The personality of the Dwarf German Dachshund is very particular. It is highly affectionate, playful, loyal and cheerful.German Dachshund breed. If you think of dogs with an unmistakable and characteristic appearance, you surely cannot fail to mention the Dwarf German Dachshund with short hair. Here are all the characteristics of this cute and affectionate four-legged friend!

The German Dachshund breed is one of the world’s most familiar and popular breeds. One of the most desirable pet dogs, this short-haired dwarf breed is perfect for keeping at home. Healthy, well-mannered, playful and highly intelligent, this dog is ideal as a first pet to take care of and socialise quickly.

Dwarf German Dachshund, one of the oldest breeds

The Dachshund is one of the dogs with more history behind it than most other breeds today. Therefore, it can be said that this small animal has managed to populate several centuries of history; dachshunds have been kept by royal courts all over Europe, including that of Queen Victoria, who was particularly enamoured of the breed.

Initially, it was a hunting dog, adept at catching even the smallest prey. It is one of the world’s best-loved and best-known companion dogs today. The Dachshund originates from Germany and is considered the national dog, as is the German Shepherd.

The German Dachshund breed general description.

The Dachshund is a dog suited to a balanced life and very little tolerant of solitude. It cannot tolerate excessive cold and heat. It is particularly affectionate towards family and children. However, it develops a strained relationship with strangers and dogs if not sufficiently socialised.

It is a very loyal dog but tends to chase and hunt. Therefore, it needs adequate exercise, and its favourite activities should be varied and never repetitive.

Appearance and Attributes of the German Dachshund breed

The German Dachshund is a short, short-legged, elongated dog with a compact, very muscular figure, with a proud head and alert muzzle expression; its general appearance is typical of its sex. Despite its short limbs, about the length of the body, it does not appear ungainly, heavy or restricted in movement. Uncoloured, bi-coloured and harlequin coats are permitted.

The physical appearance of the Dachshund is unmistakable. The Dachshund is a small dog with good musculature. It generally has a chest circumference of between 30 and 35 cm. The Dachshund breed should not weigh more than 9 kg in terms of weight. *The characteristic of the Dachshund is that its body is developed more in length than height. As a result, the back is long, but the legs are short.

The head and muzzle are also elongated, while the jaws are strong and extended with a point of origin behind the eyes. On the other hand, the ears have a high hairline and are pretty significant, usually a little rounded. Despite its non-proportional physical characteristics, the Dachshund is never ungainly or clumsy in its movements. On the contrary, this breed always has a proud bearing.

Physical characteristics permitted by the standard:

  • Height: *
  • Weight: from (no minimum) to 9 kg
  • Longevity: 14 to 17 years
  • Colours: fawn, grey, black, honey, harlequin, brown
  • Fur: hard, smooth, short, long
  • Coat: two-coloured, uniform, brindled
The German Dachshund breed is all you need to know.
Another problem to watch out for is that dwarf Dachshund suffers from cold. This breed does not like low temperatures.

Price and maintenance German Dachshund

The price of a pedigree-tested German Dachshund puppy is between £1200 and £2000. The puppy will only be bought from highly experienced and serious breeders who raise socialised and healthy puppies. The food will be high quality but will not affect the family budget much, as it will be in small portions.

The expense for quality food for an adult Dachshund is about £30 per month. One must consider the veterinary visits and tests the Dachshund should undergo. Regarding the short-haired and long-haired varieties, grooming can be carried out at home. The hard-coated array, however, needs a professional groomer to be well groomed.

Pros and cons of the German Dachshund

Top 5 characteristics:

  • Salivation and slime containment
  • Health and disease
  • Tendency to hunt prey
  • Tendency to bark or howl
  • Adaptability to flat life

The five most problematic characteristics:

  • Tolerance to cold temperatures
  • Relationship with strangers
  • Sociality with other dogs
  • Tolerance to hot temperatures
  • Tolerance of being alone

German Dachshund breed. Character and sociability

Character and temperament

“It has an excellent temperament.”
The Breed Standard describes it: “The Dachshund is a friendly breed, neither fearful nor aggressive, with a balanced temperament. Passionate hunting dog, persevering, quick-witted and endowed with a fine sense of smell’. The Dachshund is considered a breed with a great temperament. It is always at its best and, if well-behaved, is an excellent companion for anyone, including children. He may be a little stubborn at times, but it is because of his strong temperament that he is a leader. An attentive owner will only be able to direct Dachshund’s temperament towards positive impulses that will make him increasingly lovable.

