Dachshund
Exercise Requirements
All dogs need daily
exercise. The amount your puppy needs depends not only upon
his size but also upon his breed. While he is very young,
he will get enough exercise naturally, but as he grows up,
he must be taken for regular walks and runs. Don't take
him out until he has completed his course of vaccinations.
Regular and varied walks are not
just essential to keep your puppy fit - they also provide
the opportunity for him to explore and to experience new
stimuli, including meeting other dogs. This helps him to
develop into a contented and well-adjusted individual and
helps to prevent the development of problem behavior.
All exercise should be supervised.
Don't allow your puppy to stray and never let him out during
the day to fend for himself.
The Dachshund
does not need a lot of exercise, making this breed a great
companion for dog lovers living in an apartment - as well
as for disabled people who have mobility problems. As a
former hunting breed, the Dachshund will gladly partake
of an active lifestyle. A daily walk should be given to
keep your Dachshund happy and healthy.
Dachshund
Breed Information |
Country
Of Origin |
Germany |
Height |
Miniature:
5-9 inches |
|
Standard:
9-10 inches |
Weight |
Miniature:
9-11 lbs. |
|
Standard:
16-32 lbs. |
Life
Span |
10
- 12 years |
Breed
Group |
Scent
Hounds |
Good
With Children: |
Yes |
Good
Watchdog: |
Yes |
Exercise
Needs: |
Minimal |
Grooming
Needs: |
Minimal |
|
Dachshund
Grooming Requirements
Grooming the Dachshund is easy as pie! A good brushing once
a week will keep his coat shiny and free of dead hairs.
Ears do need to be cleaned regularly, and nails clipped,
but these duties can be taken care of at home.
Best
Vitamins & Minerals To Feed A Daxie
Vitamin & Best
Source
Vitamin
A Beta Carotene
Vitamin B-1 Thiamine Mononitrate
Vitamin B-2 Riboflavin & Yeast
Vitamin B-6 Pyridoxine Hcl & Yeast
Vitamin B-12 Cyanocobalamin & Yeast
Vitamin D D-activated Sterol
Vitamin E dl-alpha tocopherol acetate
Niacinamide
Biotin
Folic Acid
d-Calcium Pantothenate
Para Amino Benzoic Acid
Mineral &
Best Source
Calcium Bone Meal
& di-Cal Phos
Copper Gluconate
Iodine Sea Kelp
Iron Ferrous Fumerate
Magnesium Magnesium-Gluconate
Manganese Manganese-Gluconate
Phosphorus Bone Meal & di-Cal Phos
Potassium Potassium-Gluconate
Zinc Zinc-Gluconate
Note: Please do not
feed this breed of dog any supplemental vitamin C (ascorbic
acid, sodium ascorbate, calcium ascorbate or ascorbal palmitate)
because of the kidney and liver damage it can do.
Dental
Care
Puppies are diphyodont
animals; they produce a generation of deciduous teeth that
are shed and replaced by permanent teeth when the jaw reaches
maturity. Deciduous incisors appear as early as 4 weeks
of age. Full dentition is usually present in a puppy by
8 weeks of age. Shortly after the deciduous tooth is completely
erupted, it starts to undergo an absorptive process beginning
at the root. Under each deciduous tooth root a permanent
tooth bud starts to develop. When the permanent tooth is
completed and erupts through the gingiva, the deciduous
tooth is shed. Permanent teeth of large breed dogs erupt
a few days before those in smaller breeds.
Believe it or not,
dogs need regular dental care. Just like people, they need
to have their teeth brushed and cleaned. This article tells
you why.
The idea of dental care for your
dog may make you smile. But the fact is, probably the number
one health problem for dogs, apart from being overweight,
is periodontal disease. The accumulation of tartar and plaque
and the resulting gingivitis can lead to more serious disease.
Most dogs over two years of age who haven’t received
regular dental care have these dental problems.
Let’s take a look at what you
can do to help your dog avoid having dental problems:
Check your dog’s mouth
What you can do to help your dog
How to brush your dog’s teeth
Check your dog’s
mouth
How do you know if your dog has dental
problems? It's as simple as lifting his lip and looking.
Plaque appears as a brownish red discoloration close to
the gum line. Tartar accumulates, and eventually the healthy
pink gum starts to look red, and swell. At this point, without
medical intervention, gingivitis or inflammation of the
gum takes over. This process leads to bad breath. And worse,
it often leads to damage to the jawbones, and loss of teeth.
What you can do to help your dog
First of all, have your dog visit
your vet to have his teeth properly cleaned. The procedures
used are similar to what we go through when we visit the
dentist to have our teeth cleaned. The difference is that
dogs who have their teeth cleaned are either sedated with
a tranquilizer or, more commonly, put under general anesthesia.
