Dwarf Dachshund

History of the dwarf Dachshund breed

The history of dwarf dachshunds can be traced back to the XVI century, when in the southern regions of Germany they became interested in breeding burrowing dogs for catching badgers. However, some researchers consider the age of the breed more impressive, referring to the images of short-legged dogs found in the tombs of the pharaohs. Today, the relationship between ancient Egyptian and German dachshunds remains unconfirmed, which does not prevent scientists from building the most incredible theories about the origin of burrowing breeds.

The original name of the dachshund is "daxhund": from it. Dachs – "badger" and Hund – "dog". However, over time, a complex word replaced a more convenient and short one – "dakel" (alternatively, "tekel"), which is still called a dachshund in Germany. The progenitors of the breed are considered to be hound marriages with shortened, disproportionate legs. By strict selection of producers, German breeders managed to get pets with an extremely low "landing", which were almost as adventurous in hunting as marriages, but at the same time did not get stuck in badger holes. By the 17th century, the Brak clan had split into two branches – the low hounds, who hunted in the usual way, and the Tekels, who specialized in working in burrows.

As for the dwarf variety of dachshund, it was born later than the standard one, and the breed was bred exclusively for practical purposes. The fact is that the descendants of the marriages worked well underground with foxes and badgers, but they were too big for rabbit holes. This prompted the breeders to cross standard tax with representatives of other miniature breeds. One of such pioneer breeders was F. Engelmann, who tied his wards with dwarf pinschers. The experiment turned out to be a failure, since the offspring born as a result had a thin backbone and could not be used in hunting. After that, the specialists concentrated on intrabreed mating, selecting only the smallest individuals for them. It was in this way that the dwarf dachshund was first bred, and then an even more miniature rabbit.

Dwarf dachshunds were brought to Russia in the XVIII century, but only a large nobility could afford to own a short-legged dog. Hunting talents of the breed were also not used in domestic realities, so the animals led a well-fed and lazy life of decorative pets. Since the XIX century, the army of fans of dwarf dachshunds has not stopped growing. The most famous fans of the breed: Queen Victoria, Napoleon Bonaparte, Princess Caroline of Monaco, Jacques Yves Cousteau.

Video: Dwarf Dachshund

Breed standard dwarf dachshund

Miniature, rabbit and standard dachshund one standard of appearance for three. This is explained by the fact that the breeds differ only in size and habits. As an example: the optimal growth limits for a dwarf dachshund are 30-35 cm, which is at least 5 cm less than the standard one, but more than the rabbit variety. Otherwise, the representatives of the dwarf branch are as well–fed as their relatives. An important proportional balance: the ratio of the height of the mini-dachshund at the withers and the length of the body should be at least 1:1,7 (1,8).

Head

The contour of the head is elongated, but without sharpness. The eyebrows are clearly distinguished, the cranium is flattened, the foot is light, hardly noticeable.

Ears

The ears of the dwarf dachshund are distinguished by a high fit. The ear blade is very mobile, moderately elongated in length.

Eyes

All dachshunds have medium-sized, oval-shaped eyes, noticeably distant from each other. The look is clear, energetic, friendly, without suspicion. The colors of the iris approved by the standard: from red-brown to black-brown. Undesirable eye tones are whitish, partially or completely blue.

Nose

The upper part of the nose is very narrow, elongated type. The lobe is of normal size, developed.

Jaws, lips, teeth

Moderately strong jaws easily open, revealing an elongated mouth. The corners of the lips with the mouth open are located almost on the eye line. The lips themselves are damp-free, elastic, completely hiding the lower jaw. The bite is correct, scissor-shaped. The jaw bow is uniform, of good density. All teeth are welcome (42).

Neck

The moderately long neck of a miniature dachshund is set loosely, relatively high, and also has a slightly convex nape. The neck muscles are strong and developed, the skin is tight, well stretched.

Housing

Dwarf dachshund is a long–bodied dog, with a harmonious topline, smoothly descending from the neck to the croup. The dog's back is straight or barely falling with an elongated loin. The wide, long rump of the animal is characterized by a slight slope. The sternum area is impressive, protruding forward and forming small depressions on the sides. The shape of the breast is oval (when viewed from the front). The lower part of the abdomen is well matched.

Limbs

Forelimbs should be well muscled and straight, and also have the correct angles of articular joints. The backbone of the legs is strong, the contours are dry. The shoulder blades are characterized by a close fit to the chest. The blades themselves are elongated, located at an angle. The shoulders are movable, of the same length as the shoulder blades and well adjacent to the rib area. The forearms of a pedigreed individual are short and maximally straightened, the pasterns without inclination and plumb.