Affectionate towards the family

“Great affection towards the family.”
The Dachshund is a breed devoted to the family and, above all, to the person he considers the pack’s leader. Despite its predatory tendencies, the German Dachshund is a perfect companion dog, which can perform any activity alongside its owner. He is entertaining and very playful. However, special attention must be paid to its socialisation as it may become extremely jealous of its owner. You might be interested in this article about everything you should know before bringing a puppy home.

Friendly with children

“It tolerates children well.”
The German Dachshund is a friendly breed that needs good education and socialisation from the first months of life to interact with the children in its family. It is a friendly dog that loves to play, but it must be supervised by an adult when interacting with small children. If over-excited, he may become a little aggressive. It is better not to go to extremes for the sake of the children and the Dachshund itself.

Relationship with strangers

“Low tolerance towards strangers.”
Developing an appropriate relationship with strangers is not in Dachshund’s line. Generally, he is a rather suspicious dog towards people who do not live within the family circle and can develop inappropriate reactions if the person cannot behave correctly. Early socialisation towards people the Dachshund is not used to seeing every day can help a lot.

Sociality with other dogs

“Sociality with other dogs average.”
Rather than sociality, a Dachshund’s tendency to develop interaction with other dogs may be dictated by his particular pride. The Dachshund is a very calm dog with other dogs, but his level of interaction is always that of a rather suspicious dog. The possibility of a close encounter with an enthusiastic dog can produce undesirable effects. These are details that are only ever resolved with proper training.

The adaptability of the German Dachshund breed

Adaptability to flat life

“Maximum adaptability to a flat life.”
The Dachshund is a small working dog. This makes it suitable for a balanced life. Still, it is always necessary for its psychophysical well-being to have the possibility of running and walking several times a day to satisfy its need for movement and interaction with the outside world.

Tolerance of being alone

“Medium tolerance to being alone.”
Without forgetting this dog’s needs, attention must be paid to many important factors linked to daily living conditions. If he shares a too-solitary life, he may develop erroneous behaviour. You must always keep a close eye on your Dachshund’s activities, as he could cause havoc in the home if relegated to the house for too long.

Suitable as a first dog

“Suitable as a first dog.”
Here are a few valuable tips for the owner of a Dachshund, which is ideally suited to be an excellent breed for inexperienced people. First, one must continually assess what the dog’s needs are and what the owner’s possibilities may be. Dachshunds need, as with all dogs, to be educated and socialised. It must be kept under observation, especially in the first months of life, so it does not develop incorrect behaviour.

Tolerance to cold temperatures

“Low tolerance to cold temperatures”.
Despite a muscular, well-turned body and a well-stocked coat, the German Dachshund breed should not be forced to stay outside in cold temperatures. Even more, consideration should be given to the short-haired variety. As it is a good dog for a balanced life, it will spend much more time indoors during frosty days and only go for walks.

Tolerance to hot temperatures

“Medium tolerant to hot temperatures.”
The Dachshund is better tolerant to heat than cold, but precautions must also be taken against heat. Therefore, the Dachshund will not be exercised during the hottest hours and will be given a fantastic place to rest and plenty of fresh water.

The German Dachshund breed is all you need to know.
The German Dachshund breed becomes very attached to its family members.

Care and Health of the German Dachshund breed

Care and hair loss

“Minimal hair loss”.
The German Dachshund breed has seasonal hair loss, like all dogs. The short-haired variety has a hard coat and no undercoat. Therefore, the problem of hair loss is negligible. The long-haired and hard-coated types have undercoats that they lose during moulting. Weekly brushing and more frequent brushing during seasonal shedding are sufficient for them to avoid having hair shed around them.

Salivation and drool containment

“It has no drooling.”
The German Dachshund breed has practically no drooling. However, should abnormal salivation be noticed, care must be taken to investigate the cause.

Ease of cleaning

“Ease of cleaning differs between varieties.”
The short-haired coat presents fewer problems, as a good brushing followed by smoothing with a soft cloth is enough to keep it tidy and clean. The long-haired coat, on the other hand, requires some attention.

