack of pigment cells in the inner ear, which affects hearing development.
Intervertebral Disc Disease
A condition caused by their long back and short leg body structure. It can lead to severe pain, nerve damage, or even paralysis.
Obesity
Dachshund loves food and treats, which cause gain weight easily, increase in their body’s weight, which increases pressure on their back, which can lead to Intervertebral Disc Disease.
Dental diseases
Dachshunds have a narrow jaw, and they are prone to tartar buildup when their teeth are not brushed properly. That’s why we need to brush at least 3 to 4 times a week to reduce the chance of dental and gum-related diseases.
Piebald vs Dapple Dachshund
Piebald and dapple dachshunds are visually different; here are some differences between piebald and dapple dachshunds.
- Piebald dachshunds have a solid base color with clearly defined white patches (usually on the chest, paws, tail, tip, or face). A dapple dachshund comes with a light color with lighter, irregular spots or swirls (marle-like effect).
- Piebald has white spots and no merle spotting, while dapple comes with different contrasts within the same color range.
- The “Sp” gene is responsible for piebald, while the dapple dachshund is caused by the merle (M) gene.