The angles of articulation are clearly marked on the hind limbs. The femoral part has a normal length and sufficiently powerful muscles. The knee joints are large, with clear angles, the hocks are dry, very sinewy. The dachshund's shins are short, forming a right angle with respect to the thigh, and the metatarsals are of sufficient length. The paws of the breed are rounded, with voluminous pads and collected fingers. The fifth fingers do not carry a functional load, but they are not removed. The dwarf dachshund moves with smooth movements with a wide sweep of the front legs, using the hind limbs for a powerful push.

Tail

The tail of the dwarf dachshund continues the line of its back and has a rather low landing. Let's also assume a saber-shaped bend closer to the end of the tail.

Features of the coat and colors

All mini-dachshunds are divided into smooth-, hard- and long-haired.

Dwarf dachshunds with smooth fur - dogs covered with a very short shiny awn without bald spots and receding hairlines. For representatives of this variety, one-color (red, reddish–red, fawn - solid or slightly diluted with black hair), two-color (black or brown with tan), as well as marble and tiger colors are typical. It is undesirable, but the presence of single white marks on the body is acceptable. The lobe and claws correspond to the tone of the coat, that is, in brown dachshunds they are colored brownish, in black and monochrome – in black.

Wire-haired dwarf dachshunds have a wire-like wool structure that fits well to the body. On the muzzle of dogs grow a beard, mustache and bushy eyebrows. The ears are covered with smoother and shorter hair than the body. Like smooth-haired relatives, wire-haired "dwarfs" have a solid, two-color and spotted suit. Colors from light boar to dark, as well as red are welcome.

Long-haired dwarf dachshunds - individuals with straight double hair, elongated on the neck and lower part of the body, as well as with feathering on the ears and the back of the legs. Representatives of this variety are born with the same colors as smooth-haired dachshunds.

Disqualifying vices

Strict requirements are imposed on the exterior of dwarf dachshunds. In particular, the altered structure of the coat is considered a serious defect affecting the exhibition evaluation. Simply put, smooth–haired individuals should not have coarse hair, and stiff-haired ones should not have too plump and soft. Animals with the following disadvantages are not allowed to exhibit in the ring:

• cowardly and aggressive behavior;
• deformed breasts;
• non-standard jaw lock (overbite, crossbite, underbite);
• incorrect position in the row of lower canines;
• incomplete set of teeth (partially or completely missing canines and incisors);
• goat's set of legs;
• irregular shaped tail with creases;
• black wool without scorch marks;
• white suit with or without scorch marks;
• the shoulder bones and shoulder blades are too freely located.

The character of a miniature dachshund

From standard taxes representatives of the miniature variety are distinguished not only by their size, but also by a more explosive temperament. Although the breed has never been bred for hunting in Russia, the working talents of the "dwarfs" have not atrophied, so they continue to use them wherever the opportunity is given. As an example: miniature dachshunds have a heightened protective instinct, which they do not hesitate to "turn on" several times a day.

If the pet urgently needs a discharge, and there is no suitable threat nearby, the brave short-leg will come up with an enemy for himself, who will immediately bark loudly. On walks, dwarf dachshunds remember their historical purpose and willingly poke their noses into every hole. Terrorizing frogs, rodents and chicks that get in the way is also a matter of honor for the breed, so do not regard such attacks as obstinacy and bad manners of the animal. Dwarf dachshunds can't do it any other way.

In their youth, many representatives of the breed sin with destructive behavior. Basically, bursts of negative activity are characteristic of individuals walking little and unproductively, often forced to stay alone, so if your dachshund has started "repairs" in the apartment and removes wallpaper from the walls, there is reason to think. It is quite possible that it is not the pet that is to blame for this mess, but his reclusive lifestyle and your own laziness. As the animal grows older, the internal battery of the animal begins to work in energy-saving mode. Take such changes calmly: the dog will not turn into a couch bumpkin anyway, it will just turn on the "alarm" a little less often.

Speaking of sofas: dwarf dachshunds are not averse to lying on them, but the breed likes games and active pastime more. The tricky "sausages" also establish contact with children once or twice, but with one caveat: the younger generation should not demonstrate their own superiority over the pet. At heart, most dwarf dachshunds consider themselves equal to the owner, leaving a lower rung of the hierarchical ladder for the rest of the family. Do not forget that all representatives of the breed are great artists when it comes to some benefits for them. Dachshunds who have received a scolding from the owner like to give their faces a mournful expression and put pressure on pity. Begging for an extraordinary walk or a tasty treat, the dog also demonstrates the wonders of cunning and ingenuity, which are often "bought" by inexperienced owners.

