Things you should know before owning a dachshund

Before being an owner of a dachshund, it’s important to understand the breed properly. Dachshunds have a different physical structure that distinguishes them from other dogs. This unique body shape makes them susceptible to serious back-related issues, such as intervertebral disc diseases (IVDD). This condition can be very dangerous and may even lead to paralysis if not treated properly. Therefore, it is crucial to know about their health conditions and how to prevent these risks before bringing a new dachshund puppy into our homes. In this blog, I will provide guidance for dachshund enthusiasts about Things you should know before owning a dachshund.

What you need to know before buying a dachshund

Understand the Breed

Before bringing a dachshund puppy home, it’s important to understand some essential things about this dog breed. Dachshunds have a unique body structure characterised by a long body and short legs, which distinguishes them from other dog breeds. Their uniqueness made them prone to certain back issues like intervertebral disc disease (IDVV). It is important to pay attention to this aspect after adopting a new dachshund puppy. If we ignore this and allow them to engage in activity that puts stress on their fragile back. We increase the chance of developing IVDD. That’s why we need to know this before bringing a dachshund puppy. 

Home Preparation

Before bringing a puppy home, we need to prepare our environment to ensure it is suitable for them or not. It’s important to understand the conditions that promote optimal growth for them. For example, they have a fragile back, so a home with lots of stairs is not ideal for their back. We should remove any plant that might be harmful to our dog, such as aloe vera and sago palm, because they are frequent chewers and they can chew on them and be poisonous. 

Diet and Feeding

This is also an important thing to consider before bringing a dachshund puppy home, because diet plays an important role in their physical and mental growth. Not providing sufficient nutrients in their diet leads to nutrient deficiency, which can lead to health issues further. They need a protein, healthy fats, vitamin,s and minerals to function their body well. 

We wrote detail about dachshund foo,d where you can go for knowing the best dachshund food according to their nutritional needs.

Training and Socialization

The first 8 to 16 weeks of age are most important for their learning, which is also calledthe learning period for your puppy. We need to socialize them in this phase. Early socialization also plays a major role in dog’s future behaviour. That’s why we need to socialize them from an early stage. If you are confused about how to socialize them, you can read our previously written blog post. If they are not socialized well, they can develop behavioural issues like excessive barking and howling, aggressive behaviour, and even separation anxiety. 

To socialize them, we can let theminteract with other dog breeds, cats, and many other strangers. This helps to increase confidence in social situations and might reduce aggressive behaviour and other behavioural issue

Grooming Needs

Grooming is most important for your dog’s health. We need to groom them regularly, their grooming requirement can vary depending upon their coat types Smooth-haired haired need minimal grooming, while long haired and wire haired dogs need slightly more grooming because of their long coat. 

For dachshunds, bathe them regularly, trim their nail, and brushing is an important grooming activity.  They come with three coat types smooth, smooth-haired,long haired, and wire haired, Grooming needs vary between these coat types. smooth haired dachshunds need minimal grooming neeed among these three coat types, while wire and long haired need more grooming because of their long coat. 

For maintaining their look clean and tidy, we can bathe and nail trim them once a month and brush them once a week. They are also inclined to teeth and gum-related diseases because of their narrow jaw. That’s why we need to regularly clean their teeth using a dog toothpaste. Remember, avoid using human toothpaste this can be toxic to your dog. 

Health Care

Dachshunds are prone to many health issues, like rabies. This is harmful for both you and your dog; regular vet checkups and proper vaccination are most important.

Mental & Physical Stimulation

Dachshunds are energetic dogs that need a high activity to feel well, and need to be provided a physical and mental stimulation for their physical and mental health. If they are not active enough, they may feel bored, which can lead to destructive behaviour. 

That’s why we need to know about their exercise requirement to keep them physically and mentally healthy. Exercise needs also vary depending on their age small puppy can be okay with a small amount of exercise, while an adult dachshund needs more exercise. One of the main reasons dachshunds need regular exercise is that they are prone to obesity, which can strain their fragile spine.

Generally, you can provide 20 to 60 minutes of daily exercise according to their age. You can check our previously written blog about safe dachshund exercise.

 Time and Commitment

They are not just your pet, they are also your companion. Dachshunds are naturally inclined to separation anxiety. If we don’t pay attention to their behaviour, they can have separation anxiety. That’s why we need to spend quality time with them after understanding their emotional needs. They are also a good attention seeker, giving attention is most important to feel good. 

Conclusion

Before we bring a new dachshund puppy, we need to know many things like their health conditions, breed basic information, diseases and their prevention, and optimal living conditions for them. Bringing a puppy after knowing all these things helps you to raise a healthy and well-behaved dachshund. 

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