Dachshund Puppies and Dogs - Born to Hunt
Dachshund:
The Dachshund is a registered breed with the American Kennel Club. This breed falls under the hound category. It is the smallest of the hounds. They were first bred in Germany as hunting dogs and they remain excellent hunting dogs.
The Look of the Dachshund:
There are three varieties of Dachshund puppies; long-haired, short-haired and wire-haired. In the breed standard they can weigh up to 28 pounds. Meanwhile miniature Dachshunds, the breed which falls under the toy category, only weighs up to 11 pounds. The miniature Dachshunds are very tiny and make excellent pets for those looking for a very small dog. The Dachshund has rather small legs so their belly sits very close to the ground. They are barrel shaped which has caused them to be colloquially called the sausage dog or hot dog.
The Dachshunds Breed’s Purpose:
The Dachshund was bred to hunt badgers. They were bred for their shape as this shape enabled them to get right into the badger hole. They have a keen sense of smell and can be obsessed with sniffing things out. If they have a hunting job to do they will be of great value. As a house pet they can be rather challenging. They don’t like to listen to orders because they have hunting on their minds. They would rather chase small animals and sometimes even children rather than come when they are called. This is one reason they will usually need to be kept on a leash. Training will be difficult as they are prone to stubbornness. However training a Dachshund puppy to track and hunt will not be as difficult because this is what they want to do.
Health Issues:
The mere shape of the Dachshund has caused it certain problems. It is a breed which tends towards spinal problems because of the shape of its spinal column and rib cage. Its rib cage is short for its unusually long spinal column. It is best not to ever let a Dachshund become overweight because the weight will be an added strain to the spinal column. Their awkward shape poses problems for them when they go to climb stairs. They are so short yet long that they can sometimes injure their head while climbing a staircase. This can cause serious injuries so it is best to keep them away from stairs.
Great Hunting Pal, not a Lazy Dog:
The Dachshund is a very good hunting dog, but not always the ideal choice for a family pet. It is not known to be good with children and is quite difficult to train. If however, you want to join a scenting and tracking club and spend your weekends in the woods with fellow enthusiasts of the hunting breeds, then it could be a dog ideally suited to you. Other owners who may enjoy Dachshunds would be adults who are familiar with the personality of hunting dogs or who have experience training dogs who like to resist until the very end. With a lot of patience and determination, it can be quite rewarding to train a Dachshund puppy.
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