Hi There Doxie Enthusiasts!

Today we will be blogging about:
                 how to take care of your dachshund...

 

The dachshund, (pronounced dahk-sind or dahk-soond) is a breed of dog with shorter legs and a longer back than most. To make your little dachshund the happiest it can be, (and best) read this page! 

 

Steps

• Learn how to hold your dachshund. You can't hold them like normal dogs because of their long backs. Hold their ends while supporting their back with your other hand. Although it's an awkward position at first, after a while you will get used to it. Practice with something light first because you may hurt your dachshund. Make sure you never hold them by their paws or head.
  
  
• Don't let them climb stairs or go down stairs. When dachshunds climb stairs, it puts pressure on their backs because of their height. Their backs bend the wrong way. When they go down stairs, a lot of pressure is placed on the discs with each step. Always carry them when you'd like them to come upstairs or downstairs. Put a baby gate up to keep them off the stairs otherwise.
   
• Get a light leash. If your dachshund's leash is too heavy, it will end up lugging it around the block. Make sure that your leash is made out of light material, and that the metal clips aren't too big. A good choice of a leash is one specifically made for smaller dogs.
        
        Most towns require all dogs to be on a leash.
  
  
• House train them. Start off with getting them to urinate on ECO FRIENDLY puppy pads or newspaper. Then, gradually put less and less newspaper on the floor. Once all the paper is gone, take them for walks. Reward them if they do their business. Whenever they do 'mark their territory' outside, say, "Good dog, good duty. Good Fito." Replace 'Fito' with your dog's name.
  • Make sure that when you reward them, you say their name along with good dog. This makes them associate their name with 'good dog', so they'll consider themselves a good dog.
  • If you punish your dog, don't say their name along with 'bad dog'. This will make them think they're name means bad dog, which is not a good thing.
  
  
• Let your dog run. Because of their short legs, they need to run around often. If they do not exercise, they will become overweight. This is especially bad for dachshunds because their stomachs weigh down their backs. If your dachshund becomes obese, they will most likely have back problems as well.
  
  
  
  
•  Brush their teeth. Start off by rubbing their teeth with meat. This will make them comfortable with your hands in their mouth. Then use dog toothpaste. This must be done at a young age.
  
  
• Don't let your dachshund jump. Even though it may look extremely cute, this is also bad for their backs. If they can stand up on their hind legs, this is okay. If they jump very high and fall back down, don't let them do it.
  
  
• Don't let them sit up on their hindquarters. Again, very cute, but puts a lot of pressure on the discs in the back.
  
  
• Give them toys. This is especially important while your dog is teething. They'll want to chew on something, and if you don't supply, they'll pick a nice Italian shoe out of your closet.
  
  
• Clip you dog's nails. Buy a special tool for this, since you don't want to hit the quick. If you don't think you can do this, leave it to the vet.
  
  
• Wash your dog. Use special dog shampoo for this.
  
  
• Brush your dog. Make sure you pay special attention to the stomach and ears. Make sure your dog doesn't get matted hair, as they are painful to your dog and hard to remove.
  
  
• Do stuff with your dachshund! If you are interested in any dog sports, get your dachshund into them! Dachshunds can compete in conformation, agility, obedience, flyball, and much more!