Education and training

In training dachshunds, dog handlers advise to remove the "whip" away and be guided by the "carrot method". This does not mean that the dog cannot be punished, it's just that any negative significantly slows down the educational process. But praise and delicious encouragement breed, on the contrary, inspire feats. The main thing is not to rush to teach your pet everything at once. In the first months of life, it is not recommended to train a dachshund at all. It is better to focus on the educational moments and the formation of the animal's habit of observing the daily routine.

Once in a new home, a dwarf dachshund puppy must start living by the new rules. Slowly but persistently wean your baby from the habit of whining at night and asking to come to your room. Call your pet by its nickname more often so that he remembers it. From the very first days, determine a place for the puppy in the apartment and feed the little minx strictly by the hour, which also perfectly disciplines.

In games, small dachshunds give free rein to their instincts and bite, so be alert and systematically eradicate this bad manner. As an example: in response to a bite, cry out loudly or slightly pinch the baby's nose with your fingers. Try not to succumb to the first reaction to the painful impulse and do not throw the dachshund aside. This, firstly, is traumatic, and secondly, embitters the pet.

Dwarf dachshunds get used to using the home toilet correctly quickly. It is enough to put the baby on the tray several times after sleep so that he understands what is expected of him. The habit of asking to go outside to relieve oneself is formed more slowly, so it is pointless to punish a ward who left a puddle on the floor for up to 4 months. Keep in mind that growing dachshunds do not yet have the ability to restrain the urge to urinate.

Primary dog training can begin at 3 months and is best outside the house. Of course, the puppy must first be introduced to the street, its smells and sounds. If you notice that outside the home walls the ward is afraid of sharp pops and crackling, train his courage. For example, pop balloons in the presence of a dog. Over time, the dachshund will stop reacting to unpleasant sounds and will calmly perceive them.

Hunting

Hunting with a dwarf dachshund is not accepted, because the breed is too small to work on a burrowing animal, especially if we are not talking about cowardly youngsters, but about foxes and badgers with experience. Of course, once in the hole, the dachshund will try its best to chase prey, but the beast is unlikely to be impressed by the size of its pursuer. Nevertheless, individual owners practice forays into the woods and fields with the breed, but more for entertainment purposes than for practical ones. Dwarf dachshunds with I degree diplomas in fox and badger periodically appear at hunting competitions, but it is important to understand that, basically, these are individuals working at priming stations, and not in natural conditions.

It is extremely difficult to find a dwarf dachshund from hunting lines in Russia, but if you managed to get such a puppy, you can try your hand at pritravke. However, first you need to go through the preparatory stages with your pet, that is, socialization, upbringing and training in the commands "Sit!", "Lie down!", "Nearby!", "Place!", "Walk!". Keep in mind that pritravka is not training in hunting, but just an attempt to wake up the getter and the pursuer in the dog. You can take your pet to such classes no earlier than he turns 6 months old. If the dachshund does not respond to an artificial burrow at the priming station, it means that the working instinct has not woken up in it, and the animal just needs to be taken home to wait a month or two. Usually, foxes are used for the first pritravok, since an adult animal can deal harshly with a miniature and inexperienced dachshund. Working with adults is possible only when the dog is used to the burrow.

Maintenance and care

The place of a dwarf dachshund in a house or apartment, but in no case on the street. By nature, the breed is very playful, so its representatives will have to buy toys often. A small life hack for owners: do not give away all the toys at once, but change them periodically – the novelty effect works not only in the case of people, but also with animals. In winter, the breed freezes, so the duration of walks in frosty weather is shortened, and an inflated jumpsuit or a knitted blanket is put on the animal before going outside.

Hats with ties will be a good protection from rain and wind. They can be sewn by themselves from dense knitwear or knitted. Calmly accept the fact that before the start of the heating season, the pet will actively try to get under the blanket to you – the descendants of marriages love warmth and are always in search of a cozy shelter. The leash and collar for dwarf dachshunds should be light, since heavy ammunition additionally loads the joints and spine.

Hygiene and grooming

The breed does not require complex grooming, but once a week it is necessary to comb even short-haired dachshunds. There is no need to do this procedure more often if you do not want to slow down the growth of the hair. Daily grooming is mandatory in autumn and spring, when the dog sheds. Usually, to remove dead hairs and street dust from the body of a shorthair doggie, a rubber mitten or a piece of damp cloth is enough. Hard- and long-haired individuals can be additionally combed with a brush – it perfectly collects the fallen hair and massages the skin, stimulating the renewal of the coat.

