Dachshunds - Orchard House Vets

Bright, loyal and courageous

Dachshunds are a German origin breed of dog who were originally bred for hunting. Dachshunds literally translates as ‘badger dog’! The unique build of a Dachshund enables them to chase animals into burrows. They have a surprisingly loud bark and plenty of energy. We can safely say you won’t have a dull moment with a Dachshund around!

Vital Stats

Size:	Small to medium (standard-size or miniature)
Coat:	3 varieties: short-haired, long-haired and wire-haired
Exercise:	1 hour a day
Life span:	12-13 years
Breed group:	Hound
Temperament	Playful, loyal, independent

Dachshund Temperament & Personality

Dachshunds have large barrel chests to give them stamina while hunting – a trait that can also translate into lots of running around and barking. They are so devoted to their owners and well regarded as one of the most loyal breeds of dog. They can make great pets with the correct socialisation from a young age, and are often great with slightly older children and cats. Again though, training and patience is needed, as with all breeds! Dachshunds are very vocal and can be quite standoffish with strangers. This is really down to the loyalty they show an owner. For a dog, loyalty can also mean protection, which is why they are slightly better suited to older children as rushing young children can seem like a threat.

Dachshund Training & Exercise

Training is an important part of owning any breed of dog and for a Dachshund, good training will help keep them safe and secure.

Tips

As scent hounds, Dachshunds are hardwired to pick up smells and chase prey, so good recall and lead training from an early age is recommended.
Dachshunds can be easily distracted so training sessions may be more successful in short bursts.
For a small breed, Dachshunds have a lot of energy so it’s important they get plenty of physical and mental stimulation to prevent them from getting bored as this is when destructive behaviours can creep in.
For an adult Dachshund, regular playtime combined with at least a 60-minute walk should be about right.
Try to stop your Dachshund running up or downstairs and jumping up a lot, as this can cause back problems, a common issue in the breed.
Boredom breakers will help mentally stimulate your Dachshund. Hiding treats or anything that gets them using their biggest weapon – their nose! Frustration can creep in, so do allow them to “win” and don’t make it impossible for them to find a treat.

Rehoming a Dachshund

Every breed of dog is slightly different, but the fundamentals for all breeds are quite similar. Dachshunds are such loyal little dogs that rehoming can sometimes be trickier than with some other breeds. Rehoming dogs is incredibly rewarding, but if you have rehomed a dog before you will know it can be difficult and requires a lot of patience sometimes. Not always of course! –

The most important tips for rehoming a dog are:

Where possible, make sure you have comforting blankets or toys from a previous home or rehoming centre. The first few days will be very strange for your new four-legged friend, so having those familiar smells will help them.
Adaptil – clinically proven to help calm dogs by releasing pheromones scents into the environment. Don’t worry, you can’t smell anything, but they will!
Dog training – We are blessed with many great dog trainers in Hexham and the Tynedale area. Dog trainers work on very specific issues with behaviour and we highly recommend spending time with a dog trainer, or behaviourist.
Understanding the breed – You cannot over research a dog breed, it is impossible. Know everything you need to know about that breed and the quirks they have will make a lot more sense. Importantly, you will also be more knowledgably on how to possibly deal with them.
Patience – The obvious one, but most important. Rome wasn’t built in a day, or being based here in Northumberland we should say Hadrian’s Wall was not built in a day!

Barking

Okay, there is no getting away from the elephant in the room, or should we say the Dachshund in the room. They bark. And boy, do they bark! It is well documented that you should never give a barking dog wrong. They could be warning you of danger, and we agree completely. That said, barking for no reason or aggressive behaviour can be contained with the right training and following the right tips. There are different reasons a Dachshund (or any breed) may bark, and they can be:

Boredom
Danger
Communication
Excitement
Separation anxiety
Pain

Now, you can find plenty of tips online, or videos on Youtube for many issues, but pain is something a vet can help you with. A dog who barks a lot from day one is not going to be easy to identify with a “pained bark”, but if you do have concerns, give us a call. A dog who barks more often than usual could be telling you something is wrong. It is always worth ruling pain out by having a routine health check. We would look for dental issues, joint issues or even run health profiles like blood tests to see if something is going on.

Common Dachshund Health Conditions

There are certain health conditions that affect Dachshunds more frequently than other dog breeds.

Intervertebral disc disease – abnormality of the discs that provide cushioning between the vertebrae (back bones). Both standard and miniature varieties are affected by back problems.
Heart disease (miniature varieties).
Progressive Retinal Atrophy – gradual loss of sight over several months or years.
Dry eye.

We always recommend doing research of breeders if buying a puppy, or if rehoming then ask for a clinical history. If you are unsure what you are looking at then book an appointment with one of our vets and we can go through the history for you and put it in less vetty words!

Our verdict

Dachshunds are great little companions and by following our advice, or that of the various online resources, you can get an insight into the little badger dogs and what to expect when you become the lucky owner of one!