If you are craving to add a Shorthaired dachshund, an adorable pet, to your family, you must be seeking a quick way to grab all the information about this cute puppy. Shorthaired Dachshund is derived from German Dashs” Badgers” and Hund “dog”. It is a hound breed with short legs, short fur or hairs, stout form, and a long body, leading to their name Shorthaired Dachshund. Dachshund is also known as badger dog, Weiner dog, Badger creeper, earth dog, Sausage dog, Doxie, Weiner dog, and Dashsel.
This article has all the information about this breed, including its history, appearance, training, health issues, grooming, temperament, and pros and cons of having shorthaired dachshund as pet.
All about shorthaired dachshunds
History:
Doxies came into the human world in the 15th century and became a beloved pet choice for humans. Because of their hunting nature, they were used to fight bravely with badgers to hunt them. Like other dachshunds breeds, the shorthaired Dachshund was available in various sizes, from big sized shorthaired dachshunds to hunt badgers and foxes to a small size plucky Dachshund to dig the burrows. In the 17th century, they were known as breeding dogs in Germany in the form of standard and miniature Dachshunds, which were aimed to chase rabbits and small animals.
The appearance and color of shorthaired Dachshund:
Hanged ears, stout and sausage form, long body, short legs, small size, and smooth coat describes the doxie in short.
There are two forms of doxies, standard and miniature and their size varies from 5-32 pounds. The standard form is preferred but miniatured has stolen most of the owners’ affection because of their small size, ease to carry and cuddle. The standard form has a size of 8-9 inches, while the miniature’s size is 5-6 inches.
To be concise shorthaired dachshunds come in various colours to bewilder you, but some color breeds are more common than the others. Shorthaired dachshunds come in red and black colors. The black color gives a brown appearance on a closer look. Black and tan coloring is the most popular and earliest color in doxies with a black colour as the base and tan on the other areas of the body.
Fawn, chocolate and tan, and cream and black are other colours reported by the American Kennel Club in 1885.
Temperament and Personality:
- Shorthaired Dachshund is one of the most entertaining breed you’ll ever come across. Its mood changes every second but in a positive way that is enough to bring a sweet smile to your face.
- Bravery and fighting are in their DNA. They can be used to hunt small animals like rabbits. They primarily express their courage by barking in deep grumpy or sonorous voices.
- Doxies can be the best babysitters to keep your kids safe from malicious people and the best choice for a guard dog.
- To love independence and stubbornness is in their nature. It’s scarce for them to listen to their boss no matter what you say, so you must be patient while training them.
- Wieners have a helping nature. You can call them a mixture of stubborn and helper. Doxies are always ready to help you in your household chores and curiously pay attention to every task you do and then try to follow it.
- Doxies are very demanding in picking a human friend, and they only cling to the one person who is loved throughout the whole day; although they love to play with other family members too, one person is their deepest friend.
- They are clingy and attention seekers like kids and are always ready to lick your legs but, in turn, recommit the same attention as a newborn.
Grooming requirements:
- One of the best things to choose the shorthaired Dachshund is that it demands less maintenance. Just brushing your dog once a week and bathing it with well-maintained PH bath shampoo once a month and drying it out is all about its grooming.
- Brushing doxies’ teeth once in week and checking for fleas on their paws and skin is a must, along with clipping nails after some months.
- Clean their ears once a month, and if you notice any foul smell in their ears, clean them regularly and call a vet.
- Another perk of having a Weiner as pet is it’s moderate to soft coat shedding, so you will not see hairs on the sofa and carpet if you brush its coat once a weak regularly. But it does not mean they don’t shed at all; although they don’t shed clump, they do shed, which can be handled easily.
Diet requirements:
Doxie is mainly susceptible to packing extra pounds on the body, so you must maintain its diet correctly. A diet with moderate fat and higher amount of protein are recommended. As low-fat content can affect their coat, you must add some fat-rich content in the food but not regularly. Raw food and grain-free food should be avoided.
Shorthaired Dachshund Health issues:
- Although a shorthaired Dachshund has stout and sausage texture, it is more susceptible to musculoskeletal problems as compared to other breeds because of their long body and short legs.
- Intervertebral disk disease is the primary foe because of their long back and spinal cord.
- Lymphatic thyroiditis sweeps all the energy of the doxies, especially at the age of 1-3 years.
- Acanthosis Nigrican can cover the legs, and armpit portion of shorthaired dachshunds with black skin.
- Eye issues like glaucoma, Progressive Retinal atrophy, cataracts are the most common eyes issues of shorthaired dachshunds that can lead to total eye blindness in some dogs.
- If Dachshund is suffering from excessive hair loss, skin irritation, and inflammation, this might signify that sarcoptic mange, dermatitis, or food reactions have overwhelmed.
- Obesity and internal and external injuries are prevalent due to their stocky nature, leading to heart and lung disease.
Training your shorthaired dachshund:
You must stick to some basic commands and training because of your shorthaired Dachshund’s body structure and stubborn and independent nature. Teaching them some basic commands to follow you, sit and stand will be enough for them along with some other basic training. They must be trained not to avoid housebreaking and not play with harmful things for their long spinal cord and short legs.
Exercise and activity requirements:
It would be best to keep in mind that way back your Weiner was meant to sniff and hunt badgers and wolves. So just allowing them to relax all the way around means digging way to obesity and weight-related disease. But be careful, as Extra exercise and energetic activities can be detrimental for its body, and your dog will be more prone to internal and external injuries.
It’s just for your puppy to hang out with its owner for 15 minutes, but grown-up dog can walk for more than an hour. You can involve your dog in swimming, fetching activities that are not much strenuous but avoid applying them in games that include sudden twisting and bending like tug of war. A moderate walk is healthy for dogs to keep the muscles strong and stay active.
Pros and cons of having Shorthaired Dachshunds as pets:
Pros:
- Moderate to no grooming
- Very less coat shedding
- Friendly and playful nature
- Small size and easy to cuddle and pick up in the lap
- Brave and free guard
- No dog smell
Cons:
- Various skeletal problems because of their long body
- Shorthaired dachshunds can’t involve in strenuous activities
- Very stubborn and love independence
- Difficult to train
- Very clingy and attention seeker
- Prone to getting cold
- Like digging and can get dirty easily
- Barking is very loud and irritating
- They are a one-person dog as they pick up one friend
Can I choose a shorthaired dachshund as a family-friendly dog?
Doxie is overall one of the best pets to own, as it is friendly and loyal, small-sized, and requires very little grooming. It doesn’t have a dog-like smell and a shallow coat shedding tendency. It’s not much costly and it’s a low maintenance pet.
If you are single member, this dog can be the best companion for you. Make sure that you can invest a lot of time in your dog as it gets boring quickly and demands attention like a newborn. If you have a big lawn where a dog can play and dig, you can buy this dog.
On the other hand, if you are a busy person, have a lot of family members and don’t have a big lawn, then don’t make the mistake of getting a shorthaired dachshund. Doxie is not an outdoor breed, although hunting is in its ancestry. So if you need a pet who can play many games and hunt wild animals, then this dog is not for you.
Conclusion:
Shorthaired Dachshund is an adorable puppy to buy as family-friendly dogs who can help you in your daily chores, and they love to be on duty as gatekeepers or guards. They don’t require much grooming and are low-maintenance pets. In some cases, you have to take extra care of them, especially in winter, to avoid them from getting cold. But overall, shorthaired dachshunds are one of the best pets to have.
You can read similar articles about dog breeds, health, behavior, and training at Dog Vet Tips.