If we want to have a dog with a good coat, we wash it only when necessary, comb it (not brush it) with a fine comb once a week, paying particular attention under the ears, and trim the hair under the legs and between the toes once a month. Finally, the hard-haired coat requires some attention.

Subjecting this coat to stripping (tearing off the dead hair with the fingers) is customary. However, if the skin is complex and well groomed, there will be a few things to do: remove the hair under the legs and between the toes, the rosettes on the neck and under the tail. The ears must be well cleaned of inner hairs and those on the edges. The beard should be combed from top to bottom and trimmed if necessary.

German Dachshund breed. Health and diseases

“It enjoys, as a rule, excellent health.”
The Dachshund enjoys good general Health. However, attention must be paid to patella dysplasia (which affects many other small breeds) and herniated discs. It has good longevity and quickly reaches 15 years of age. It is robust but has an Achilles heel: the backbone. Due to its conformation, it may be prone to spinal trauma. Therefore, avoiding too many jumps from the bed or sofa is good. Most Dachshunds, however, reach old age without any problems and after having spent an active and dynamic life.

Tendency to put on weight

“Nutrition should be given according to growth and activity.”
The Dachshund may lose weight if its diet is not balanced against exercise. Therefore, the owner of a Dachshund will always need to keep a close eye on his diet, including allowing him to share in a specific daily activity that will enable the dog not to accumulate excess fat.

Dwarf German Dachshund breed about Learning.

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Intelligence and training

“Excellent intelligence and perceptiveness.”
The Dachshund is very alert and intelligent. This highlights the reasons why the Dachshund is so widespread in the population and why it is so popular. Affable, devoted, neither fearful nor aggressive. A combination that is difficult to surpass is the combination of temperament, intelligence, alertness and a great deal of self-awareness. This broad spectrum of the Dachshund’s character and enormous adaptability make him an ideal companion.

Loyalty and escapes

“He may flee in pursuit of hypothetical prey.”
A dog’s curiosity is difficult to control. He has no particular aptitude for physical reactivity that would allow him, for example, to get around an obstacle such as a fence by jumping over it. However, he must still be effectively controlled, as he can dig very well. He has the characteristics of a very loyal dog who may, however, be attracted by something that induces him to flee. Being a den dog, keeping him under close control during walks in the woods and countryside is necessary.

Tendency to bite

“Good self-control in biting.”
In many cases, allowing him to interact with toys may help develop the use of the bite, which the German Dachshund breed should practise responsibly. He should not tend to bite if well socialised, but care should be taken during interactions with strangers or other dogs.

The German Dachshund breed is all you need to know.
The German Dachshund breed is a brilliant dog and is easy to train.

Tendency to chase prey

“High tendency to hunt prey.”
The Dachshund is a hunting dog. This is its primary job. This specific use has since given way to a type of inclination that favours the development of the characteristics of a companion dog. Nevertheless, certain ‘hunter’ specifications are alive in the Dachshund, which does not disdain the pursuit of smaller animals for recreational purposes.

Tendency to bark or howl

“Bark when needed.”
The Dachshund’s vocalisations are not, however, used irresponsibly. He barks when he feels there is a need. Among its many qualities is also that of being an excellent watchdog, signalling the arrival of strangers in its territory with its barking.

The German Dachshund Needs Exercise

Energy level

“Average energy level.”
Relatively short but mighty legs characterise the Dachshund. As a result, he may tend to accumulate energy and turn it into excessive stress. This, if not vented properly, can be a problem.

Vigour

“Average meekness and vigour.”
It is a mild dog that lives well in a flat and is, at the same time, a hardy breed. His muscular and turgid body helps him to be always very active, which he spends playing and interacting with his human companion during walks and runs.

Need for exercise

“Average exercise requirement.”
Due to Dachshund’s physical characteristics, it is essential to allow it to develop an adequate daily activity. In addition, this will help enable the dog to maintain a good stress level. This is nothing too significant in any case; spending an hour each day to have a healthy, fit, but above all, happy and responsive Dachshund will be sufficient.

Tendency to play

“High tendency to play.”
The urge to play is one of the most pleasant characteristics of the Dachshund. This dog shares various activities with its owner and the people in the family circle. It can chase, run, cover long distances, and interact with other objects by developing intelligent and never-boring games. It is a particularly joyful and active breed, which is an absolute joy for the family.

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