In between visits to the vet, brush
your pet's teeth regularly. How do you do this? It’s
easy. First, go to your vet’s or a pet shop and buy
a toothbrush designed for using on dogs, along with toothpaste
made for dogs.
How to brush your dog’s
teeth
Start by putting a small amount of
the toothpaste on your finger, and gently rubbing it on
your dog’s front teeth and gums. After a few times,
switch from a finger to a dog’s or a child's toothbrush,
one with soft, rounded bristles. Start by brushing the front
teeth only, with a downward motion on the top teeth and
upward on the lower teeth—the same way we’re
supposed to brush our own teeth. After your dog gets used
to this new activity, start doing teeth farther back in
the mouth, brushing the premolars, then molars with the
same motion you used on the front teeth.
An alternative to brushing is using
a dental chew. Studies by Waltham have shown that certain
specifically designed dental health chews result in a significant
reduction of plaque and calculus accumulation, gingivitis
and malodor.
Doggie
Breath
Bad breath can be
caused by many things. Their teeth may need cleaning. It
is very important to keep the teeth clean or infections
can get under the gums and into the blood stream which can
shorten their lives. Also, it could be the food your are
feeding them.
Your vet should be
able to recommend a type of pet mouthwash. You spray it
up their gums on either side and it helps remove plaque
and improve breath. Not to mention they LOVE the taste!
Skin
Lesions
Cutaneous tumors are
the most frequently diagnosed neoplastic disorders in domestic
animals, in part because they can be identified easily and
in part due to the constant exposure of the skin to the
external environment. Chemical carcinogens, ionizing radiation,
and viruses all have been implicated, but hormonal and genetic
factors may also play a role in development of cutaneous
neoplasms. Although cutaneous neoplasms characteristically
are nodular or papular, they also can occur as localized
or generalized alopecic plaques (hairless scaley), erythematous
(reddened) and pigmented (colored) patches, wheals, or nonhealing
ulcers. Because of this, distinguishing an inflammatory
from a neoplastic is difficult based solely on clinical
features; distinguishing a benign from a malignant tumor
is even more subjective, as malignancies (especially early
in their development) may
palpate (feel) as discrete, encapsulated masses.
To establish a definitive
diagnosis, histopathology is generally required. Cytologic
evaluation can also be useful and, for some types (eg, mast
cell tumors), can rival or even surpass the value of histopathologic
examination.
Therapy depends largely on the type of tumor, its location
and size, and signalment (symptoms) of the animal. For benign
neoplasms that are associated with neither ulceration nor
clinical dysfunction, no therapy may be the most prudent
option, especially in aged dogs. For more aggressive neoplastic
diseases or benign tumors that are cosmetically unpleasant
or inhibit normal function, there are several therapeutic
options. For most, surgery the best chance of cure at lest
cost, and often with the fewest side effects. Complete excision
is best. Although a lumpectomy (removal of lump) is adequate
for benign lesions, if a malignancy is suspected, the lesion
should be removed with wide surgical margins. For tumors
that cannot be completely excised, partial removal or debulking
may be done. Debulking may prolong the life of the animal
as well as increase the effectiveness of radiation or chemotherapy.
Cryosurgery (freezing) is also an option; although most
effective for benign, superfical lesions, malignant cutaneous
neoplasms can be so treated. Radiation therpy is of most
value for infiltrative neoplasms that are not surgically
resectable, or when surgical intervention would cause unacceptable
physical impairment. Chemotherapy may be used either as
a primary method for malignant neoplasms or as an adjunct
to surgical or radiotherapy. In the skin, it is most commonly
used to treat most round cell tumors(lymphosarcomas, mast
cell tumors, transmissible venereal tumors, ect.) or solid
tumors that cannot be excised completely. Although generally
palliative, long remissions may sometimes be obtained. Other
forms of therapy include hyperthermia, laser therapy, and
phototherpy.
Overweight Dachshund
Obesity in a dog can
lead to health problems'and can itself be a sign of a serious
medical condition. Monitor the weight of your pooch with
this simple test.
Steps:
1. Check that your
dog's ribs are not visually noticeable but are easily felt.
This indicates that your dog is at a desirable weight.
2. Look at your dog from above. Some indentation behind
the rib cage, depicting an hourglass shape, indicates that
your pet is at a desirable weight.
3. Feel your dog's hips. Anything more than light fleshiness
indicates that your dog is above normal weight.
4. Check your dog for a trim abdomen.
Tips:
Regular exercise helps
reduce weight.
A healthy dog's weight at 1 year of age often reflects his
optimal body weight, though this is not true of dogs that
are obese at 1 year. Your veterinarian can also provide
guidelines on the proper weight for your dog.
Back
Disorder
The dog’s spine
is made up of several small bones, which are called vertebrae.
