Daring, tenacious and bold. the Dachshund breed
is a small centon with short legs and a distinctive
elongated body. The breed's origins can be traced back to the 1600's
when it was used in Germany to hunt, track and retrieve
burrow dwelling animals, such as the badger. Today,
it is one of the most popular breeds in the world and can be found
both in the fields as hunting companions and at home
as a family pet. Their cute appearance and lively disposition
have inspired many affectionate nicknames for this breed, including
Wiener dog, Hot dog, Sausage dog, Doxie, Dashie, and in Germany, Teckels, Dachels and Dachsels.
And in Afrikaans, which is my native language, we
call them the "Worshond".
Hey guys, Dogtor Pete here. Today I'm going to review
the Dachshund breed from a veterinarian's perspective in order for
you to know exactly what to expect when deciding on
getting a Dachshund. the word "Dachshund" is German, which
literally means "Badger Hound." The name was given to them
as they were used for the examination of, you guessed it, badgers! Wartime brought some
amount of ill repute to the German-born Dachshund, leading to
a brief decline in popularity in the early mid 20th century. But thanks
to their irresistible appeal, they quickly made a
comeback in popularity after World War 2. The breed has three
sizes, ranging from 3 to 18 kilograms and take on three
different forms, namely the smooth coated, long hair and
wire coated. The Dachshund is a true combination of
both terrier and hound and was bred by crossing the
Brague, Pincher and French Basset Hound.
Dachshund is the only AKC recognized breed that hunts both
above and below the ground. It can move and enter quite easily
through a tunnel or den because of its strong powerful legs
and long low slung body. The dog's unconstrained
and smooth gate is enhanced by its powerful stamina
and dexterity. Their distinctive forward-flopping ears
protects the dog's ear canals from entry of foreign objects
as it races through the bush and the slightly curved up tail
serves to make it visible to trailing hunters. Their long noses
enable them to be good scent dogs and the deep
loud bark were useful to the hunters when tracing the dog
after it had gone into the burrows. The Dachshund has an attentive and
protective nature and although it does do well with
strangers in general, they tend to be reserved and
shy and may even snarl at those it is
unfamiliar with. They are good with children
and other pets in the family, if introduced to them early on, but may not
be as fond of your children's friends. So
always make sure to supervise playtime. It's loud voice makes it
an ideal watchdog, but they do tend to be excessive barkers
which can sometimes become annoying to both you
and your neighbours.
The Dachshund was bred to dig, hunt and persevere
and these instincts may cause him to destroy your garden,
attack and kill their toys and other small animals in the garden and being
relentless in pestering you for treat. Be patient
when training them and be careful not to punish them
unfairly. Dachshunds can learn quickly when properly motivated. Use
positive reinforcement, such as food rewards or a favorite
toy to hold their attention, and keep training sessions short. Dachshunds
is low a maintenance breed. They shed, but not excessively. You need
to pay special attention to the droopy ears though,
which can be a breeding ground for bacteria, fungi
and mites. They can be a bit stubborn and therefore
house training can be quite difficult for this breed. Dachshunds do well in small
living quarters as long as they get a moderate amount of
daily exercise. They are not suited for living outdoors
and are not tolerant to extreme heat or cold climates
and may sometimes even need a sweater during winter times.
They can injure their backs jumping on and off furniture,
so either get a ramp or steps and teach them how to use it properly from an
early age on. When picking up and holding a Dachshund,
always make sure to support its rear and its chest. Make it a rule that
young children can only hold or pet the Dachshund if they are
sitting on the floor. Monitor your dog's daily food intake,
as excessive weight will put more strain on its already fragile back.
Dachshunds have an average lifespan of 12 to 14 years
and may occasionally suffer from these medical conditions displayed on the
screen. The major health concern affecting this
breed is Intervertebral Disc Disease, or IVDD, causing spinal cord problems
due to the dog's elongated body. Because of his association with Germany,
a Dachshund named "Waldi" was chosen to be the first official mascot
of the 1972 Summer Olympics. All-in-all, the Dachshund is a versatile companion
with an average rating of...
6.7 out of 10! With his variety of sizes, colors, coat types and
personalities, you can be sure that there is a
Dachshund out there that can suit almost anyone! Thank you for watching
this video. Let me know down in the comments if you own a
Dachshund and if you agree with my evaluation of this
breed? If you found the content to be useful,
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every week. As always, have a lekker day, and I'll see you
in another video next week. Cheers!