The frequency of bathing a pet depends on the structure of its coat. Smooth-haired dwarf dachshunds easily get by with dry cleaning, so they should be washed only when the animals are seriously dirty. Wire-haired and long-haired dogs (not show animals) should take a bath at least once a month. By the way, keep in mind that after using shampoos and balms, the awn of the representatives of the last two varieties becomes softer and falls apart. Over time, the hair, of course, comes back to normal, but if you have a show pet, it is better to wash his paws, lower abdomen and muzzle on the eve of the exhibition, and treat the rest of the body with dry shampoo.

Buy a claw cutter for ornamental breeds and shorten the claws of a dwarf dachshund once a month. Check your eyes daily, removing the accumulated mucus and dust lumps in them with a clean, lint-free cloth soaked in strong tea infusion. The dog's ears are examined once a week. If dirt and sulfur are found in the funnel, remove them with a hygienic lotion for dogs or special ear wipes.

Try to brush the teeth of a dwarf dachshund 2-3 times a week. For this purpose, buy a small brush and a special paste for dogs. If it did not work out to accustom the animal to this procedure, try an alternative method – the purchase of solid treats from veins that work as abrasives.

Feeding

Dwarf dachshunds are lovers of a lot and delicious food, which is explained by the high needs of the breed in animal protein. In this regard, dry pet food is selected with a high protein content (from 22%), and the proportion of plant foods in the diet (with natural feeding) is reduced to the required minimum. Owners who decide to feed their dog with natural products, it is important to rely on meat and offal. The best options are beef, horse meat, stringy mutton, chicken and turkey, which are recommended to be slightly boiled or given raw. Once a week, a dwarf dachshund can be treated with boiled fish fillet and tendon bone.

Cereals are responsible for the carbohydrate component in the pet's menu – buckwheat, hercules, rice. They are given in the form of porridge or soup, mixed with meat and lightly salted. Apples, tomatoes, zucchini, carrots are useful for the breed from vegetable food. Periodically, you can offer white cabbage, but only in boiled form. Potatoes are also not banned, but because of the high starch content, it is better to introduce them into the diet less often. An addition to the main menu can be yogurt, rye crackers, chicken egg. Overfeed dwarf dachshunds is strongly discouraged, since the breed has a strong predisposition to obesity.

Adult dogs are fed 2 times a day. Elderly individuals are offered food 3 times a day, but the caloric content of the diet is reduced, since bulimia develops with age in animals. Feed for short-legged "pensioners" is also taken with a reduced protein content (from 15%). Puppies under the age of 3 months are fed 5 times, from 3 months to six months – 4 times. A fully adult dwarf dachshund is considered at 10 months, from the same age the animal is transferred to two meals a day.

Important: both young and old, a miniature dachshund needs dietary supplements with chondroprotectors, otherwise the animal has every chance of getting problems with joints and spine.

Health and diseases of dwarf dachshunds

Most diseases of the breed are the result of the physique features of its representatives. For example, dwarf dachshunds often suffer from discopathy, in which the spine ceases to perform its cushioning function. You can guess that an animal has problems by changes in behavior. Dogs with discopathy try to move less, squeal if they are slightly pressed on their back.

There is also such a rare pathology in the breed as black acanthosis. The disease is expressed in darkening and coarsening of the skin, as well as hair loss in the armpits and between the fingers. The disease is inherited and it is unrealistic to protect yourself from it, so all that can be done is to react in time to changes in the exterior and consult a veterinarian.

Idiopathic epilepsy can make itself felt in dwarf dachshunds aged 1 year and older. Signs of an impending attack are considered to be coordination disorders, trembling, uncontrolled urination. Usually the problem is solved by the introduction of anticonvulsants. The only difficulty is that injections often have to be done independently, since the disease can catch at the most inconvenient moment and away from the clinic.

How to choose a puppy

• Always ask the seller for a litter inspection certificate – this will help you choose the healthiest animal.
• Try to get a puppy born in winter or early spring. After serving the prescribed period in quarantine, such kids will have time to catch warm summer days and strengthen their immunity during walks.
• Carefully examine the baby's back. In dwarf dachshunds, pathologies of intervertebral discs occur, as a result of which humps grow on the backs of animals and saddle-shaped deflections are formed.
• See how the puppy moves. Slight clumsiness of movements is allowed, but obvious violations of coordination indicate problems with the backbone and joints.
• When choosing black and tan individuals, pay attention to the saturation of the color. The more striking the contrast between the main suit and the tan spots, the better.
• The presence of a dwarf dachshund puppy of solid black color (without tan) indicates that there are third-party purebred producers in his pedigree. Approximately the same can be said about smooth-haired dachshunds who received a boar (spotted) suit at birth.

The price of a dwarf dachshund

A miniature dachshund puppy with a RKF metric and a vaccination package is worth $200 – $400. Animals with small exterior defects and imperfect pedigrees are sold for $80 – $150.