They extend from the base of the skull to the end of the
tail. The vertebrae are interconnected by flexible discs
made of cartilage called the intervertebral disc. These
discs provide cushioning between each bone and permit the
neck, spine and tail to bend, allowing flexibility in position
and posture. Above the discs and running through the vertebrae
is the spinal cord, which is made up of nerve fibers that
run back and forth between the brain and the rest of the
body. Dachshunds are, in part due to how they're bred (long
in the body), prone to disc problems. It is important to
minimize the activity of this breed, especially where jumping
is concerned. This problem also a genetic one. Doing your
homework while researching reputable, responsible breeders
(making sure that the breeders' lines are free of this disease)
might help to increase your chances of having a healthier
Dachshund.
We used water therapy
to get our dogs with problem backs back in condition. Put
water in bath tub, enough to help support weight of dog,
and used a portable hydro therapy water jet. We also encouraged
the dog to walk in the water. The weight of the dog was
partially supported by the water, the flowing water relaxed
the dog and helped to restore muscle tone. Walking with,
human help, helped to restore balance and was exercise for
the wasted muscles. In good weather we took dog to our pond
and walked with dog in shallow water. Spondalosis, is a
calcification. Talked to a gal at this weekends shows. she
uses shark cartilage for this condition. Don't know if it
works, but she swears by it. And Yes prolonged use of steroids
often causes a bloated look.
Signs
You Will Notice Regarding Back Problems
- tail between legs
and ears down (like when they are being scolded)
- stomach was hard
as a rock (at first I suspected that she had an upset stomach,
but the vet says she was all tensed up from the pain)
- wouldn't eat, just
hid in her cage
Detect & Prevent Health Problems
With Monthly Home Exams
You can play a big
role in keeping your dog healthy. This story gives you a
five-point monthly health check for examining your dog and
making sure he's in top condition.
You can take a more proactive role
in keeping your dog healthy by following this simple, five-point
monthly home health check.
“Early warning signals of poor
pet health such as a dull coat or increasing or decreasing
body weight can often be observed at home,” says mypetstop.com’s
veterinarian, James Sokolowski, DVM, Ph.D. You become the
eyes and ears of your veterinarian between visits. Should
change occur, you'll know to call your veterinarian and
obtain treatment before a serious problem develops.
The
Five-Point Health Check
Remember to examine all five areas
in your dog:
Weight check
Coat and skin
Eyes and ears
Teeth and gums
Spot checks
Weight Check:
Weigh your dog regularly. Also look
for change in body weight by standing above the dog and
looking for a slight "waist" behind the animal's
ribs. Place both hands on the dog's ribs. If he’s
at a proper weight, you will be able to feel the ribs, but
they should not
stick out. Check for pouches of fat in the groin area between
the hind legs and under the belly.
If your dog is overweight, discuss
the need for a weight reduction program with your veterinarian,
cut out all treats and table snacks, and divide the daily
feeding allowance into two to four small meals a day. Implement
an exercise program for your dog, starting slowly with short
activity periods and gradually increasing the exercise time.
Coat & Skin:
The coat should feel smooth from
head to tail. Part the fur near the head and along the spine
to check for flakes, scales or cuts. Check for the signs
of fleas--black flakes or specks--at the base of the tail
and on the rump and stomach. Dogs with a dull or matted
coat may not be receiving all necessary nutrients, or may
have a disease condition. Fleas can he treated with dips,
shampoos and
sprays.
Eyes
& Ears:
Gently pull down the lower eyelid
to check for a pink color. The whites of the eye should
be glossy white with no redness. Look for normal pupil size
and responsiveness of the pupil to light. Watch for colored
discharge, which can be a sign of infection.
Ears should appear clean, pink in
color (not bright pink), and free of debris and strong odors.
Check for wax, especially dark wax,
which may indicate the presence of ear mites or infection.
Problems with eyes and ears should be a reason to visit
your veterinarian.
Teeth & Gums:
Lift your dog’s lips away from
his gums, and press a finger firmly over an upper tooth.
When taken away, the white color of the finger imprint on
the gum should return to pink. Open the dog’s mouth
to inspect all his teeth. Beware of tartar build-up, which
is yellow to
dark brown in color, and can lead to periodontal disease.
This should be removed by a veterinarian. Regular veterinary
dental cleaning along with specially designed pet toothbrushes
and toothpaste and chew snacks designed to eliminate plaque,
can help reduce build-up.
Spot Checks:
Check for unusual
lumps or bumps by placing both hands on top of your dog's
head and moving down under the chin. Next, move your hands
behind the front legs, under the shoulders, down the back,
over the hips, and down the legs. Inspect your dog’s
claws and footpads for cuts or cracks. Report unusual lumps
to a veterinarian.
