Dachshunds are a breed that is prone to serious back problems like IVDD, so it’s important to manage their weight to help protect their spine and keep them overall healthy. Before we take action to manage their weight, it’s important to first know what a healthy weight is for them. According to the American Kennel Club, the healthy weight for a standard dachshund should be 35 pounds, and for a miniature dachshund, it should be under 11 pounds. We need to include a nutritious diet and a good dachshund exercise plan to keep their weight in this range.
Dachshund exercise requirements
To keep a dachshund healthy and feeling fresh, they need at least 30 minutes of walking every day. If your dachshund is overweight, this time may need to be increased, but for a dachshund with a healthy weight, 30 minutes of daily playtime or a normal walk is usually enough.
Always consult your vet before making any changes to their diet, exercise routine, or lifestyle. Only a licensed vet can accurately diagnose and recommend the appropriate steps based on your pet’s specific needs.
Here are some exercises for dachshund weight management
Leash Walks: Leash walks are considered the safest and best exercise for dachshund weight management because it does not put any stress on their joints or spines. Putting stress on their spine can cause back-related health issues like IVDD. You can take your dog for a leash walk around the house or neighbourhood for about 30 minutes a day.
Interactive Play with Humans: Playing with humans can be best for both the physical and emotional health of your dog, because it helps to actively interact with your dog through play, which also stimulates your dog mentally. To include your dog in interactive play, you can hide your dog’s favourite treat or toys in different places inside your home and say ‘find it’, and reward them when they successfully find them. This is not only beneficial for your dachshund’s weight management also encourages them to do good things.
Swimming: Swimming is one of the best exercises for managing your dachshund’s weight, but keep in mind that it should only be done if your dog is used to it. This is also a low-impact exercise for your dachshund. Additionally, swimming helps your dog keep cool during hot weather, and this also provides mental stimulation for your dog. I will also take my dog swimming sometimes. He was anxious the first time he swam, but now he’s used to it and enjoys it happily.
Potential Risks of Dachshund Exercise
Dachshunds are prone to joint-related issues and back-related issues like Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD). For that, we need to choose exercises to be mindful of their potential serious back problem. Choosing exercises that don’t put stress on their spine is most important thing in dachshund exercise.
Some activities and exercises that can push your dachshund into a serious health problem
- Jumping Up or Down: Because of their long backs and short legs, dachshunds can easily strain their spines if they jump from high places. To protect them from back problems like IVDD, we should keep them away from activities that involve jumping from elevated surfaces.
- Running on Stairs: Running on stairs can also put stress on a dachshund’s back, which can be very dangerous for their spinal health. Therefore, we should avoid letting our dachshund run up the stairs.
- Rough Play: Rough play is an intense activity; it can be risky for your dog, especially for a dachshund. Because of their unique body structure, long spine and short legs, this type of body type can’t absorb much shock and can potentially cause injury.
- Long-Distance Running: It is also risky for your dachshund to run long distances as it also strains your dachshund’s back, which is dangerous for your dog’s spinal health can cause serious back problems.
- Unsupervised Play with Bigger Dogs: This can also be risky for your dog’s back, because your dachshund may need to jump while playing with a larger dog, and the bigger dog might accidentally put pressure on your dachshund’s back. That’s why you need to avoid unsupervised play with other dogs.
Conclusion
If a dachshund becomes overweight, they are at risk of developing back problems like IVDD. That’s why we need to follow weight management strategies to protect them from these dangerous diseases, because weight puts lots of stress on their spine. And exercise is one of those strategies for managing their weight, but not every exercise is suitable for dachshunds because of their long body and short leg structure. Therefore, in this blog, I have shared both some good and some bad exercises for your dachshund’s weight management. You can include the exercises that are suitable for your dachshund in their routine to help with weight management.
